Common Questions About the Bible: What Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Say

One of the most common questions about the Bible is: What is it, exactly? For Jews, the answer centers on the Tanakh — the Hebrew scriptures comprising Torah (the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). Christians often call this the "Old Testament," a term most Jewish scholars reject as implying supersession.

Another frequent question is whether the Bible's God is knowable or comprehensible. Isaiah answers this directly and emphatically: God's understanding is beyond human searching Isaiah 40:28. The prophet rhetorically challenges the reader — have you not known, have you not heard? — implying that the scriptures themselves are the primary vehicle through which divine knowledge is transmitted Isaiah 40:21.

Rabbinic tradition, particularly as developed by scholars like Maimonides (12th century) and Rashi (11th century), treats the biblical text as inexhaustible. Questions about authorship, canonization, and interpretation have been debated for millennia. The Talmud records disagreements about which books "defile the hands" (i.e., are canonical), showing that even ancient communities wrestled with these questions.

Common questions also include: Is the Bible literal or allegorical? Jewish tradition generally embraces both — the peshat (plain meaning) and derash (interpretive meaning) coexist. There's no single authoritative Jewish answer, and that diversity is considered a strength, not a problem.

Christians ask many of the same foundational questions: Who wrote the Bible? Is it inerrant? How should it be interpreted? Christianity's Bible includes both the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament) and the New Testament, and different denominations hold varying views on its authority and interpretation.

On the question of God's nature as revealed in scripture, Christians echo the Jewish reading of Isaiah — God is eternal, inexhaustible, and his understanding is beyond human comprehension Isaiah 40:28. The rhetorical questions in Isaiah 40 are frequently cited in Christian preaching and theology to underscore divine transcendence Isaiah 40:21.

Questions about biblical inerrancy are particularly contested in Christianity. Scholars like B.B. Warfield (19th–20th century) championed full inerrancy, while others like Bart Ehrman (contemporary) argue the Bible contains historical and textual contradictions. The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978) remains a touchstone for evangelical Protestants, while Catholic and Orthodox traditions emphasize the Church's role in interpreting scripture alongside the text itself.

Another common question: Is the Old Testament still relevant for Christians? Most Christian traditions say yes — it provides the covenantal and prophetic background for understanding Jesus. However, Christians disagree on how much of the Mosaic law applies today, a debate stretching back to Paul's letters in the 1st century.

Islam's relationship to the Bible is complex and frequently misunderstood — itself one of the most common questions people ask. Muslims believe in the Tawrat (Torah), Zabur (Psalms), and Injil (Gospel) as originally revealed scriptures, but hold that these texts were altered over time (tahrif). The Qur'an is considered the final, preserved revelation.

The Qur'an itself poses a pointed rhetorical question about relying on other scriptures: "Or do you have a scripture in which you learn" Quran 68:37 — a challenge to those who appeal to non-Qur'anic texts for religious authority. This verse is often cited by Muslim scholars to reinforce the Qur'an's primacy.

Ibn Abbas, a companion of the Prophet and one of the most respected early Qur'anic commentators, was direct on this issue. As recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, he said: "How can you ask the people of the Scriptures about their Books while you have Allah's Book (the Qur'an) which is the most recent of the Books revealed by Allah, and you read it in its pure undistorted form?" Sahih al Bukhari 7522. This hadith, widely cited by scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah (14th century), cautions Muslims against treating the Bible as a reliable religious source.

That said, Muslim scholars don't uniformly dismiss the Bible. Some, like Ismail al-Faruqi (20th century), engaged biblical texts comparatively. The mainstream position is one of respectful skepticism — acknowledging the Bible's origins in divine revelation while questioning its current textual integrity.

A common Jewish question about the Bible is: Who is God, and what is God like? Isaiah affirms that the LORD is the everlasting God, Creator of the ends of the earth, who does not faint or grow weary, and whose understanding cannot be searched Isaiah 40:28. Another recurring question is: How are we supposed to know these truths? Isaiah challenges the audience—“Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning?”—underscoring that Israel has received this message from the start Isaiah 40:21.

Christians commonly ask the Bible: Who is God, and can we rely on His strength and wisdom? Isaiah proclaims God as the everlasting Creator who never grows weary, assuring believers of God’s inexhaustible power and unfathomable understanding Isaiah 40:28. Christians also hear Scripture’s summons to attentive faith: “Have ye not known? have ye not heard?”—a rhetorical call that the truth has been publicly announced from the beginning Isaiah 40:21.

Not applicable. Concerns Bible-specific scripture and practice; Islam centers guidance on the Qur’an rather than the Bible, as reflected in Qur’an 68:37 and the counsel attributed to Ibn ‘Abbas Quran 68:37Quran 68:37Sahih al Bukhari 7522.