What is the children's bible about? How to explain to a child what the Bible is. Ancient people worshiped idols, but the Gospel says that God is everywhere and in everything. It turns out that He was also in idols - so it’s not clear whether people sinned or not when they worshiped idols
Lately, there has been a lot of debate about whether it was worth reading the Bible to a child, and if so, then in what version - a “real” “adult” one or a children’s version. There are many opponents of reading the “adult” version of the Bible to children. And they can be understood, because many biblical stories, frankly speaking, are not suitable for children.
Psychologists say that reading the Bible to children has a beneficial effect on their development. The Bible provides examples of faith and morals.
We offer you a Children's Bible with pictures that you can read online with your child. Beautiful illustrations will please your child and will certainly make reading an interesting and useful activity.
Read the Children's Bible online.
You can choose a reading format that is convenient for you (book, slide, brochure). Go to full screen mode Reading can be done by clicking on the arrows in the lower right corner. Enjoy reading!
Children's Bible
Bible for children. Plots of the Old and New Testaments
The Children's Bible is written like a fairy tale and adapted for young readers. Despite the simplicity of the story, the Children's Bible gives an excellent understanding of God's Commandments and the laws of Christian morality. John Chrysostom said that the Bible adorns the mind and makes the soul stronger and wiser. A child's soul easily responds to good examples, and a child's heart is sensitive to wise stories. This makes the Children's Bible a great read for children.
The question of whether it is sinful to read the Children's Bible in a simplified version still remains open. Do we have the right to simplify and shorten the irreducible? There is no single correct answer, but I think every parent has the right to decide this for their child.
After reading stories from the Children's Bible, parents should ask the child reasoning questions to encourage the child to think about the true meaning of the story. Reason with your child, then reading the Children's Bible will benefit the child.
Children really like the illustrations for the Children's Bible - they are colorful and detailed. Each story is given one spread - text + picture. Bible Stories are abbreviated, but at the end of each story there is a Book of the Bible or Bible verse that is paraphrased. this story. Therefore, it will be easy to find the original biblical text if the child needs clarification.
It is important to understand that the Children's Bible contains all the main biblical stories, so by reading it, you are not only making an investment in the spirituality of the child, but also in his general development, because biblical stories are the most popular in our culture. Ignorance of them speaks of a person’s illiteracy and lack of culture.
Children need to read the Children's Bible because it is the “inspired” Word of God to all people, including children. In the Children's Bible, your child will find answers to the questions: What is the purpose of our lives? Where did I come from? Is there life after death? How do I get to heaven? Why is the world full of evil? Why is it necessary to fight evil with good deeds? In addition to these philosophical questions, the Children's Bible will answer practical questions: How can I be a good friend? What is success and how to achieve it? How can I change? What's really important in life? How to live so as not to look back with regret? How to cope with unfair circumstances?
Reading the Children's Bible will help children avoid many mistakes in life. Reading the Bible as a child is important because there are so many tempting false teachings out there. Exposure to the Bible at an early age will later help your child discern truth from error. The Bible gives us a standard that will help us avoid the influence of, for example, sectarian teachings, but having an incorrect idea of God is more dangerous than not having it at all.
God's word helps us recognize the sins in our lives and helps us get rid of sinfulness. The Children's Bible is not just a book to read, it is a book to study and understand. Reading the Bible with a child can be compared to mining for gold. With little effort we will find only a little gold dust. The more effort we put in, the greater the reward we will receive.
I have known this book since childhood. I know it so well that I can describe it right away, woken up in the middle of the night. Vintage, as they would say now, children on the cover. Cherub. Intricate font. A flyleaf with many, many small children in frames. You used to sit and run your finger along these frames: here is a girl in a hat, here in a headscarf, and here is a boy who looks like Tom Sawyer. Then there is the title page, and on it the gentle Christ stretches out his arms, inviting him to embrace. And a large illustration where the Lord is with children: a thoughtful baby sits on His lap, and a girl brought Him flowers. Also yati and era, touching endings of adjectives - “shady trees”, “beautiful birds”...
