The Doctrine of the Bible C. The Implications of Inspiration.

Note these nine Conclusions:

1. Plenary-Verbal Inspiration does not teach that all parts of the Bible are equally important, but only that they are equally inspired. Judges 3:16 is not as important as John 3:16

2. Plenary - Verbal Inspiration does not guarantee the inspiration of any modern or ancient translation of the Bible but deals only with the Original Manuscripts in the Hebrew and Greek Languages.

3. Plenary - Verbal Inspiration does not allow for any false teaching, but it does on occasion record the lie of someone. Eg. Satan distorts the truth and lies to Eve,

Gen 3:4  And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die,

Gen 3:5  for God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

Therefore we have an accurate record of the devil’s words. As one reads the Bible, he must carefully distinguish between what God records and what He sanctions. Thus, while lying, murder, adultery and polygamy are to be found in the Word of god, they are never approved by the Word of God.

4. Plenary - Verbal Inspiration does not permit any historical, scientific, or prophetical error whatsoever.

While it is admitted that the Bible is not a textbook on science, it is nevertheless held that every scientific statement in Scripture is absolutely true.

5. Plenary - Verbal Inspiration does not prohibit personal research. The Writer of the Gospelo f Luke begins his Gospel with the Following:

Luk 1:1  Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us

Luk 1:2  on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,

Luk 1:3  it has seemed right to me also, after careful investigation of the facts from their commencement, to write for you, most noble Theophilus, a connected account,

Luk 1:4  that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.

6. Plenary - Verbal Inspiration does not deny the use of Extra- Biblical Sources. Here are two examples.

a. On two occasions Paul quotes from heathen authors.Act 17:28  For it is in closest union with Him that we live and move and have our being; as in fact some of the poets in repute among yourselves have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

Tit 1:12  One of their own number--a Prophet who is a countryman of theirs--has said, "Cretans are always liars, dangerous animals, idle gluttons."

b. Jude quotes from an ancient hebrew Book, one not included in the Bible

Jud 1:14  It was also about these that Enoch, who belonged to the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "The Lord has come, attended by myriads of His people, to execute judgement upon all,

Jud 1:15  and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly deeds which in their ungodliness they have committed, and of all the hard words which they, ungodly sinners as they are, have spoken against Him."

7. Plenary-Verbal Inspiration does not overwhelm the personality of the Human author. Bible authors did not experiences coma-like trances as some mediums during a seance.

Isa 6:1  In the year that King Uzziah died I then saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.

Isa 6:2  Above it stood the seraphs; each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

Isa 6:3  And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of Hosts; the whole earth full of His glory.

Isa 6:4  And the doorposts moved at the voice of the one who cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Isa 6:5  Then I said, Woe is me! For I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of Hosts.

Isa 6:6  Then one of the seraphs flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, snatched with tongs from the altar.

Isa 6:7  And he laid it on my mouth and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.

Isa 6:8  And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me!

Isa 6:9  And He said, Go, and tell this people, You hear indeed, but do not understand; and seeing you see, but do not know.

Isa 6:10  Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back, and be healed.

Isa 6:11  Then I said, Lord, how long? And He answered, Until the cities are wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land laid waste, a desolation,

Compare Daniel 12.

8. Plenary - Verbal Inspiration does not exclude pictorial and symbolic Language.

The Bible does not demand we accept every word in a wooden and legalistic way. Eg. a case could be made that God has feathers like a bird from Ps 91:4. Here the thought is simply that the persecuted believer can flee to his Heavenly Father for protection and warmth.

9. Plenary - Verbal Inspiration does not mean uniformity in all details given in describing the same event.

a. OT Example. The wicked King Manesseh is vividly described in two separate passages: 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1-20. In2 Kings we read of his wickedness while in 2 Chronicles we are told of his eventual prayers for forgiveness and subsequent salvation.

b. New Testament example. There are four different accounts of the superscription on the Cross at calvary.

Matthew says: Mat 27:37  And they put up over His head His accusation, written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Mark says: Mar 15:26  And the inscription of His accusation was written over Him, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Luke says : Luk 23:38  And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

John says: Joh 19:19  And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The entire title was probably “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews”.

So God included all that He wanted us to know and excluded what He did not what included.

2Ti 3:15  and that from a babe you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 3:16  All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

2Ti 3:17  that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work.

The Doctrine of the Bible - Inspiration

6. The Plenary - Verbal Inspiration Theory.

Meaning : - that all (plenary), the very words (verbal) of the Bible are inspired by God. This view alone is the Correct one.

2Ti 3:16  Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval.

2Ti 3:17  They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things. GW

1Co 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. MKJV

Joh 17:8  For I have given to them the Words which You gave Me, and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from You. And they have believed that You sent Me.

