encyclopedic text that gives every answer to every question
on every subject in the universe. This is not the purpose of
the Bible.
What then is the purpose of the Bible? The purpose of
the Bible is to bear witness to Jesus Christ, who is the
living expression of God, the Word of God. Jesus told the
Jews,
"...you do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe
Him whom He sent. You search the Scriptures, because you think
that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness
of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have
life." (John 5:38-40)The Scriptures bear witness of Jesus. A good witness in a
judicial setting does not focus attention on himself, but to
the issue at hand. The Biblical writings do not point to
themselves, but to Jesus Christ. The written record of God's
expression and revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ is
designed to direct a person to faith in Jesus Christ, to
receptivity of the redemptive and functionally living
activity of Jesus Christ.
The apostle John explains the purpose of his writing the
gospel narrative attributed to him: "these have been written
that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing you may have life in His name"