My dad bought me this book. He was ordained at the very beginning of the 1990s: on the one hand, the time was wild, and on the other, incredibly rich, and not only with all sorts of foreign novelties. I remembered the old things. Quite old, from some almost epic, mythical times: those where they wrote “shady trees” and put ers at the end of words after consonants. And from there, from this pre-revolutionary world full of unknown wonders, this book came back - so that it could be republished, so that my dad would buy it for me. I drove home, rejoicing: telling my little daughter about God in such language, with such pictures - it’s like traveling through time, participating in the past.
Yati and era, “shady trees”, “beautiful birds”
I found it in my parents’ house after my children were born. And then I found out that my husband also has it. Not blue, but in delicate sepia tones. And not so tattered: mine, after all, was read to the gills by three nephews, the children of my older brother.
When my daughter turned three years old, I was faced with the question: what should I read to her about God? There were already three Bibles for children on the shelf - one more beautiful than the other. All are bright, elegant, two with reproductions of famous masters, and one with works by Palekh artists. But…
Texts. There is a problem with the texts. After reading a couple of sentences to the child, I understood that no, it wouldn’t work. This can completely discourage interest in the Holy Scriptures. What was written seemed so formal, dried out, and absolutely faceless to me.
No, you can, of course, tell it yourself. But a book is a book. You need to read it. And my daughter, looking at me with blank eyes, said: “Read, mom.” Mom began to read, and her daughter’s eyes went out. Not interested.
And then I opened my old book. The same one with yats and ers, with outdated endings, with phrases that are unfamiliar to modern children. And my active three-year-old listened, frozen. The story truly captured her and carried her there - in the days of the creation of the world, on a dusty road, illuminated by the glow of Sodom and Gomorrah, in a shady pool, where Pharaoh’s daughter found a basket with little Moses.
This book is called “My First Sacred History.” The biblical texts were presented for her by priest P.N. Vozdvizhensky. He managed to create a truly universal format: these stories are interesting for kids to listen to, and they are no less interesting for older children to read on their own. I am proof of that. At the age of six and a half, before the first grade, I trained on them, they continued to fascinate me at school.
I recently learned that the reprint edition that I was lucky enough to own is a second-hand book rarity: it is now out of print. However, Vozdvizhensky’s wonderful text can be found. There are several options where reproductions of icons and paintings by classical artists are used. These books were published under the title: “Sacred History. Bible stories for children."
So, what is good about Vozdvizhensky’s text?
It's like a kind grandfather telling his grandchildren about the most important things.
Firstly, in good, clean, clear and correct classical literary Russian language. Without being boring, but with good pathos (after all, what kind of things are we talking about!). The author uses short sentences and does not go into abstract reasoning. He skillfully and sometimes masterfully balances, without falling into either unctuousness or scholastic dryness. This, however, is similar to a kind grandfather telling his grandchildren about the most important things - about God, about the world, about people and their actions.
The second is didacticism. It's in the book. But he is not boring, arrogant or annoying, which, in my opinion, is top notch. Vozdvizhensky summarizes some chapters or logical sections of the text. For example, after the story about, he addresses the readers:
“It happens that you pray to God inattentively, especially before going to bed. But know that God does not listen to inattentive prayer. If you pray, then do it with all your heart, with love for God, then the Guardian Angel will transfer your prayers to Heaven to God, and the Lord will willingly fulfill all your requests.”
Do you feel how simply it is written, without ingratiation or unnecessary rigor? How morality develops pedagogically competently: a description of an offense, a description of its consequences, a description of how everything will happen if you do the right thing. I would like to say about this: “neither subtract nor add.”
The Bible is an incredibly complex book. There are not many adults who know the events of the Old Testament well, especially what follows after the Pentateuch. A child, even an older one, can quickly become entangled in the intricacies of the plot and the mass of names and titles. “Sacred History” provides information clearly, dosed and logically verified. After reading, a clear picture emerges; the child remembers the main events perfectly. A kind of skeleton is created, a framework on which a more detailed and serious reading of the Book of Books, its original, will then lie.
