In order to begin a thoughtful study of the Bible, it is essential to answer several issues pertaining to the question “What is the Bible?” In this episode, some important areas of discussion will be textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), chronology, archaeology, and comparative literature (literature from other cultures at the time of the Bible’s events). To some extent, not all of these issues are necessary to understand the Bible as a text, but so many issues of debate are caused by a misunderstanding of what the Bible is as a text. There is too much information and research available to make claims about the Bible that the Bible does not make. In order to get a full appreciation of this incredible collection of writings, it requires a bit of background to the text itself before we jump into the creation account of Genesis 1, which will come in the next episode.