Inspiration of the Bible

 

Meaning of the word “Bible”

 

The Divisions of the Bible

 

Two Major Divisions

 

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: [33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

 

The meaning of “testament.”

 

The OT

 

Three divisions of the OT

The Law

The Prophets

The Writings

 

The OT translated into Greek around 250-150 b.c. called the Septuagint (LXX)

This was the translation the NT quotes most often

 

The NT

 

Four divisions of the NT

The Gospels

The historical book/writings (Acts)

The Epistles

Pauline

General

Prophecy (Revelation)

 

The Definitions of Revelation, Inspiration, and Illumination

 

Revelation

To be shown something not before seen.

 

Inspiration

The process by which spirit-led men recorded God-breathed writings

 

Illumination

The way the Holy Spirit speaks to us as we read the inspired Word.

 

 

The Inspiration of the Bible

 

2 Tim. 3:16-17     All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

2 Peter 1:16-21

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. [17] For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” [18] And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. [19] And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; [20] knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, [21] for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

 

 

Inspiration, then is the process by which spirit-led men recorded God-breathed writings

 

According to 2 Tim. 3:16, how much of the Bible is inspired?

Is the entire text inspired?

Are the very words used inspired?

Is the tense of words inspired?

Who is inspired, the writer or the writings?

Are copies inspired?

Are translations inspired?

 

Only the autographs were inspired.  Good copies may be accurate but not inspired.

 

How did God lead these men (and perhaps one woman) to write inspired writings?

 

Did He dictate the words?

Some of it.  The Ten Commandments and some prophecies for instance.

But, there are many styles used in Scripture.  Each writer has his/her own.

 

 

 

Scriptural Claims for Inspiration

 

If the Bible claims itself to be inspired, isn’t that circular reasoning?

Practically, there is no better place to begin than what is self-claimed

Legally, a man can testify in his own behalf, why not the Bible?

Logically, the claims that are made are as support, not as proof of inspiration

 

The Bible claims inspiration:

 

Verbal Plenary Inspiration

 

Verbal, meaning even the very words used are inspired

Plenary, meaning full, complete, extending to every part

 

Some of Scripture is the dictated words of God

 

Exodus 24:4

And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

 

Prophets are warned not to leave anything out

 

Jeremiah 26:2

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.

 

Scripture was used by Jesus and taught as truth.

 

Matthew 4:4

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

 

Jesus said every single part of God’s Word is important and unchangeable

 

Matthew 5:18

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

 

Jesus pointed to Scripture as authoritative

 

Matthew 21:42

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

 

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord’s doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

 

The Word of God is the teaching of the Holy Spirit

 

1 Cor. 2:13

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 

Doctrines of  Inspiration Since the Reformation

 

Protestant ‘sola scriptura’

 

The Bible alone is our authority.  It is fully inspired and will explain itself with the aid of the Holy Spirit to the reader.

The source of authority
The Bible

 

Catholic “sola ecclesia”

The Bible is inspired and perfect but if there is no infallible interpreter to explain it, there can be no infallible revelation.

The source of authority:

The Bible

Tradition

The Pope

 

Eastern Orthodox

Similar to Catholic position.

The Source of authority

The Bible

Tradition

 

Contemporary Views of Revelation and Inspiration

 

Fundamentalist View

That all Scripture is inspired  as dictated by God to the writers.

 

Liberal View

The Bible contains God’s Word.

 

Neo-Orthodox View

That the Bible becomes God’s word.  Whichever parts speak to you are God’s Word for you.

 

Neo-Evangelical View

The Bible is infallible in its revelation of personal salvation and truths of faith, but is not necessarily to be relied upon for scientific and historical accuracy.

 

Evangelical View

They believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of Scripture.

 

Evidences for the Inspiration of the Bible

 

External evidence

Fulfilled prophecy

 

The Destruction of Tyre

Ezekiel 26:4-6      And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. [5] It shall be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ says the Lord God; ‘it shall become plunder for the nations. [6] Also her daughter villages which are in the fields shall be slain by the sword. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.’

 

The Bible is historically accurate

Josephus

Eusebius

 

The Bible is accurate

The order of creation

 

Archeologist William F. Albright said,  “I search the Mideast with a Bible in one hand and a shovel in the other.”

 

 

Internal evidence

 

The Bible has a transforming ability

 

The Bible The unity of the Bible

 

 

Charles Wesley’s argument:

 

The Bible must be the invention either of good men or angels, bad men or devils, or of God.

 

1. It could not be the invention of good men or angels; for they neither would or could make a book, and tell lies all the time they were writing it, saying “Thus saith the Lord,” when it was their own invention.
2. It could not be the invention of bad men or devils; for they would not make a book which commands all duty, forbids all sin, and condemns their souls to hell to all eternity.
3. Therefore, I draw this conclusion, that the Bible must be given by divine inspiration.