Determining when the Bible was written poses challenges because it is a collection of 66 books, written by more than 40 authors over a span of approximately 2,000 years. Around A.D. 400, St. Jerome compiled what is known as the Vulgate, which includes 39 books of the Old Testament—referred to as the Hebrew Bible, beginning with the five books written by Moses—and 27 books of the New Testament, starting with the book of Matthew. Matthew was addressed to a community familiar with the Jewish background and emphasized the legal right of Jesus Christ to be recognized as the King of the Jewish nation.
The understanding of the revelations contained in the Bible is often limited by secular interpretations of Christianity. Without the transformation of the heart by the Holy Spirit, its teachings may be reduced to mere secular meanings. True understanding requires a transformation of the heart to reflect God's fundamental qualities: love, forgiveness, and truth. Sadly, some teachers and pastors appear not to fully believe what they preach. Evidence in today’s world suggests this may be because they are under the influence of the evil god of this world.
Advances in science and technology have enabled humanity to better understand aspects of God's creation. However, this understanding remains limited by mankind’s self-sufficiency. Despite this progress, the evidence of humanity’s need for God’s power—especially to overcome our basic depravity and selfishness—remains clear.