INERRANCY
Let’s examine your knowledge of inerrancy:
* What is inerrancy?
* To what extent is the Bible inerrant?
* Can you prove it?
"The Bible is the only book that both claims and proves to be the Word of God. It claims to be written by prophets of God who recorded in their own style and language exactly the message God wanted to give to humankind. The writings of the prophets and apostles claim to be the unbreakable, imperishable, and inerrant words of God. The evidence that their writings are what they claimed to be is found not only in their own moral character but in the supernatural confirmation of their message, its prophetic accuracy, its amazing unity, its transforming power, and the testimony of Jesus who was confirmed to be the Son of God." ~ Dr. Norman Geisler, Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
* What is inerrancy?
* To what extent is the Bible inerrant?
* Can you prove it?
"The Bible is the only book that both claims and proves to be the Word of God. It claims to be written by prophets of God who recorded in their own style and language exactly the message God wanted to give to humankind. The writings of the prophets and apostles claim to be the unbreakable, imperishable, and inerrant words of God. The evidence that their writings are what they claimed to be is found not only in their own moral character but in the supernatural confirmation of their message, its prophetic accuracy, its amazing unity, its transforming power, and the testimony of Jesus who was confirmed to be the Son of God." ~ Dr. Norman Geisler, Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
What's Your Response?
1. Jesus was a human being.
2. Humans beings sin.
3. Therefore, Jesus sinned.
and
1. The Bible is a human book.
2. Humans err.
3. Therefore, the Bible errs.
The mistake is to assume that Jesus is simply human. Mere human beings sin. But, Jesus was not a mere human being. He was also God. Likewise, the Bible is not merely a human book; it is also the Word of God. Like Jesus, it has divine elements that negate the statement that anything human errs. They are divine and cannot err. There can no more be an error in God’s written Word than there was a sin in God’s living Word.
Consider these questions...
What is error?
Can the Bible use approximations and still be without error?
Can a New Testament writer quote freely from the Old Testament and claim that the resultant quotation is without error?
Can a biblical writer use the language of appearances without communicating error?
Can there exist different accounts of the same event without involving error?
If the Scripture includes approximations, free quotations, language of appearances, different accounts of the same occurrence, can that type of data support a definition of inerrancy as “being without error”?
2. Humans beings sin.
3. Therefore, Jesus sinned.
and
1. The Bible is a human book.
2. Humans err.
3. Therefore, the Bible errs.
The mistake is to assume that Jesus is simply human. Mere human beings sin. But, Jesus was not a mere human being. He was also God. Likewise, the Bible is not merely a human book; it is also the Word of God. Like Jesus, it has divine elements that negate the statement that anything human errs. They are divine and cannot err. There can no more be an error in God’s written Word than there was a sin in God’s living Word.
Consider these questions...
What is error?
Can the Bible use approximations and still be without error?
Can a New Testament writer quote freely from the Old Testament and claim that the resultant quotation is without error?
Can a biblical writer use the language of appearances without communicating error?
Can there exist different accounts of the same event without involving error?
If the Scripture includes approximations, free quotations, language of appearances, different accounts of the same occurrence, can that type of data support a definition of inerrancy as “being without error”?
Meaning of Inerrancy
A. Ryrie’s Definition (Basic Theology, 92)
“the inerrancy of the Bible means simply that the Bible tells the truth. Truth can and does include approximations, free quotations, language of appearances, and different accounts of the same event as long as these do not contradict.”
or
1. Negative description: The Scriptures are without error.
2. Positive description: The Scriptures tell the truth.
B. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology - “Inerrancy is the view that when all the facts become know, they will demonstrate that the Bible in its original autographs and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never false in all it affirms, whether that relates to doctrine or ethics or to the social, physical, or life sciences (Feinberg, 142; Feinberg, “The Meaning of Inerrancy,” Inerrancy, 249).
C. International Council on Biblical Inerrancy 1978
1. Article IX: Inerrancy – We affirm that inspiration, though not conferring omniscience, guaranteed true and trustworthy utterance on all matters of which the biblical authors were moved to speak and write. We deny that the finitude or fallenness of these writers, by necessity or otherwise, introduced distortion or falsehood into God’s Word.
2. Article XII: Inerrancy of the Whole – We affirm that Scripture in its entirety is inerrant, being free from all falsehood, fraud or deceit. We deny that biblical infallibility and inerrancy are limited to spiritual, religious or redemptive themes, exclusive of assertions in the fields of history and science. We further deny that scientific hypotheses about earth history may properly be used to overturn the teaching of Scripture on creation and the flood.
