The Bible: Inspired by God

The Bible is the only book ever written that was inspired of God in the sense that God personally
guided the writers. It is true that God employed human writers; but these men, although they may not
have understood all that they were writing., nevertheless under the guiding hand of God produced the
66 books that form the Bible in which there is amazing unity and constant evidence of the work of the
Holy Spirit in directing what was written. Although passages of the Bible may differ in their character,
EVERY word of scripture is equally inspired of God. How can a human author, recording his own
thoughts and knowledge, be guided to write exactly what God directs him write? Because of questions
like this, various opinions have been made as to the extent of the divine control over the human
authors. These have been called “theories of inspiration” and all interpreters of the Bible follow one or
more of these theories.

A. Theories of Inspiration
1. Verbal, plenary inspiration.
By verbal inspiration it is meant that the Spirit of God guided in the choice of the word used
in the original writings. Scripture, however, indicates human authorship. Various books of
Bible reflect the writers’ personal characteristics in style and vocabulary, and their
personalities are often expressed in their thoughts, opinions, prayers, or fears. However,
although the human elements are evident in the Bible, inspiration contends that God
directed so that all the words that were used were equally inspired of God. This is brought
out by the use of the word “plenary” which means “full inspiration,” as opposed to views
that claim only partial inspiration for the Bible. Scripture is declared to be infallible in the
sense of being unfailingly accurate. Scripture is also declared to be inerrant, meaning that
the Bible does not contain any error as a statement of fact. In stating that the Bible is
verbally and fully inspired, and infallible and inerrant in its statement of truth, it is held that
God’s supernatural and perfect guidance is given to every word of Scripture so that the Bible
can be trusted as accurate statement of divine truth. This applies only to the original
writings only and not copies, translations, or quotations. As there are no original
manuscripts today, scholars have gone to great detail to determine the accuracy of the Bible
we now have today. The Old Testament, written in Hebrew, and the New Testament written
in Greek, may be accepted as the very Word of God and a true statement of what God
intended to communicate to man.

2. Mechanical or dictation theory.

In contrast to the doctrine of inspiration, which allows for human authorship and personally
writing under the direction of God, some have held that God actually dictated the Scripture
 and that the writers of the Bible were only stenographers. If God had dictated the Bible,
however, the style of writing and vocabulary of the Bible would be the same throughout.
Paul’s heart-felt prayer for Israel in Romans 9:1-3, for instance, would lose its meaning if it
were dictated by God. Accordingly, while inspiration extends to every word of Scripture, it
does not rule out human personality, literary style, or personal interest. God accomplished
the accuracy He desired by directing the human authors, but without the mechanical
process of dictation.

3. The concept theory.

Some have attempted to weaken the complete inspiration of the Bible and allow for human
authorship by saying that God inspired the concept but not the precise words. This view,
however, has grave problems, as the human authors may have only partially understood
what God was revealing to them, and in restating it in their own words could inject
considerable error. Emphasis has been given to the words of Scripture as being inspired. The
importance of words is frequently mentioned. Exod. 20:1 John 6:63; 17:8 and 1 Cor. 2:13. It
is frequently assumed that the very words are inspired of God as in John 10:34-35, Galatians
3:16, and the frequent mention of the Bible as the Word of God as in Ephesians 6:17, James
1:21-23, and Peter 2:2. A solemn curse is pronounced upon anyone who takes away from
the Word of God Rev. 22:18-19.

4. Partial inspiration.
Various theories affirming that only parts of the Bible are inspired are also advanced. For
instance, some have claimed that the revelatory portions of the Bible dealing with divine
truth are accurate, but that we cannot accept historical, geographical, or scientific
statements in Scripture. Coupled with partial inspiration is the idea that some portions of
Scripture are more inspired than others, so that truth and error become a matter of degree.
This is sometimes applied to what is known as “mystical inspiration” or the idea that God, in
varying degrees, assisted the authors in what they were writing but fell short of giving them
the capacity to write Scripture without error. All forms of partial inspiration leave the reader
the final judge, and accordingly, the authority of Scripture becomes the authority of the
person reading the Scripture, with no two readers agreeing exactly as to what is truth and
what is not.

