According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word Bible is from the Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin, as used in the phrase biblia sacra (“holy book”)—”In the Latin of the Middle Ages, the neuter plural for Biblia (gen. bibliorum) gradually came to be regarded as a feminine singular noun (biblia, gen. bibliae in which singular form the word has passed into the languages of the Western world.”) This stemmed from the Greek term τὰ βιβλία τὰ ἅγια (ta biblia ta hagia), “the holy books”, which derived from βιβλίον (biblion), “paper” or “scroll,” the ordinary word for “book”, which was originally a diminutive of βύβλος (byblos, “Egyptian papyrus”), possibly so called from the name of the Phoenician port Byblos (also known as Gebal) from whence Egyptian papyrus was exported to Greece.

The Greek phrase Ta biblia (lit. “little papyrus books”) was “an expression Hellenistic Jews used to describe their sacred books several centuries before the time of Jesus,” and would have referred to the Septuagint. The Online Etymology Dictionary states, “The Christian scripture was referred to in Greek as Ta Biblia as early as c.223.

Isa 34:16  Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

Apostle Paul told  Timothy what the scriptures can do to all people. It is designed to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus because they are all inspired by God. The book should be the source for church’s doctrines and laws, which will give instructions, corrections and reproofs so that we will all attain the perfection that God wants us to become through good works. Without the words of God (Bible), man can not do anything good in the sight of God.

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

What is the proof that the Book of the Lord can be an important instrument of Salvation? Christ himself said that if we try to look for proofs about Him, the Scriptures should be looked into and it will assure us that we will attain salvation.

Joh 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

The Bible was translated into different language but its original form were Hebrew and Greek. Some translations in the past were derived from an earlier translation like for example the first English translation by John Wycliffe in 1380 was prepared from the Latin Vulgate.

Meanwhile, the Latin Vulgate was translated by Saint Jerome in 380 A.D. He translated into Latin the Old Testament from the Hebrew and the New Testament from Greek. It became the Bible of the Western Church until the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.

All books have authors. If we try to look in the library, some authors even penned their name in their books legitimizing their claim that the book was their own work. But, what about the Bible? Has anyone seen an author’s signature in the Bible? Who is really the author of the Bible?

When God gave Moses the law, we can read that it is HIS own finger who wrote it on the stones.

Exo 31:18  And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

When Moses broke the stones because of His anger to the people, God said He will write again the words that were in the first tables.

Exo 34:1  And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.

Noticed that God Himself write His commandments on the stones. But not all the books of the Bible were written by the hands of God. He instructed chosen people to be His writers of the other books. The following verses are the testimony of John, the Apostle when He was commissioned by God to write His words.

Rev 1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rev 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Rev 1:11  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Rev 1:19  Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

Prophet Isaiah, a major Prophet of the Old Testament was also commissioned to write the words of God, according to him…

Isa 8:1  Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

And this is what God told him,

Isa 30:8  Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:

We can see the writing transitions, from stones or tables to paper rolls and to a book. These are the commandments of God when He commissioned these people. And Paul, the Apostle testified about this when He wrote a letter to Corinth and said that they should acknowledge that the things that He wrote are the commandments of God.

1Co 14:37  If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

Since God commissioned human to write His books, skeptics believe that they might have some corruptions as people are prone to commit errors. How did the Bible address this issue? Will God permit such errors? 

Rev 21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

God said, His words, although written by people whom He selected were TRUE and FAITHFUL. This is a matter of faith and it is up for us to believe it or not.

Will God allow errors on the writings? The Bible said “NO.” There was an incident that the guidance of the Lord is always there when the writings of His words are being written.

Rev 10:4  And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

This was the scenario when Apostle John was about to write the seven thunders but a voice from heaven prevented him to do it.

Answering the question about the “signature,” it is illogical to put the signature of God in the Bible because God’s ways are different from our ways. And besides, signatures nowadays can be tampered. Also, according to the book of Daniel 6:7-9, signatures can be used for wicked things.

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Therefore, we must not assume that the signature of God is the same as the signatures of men. The signature of God is His very own words, which the Bible said will not pass away.

Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

How do we know that the words of God are His signature? The following verses give proof of the power of God’s words:

Mat 24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Mat 24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

Mat 24:8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

The above verses tell above Christ’s words of what will happen before the end of the world. Are these things happened? or still happening or not?

In another verse of the Bible, it says that until the end of time, knowledge shall be increased. This is a fact that nobody can deny.

Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

And as Apostle Paul said about the character of people in the end time, people will show their ungodly nature and wickedness.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The power of death that no man can control also adds up to the never ending proofs of God’s power manifested in His words. This is God’s signature that is really a revelation of His divine works.

Ecc 8:8  There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

All we have to do is to keep believing that indeed the Bible is a collection of Books inspired and guided by God and were given to us as a source of inspiration to live according to His will. Indeed it constitutes the revelation of God to man, and is profitable for man’s complete spiritual knowledge, understanding and growth to salvation.

Rev 22:6  And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Holy men of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit through different ways, recorded the TRUTH revealed to them. Transmitted to us free of error, God’s Words are pure and true. Its basic purpose is to reveal God, His purpose and the process of salvation to man. However, it is not philosophy to be freely interpreted, but by gathering all pertinent scriptures, using sound reason and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, one can understand God’s intentions and meaning.