3. Article XI: Infallibility – We affirm that Scripture, having been given by divine inspiration, is infallible, so that, far from misleading us, it is true and reliable in all the matters it addresses. We deny that it is possible for the Bible to be at the same time infallible and errant in its assertions. Infallibility and inerrancy may be distinguished, but not separated.
“the inerrancy of the Bible means simply that the Bible tells the truth. Truth can and does include approximations, free quotations, language of appearances, and different accounts of the same event as long as these do not contradict.”
or
1. Negative description: The Scriptures are without error.
2. Positive description: The Scriptures tell the truth.
B. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology - “Inerrancy is the view that when all the facts become know, they will demonstrate that the Bible in its original autographs and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never false in all it affirms, whether that relates to doctrine or ethics or to the social, physical, or life sciences (Feinberg, 142; Feinberg, “The Meaning of Inerrancy,” Inerrancy, 249).
C. International Council on Biblical Inerrancy 1978
1. Article IX: Inerrancy – We affirm that inspiration, though not conferring omniscience, guaranteed true and trustworthy utterance on all matters of which the biblical authors were moved to speak and write. We deny that the finitude or fallenness of these writers, by necessity or otherwise, introduced distortion or falsehood into God’s Word.
2. Article XII: Inerrancy of the Whole – We affirm that Scripture in its entirety is inerrant, being free from all falsehood, fraud or deceit. We deny that biblical infallibility and inerrancy are limited to spiritual, religious or redemptive themes, exclusive of assertions in the fields of history and science. We further deny that scientific hypotheses about earth history may properly be used to overturn the teaching of Scripture on creation and the flood.
3. Article XI: Infallibility – We affirm that Scripture, having been given by divine inspiration, is infallible, so that, far from misleading us, it is true and reliable in all the matters it addresses. We deny that it is possible for the Bible to be at the same time infallible and errant in its assertions. Infallibility and inerrancy may be distinguished, but not separated.
Arguements for Inerrancy
A. Deductive Biblical Support
Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, “You nullify the word of God by your tradition” (Mark 7:13). Jesus turned their attention to the written Word of God by affirming over and over again, “It is written” (e.g., Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). This phrase occurs more than 90 times in The New Testament, a strong indicator of divine authority.
Paul referred to Scripture as “the word of God (Rom. 9:6).”
Author of Hebrews declared that “the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
1. God’s character
God cannot err:
Logically, the argument is valid. So, if the premises are true, the conclusion is also true.
If an infinitely-perfect God exists, then the first premise is true.”
Hebrews 6:18: “it is impossible for God to lie.”
2nd Timothy 2:13: “He is a God who, even if we are faithless, “remains faithful; he cannot deny himself”
John 17:17: Jesus said to the Father, “Your word is truth.”
Psalm 119:60: “The entirety of Your word is truth.”
2. Scriptural Claims
The Bible is the Word of God:
Jesus, who is God referred to the Old Testament as the “Word of God” which “cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
Jesus said, “until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18).
Paul says, “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2nd Timothy 3:16).
Scripture is from “out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
Although human authors recorded the messages, “prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2nd Peter 1:20).”
Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, “You nullify the word of God by your tradition” (Mark 7:13). Jesus turned their attention to the written Word of God by affirming over and over again, “It is written” (e.g., Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). This phrase occurs more than 90 times in The New Testament, a strong indicator of divine authority.
Paul referred to Scripture as “the word of God (Rom. 9:6).”
Author of Hebrews declared that “the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
1. God’s character
God cannot err:
Logically, the argument is valid. So, if the premises are true, the conclusion is also true.
If an infinitely-perfect God exists, then the first premise is true.”
Hebrews 6:18: “it is impossible for God to lie.”
2nd Timothy 2:13: “He is a God who, even if we are faithless, “remains faithful; he cannot deny himself”
John 17:17: Jesus said to the Father, “Your word is truth.”
Psalm 119:60: “The entirety of Your word is truth.”
2. Scriptural Claims
The Bible is the Word of God:
Jesus, who is God referred to the Old Testament as the “Word of God” which “cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
Jesus said, “until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18).
Paul says, “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2nd Timothy 3:16).
Scripture is from “out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
Although human authors recorded the messages, “prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2nd Peter 1:20).”
Therefore, the Bible Cannot Error.
If God cannot err and if the Bible is the Word of God, then the Bible cannot err.
“The God of truth has given us the Word of truth, and it does not contain any untruth.” Dr. Norman Geisler, 74.
If God cannot err and if the Bible is the Word of God, then the Bible cannot err.
“The God of truth has given us the Word of truth, and it does not contain any untruth.” Dr. Norman Geisler, 74.
