The Bible contains essential history. The story of creation and God’s making man in his own image is fundamental to understanding who we are and why we are here. The history of the Fall explains the presence of sin and misery in this world. The history of God’s dealings with Israel affords a multitude of warnings against rebellious behavior and encouragements towards virtuous behavior. The history of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus gives us information that is essential to our eternal happiness.

I read old books—mostly books that are related to interpreting the Bible or books related to church history. Sometimes the author of the book that I am reading will refer to some scholar or divine whom he admires greatly, and he will write something like, “As long as civilization endures, the works of this man will enrich the lives of multitudes of grateful readers.” I have never heard of this man. The works of this alleged genius have not been in print for hundreds of years. I am reminded of Shelly’s poem “Ozymandius,” in which a “traveler from an antique land” tells of coming across the ruins of a huge statue that an ancient ruler had erected in his own honor, and on the pedestal of the statue the words were written, “My name is Ozymandius, king of kings. Look on my works, you mighty, and despair!” For miles around this toppled statue there is nothing but sand. Most greatness is temporary. A fly on the windowpane looks as large as an ox on the distant plain. It is a sobering experience to go to a large library and ponder the fact that no one will ever read the overwhelming majority of the books on the shelves. It is even more sobering to find a copy of one’s own painstakingly written book offered for a few cents in a thrift store. But a few great books continue to be great for hundreds or even thousands of years, and they actually do enrich the lives of multitudes of grateful readers. What makes a book a great book? What follows is a list of ten qualities that make a great book—ten qualities that are all true of the Bible. If another book possessed only three or four of these qualities, it would probably qualify as a great book, but the Bible possesses all ten, making it the greatest book of all.

1. Enduring Significance

The Bible is read more often, more widely, and more thoroughly than is any other great book. One significant evidence that a book deserves to be regarded as great is that readers read it more than once. There are many thousands of Christians who read the Bible every year, and they have done so throughout their lifetimes. Most repeat readers will testify that the Bible continues to enrich their lives with every reading. Not only do people read the Bible, but they also study it carefully in private and in Bible study groups. Thousands of congregations around the world gather every week to hear a sermon that is an explanation of some passage from the Bible. It is safe to say that millions of pages have been written about the works of William Shakespeare, but no one gathers every week with fellow Shakespeare readers to hear a sermon based on a passage from his works. At least some part of the Bible has been translated into nearly 7,000 languages, and the entire Bible has been translated into nearly 700. No other book comes close.

2. Influence for Good

The Bible has had more influence than any other great book. There have been some amazingly influential books. Ancient Greece was deeply influenced by the Iliad and the Odyssey. It has been said that Western Civilization is a series of footnotes on the writings of Plato and Aristotle. Millions live under the domination of political ideas propounded by Karl Marx. Followers of the Koran are numbered in the millions.