People of the Book

Seventh-day Adventists used to call themselves the “People of the Book.” Many of them followed a one-year Bible reading plan and displayed their biblical understanding in doctrinal debates with other Christians.

Adventists often performed well in major national and international Bible knowledge contests. On August 19, 1958, the finals of the First International Bible Contest were held at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

The contest was sponsored by the Israel Broadcasting Corporation to commemorate the nation’s tenth anniversary. The finalists represented fifteen different countries and were from various Jewish and Christian backgrounds.

Irene Santos, a thirty-nine-year-old Adventist schoolteacher from Brazil, won third prize. At the Second International Bible Contest in Jerusalem in 1961, Yolanda da Silva, an Adventist schoolteacher and pastor’s wife, also from Brazil, received the second prize. It was later upgraded to a gold medal. And Adventist pastor J. J. B. Combrinck, from South Africa, took fifth place. Graham Mitchell, an accountant at the Sanitarium Health Food Company in Australia, won the Third International Bible Contest in Jerusalem in 1964. Manuel Jara Calderon, an Adventist from Bolivia, scored fourth in the Fourth World Bible Contest held in 1969. In 1981, Francisco Alves de Pontes (nicknamed “Chico Bíblia”), another Brazilian Adventist, won second place.

His prize was upgraded to a gold medal, as in the case of Mrs. da Silva. These are only representatives of the many faithful Adventists who were and still are in love with God’s Word. As Adventists, both families and individuals, we should revive the wonderful habit of memorizing portions of the Bible. But even more important than reciting Bible passages is understanding them correctly and living in conformity to their teachings. What a disaster it would be to end up having a big brain but an empty heart! Christ prayed for His followers, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17, NIV).

As good as it may be, our approach to memorizing the Bible and having an intellectual religion needs to be sanctified by the transforming power of God’s Word. Let’s put aside all human criticism and listen with humility and obedience to God’s Word!