B. Correspondence (Prophets & Messages)
1. Deuteronomy 13:1 - 5; 18:20 - 22: Israel is given criteria for distinguishing God’s message and messenger from false prophecies and prophets.
2. One mark of a divine message is total and absolute truthfulness.
3. A valid parallel can be made between the prophet and the Bible. The prophet’s word was usually oral, although it might be recorded and included in a book; the writers of Scripture communicated God’s Word in written form. Both were instruments of divine communication, and in both cases the human element was an essential ingredient.
1. Deuteronomy 13:1 - 5; 18:20 - 22: Israel is given criteria for distinguishing God’s message and messenger from false prophecies and prophets.
2. One mark of a divine message is total and absolute truthfulness.
3. A valid parallel can be made between the prophet and the Bible. The prophet’s word was usually oral, although it might be recorded and included in a book; the writers of Scripture communicated God’s Word in written form. Both were instruments of divine communication, and in both cases the human element was an essential ingredient.
C. Jesus’ Use of Scripture
1. Jesus rests an entire argument on a single word (e.g., John 10:34 - 35)...Jesus endorses written propositional statements, not merely concepts, thoughts, or oral tradition.
2. The tense of a verb (the pres. tense in Matthew 22:32)
a. Jesus assumes the historicity of God’s appearance to Moses.
b. Jesus assumes that God’s revelation came in a propositional statement.
c. He assumes that every word could be trusted to be precisely accurate.
d. He assumes that doctrinal truth has to be based on historical accuracy.
e. He assumes that one could use even unlikely passages and trust their accuracy.
3. Precision of words as spelled and in detail (Matthew 5:17 - 18)
a. Single letters change words.
b. A tittle is even more minute than a jot.
c. Jesus promised that not one jot would fail. Every promise will be fulfilled just as it was spelled out.
d. Promises involve more than just faith.
If the Bible’s inerrancy does not extend to every detail, these arguments lose their force. Moreover, should I have a lower view of Scripture than Jesus Christ?
1. Jesus rests an entire argument on a single word (e.g., John 10:34 - 35)...Jesus endorses written propositional statements, not merely concepts, thoughts, or oral tradition.
2. The tense of a verb (the pres. tense in Matthew 22:32)
a. Jesus assumes the historicity of God’s appearance to Moses.
b. Jesus assumes that God’s revelation came in a propositional statement.
c. He assumes that every word could be trusted to be precisely accurate.
d. He assumes that doctrinal truth has to be based on historical accuracy.
e. He assumes that one could use even unlikely passages and trust their accuracy.
3. Precision of words as spelled and in detail (Matthew 5:17 - 18)
a. Single letters change words.
b. A tittle is even more minute than a jot.
c. Jesus promised that not one jot would fail. Every promise will be fulfilled just as it was spelled out.
d. Promises involve more than just faith.
If the Bible’s inerrancy does not extend to every detail, these arguments lose their force. Moreover, should I have a lower view of Scripture than Jesus Christ?
D. Historical Support in Church History
1. It has been the view of the church in every period of its history.
St. Augustine: “I have learned to yield this respect and honour only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely from error.”
Martin Luther: “But everyone, indeed, knows that at times they [the Fathers] have erred as men will; therefore I am ready to trust them only when they prove their opinions from Scripture, which has never erred.”
John Calvin: “The Spirit of God…appears purposely to have regulated their style in such a manner, that they all wrote one and the same history, with the most perfect agreement, but in different ways.”
John Wesley: ”Nay, if there be any mistakes in the Bible there may well be a thousand. If there is one falsehood in that Book it did not come from the God of truth” (Journal VI. 117).
1. It has been the view of the church in every period of its history.
St. Augustine: “I have learned to yield this respect and honour only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely from error.”
Martin Luther: “But everyone, indeed, knows that at times they [the Fathers] have erred as men will; therefore I am ready to trust them only when they prove their opinions from Scripture, which has never erred.”
John Calvin: “The Spirit of God…appears purposely to have regulated their style in such a manner, that they all wrote one and the same history, with the most perfect agreement, but in different ways.”
John Wesley: ”Nay, if there be any mistakes in the Bible there may well be a thousand. If there is one falsehood in that Book it did not come from the God of truth” (Journal VI. 117).
E. Epistemological Support
1. Epistemology is the discipline that is concerned with how we know that we know something to be true.
2. This argument has been formulated in at least two distinct ways:
a. For some, knowledge claims must, to be justified, be indubitable or incorrigible (beyond doubt and question). It is not enough that a belief is true and is believed on good grounds. It must be beyond doubt and question. For such an epistemology, inerrancy is essential. Inerrancy guarantees the incorrigibility of every statement of Scripture. Therefore, the contents of Scripture can be objects of knowledge.
b. For some, knowledge claims do not require such a high standard of certitude as indubitability to have inerrancy: If the Bible is not inerrant, then any claim it makes is false. This means not that all claims are false, but that some might be. But so much of the Bible is beyond direct verification. Therefore only its inerrancy assures the knower that his or her claim is justified.