According to my observation, children who are read books every day, who are accustomed and love to listen, will perceive this text from the age of 3.5–4 years. Despite the apparent complexity, outdated expressions and spelling unusual for the modern eye, everything is perceived quite easily.
Well, we’ll probably stop in our search for the ideal children’s Bible. After all, new is... well, you remember!
Orthodox doctrine understands the Holy Scriptures as part of the Holy Tradition, which, according to the Orthodox theologian V. N. Lossky, is “the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church.”
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“Man cannot live by bread alone,
but with every word that proceeds from the mouth of GodThe role of Holy Scripture in the life of a little Christian
Studying the Bible is an integral part of the life of every Orthodox person. According to legend, the Mother of God loved to read the Holy Books. Christ Himself commands every person to heed His word.
Orthodox doctrine understands the Holy Scriptures as part of the Holy Tradition, which, according to the Orthodox theologian V. N. Lossky, is “the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church.” Sacred Tradition, in addition to texts and written institutions, includes church practice and traditions. And, perhaps, the most important thing in the Holy Tradition is the inexpressible personal spiritual experience that passes from generation to generation. And therefore, one of the tasks of Orthodox parents is to transfer this spiritual experience to their children.
Thus, Holy Scripture is a recorded part of the life of the Holy Spirit in the Church. And therefore it represents the most objective way of a person’s personal communication with God, and it should begin from a very early age.
“He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." Every encounter with the Bible is a kindness thrown into a young soul. We cannot be lazy on such an important issue, because we will give an answer at the Last Judgment for what has been entrusted to us. This means that we must try to sow these seeds in good faith. The Lord Himself will grow the fruits so that His promise about those times when “both the sower and the reaper will rejoice together” will come true ().
Introducing a child to the Bible: first steps
First of all, one cannot help but say about the special role of the Gospel in the Holy Scriptures. The New Testament books complete Divine Revelation and bring it to its fullness. The Gospel tells about Jesus Christ, whose life should become an example for us to follow, and points to love as the basis of the Kingdom of God established by Christ. To emphasize the significance of the New Testament, it is very good to give each child his own copy of the Gospel with bright pictures and in good binding, and make its daily reading a pious family tradition.
When considering the issue of children's reading, you should decide on the age range and methodology.
So, when should you start reading sacred texts to your child? This problem is not difficult due to the fact that there are simply no age limits! The Gospel itself shows us that every person is such already in his mother’s womb: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb.” (). Infant John the Baptist, carried by righteous Elizabeth, shows us God’s ability to act on everyone, even a very small person.
We must remember that a personal meeting with the Lord happens at some point to everyone who strives for heaven. It will certainly happen in the child, but how and when depends largely on the mother.
Everything that happens to the mother also happens to her baby while he is in the womb. They are closely connected during this period, but will continue to be closely connected subsequently. A little person, albeit unconsciously, absorbs any information about the world, and the main source of this information becomes the closest thing he has in this world - his mother. It is for this reason that regular reading of the Holy Scriptures is especially important for a mother - so, through the mysterious ways of maternal love, she will be able to convey to the child part of her personal cognitive experience.
Regarding the issue of reading the Holy Scriptures to already relatively conscious children, it is difficult to determine universal age criteria - it all depends on individual characteristics. However, in general, small children living in the world of fairy tales are most receptive to parables and various visual images from the Gospel. Thus, a good example is the image of the good shepherd, symbolizing Christ since Old Testament times: “As a shepherd He will feed His flock; He will take the lambs in His arms and carry them on His bosom, and lead the milking ones” (). You can also remember David, who was also a shepherd and protected the sheep from evil lions.
Visualization of the study
The famous teacher of the 19th century K. D. Ushinsky noted the need to supplement the narrative with pictures: “Who has not noticed that in our memory those images that we ourselves have perceived through contemplation are preserved with particular strength and that we easily and we simply attach even abstract ideas that would otherwise be erased from memory.”
