INSPIRATION AND REVELATION
Introduction
“The question of authority is central for any theology. Since Protestant theology has located authority in the Bible, the nature of biblical authority has been a fundamental concern. The Reformation passed to its heirs the belief that ultimate authority rests not in reason or a pope, but in an inspired Scripture. Thus within conservative Protestantism the question of inerrancy has been much debated” (Paul Feinberg, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 141).
It used to be enough to say that the Bible was inspired. But not so any more.
Objector: We believed it is inspired, BUT not all the words
Expansion: Verbally inspired
Objector: Verbally inspired BUT not in every passage
Expansion: Verbal, plenary inspiration
Objector: Verbal, plenary inspiration BUT not totally accurate
Expansion: Verbal, plenary infallible inspiration
Objector: Verbal, plenary, infallible inspiration BUT not without error
Expansion: Verbal, plenary, infallible, inerrant inspiration
Objector: Verbal, plenary, infallible, inerrant inspiration BUT it is limited to the statements of faith and practice and not science and history.
Expansion: Verbal, plenary, infallible, inerrant inspiration in all that its teaching. Yet even in this statement we have to be careful and alert.
It used to be enough to say that the Bible was inspired. But not so any more.
Objector: We believed it is inspired, BUT not all the words
Expansion: Verbally inspired
Objector: Verbally inspired BUT not in every passage
Expansion: Verbal, plenary inspiration
Objector: Verbal, plenary inspiration BUT not totally accurate
Expansion: Verbal, plenary infallible inspiration
Objector: Verbal, plenary, infallible inspiration BUT not without error
Expansion: Verbal, plenary, infallible, inerrant inspiration
Objector: Verbal, plenary, infallible, inerrant inspiration BUT it is limited to the statements of faith and practice and not science and history.
Expansion: Verbal, plenary, infallible, inerrant inspiration in all that its teaching. Yet even in this statement we have to be careful and alert.
Some 3,800 times (depending on translation) the Scriptures declare, “God said,” or “Thus says the Lord”....
For example in the Hebrew Scripture see...
Exodus 14:1... “Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying...” (NASB)
Leviticus 4:1... “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying...” (NASB)
Numbers 4:1... “Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying...” (NASB)
Deuteronomy 32:48... “The LORD spoke to Moses that very same day, saying...” (NASB)
Isaiah 1:10... “Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah.” (NASB)
Jeremiah 1:11... “The word of the LORD came to me saying...“ (NASB)
Ezekiel 1:3... “...the word of the LORD came...” (NASB)
In New Testament Literature see...
1st Corinthians 14:37... “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.” (NASB)
2nd Peter 1:17... “For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased" (NASB)
Hear what these theologians have to say about inspiration...
Charles C. Ryrie...God superintended the human authors of the Bible so that they composed and recorded without error His message to mankind in the words of their original writings. ~ Basic Theology
Dr. Lewis S. Chafer...The inspiration of the Bible is defined as teaching that God so directed the human authors that, without destroying their own individuality, literary style or personal interest, His complete and connected thought toward man was recorded. ~ Major Bible Themes
Dr. Norman L. Geisler...The Bible is the only book that both claims and proves to 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. ~ Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
Dr. Edward J. Young...Inspiration is a superintendence of God the Holy Spirit over the writers of Scriptures as a result of which these Scriptures posses Divine authority and trustworthiness and possessing such Divine authority and trustworthiness are free from error. ~ Thy Word is Truth.
Dr. Robert P. Lightner...Inspiration is from the Greek theopneustos. As used in 2nd Timothy 3:16, it means the Scripture was “breathed out” by God. This means the Holy Spirit of God superintended the human writers in the production of Scripture so that what they wrote was precisely what God wanted written. ~ Handbook of Evangelical Theology
Dr. Charles Hodge...Inspiration was an influence of the Holy Spirit on the minds of certain selected men, which rendered them the organs of God for the infallible communication of His mind and will. They were in such a sense the organs of God, that they said, “God said.” ~ Systematic Theology
Dr. Wayne Grudem...The authority of Scripture means that all the words in Scripture are God’s words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of God is to disbelieve or disobey God. ~ Systematic Theology, 73.
For example in the Hebrew Scripture see...
Exodus 14:1... “Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying...” (NASB)
Leviticus 4:1... “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying...” (NASB)
Numbers 4:1... “Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying...” (NASB)
Deuteronomy 32:48... “The LORD spoke to Moses that very same day, saying...” (NASB)
Isaiah 1:10... “Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah.” (NASB)
Jeremiah 1:11... “The word of the LORD came to me saying...“ (NASB)
Ezekiel 1:3... “...the word of the LORD came...” (NASB)
In New Testament Literature see...
1st Corinthians 14:37... “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.” (NASB)
2nd Peter 1:17... “For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased" (NASB)
Hear what these theologians have to say about inspiration...
Charles C. Ryrie...God superintended the human authors of the Bible so that they composed and recorded without error His message to mankind in the words of their original writings. ~ Basic Theology
Dr. Lewis S. Chafer...The inspiration of the Bible is defined as teaching that God so directed the human authors that, without destroying their own individuality, literary style or personal interest, His complete and connected thought toward man was recorded. ~ Major Bible Themes
Dr. Norman L. Geisler...The Bible is the only book that both claims and proves to 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. ~ Baker’s Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
Dr. Edward J. Young...Inspiration is a superintendence of God the Holy Spirit over the writers of Scriptures as a result of which these Scriptures posses Divine authority and trustworthiness and possessing such Divine authority and trustworthiness are free from error. ~ Thy Word is Truth.
Dr. Robert P. Lightner...Inspiration is from the Greek theopneustos. As used in 2nd Timothy 3:16, it means the Scripture was “breathed out” by God. This means the Holy Spirit of God superintended the human writers in the production of Scripture so that what they wrote was precisely what God wanted written. ~ Handbook of Evangelical Theology
Dr. Charles Hodge...Inspiration was an influence of the Holy Spirit on the minds of certain selected men, which rendered them the organs of God for the infallible communication of His mind and will. They were in such a sense the organs of God, that they said, “God said.” ~ Systematic Theology
Dr. Wayne Grudem...The authority of Scripture means that all the words in Scripture are God’s words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of God is to disbelieve or disobey God. ~ Systematic Theology, 73.