1. Epistemology is the discipline that is concerned with how we know that we know something to be true.
2. This argument has been formulated in at least two distinct ways:
a. For some, knowledge claims must, to be justified, be indubitable or incorrigible (beyond doubt and question). It is not enough that a belief is true and is believed on good grounds. It must be beyond doubt and question. For such an epistemology, inerrancy is essential. Inerrancy guarantees the incorrigibility of every statement of Scripture. Therefore, the contents of Scripture can be objects of knowledge.
b. For some, knowledge claims do not require such a high standard of certitude as indubitability to have inerrancy: If the Bible is not inerrant, then any claim it makes is false. This means not that all claims are false, but that some might be. But so much of the Bible is beyond direct verification. Therefore only its inerrancy assures the knower that his or her claim is justified.
F. Slipper Slope Argument
If the Bible contains some errors, however few or many, how can we be sure that the teaching on Christ, the Trinity, sin, salvation, adultery, homosexuality, etc. is correct? An errant approach opens the door of suspicion on other portions and teachings of Scripture
If the Bible contains some errors, however few or many, how can we be sure that the teaching on Christ, the Trinity, sin, salvation, adultery, homosexuality, etc. is correct? An errant approach opens the door of suspicion on other portions and teachings of Scripture
G. Manuscript Evidence:
We have more manuscripts than any other work or collection of ancient antiquity. We now have approx. 6,000 manuscripts. For example: we have 7 copies of Plato’s work compared to 6,000 N.T. manuscripts. Moreover, we have more copies closer to the original than any other work of antiquity. Finally, we have 99% accurately copied as opposed to any other work. Whose history can we better trust?
1 and 2...SEE IMAGES BELOW
3. Does the Gospels Pass Atheist’s David Hume’s Criteria for Determining Document Reliability:
a. Do the witnesses contradict each other?
b. Are there a sufficient number of witnesses?
c. Were the witnesses truthful?
d. Were they non-prejudicial? (e.g., Consider Saul who was opposed but became Paul through evidence; Thomas who doubted but touched the evidence; scared apostles transformed into bold evangelists).
Thus, according to the historiographical criteria of David Hume, the New Testament is reliable.
We have more manuscripts than any other work or collection of ancient antiquity. We now have approx. 6,000 manuscripts. For example: we have 7 copies of Plato’s work compared to 6,000 N.T. manuscripts. Moreover, we have more copies closer to the original than any other work of antiquity. Finally, we have 99% accurately copied as opposed to any other work. Whose history can we better trust?
1 and 2...SEE IMAGES BELOW
3. Does the Gospels Pass Atheist’s David Hume’s Criteria for Determining Document Reliability:
a. Do the witnesses contradict each other?
b. Are there a sufficient number of witnesses?
c. Were the witnesses truthful?
d. Were they non-prejudicial? (e.g., Consider Saul who was opposed but became Paul through evidence; Thomas who doubted but touched the evidence; scared apostles transformed into bold evangelists).
Thus, according to the historiographical criteria of David Hume, the New Testament is reliable.
What about not having the original manuscripts?:
It doesn’t matter that we have the originals; God preserved it in copies to keep people from:
1. Worshipping the Originals;
2. Possible manipulative distortion;
3. Potential authoritative exclusivity.
God preserved the Originals in the copies!
If we doubt the Bible, we doubt history for any record of any event. Consider the sources apart from the Bible itself. Writers outside of the Bible:
a. Papias (A.D. 130) records sayings of John’s remarks regarding Mark being the interpreter for Peter. Papias also comments on Matthew: “Matthew recorded the oracles in the Hebrew (i.e., Aramaic) tongue.”
b. Irenaeus (A.D. 180) was a student of Polycarp who was a disciple of the Apostle John stated: “So firm is the ground upon which these Gospels rest, that the very heretics themselves bear witness to them, and, starting from these [documents], each one of them endeavours to establish his own particular doctrine” (Against Heresies, III).”
c. Clement of Rome (C. A.D. 95) used Scripture as a reliable and authentic source.
d. Ignatius (A.D. 70-110), a disciple of Polycarp, he knew all the apostles and was a disciple, gave credence to the Scripture to the extent that he was martyred for it.
e. Polycarp (A.D. 70-156) was a disciple of John who succumbed to martyrdom at 86 years of age for his devout devotion to Christ and Scripture.