A person perceives the surrounding reality through the senses. Didactics teaches us that acquaintance with new objects forms in the child a certain concept, consisting of a complex of information received. At the same time, the sense organs transmit different amounts of it and, accordingly, have different values in understanding the world. Figuratively speaking, in one period of time, per conventional unit of auditory information there are ten units of tactile information and one hundred units of visual information. Consequently, a person receives more than 80% of information about the world around him through vision. This fact indicates the exceptional importance of a visual presentation of the material being studied. If you use all the senses, then the effectiveness will be maximum due to the general interconnection and systematic thinking of a person.
The illustrations used are of great importance. This is due to the fact that the biblical images reflected by the artist will remain with the young reader for life. As a positive recommendation, you can use the famous “Children's Bible”.
“Children's Bible” by Borislav Arapovich and Vera Mattelmäki.
The narrative in this book is adapted for the little ones. However, at the end of each passage there are links to the retold text of the Holy Scripture, which makes it possible to use a mixed approach to study.
It is noteworthy that the Children's Bible, although originally intended for children, gained some popularity among adults. Therefore, from the second edition, additions aimed at mature readers were placed in it. These additions will be useful to parents themselves for a deeper understanding of the meaning of the text being studied. Perhaps the most important thing in the Children's Bible is the amazingly colorful illustrations that accompany each reading passage.
In addition, for older children, at the end of the book there are geographical maps and photographs of places of biblical events, which makes it not only a colorful, but also a methodologically useful tool for studying Sacred History.
Engravings by French artist Gustave Doré
When examining the important role of visual representation in the study of Holy Scripture, one cannot fail to mention the famous engravings of the French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883). During his life, the artist depicted hundreds of beautiful illustrations describing biblical scenes. His work can rightfully be considered a classic artistic interpretation of the Bible.
For older children (from 10 years old), the works of Gustave Doré can be an excellent addition to regular reading. The realistic style of the paintings makes the pages of the Bible come alive, the reader seems to be experiencing the events described, and the biblical characters look genuinely believable. Although Gustave Doré was criticized during his lifetime, his illustrations have stood the test of time and are still valued today as a vivid depiction of biblical history.
Parables and Images
One priest said that when a child asked what he should do if he got lost, he answered:
- Stop and pray, and I will find you.
When introduced to the parable of the lost sheep, the child was able to feel it as his own experience. Analogies are necessary at any age - they serve as a tool to show the relevance of Biblical stories for every person and every time.
When a child loses his own toys, he becomes upset and cries. This experience can be used to show God's sorrow for every lost human soul.
It is useful for a growing child to tell parables. The parable of the sower shows by analogy that just as life is born in nature, so good qualities are born in the human soul.
The parable of the workers in the vineyard appeals to the sense of justice that is very developed in children. It is very complex and, at the same time, very useful in view of the fact that it is very difficult to explain equal reward received by employees.
The parable of the prodigal son is very multifaceted. IN younger age it can be explained in such a way that the prodigal son is the one who is lost and cannot find his way home. This turns the child to personal experience when he himself was lost and could not find his mother. Despite some inaccuracy of interpretation, this meaning will be most accessible to the child.
From a certain age, questions will begin to appear and the process itself will move to a new stage - from simple reverent attention to a discussion of what has been read. Here the second question arises: how to introduce children to Sacred History?
For those who are older
K.D. Ushinsky, already mentioned by us, gave the following recommendations. Church life itself disposes us to study Scripture, including through church holidays. The service is combined with the mother’s story and a joyful feeling - all this revives ancient historical events in the children’s imagination.
At the same time, it is better to divide the story into two stages. At the first stage, the child is introduced to the main points of the event; at the second stage, secondary features are added to them. This method allows you to avoid a situation where a child takes away little things from a long story and does not notice the main thing. Of course, when reading together, the clarity of the narrative is important, Feedback through questions, comprehension of what is read and regularity of classes.
