The book begins with the basics-a synopsis of biblical history and of the content of the books of the Bible. It provides an acquaintance with the tools for interpreting the Bible, various methods of interpreting the Bible, the mental process of interpreting any verbal communication (whether oral or written), the influence of culture on biblical writers and speakers, the problems of translating the Bible from one culture to another, the figures of speech, prophecy, typology, symbolism, and apocalyptic literature in the Bible, the development of the canon of the scripture, the purpose of the Bible, and a tool for applying biblical teaching to contemporary issues.