In conclusion..."If Inspired, Then inerrant. Inerrancy is a logical result of inspiration. Inerrancy means “wholly true and without error.” And what God breathes out (inspires) must be wholly true (inerrant).” Dr. Norman Geisler, 75
It doesn’t matter that we have the originals; God preserved it in copies to keep people from:
1. Worshipping the Originals;
2. Possible manipulative distortion;
3. Potential authoritative exclusivity.
God preserved the Originals in the copies!
If we doubt the Bible, we doubt history for any record of any event. Consider the sources apart from the Bible itself. Writers outside of the Bible:
a. Papias (A.D. 130) records sayings of John’s remarks regarding Mark being the interpreter for Peter. Papias also comments on Matthew: “Matthew recorded the oracles in the Hebrew (i.e., Aramaic) tongue.”
b. Irenaeus (A.D. 180) was a student of Polycarp who was a disciple of the Apostle John stated: “So firm is the ground upon which these Gospels rest, that the very heretics themselves bear witness to them, and, starting from these [documents], each one of them endeavours to establish his own particular doctrine” (Against Heresies, III).”
c. Clement of Rome (C. A.D. 95) used Scripture as a reliable and authentic source.
d. Ignatius (A.D. 70-110), a disciple of Polycarp, he knew all the apostles and was a disciple, gave credence to the Scripture to the extent that he was martyred for it.
e. Polycarp (A.D. 70-156) was a disciple of John who succumbed to martyrdom at 86 years of age for his devout devotion to Christ and Scripture.
In conclusion..."If Inspired, Then inerrant. Inerrancy is a logical result of inspiration. Inerrancy means “wholly true and without error.” And what God breathes out (inspires) must be wholly true (inerrant).” Dr. Norman Geisler, 75
Answers to The Objections to Inerrancy
A. Inerrancy applies equally to all parts of the Scripture as originally written (autographa)
1. OBJECTION: If inerrancy only applies to the autographa this provides a neat hedge from disproving the doctrine. If any time there is a difficulty one can assign the problem to the copy, claiming it does not exist in the original.
ANSWER: This is a recognition that any copy will contain errors due to transmission.
2. OBJECTION: If we no longer possess the autographs, the qualification that it does not exist in the autographs is meaningless.
ANSWER: Just because we have lost the autographic codex (the physical documents) does not mean we have lost the autographic text (the words of the original). The words of the codex are in the good copies. They were preserved and restored through the providence of God and the science of textual criticism. There is a great deal of difference between a text that is initially inerrant and one that is not. The inerrant autograph can be restored to the state very near the inerrant original through the science of textual criticism. But the restoration of an errant autographa to an inerrant original is hopeless.
B. Inerrancy is intimately tied up with hermeneutics (the art and science of biblical interpretation)
1. Though the Scriptures as given are completely true, no human interpretation of them is infallible. In other words, if one does not have the correct meaning of the text, he will never be justified in claiming that it is false.
2. The key principle in the application of hermeneutics in this area is the analogy of faith as taught by the Reformers. "This principle merely says that we should attempt to harmonize apparently contradictory statements in the Bible. That is, if there is a way of understanding a passage so that it is in harmony with the rest of Scripture and another way of understanding that conflicts with all other Scripture or parts of Scripture, the former is God’s correct revelation -- not in the sense that later revelation ever falsifies, but that it often supplements, earlier revelation. Only in this way can it be affirmed that the Bible is true in the whole and in its parts."
C. Inerrancy is related to Scripture’s intention.
1. Scripture accurately records many things that are false, for example, the falsehood of Satan and human beings.
2. Scripture's intention is found in the meanings of the biblical sentence (the historical, grammatical hermeneutic).
D. Inerrancy does not demand strict adherence to the rules of grammar. In other words, a grammatical error in the Bible does not disprove inerrancy. Rules of grammar are merely statements of normal usage of the language.
E. Inerrancy does not exclude the use either of figures of speech or of a given literary genre.
1. Figures of speech: meiosis, hyperbole, synedoche, personification, metonymy, etc.
2. Literary genre - narrative, dramatic, apocalyptic, poetic, didactic, etc.
F. Inerrancy does not demand historical or semantic precision. All is the required is that the statement is adequate to reflect the truth. Almost any statement is capable of greater precision. The crucial point for inerrancy is: Is a sentence as stated true?
G. Inerrancy does not demand the technical language of modern science.
1. It was not the intentions of the writers of Scripture to provide a scientific explanation for all things.
2. Popular or observational language is used even today by the common man. We say, for example, that the sun "rises" and "sets." This is not intended to be a scientific description of solar revolution.