Readings should be carried out in such a way that they are not a burden to children. As noted by N.E. Pestov (quoting Ushinsky’s recommendations), it is permissible to engage in some kind of handicraft - drawing, origami, embroidery or something else. But a fussy attitude or a tense environment is unacceptable. We must remember that our goal is to instill in children a love of reading the Word of God, to show them that It is the main compass of life and a means of communication with God. To do this, we must trust Him ourselves and rely on Him, entrusting ourselves and our works.
On the verge of school age...
As mentioned above, for childhood It is preferable to be introduced to the Holy Scriptures in the form of a story adapted for children's age. A classic representative of this form of study can be considered the Children's Bible, adapted by Borislav Arapovich and Vera Mattelmäki. Currently, many other books have been published to introduce children to Sacred History, when choosing which it is best to focus on authors and publishing houses blessed by the Orthodox Church.
However, with constant reliance on adapted publications, by the time of primary school age the approach to the study of the Holy Scriptures should undergo some changes.
When analyzing sacred history, it is useful to learn to ask questions that teach a teenager to think. For example, why did God not accept Cain's sacrifice? It is worth talking about the need for a reverent attitude towards every matter of communication with God: the Sacraments, prayer and visiting church.
When studying the history of the battle with the Amalekites (), it is useful to pay attention to the fact that the success of any human activity depends on God - and therefore you need to turn to Him for blessing before any important undertaking.
Returning to the parable of the prodigal son, it is worth noting that throughout life a person often finds himself in the position of a prodigal son. And it is quite possible, even during the course of a day, to depart from the Father more than once through one’s own sins.
It is useful for children of primary school age to be recommended to read books that educate the concept of righteousness. Such holy fathers as Ignatius Brianchaninov, Theodosius of Optina, and Theophan the Recluse at a young age were very fond of reading the lives of Christian ascetics. Subsequently, they noted that what they read sank deeply into their souls and left a mark for the rest of their lives. For example, Ignatius Brianchaninov will write in his notes, turning to God: “Your Pimens, Sysoi and Macarii captivated my soul.” Acquaintance with the life of holy ascetics at an early age protected the future saint from the temptations of youth and directed him to the monastic path of serving God.
Tactile memory
In preschoolers and junior schoolchildren All three channels of perception of the world are equally developed: auditory, visual and tactile. At the same time, the speed of writing almost always corresponds to the speed of the child’s thinking, which allows him to think about information while writing it. In addition, a complete picture is created that is reliably imprinted in his memory - motor memory is quite reliable and durable.
The stage of early school age can be considered transitional - parents, although not abandoning the study of the Holy Scriptures in an adapted form, can include original quotations from the Synodal translation. You can keep a notebook in which you write down one main quote from each reading.
Adolescence
At some point, which must be determined individually by each parent, reading the Bible should move to a fundamentally new level. The transition from perception in the form of a fairy tale to analogies and building a connection between Sacred history and modern life is becoming more and more noticeable. During the middle and high school years, the emphasis shifts from imparting knowledge to building relationships in Christ. It becomes necessary to bring the Gospel into our daily life and a reflection of its relevance in modern conditions. The good news should not remain a fairy tale, but should become a faithful companion in life for a young Christian.
Adolescence, due to its spirit of protest, needs stories that highlight individuals. A teenager needs to be told about personalities, about those people who entered the sacred books to become part of our lives. Each character in Holy Scripture went through a certain path that made him a legendary person. At this stage, it is very important to show that despite any genius, a person still needs the help of the Creator and is not able to achieve holiness on his own. At the same time, the Lord helps everyone who wants to grow.
With teenagers, it is best to read the Bible in the Slavic translation. A good practice is the obligatory weekly reading on Saturday evening - analysis of the Gospel passage read at the Sunday service. Savvy parents can also review Old Testament passages with their children before reading the corresponding proverbs.
Methodological base
The most important thing for a Bible teacher, whether a parent or a teacher, is to experience God's Word in a living way. The teenager should see your sincerity in experiencing the Sacred Texts and this will be the most important support for any technique.
