LENY JOY R.

DUPO

ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Can prophets get help from others when they write?
Yes, they can. It is true that the prophets were inspired by the Holy Spirit.. As the prophets are
God’s penmen. Sometimes some of the biblical authors had secretaries to help them write down the
messages of God. Jeremiah 36;1-4, Romans 16:22 and some other verses testifies of the existence of
literary assistants. Even Ellen G. White used literary helpers as she is not a grammarian and she wants her
readers to understand the messages she wrote.

2. What is the difference between verbal and thought inspiration?

Verbal inspiration focuses on the word of the Bible rather than on the author. All the words are
said to be inspired by God, the Lord Himself chooses vocabulary to be used and the educational
background of the writer. In this view, only the original writings of the biblical writers are inspired not
the copies that might have errors. Thought inspiration on the other hand, focuses on the writers, not on
the words. The writer receives the visions, dreams or thoughts received is put down in writing by the
authors own words. But the Holy Spirit makes sure that the words used conveys God’s truth correctly.

3. What is the difference between inspiration and revelation?

Revelation refers to the process or methodology God uses wherein He revealed His messages
through the Holy Spirit using visions and dreams. And then He ensured, through His guidance, in the
writing process known as Inspiration, that what they wrote was in harmony with what God had revealed.
Simply put, inspiration refers to the writing process of what has been revealed also through the Holy
Spirit’s intervention.

4. What are some examples of prophets quoting sources outside the Bible?

There are three prophets mentioned in our topic that quotes sources outside of the bible. The first one
is Doctor Luke. He doesn’t rely on dreams and visions. Neither was he eyewitness to the events he
describes. Instead he worked from what he had learned from others, of which all being inspired and
guided by the Holy Spirit, to ensure that what he wrote down was in harmony with the historical events
and God’s will. Another one mentioned is Paul. He not only received information orally from others but
in a few places quoted from the writings of pagan authors. Ellen G. White as well used other books as
sources for her own works. His great controversy book is an example of one where uses other materials as
a source.