H. Inerrancy does not require verbal exactness in the citation of the Old Testament by the New Testament.
I. Inerrancy does not guarantee the exhaustive comprehensiveness of any single account or of combined accounts where those are involved. For example, none of the gospels is obligated to give an exhaustive account of any event. He has the right to record an event in light of his purposes. Furthermore, it must be remembered that the accounts of all four Gospel writers do not exhaust the details of any event mentioned. All that is required is that the sentences used by the writer are true.
1. OBJECTION: If inerrancy only applies to the autographa this provides a neat hedge from disproving the doctrine. If any time there is a difficulty one can assign the problem to the copy, claiming it does not exist in the original.
ANSWER: This is a recognition that any copy will contain errors due to transmission.
2. OBJECTION: If we no longer possess the autographs, the qualification that it does not exist in the autographs is meaningless.
ANSWER: Just because we have lost the autographic codex (the physical documents) does not mean we have lost the autographic text (the words of the original). The words of the codex are in the good copies. They were preserved and restored through the providence of God and the science of textual criticism. There is a great deal of difference between a text that is initially inerrant and one that is not. The inerrant autograph can be restored to the state very near the inerrant original through the science of textual criticism. But the restoration of an errant autographa to an inerrant original is hopeless.
B. Inerrancy is intimately tied up with hermeneutics (the art and science of biblical interpretation)
1. Though the Scriptures as given are completely true, no human interpretation of them is infallible. In other words, if one does not have the correct meaning of the text, he will never be justified in claiming that it is false.
2. The key principle in the application of hermeneutics in this area is the analogy of faith as taught by the Reformers. "This principle merely says that we should attempt to harmonize apparently contradictory statements in the Bible. That is, if there is a way of understanding a passage so that it is in harmony with the rest of Scripture and another way of understanding that conflicts with all other Scripture or parts of Scripture, the former is God’s correct revelation -- not in the sense that later revelation ever falsifies, but that it often supplements, earlier revelation. Only in this way can it be affirmed that the Bible is true in the whole and in its parts."
C. Inerrancy is related to Scripture’s intention.
1. Scripture accurately records many things that are false, for example, the falsehood of Satan and human beings.
2. Scripture's intention is found in the meanings of the biblical sentence (the historical, grammatical hermeneutic).
D. Inerrancy does not demand strict adherence to the rules of grammar. In other words, a grammatical error in the Bible does not disprove inerrancy. Rules of grammar are merely statements of normal usage of the language.
E. Inerrancy does not exclude the use either of figures of speech or of a given literary genre.
1. Figures of speech: meiosis, hyperbole, synedoche, personification, metonymy, etc.
2. Literary genre - narrative, dramatic, apocalyptic, poetic, didactic, etc.
F. Inerrancy does not demand historical or semantic precision. All is the required is that the statement is adequate to reflect the truth. Almost any statement is capable of greater precision. The crucial point for inerrancy is: Is a sentence as stated true?
G. Inerrancy does not demand the technical language of modern science.
1. It was not the intentions of the writers of Scripture to provide a scientific explanation for all things.
2. Popular or observational language is used even today by the common man. We say, for example, that the sun "rises" and "sets." This is not intended to be a scientific description of solar revolution.
H. Inerrancy does not require verbal exactness in the citation of the Old Testament by the New Testament.
I. Inerrancy does not guarantee the exhaustive comprehensiveness of any single account or of combined accounts where those are involved. For example, none of the gospels is obligated to give an exhaustive account of any event. He has the right to record an event in light of his purposes. Furthermore, it must be remembered that the accounts of all four Gospel writers do not exhaust the details of any event mentioned. All that is required is that the sentences used by the writer are true.
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Evidence for Inerrancy
A. It is based upon the character of God
1. God is true (He cannot lie - Numbers 23:19)
2. The Scripture are God-breathed (2nd Timothy 3:16)
3. The Bible is true - John 17:17
B. Deuteronomy 13:1 - 5 and 18:20 - 22: One of the marks of a divine message is total and absolute truthfulness.
C. Matthew 4:1 - 11
1. Jesus accepted the plenary inspiration of the Bible - "every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
2. Jesus accepted the truth of the proposition of the Bible. He did not focus on a person's subjective, existential experience (like the Neo-Orthodox do), but upon the written Word.