It is best to use the Synodal translation for reading in adolescence. If you study the Bible through analysis of the beginnings or chapters, it will be very useful after reading the Synodal translation to read the same passage in Church Slavonic (Elizabethan Bible). In this way, you will gradually teach your teenager to understand liturgical language.
At this age, it becomes necessary to carefully select the interpretation of the Old and New Testament. The parent will need some pre-reading preparation. We can recommend interpretations of the Gospel of St. John Chrysostom and Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria. The latter, in case of lack of time, can simply be read out - the work of Theophylact of Bulgaria is written down very well in simple language. For teaching, it is recommended to use the “Four Gospels” by Archbishop Averky (Taushev) - the classic tutorial students of theological schools.
The interpretations of St. Ephraim the Syrian may be useful for the Old Testament. Leading methodological manuals throughout the Bible is the “Explanatory Bible” by A.P. Lopukhina. A simpler presentation is presented in the “Biblical History” of Metropolitan Benjamin (Pushkar).
The fundamental collection of patristic interpretations is the 27-volume series “Biblical Commentaries of the Fathers of the Church and Other Authors of the 1st–8th Centuries,” edited by Konstantin Gavrilkina and Sergei Kozina.
Translation of the Psalter by S. S. Averintsev
You can awaken a teenager’s interest in the Psalter by combining reading in Church Slavonic with reading a poetic translation created by Sergei Sergeevich Averintsev.
Why this particular translation? The fact is that the task of interpreting a sacred text requires not only theological erudition, but also a strong inner spiritual feeling. The psalms of David are filled with strong religious emotions - and every word in the psalms was spoken in the face of the Living Lord. Sergei Sergeevich Averintsev, being a talented philologist and biblical scholar, approached the task of translating the Psalter with extreme responsibility. He was able, by carrying the sacred meaning of the psalms through the language barrier and the difficulties of poetic presentation, to preserve their spiritual fullness, making them accessible to the understanding of the Russian people.
For many people (and especially teenagers), the obstacles to understanding the deep inner spiritual experience in the psalms turn out to be insurmountable due to cultural differences in modern literature and the sacred text. And therefore, through an inspired and talented person, a step is taken towards those who want to touch ancient spiritual poetry.
Conclusion
When bringing the Word of God to teenagers, we should remember that from about the age of seven, a child is called to the Sacrament of Repentance. In adolescence small man already able to accept Jesus Christ, accept His Sacrifice and the covenant made with people.
It is important to understand that in the Bible the concept of “learning” implied the constant study of the Holy Scriptures and the subsequent application of the experience gained in real life, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is necessary to help the teenager realize this.
Adolescence involves certain psychological characteristics. A person at this age, living in the present, turns his gaze to the future, preparing himself for adulthood. The aspirations for self-knowledge, self-expression and self-affirmation are clearly expressed - all this is a natural process of development and can be realized in a soul-saving form.
During adolescence, a person urgently needs close communication with people who show love to him. Through this, their psychological needs are satisfied.
- Raising self-esteem. Almost every teenager feels inferior in some area of life. It is necessary to help him realize his own need for you, God and His Church.
- Feeling needed. One of the church parishes conducted a survey, as a result of which it became clear that young people are looking for friends in Sunday school, first of all. For children of adolescence, it is important to feel that they belong to a certain group, and it is very good if such a group is a Christian community.
- Communication with the opposite sex. One of the important problems of adolescence is the difficulty of properly building relationships with the opposite sex. It is quite difficult to acquire such a skill at home, however, church meetings are designed to teach young people how to properly communicate with each other.
- Social adaptation. Every teenager asks questions about his own importance to society and personal goals in it. By getting acquainted with the Bible and the Orthodox faith, the young man has the opportunity to find answers to some personal questions.
The above factors speak in favor of the fact that, despite the importance of home Bible study with parents, with the transitional age stage there is a significant need for contact with peers in the Orthodox teenage society.
