What is the Bible About?

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27

What is the Bible really about?

Some teachers and preachers make the Bible all about you. You’re David, facing the Goliaths of hard times. You’re Noah, building a spiritual boat to save humanity. You can be a prophet, or an apostle, or a world-builder, or the destroyer of dark forces. Is that what the Bible’s about?

A lot of people believe that the Bible is basically about you and me… that is, about what we must do to be in a right relationship with God. Is that what the Bible’s about?

I would suggest that a different perspective might be more accurate… that is, that the Bible is about Jesus, and what He has done.

In Luke and Acts we read that, after His resurrection, Jesus spent more time with His disciples. What was He doing?

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Basically, He was saying “Everything in the Old Testament is about me.” It’s as if He was saying, “The reason you didn’t understand what I was doing was that you were unaware that everything in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms points to me.”

Do you believe the Bible is basically about you, or basically about Him? Is David and Goliath basically about you? Do you read the Bible to be like David, slaying your own Goliaths, or do you read it to understand Jesus? He is, after all, the one who took on the only giants that can really kill us.

Who is the Bible really about? That’s the fundamental question. Jesus said that it’s all about Him. When we start to read the Bible with Jesus’ perspective, the whole thing looks entirely new. The Bible isn’t about you or me. It’s about Jesus.

Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden…His garden, a much tougher garden, and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for our acquittal.

Jesus is the true and better Abraham, who answered the call of God to leave all of the comfortable and familiar and go into the void, not knowing whither He went.

Jesus is the true and better Isaac, who was not just offered up by His father on the mount, but was truly sacrificed for us all while God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me, because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love, from me”. Now we, at the foot of the cross, can say to God, “Now we know that you love me, because you did not withhold your Son, your only Son, whom you love, from me”.

Jesus is the true and better Jacob, who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserve so we, like Jacob, only receive the wound of grace that wakes us up in discipline.

Jesus is the true and better Joseph, who was at the right hand of the King, and forgives those who betrayed and sold Him, and uses His power to save them.

Jesus is the true and better Moses, who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord, and mediates a New Covenant.

Jesus is the true and better rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.

Jesus is the true and better Job. He is the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves His friends.

Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes His peoples’ victory though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

Jesus is the true and better Esther, who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace but lost the ultimate heavenly one, who didn’t just risk His life but gave His life, who didn’t just say “If I perish, I perish” but says “When I perish, I’ll perish for them, to save my people”.

Jesus is the true and better Jonah, who was cast out into the storm so we could be brought in.

He’s the real Passover Lamb. He’s the true Temple, the true Prophet, the true Priest, the true King, the true Sacrifice, the true Lamb, the true Light, the true Bread.

Tim Keller

The Bible is not about you. The Bible is about Jesus.

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