D. Christ affirmed the truth of many disputed Old Testament passages
1. Literal Adam and Eve
2. Noah and the Flood
3. The historcity of Lot and his wife and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
4. He accept the truth of Jonah and the Great Fish
5. He acknowledged the historicity of Isaiah, Elijah, Daniel, Abel, Zechariah, Abiathar, David, Moses and his writings, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
E. Matthew 5:17 - 18
1. Law and the Prophets will not be abolished but fulfilled.
2. The "Law and the Prophets" included the Old Testament Bible of our Lord.
3. We can count on the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises down to the "jots (smallest letter) and tittles (stroke)."
a. To change letters or strokes is to change words
b. Give examples in English: I invite you to my house for FUN (add strokes: Pun, Run, Bun) [Ryrie, p.89]
F. John 10:31-38
The whole of Scripture is authoritative. Christ was staking His argument on the reliability, accuracy and authority of the Scripture. This argument demonstrated he was the Son of God who is one with the Father (v.30). It staking his very life and ministry upon the Scripture. The Argument of Jesus in John 10:34 - 36: (1) The Judges can be called gods in sense (Psalm 82:6), by representing God as a judge. (2) Jesus is greater than the Judges. (3) Conclusion: Jesus is God in a greater sense then the Judges (an a fortiori argument: from the lesser to greater)
G. Matthew 22:23 - 33 - Jesus bases the resurrection of the dead on the tense "I am" and not "I was" which is stated in Exodus 3:6.
1. He assumed the historicity of God's appearance to Moses
2. He assumed that God's revelation came in a propositional statement.
3. He assumed that every word of that statement could be trusted to be precisely accurate.
4. He assumed that doctrinal truth has to be based on historical accuracy. (Ryrie, Basic Theology, 102 - 104)
H. Matthew 22:41-46..."The LORD [that is, the Father] said to my LORD [the Messiah who was David's Lord]: Sit at My right hand [the Father's] until I [the Father] put Thine [the Messiah] enemies beneath they feet."
Natural procreation links Messiah to David as David's descendant. The pronoun "my": in Psalm 110: links Messiah to David as David's Lord God. And the pronoun "my" is simply a yodh [ ' ], that smallest of Hebrew letters, attached to the word Lord." (Ryrie, 104 - 105).
1. God is true (He cannot lie - Numbers 23:19)
2. The Scripture are God-breathed (2nd Timothy 3:16)
3. The Bible is true - John 17:17
B. Deuteronomy 13:1 - 5 and 18:20 - 22: One of the marks of a divine message is total and absolute truthfulness.
C. Matthew 4:1 - 11
1. Jesus accepted the plenary inspiration of the Bible - "every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
2. Jesus accepted the truth of the proposition of the Bible. He did not focus on a person's subjective, existential experience (like the Neo-Orthodox do), but upon the written Word.
D. Christ affirmed the truth of many disputed Old Testament passages
1. Literal Adam and Eve
2. Noah and the Flood
3. The historcity of Lot and his wife and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
4. He accept the truth of Jonah and the Great Fish
5. He acknowledged the historicity of Isaiah, Elijah, Daniel, Abel, Zechariah, Abiathar, David, Moses and his writings, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
E. Matthew 5:17 - 18
1. Law and the Prophets will not be abolished but fulfilled.
2. The "Law and the Prophets" included the Old Testament Bible of our Lord.
3. We can count on the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises down to the "jots (smallest letter) and tittles (stroke)."
a. To change letters or strokes is to change words
b. Give examples in English: I invite you to my house for FUN (add strokes: Pun, Run, Bun) [Ryrie, p.89]
F. John 10:31-38
The whole of Scripture is authoritative. Christ was staking His argument on the reliability, accuracy and authority of the Scripture. This argument demonstrated he was the Son of God who is one with the Father (v.30). It staking his very life and ministry upon the Scripture. The Argument of Jesus in John 10:34 - 36: (1) The Judges can be called gods in sense (Psalm 82:6), by representing God as a judge. (2) Jesus is greater than the Judges. (3) Conclusion: Jesus is God in a greater sense then the Judges (an a fortiori argument: from the lesser to greater)
G. Matthew 22:23 - 33 - Jesus bases the resurrection of the dead on the tense "I am" and not "I was" which is stated in Exodus 3:6.
1. He assumed the historicity of God's appearance to Moses
2. He assumed that God's revelation came in a propositional statement.
3. He assumed that every word of that statement could be trusted to be precisely accurate.
4. He assumed that doctrinal truth has to be based on historical accuracy. (Ryrie, Basic Theology, 102 - 104)
H. Matthew 22:41-46..."The LORD [that is, the Father] said to my LORD [the Messiah who was David's Lord]: Sit at My right hand [the Father's] until I [the Father] put Thine [the Messiah] enemies beneath they feet."
Natural procreation links Messiah to David as David's descendant. The pronoun "my": in Psalm 110: links Messiah to David as David's Lord God. And the pronoun "my" is simply a yodh [ ' ], that smallest of Hebrew letters, attached to the word Lord." (Ryrie, 104 - 105).