When children have grown up and begin to read the Bible on their own (sometimes first the children’s edition, and sometimes the Synodal edition at once), they inevitably have questions. Moreover, sometimes they pay attention to things that do not always occur to adults. Archpriest Andrei Bliznyuk, a teacher of the law at St. Peter's School (Moscow), answers the children's questions.
Ancient people worshiped idols, but the Gospel says that God is everywhere and in everything. It turns out that He was also in idols - so it’s not clear whether people sinned or not when they worshiped idols?
Let's start with the fact that in the Gospel there are no such words, “God is everywhere and in everything.” This very idea that God and the world are one and the same, that God is in every grain of sand and in every atom, is called pantheism. This is a false teaching, incompatible with Christianity.
But what does the Bible really say? In the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis, it is said that God is the Creator of our entire world, of all nature. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, but the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the deep. And the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.” How do we understand the word “rushed”? It may even seem rude to us now, but if we look at the meaning of that Hebrew word, which in Russian is translated as “to rush,” it turns out that it means “to create, protect, grow.” This is exactly how God treats the world He created. He supports him with His love, His energy. In the Creed we call God by the word Almighty- this means that He not only created the world, but every second supports it, protects it, and prevents it from falling apart.
Moreover, God created matter for a reason, but for the sake of man. And yes, matter can be gracious, the action of God can be present in it (and in Greek, by the way, the word action sounds like energy). God gives matter to man so that he can use it for good. But a person can use matter in a completely different way. Make, for example, a machine gun, from which they will then shoot civilians. Or make a knife with which a murderer will stab someone. That is, it turns out that a person can, as it were, reconfigure matter, from good use to evil.
The same thing happened with idols. God did not create stone, metal, wood so that people would make idols out of them. People created them by violating the commandment - do not make yourself an idol (an idol is the same thing as an idol, just a synonym). The Lord, knowing that people could fall into such temptation, specifically gave them a commandment - not to do this, not to create idols. Therefore, those people who worshiped idols - they, of course, sinned. After all, they violated God’s commandment, they forgot that God is only with those who are kind, who live according to the commandments of love.
As for the pagans who worshiped idols, knowing nothing at all about God and His commandments, one can only feel sorry for them: by creating idols for themselves and worshiping them, they thereby only moved away from the real God. Which was not present in any sense in the idols they created.
Why are there inconsistencies in the Bible?
Because the Bible tells the truth. Sounds paradoxical, right? But if the Bible were a fictional book, then it would be edited so that everything in it would be logical, there would be no inconsistencies or contradictions. Everything would have been rigged so smoothly that a mosquito wouldn’t hurt your nose.
Why are there contradictions in a truthful book? Because the Bible was written not by one person, but different people who saw the same thing differently. Let's take, for example, some event in modern life. If there were several witnesses to this event, they will describe it slightly differently. Why? Because they saw it from different sides. Someone's view was blocked by folds in the terrain, someone's view was blocked by someone's back at some point, someone stood far away and did not hear what was said, but heard someone's retelling. Moreover, none of these witnesses lie or make things up; they all tell the truth. But everyone has their own piece of truth, and the full picture can be assembled if you put these pieces of truth together, and not just mechanically, but in a smart way, comparing one with the other.
It's the same with the Bible. The Bible is a special book, inspired by God. People wrote it, not inventing anything on their own, but describing the events in which they themselves participated, in which they saw the actions of God, and the Holy Spirit helped them write it. And sometimes, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, they directly became heralds of the Divine Truth. But still, this was written by people who observed the events of sacred history from different vantage points.
For example, if we take the four Gospels from the four evangelists - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - we will find events described there differently. Let's say the Gadarene demoniac. Was he alone, or were there two demoniacs there? Different evangelists say it differently. And why? For example, because one of these demoniacs was silent, and therefore the evangelist, describing this event, simply did not mention him. It was more important to mention what Christ responded to the words of the second demoniac and what the consequences were. Or, let’s say, the evangelist says that 12 apostles gathered, although at that time there were already 11 of them, Judas had already betrayed them. Why 12? But because the number 12 had a symbolic meaning in ancient Judea, the meaning of the number of completeness. And “12 gathered” should not be understood in the sense that those gathered were counted by heads. This means that we have gathered All apostles - all the closest disciples of Christ remaining at that time.
