The size of the Bible would appear to afford the least significant fact as a basis for judgment. Such was my first assessment. What possible importance could be assigned to so prosaic a factor? What significance could size make in the validity of the Bible?

Comparing the size of the Bible to other sacred writings reveals both likeness and difference. The Koran and the Book of Mormon are relatively the same size as the Bible. The book of Buddha which is popular in Japan is smaller; the sacred writings of India are much larger.

Actually the Bible is small in size. Some popular novels and many college texts are larger. Senior citizens carry large print editions of the Bible with ease. Little children bring their smaller Bibles to Sunday School. Some pastors use pocket editions in their visitation. Truly, in size the Bible is just a "hand" book.

The Bible is a actually a collection of small "books" of great variety in every aspect: poems, letters, history, prophecies, sermons, and proverbs. These small books divide into two main sections, the Old and New Testaments. Hebrews accept the Old Testament which contains thirty-nine books; Christians accept both the Old and the New Testament, which contain an additional twenty-seven books. Combined into a single volume, the entire Bible of sixty-six small books is still just a "hand" book.

First thought concludes that size is unimportant, but then common sense raises questions of value that deserve a reasonable answer. Why should this particular small book be the only book that has been ted more than any other sacred or secular writing? Why should this particular small book be translated into more languages than any other writing in the history of printing? Why should this particular small book survive every effort for destruction in successive generations?

The survival of the Bible impressed Martin Luther so strongly that he wrote, "Mighty potentates have raged against this Book, and sought to destroy and uproot it - Alexander the Great, the princes of Egypt and Babylon, the monarchs of Persia, of Greece, and of Rome, the Emperors Julius and Augustine - but they prevailed nothing. They are gone, while the Book remains, and will remain for ever and ever, perfect and entire, as it was declared at first. Who has thus helped it - who has thus protected it against such mighty forces? No one, surely, but God Himself, who is the Master of all things. And 'is no small miracle how God has so long preserved and protected this Book; for the Devil and the world are sore foes to it."

Why should this particular small book be the subject of more study and discussion than any other writing in history? Why should this particular small book receive credit for changed lives wherever it is read? Why should this particular small book receive the opposition of the humanist and the oppression of godless communistic governments?

While size fails to afford any special distinction to the Bible, the common sense answers to these and similar questions compel the conclusion that this "hand" book must possess some unique position and power that distinguishes it from other books..

Common sense concludes that this small book, a tangible and external fact, deserves more thorough evaluation. Any book that exerts such great influence cries out for a reasonable explanation.

Common sense concludes that the Bible exerts too much influence to permit an honest person to evade, ignore, or judge lightly the pertinent facts.

Common sense asks, "Why should an open-minded person hesitate to make a fair and factual judgment of the validity of this small "hand-book", the Bible?"

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