What does the word Bible mean?

Biblia. This name is from the Greek through the Latin, and signifies 'The Books.' The whole is also called 'The Scriptures,' and once 'The Holy Scriptures,' that is, 'the Sacred Writings,' distinguishing them from all others. The advent of the Lord Jesus, who was the great subject of the scriptures, John 5:39, and in whom as 'Son' God spoke, after a silence of 400 years, naturally led to a division of the sacred writings into two parts, called the Old and New Testaments. The 'Old Testament' is mentioned as being read in 2 Cor. 3:14; but the term 'New Testament,' as applied to the collection of books that commonly bear that title, does not occur in scripture. There was also a change in the language in which the various books of the two Testaments were written. The Old was written in Hebrew, except Ezra 4:8 to Ezra 6:18; Ezra 7:12-26; Jer. 10:11; Dan. 2:4 to Dan. 7:28: these portions being written in Chaldee or Aramaic. The books of the New Testament were written in Greek (without now taking into consideration whether the Gospel by Matthew was originally written in Aramaic). The glad tidings of salvation was for the whole world, and the language most extensively known at that time was chosen for its promulgation.

It may be mentioned, in conclusion, that the word Bible is really a plural noun, meaning the Books merely, i.e., of course the sacred books. And this plural character should never be lost sight of; for we may fall into serious mistakes if we forget the different times, and in part the different objects, of the several books making up the Bible.

It so happens that the same word in Greek, expresses Covenant and Testament. The Old Scriptures are called by St. Paul, 2 Cor. 3:14, The Old Testament, because they contain the old covenant made with Israel. And this name becoming fixed to the first volume; it soon became customary to call, by way of contrast, the second volume, the New Testament.

Titles of the Bible.

In the ecclesiastical writings of the four first Christian centuries we have the Bible frequently referred to as "The Scriptures," or "the Sacred Scriptures"; another common enough title by Jewish and Christian writers was, "The Books."

From about the beginning of the fifth century the whole of the sacred writings as in our English version was spoken of as The Bible, from the Greek word biblos, meaning book; previously they were spoken of as "The Books." The pre-eminent dignity of the Word of God as the book of books is thus signified in the title, "The Bible." But there was yet wanting a word to denote its Divine character, hence "The Holy Bible," which is the chosen title of the Sacred Scriptures throughout the known world; in England the title has been in general use for about 600 years. Under the pontificate of Julius II. — the military and profligate head of the Romish Church — the title "The Holy Bible" first received papal sanction.

The first question that presents itself in this inquiry is, the usual name of the collective revelation of God of which the Old Testament does but form a part. The common designation of the whole of sacred Scripture is 'The Bible,' a name derived from ecclesiastical Latin, and meaning 'The Book.' Plumptre says, 'Mediaeval Latin mistook the neuter plural [Biblia] for a feminine singular,' which appears to have been first used in the thirteenth century. The first portion of this, with which we are now concerned, regularly called 'The Old Testament,' we find in the interval between the close of the Hebrew Canon and the Birth of Christ described by 'The Law, and the Prophets, and the rest of the Books' (Prologue to Ecclesiasticus or Book of Jesus son of Sirach).

In the inspired Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament it is spoken of as follows: 'The Scriptures' (Matt. 22:29). The singular is applied only to single passages: cf. 2 Peter 1:20. Observe that the embodiment in writing of the Word of God is alluded to by this name. We moderns use it in a printed form, and are apt to forget the origin of a title so familiar to us. 'The Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms' (Luke 24:44). 'Holy Scriptures' (Rom. 1:2). 'Sacred Letters' (2 Tim. 3:15).

In the early Church of the East we meet with it under the names of: 'The Old Covenant' (cf. 2 Cor. 3:4). 'Books of the Old Covenant.' 'Ancient Scripture.' 'The Old Testament (or Instrument).'

In the Old Testament times God spoke; when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth God spoke. Now we have the whole revealed will of God in the Scriptures. It is remarkable that the word, Bible, means in the original THE book, as if there were not another book in the world, just as the word, Scriptures, means THE writings, as if they were the only writings in the world. How is it that the Bible thus in its very titles arrogates claims to itself as the only source of divine information? Surely it is that the Book fills the place it claims. A cursory examination will serve to prove this statement.

And further suppose, when this is complete, that a definite building is the result—stone has fitted to stone till there arose a supreme, inimitable and sublime. Indeed, its very name—Bible—is unique, derived from Biblia (Greek—THE Books), as if there were no other books in the world.

"What is the meaning of the word Bible? None of you can tell, I suppose, so I must tell you myself. It is a word taken from the Greek language, and means a library. What is a library? now, who can tell?"

"Very well. The Bible is a collection of books. It was first called by this name in the fourth century by a servant of God named Chrysostom. Try and remember that name now. What was his name?"

Jerome, the most learned of the early Latin or Greek Fathers, styled the whole collection of sixty-six sacred books The Divine Library. Chrysostom, the most eloquent of the Fathers, spoke of them as The Divine Books. Polycarp, who lived at a still earlier date, having been personally instructed by the Apostle John, spoke of the Bible as The Sacred Scriptures, as also the Oracles of the Lord. Clement of Rome, whom Paul styles his "fellow-labourer" (Phil. 4:3), termed the Scriptures The true sayings of the Holy Spirit. Irenaus, of the second century, makes about 1200 citations or references from the New Testament; Tertullian, also of the second century, refers to or quotes from the New Testament about 2500 times; Clement of Alexandria, another of the second-century Fathers, cites from or refers to the New Testament 800 times; and Polycarp, already referred to, in a brief epistle addressed to the Philippians, quotes from the New Testament about 50 times. Thus the Scriptures, and not misty tradition nor the varying decisions of councils, were the source of all authority. Their verbal inspiration was the ground from which their absolute and Divine authority became the settlement of every question, and from which there could be no appeal, for their testimony is the voice of God.

"That is right, my child. They are called 'the Scriptures' or the 'Holy Scriptures.' Scripture means writing, and these are the holy writings, because inspired of God. But they are called something else. Who can tell us?"