This once again proves that these events were described by living people who saw some moments in their own way, but at the same time, the spiritual content of what they said is one and the same.
Why doesn't the Old Testament say anything about dinosaurs?
Because the Old Testament is not a textbook on zoology and paleontology. It is about the relationship between God and man. It says only what is important for our salvation - that is, how man was created, what he was like before the Fall and what he became after, how God acted so that fallen man could return to Him.
Everything else in the Old Testament is not mentioned - not because it did not happen, but because it is not so important for our salvation. For example, in the Old Testament not a word is said about domestic cats - although nowadays everyone does nothing but publish photos of their cats on social networks.
Afterword for adults:
Dear Parents! If your children have questions and confusion after reading the Bible, this is actually a very good thing! Even if you think the question is stupid. Because this is a reason for a serious conversation about faith, and when a child becomes the initiator of such a conversation, this is especially useful.
But you must be prepared for such conversations, which means you yourself need to constantly read the Holy Scriptures and interpretations of it, read theological and apologetic literature. But it often happens that at the beginning of his churching a person actively delved into Orthodox doctrine, read a lot, but then stopped at some level, found answers to basic questions for himself - and lives ordinary life an ordinary church-going Christian. That is, he regularly attends divine services, confesses, takes communion, reads morning and evening prayers, observes fasts - and thinks that this is quite enough. But when his children grow up and begin to ask questions about faith, it turns out that he forgot much of what he read, and never paid attention to some points at all. And he is not able to answer the child.
To prevent this from happening, don’t stop reading, re-read doctrinal literature, re-read the Holy Scripture (and with each new reading you will discover some new shades of meaning).
Well, in the case when you still cannot answer a child’s question, honestly tell the child that right now you are finding it difficult to answer right away, but you will definitely answer soon. Talk to more knowledgeable people, talk to your confessor, read the necessary literature - and as soon as possible remind your child that he had such a question, and now you are ready to give an answer.
Prepared by Vitaly Kaplan
One of the activities of Orthodox publishing houses is the production of children's literature. Among the mass of books aimed at young readers, the leading place belongs to the children's Bible. What kind of book is this and what are its features?
The formation of faith in God begins from an early age, so every conscientious Christian parent should take care that his child is surrounded by an atmosphere of kindness from birth, and that family life is in accordance with Orthodox teaching. Of course, today few adults can raise children in the true spirit of Christianity, so parents often seek help from priests, and also often try to find answers to questions in books. Children also behave like adults, but for a child of primary school age, Orthodox literature is quite difficult to read and understand, so special publications are published for this category, for example, the children's Bible. It is a simplified version of the Bible texts. There are two opposing opinions regarding such publications. Those who strive to raise a child in the spirit of Christian teachings, to bring children to God by any means, unanimously speak out for the existence of Orthodox books for young readers. Those who do not have a strong faith in their souls believe that such literature is difficult for children and does not leave the child the opportunity to freely choose their religion. Whatever the views, a children's Bible should be in the arsenal of every child, because even if parents consider themselves atheists, their task is to introduce children to various aspects of life and religions, so that in the future their child can choose the direction that is close to him.
The Children's Bible is written in accessible language and has many illustrations that give children a visual idea of what is being told. One of the positive educational aspects of the children's Bible is that almost every story talks about punishment for sins. Thanks to this, a child from an early age learns to analyze his actions, and the idea is implanted in his mind that any action must be deliberate.
Along with the usual children's Bible, Orthodox publishing houses also publish texts from the Old and New Testaments: “Biblical Traditions. The Old Testament" (M. Yasnov, N. Lavrukhin), "The New Testament to Children of the Acts of the Holy Apostles" (E. Trostnikova). In the age of development of information technology, Orthodox education has stepped forward. Today you can purchase various audiobooks, as well as collections of cartoons based on biblical themes.
Tatiana Maslova
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