So if God superintended over the writing of each word, what does that mean about the veracity of the scriptures? If we believe God is a truthful God, his writings would also be truthful. This is the feeling of King David as he writes Psalm 19. David, in describing the Scriptures, uses adjectives such as perfect and sure (v. 7), right and pure (v. 8), clean and true (v. 9).
The theological term for this is “inerrancy.”Inerrancy means that the Bible, when correctly interpreted in light of the level to which culture and the means of communication had developed at the time it was written, and in view of the purposes for which it was given, is fully truthful in all that it affirms. The question, however, is to what extent does the bible affirm truth? Is the bible true in all matters, or just matters of spirituality? Amongst theologians who hold to inerrancy, there are three primary views:
Absolute Inerrancy. All matters, spiritual, historical, and scientific, are true.
Full Inerrancy. The Bible is completely true, but is the bible’s primary aim is not to make scientific or historical assertions, but theological and spiritual facts.
Limited Inerrancy. The Bible is only true in theological or spiritual matters, not scientific or historical matters.
The Scriptures are the Word of God. God does not lie...
Titus 1:2... “...in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago...” (NASB)
Hebrews 6:18... “...so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.”(NASB)
...and God is true.
John 17:3... “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (NASB)
Therefore God’s words are true...
John 17:17... “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (NASB)
...and the Scriptures are true.
Psalm 19:7 – 9... “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.” (NASB)
Therefore, it would seem that limited inerrancy has problems.
The theological term for this is “inerrancy.”Inerrancy means that the Bible, when correctly interpreted in light of the level to which culture and the means of communication had developed at the time it was written, and in view of the purposes for which it was given, is fully truthful in all that it affirms. The question, however, is to what extent does the bible affirm truth? Is the bible true in all matters, or just matters of spirituality? Amongst theologians who hold to inerrancy, there are three primary views:
Absolute Inerrancy. All matters, spiritual, historical, and scientific, are true.
Full Inerrancy. The Bible is completely true, but is the bible’s primary aim is not to make scientific or historical assertions, but theological and spiritual facts.
Limited Inerrancy. The Bible is only true in theological or spiritual matters, not scientific or historical matters.
The Scriptures are the Word of God. God does not lie...
Titus 1:2... “...in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago...” (NASB)
Hebrews 6:18... “...so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.”(NASB)
...and God is true.
John 17:3... “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (NASB)
Therefore God’s words are true...
John 17:17... “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (NASB)
...and the Scriptures are true.
Psalm 19:7 – 9... “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.” (NASB)
Therefore, it would seem that limited inerrancy has problems.
Summary
1. “The biblical writers, who could and did distinguish copies from the autographa, copies of the Bible serve the purposes of revelation and function with authority only because they are assumed to be tethered to the autographic text and its criteriological authority.”
2. The doctrine of inerrancy pertains to the autographic text, not the just the autographic codex and “maintains that present copies and translations are inerrant to the extent that they accurately reflect the biblical originals; thus the inspiration and inerrancy of present Bibles is not an all-or-nothing matter.”
3. “The inspiration of the copyists and the perfect transmission of Scripture have not been promised by God.”
4. “The importance of original inerrancy is not that God cannot accomplish His purpose except through a completely errorless text, but that without it we cannot consistently confess His veracity, be fully assured of the scriptural promise of salvation, or maintain the epistemological authority and theological axiom of sola Scriptura (since errors in the original, unlike those in transmission, would not be correctable in principle).”
5. “We can be assured that we possess the Word of God in our present Bible because of God’s providence; He does not allow His aims in revealing Himself to be frustrated.”
6. “The results of textual criticism confirm that we possess a biblical text that is substantially identical with the autographa.”
2. The doctrine of inerrancy pertains to the autographic text, not the just the autographic codex and “maintains that present copies and translations are inerrant to the extent that they accurately reflect the biblical originals; thus the inspiration and inerrancy of present Bibles is not an all-or-nothing matter.”
3. “The inspiration of the copyists and the perfect transmission of Scripture have not been promised by God.”
4. “The importance of original inerrancy is not that God cannot accomplish His purpose except through a completely errorless text, but that without it we cannot consistently confess His veracity, be fully assured of the scriptural promise of salvation, or maintain the epistemological authority and theological axiom of sola Scriptura (since errors in the original, unlike those in transmission, would not be correctable in principle).”
5. “We can be assured that we possess the Word of God in our present Bible because of God’s providence; He does not allow His aims in revealing Himself to be frustrated.”
6. “The results of textual criticism confirm that we possess a biblical text that is substantially identical with the autographa.”
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