Joh 6:63  It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life. MKJV

B. Various Scriptures on Inspiration.

The Bible Itself strongly claims it’s writings are from God. Note the following:

1. No Old Testament Scripture was thought up by the Prophet himself.

2Pe 1:19  And in the written word of prophecy we have something more permanent; to which you do well to pay attention--as to a lamp shining in a dimly-lighted place--until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

2Pe 1:20  But, above all, remember that no prophecy in Scripture will be found to have come from the prophet's own prompting;

2. All Old Testament Scriptures were given by the Holy Spirit as He moved upon men.

2Pe 1:21  for never did any prophecy come by human will, but men sent by God spoke as they were impelled (moved upon) by the Holy Spirit.

3. The Spirit Breathed Inspiration was given in many different ways.

Heb 1:1  God, who in ancient days spoke to our forefathers in many distinct messages and by various methods through the Prophets,

Heb 1:2  has at the end of these days spoken to us through a Son, who is the pre-destined Lord of the universe, and through whom He made the Ages.

Barnes Notes: And in divers manners -  - πολυτρόπως  polutropōs. In many ways. It was not all in one mode. He had employed various methods in communicating his will. At one time it was by direct communication, at another by dreams, at another by visions, etc. In regard to the various methods which God employed to communicate his will, see Introduction to Isaiah, section 7. In contradistinction from these, God had now spoken by his Son. He had addressed us in one uniform manner. It was not by dreams, or visions; it was a direct communication from him. The word used here, also, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament.

4. Once it was given, this inspired writing:

a. Could not be broken or shaken down. Joh 10:35  If those to whom God's word was addressed are called gods (and the Scripture cannot be annulled),WNT ;  cannot be nullified; Murdock;

(and the scripture cannot be broken), ASV

Barnes :The scripture cannot be broken - See Mat_5:19. The authority of the Scripture is final; it cannot be set aside.

b. Is exact in all details.

Mat 5:18  Solemnly I tell you that until Heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or smallest detail will pass away from the Law until all has taken place. WNT

c. Would  abide forever.

1Pe 1:25  BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD REMAINS FOR EVER." And that means the Message which has been proclaimed among you in the Good News. WNT

5, The OT Writers did not always understand the nature of everything they wrote about.

Luk 10:23  And He turned towards His disciples and said to them apart, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see!

Luk 10:24  For I tell you that many Prophets and kings have desired to see the things you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things you hear, and have not heard them."

1Pe 1:10  There were Prophets who earnestly inquired about that salvation, and closely searched into it--even those who spoke beforehand of the grace which was to come to you.

1Pe 1:11  They were eager to know the time which the Spirit of Christ within them kept indicating, or the characteristics of that time, when they solemnly made known beforehand the sufferings that were to come upon Christ and the glories which would follow.

1Pe 1:12  To them it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you, when they foretold the very things which have now been openly declared to you by those who, having been taught by the Holy Spirit which had been sent from Heaven, brought you the Good News. Angels long to stoop and look into these things.

a. They did not completely understand Christ’s Sufferings.

b. They did understand that these mysteries would be clearer to a generation other than theirs.

6. The four Gospels were given by Divine Inspiration.

2Pe 3:1  My dear friends, this is the second letter I have written to encourage you to do some honest thinking. I don't want you to forget

2Pe 3:2  what God's prophets said would happen. You must never forget what the holy prophets taught in the past. And you must remember what the apostles told you our Lord and Saviour has commanded us to do.

7. Paul believed His writings were inspired by God.

1Co 2:4  When I talked with you or preached, I didn't try to prove anything by sounding wise. I simply let God's Spirit show his power.

1Co 15:3  I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. That part is: Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say.

1Co 15:4  He was buried, and three days later he was raised to life, as the Scriptures say.

1Th 2:13  And for this further reason we render unceasing thanks to God, that when you received God's Message from our lips, it was as no mere message from men that you embraced it, but as--what it really is--God's Message, which also does its work in the hearts of you who believe.

1Th 4:15  For this we declare to you on the Lord's own authority--that we who are alive and continue on earth until the Coming of the Lord, shall certainly not forestall those who shall have previously passed away.

8. Paul used the Holy Spirit’s Words to explain the Holy Spirit’s facts.

1Co 2:13  Of these we speak--not in language which man's wisdom teaches us, but in that which the Spirit teaches--adapting, as we do, spiritual words to spiritual truths.

9. All Paul’s Writings were received by special revelation from Christ.

Gal 1:11  For I must tell you, brethren, that the Good News which was proclaimed by me is not such as man approves of.

Gal 1:12  For, in fact, it was not from man that I received or learnt it, but by a revelation from Jesus Christ.

10. Peter believed Paul's Writings were inspired by God.

2Pe 3:15  And always regard the patient forbearance of our Lord as salvation, as our dear brother Paul also has written to you in virtue of the wisdom granted to him.

2Pe 3:16  That is what he says in all his letters, when speaking in them of these things. In those letters there are some statements hard to understand, which ill-taught and unprincipled people pervert, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own ruin.