5. Neoorthodox view of inspiration.

While not necessarily denying that supernatural elements exist in the writing of Scripture,
this vies acknowledges that there are errors in the Bible and thus the Bible cannot be taken
as literally true. The Bible under this theory becomes true only as it is comprehended and
truth is realized by the individual reader. The history of this view demonstrates that no two
of its advocates exactly agree as to what the Bible actually teaches, and like the view of
partial inspiration, leaves the individual as the final authority concerning what is true and
what is false.

6. Naturalistic inspiration.
 This is the most extreme view of unbelief and holds that the Bible is just like any other book.
Although God may have given to the authors unusual ability to express concepts, it is after
all a human production without supernatural guidance.

Ultimately the reader of Scripture must make a choice. Either the Bible is what it claims
to be – the inspired Word of God – and a book to be trusted as if God had written it with
own hand without humans, or it must be regarded as a book which, does not substantiate
its claims and is not indeed the Word of God. While many proofs can be gathered to support
the inspiration of the Bible, the best evidence is found in the fact that the Book supports its
claims. Its power has been manifested in the transformed lives of millions of those who
have put their trust in the words and promises of Scripture.

B. The Testimony of Christ

The fact that the Bible is inspired of the Holy Spirit is supported by many integral
evidences that it is indeed the Word of God and is confirmed by the power of the Word of God
to influence and transform men. Whenever Christ quoted Scripture- as He di frequently- He
quoted it as having authority and in full recognition that it had come by the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit. According to Mathew 5:18. Christ affirmed that not one jot or one tittle of the law
would remain unfulfilled. By this He was saying that not one jot (the smallest letter of the
Hebrew alphabet) or one tittle (the smallest part of the letter which would change the meaning)
would be left unfulfilled. If accuracy and inspiration extended to the very letter, Christ was
obviously affirming the inspiration of the entire Old Testament.

In John 10:35 Christ affirmed “the scripture cannot be broken.” Again, and again the
New Testament affirms accurate fulfillment of the Old Testament, as in Mathew 1:22-23, 4:14,
8:17, 12:17, 15:7-8, 21:4-5,45; 22:29, 26:31,56; 27:9-10,35. And found throughout the New
Testament. It is logically impossible to question the inspiration of the Old Testament without
questioning the character and veracity of Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that denial of the
inspired Word of God leads to the denial of the incarnate Word of God.

Jesus Christ not only affirmed the inspiration and infallible accuracy of the Old
Testament, but He predicted the writing of the New Testament. According to John 16:12-13, the
disciples were to receive truth from the Holy Spirit after Christ had ascended to heaven. Christ
stated that the disciples would be witnesses to the truth Matt, 28:19, Luke 10:22-23, John 15:27,
Acts 1:8. Jesus gave to the disciples authority in their speaking of the truth Luke 10:16, John
13:19, John 17:14,18; Heb. 2:3-4. Just as David wrote by the Spirit Matt. 22:43, likewise the New
Testament claims inspiration. In 1 Timothy 5:18, both Duet. 25:4 and Luke 10:7 are quoted as
equally inspired scripture. In 2 Peter 3:15-16, the epistles of Paul are classified as Scripture
which should be received as the Word of God like all other Scripture.
 C. Important Passages on Inspiration
One of the central passages on the inspiration of the Bible is found in 2 Timothy 3:16 where it is
affirmed “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction n righteousness.” The expression “by inspiration of God” is one word
in Greek, theopneustos, meaning “God-breathed.” While the authors were fallible and subject
to error, God breathed through them His infallible Word, and by divine power and guidance so
directed the human authors that what they wrote was indeed the infallible Word of God. 2
Peter 1:21. The word “moved” is the word for carrying a burden. In this statement, accordingly,
the human authors are carried along to the destination intended by God much as a boat will
carry its passengers to the destination intended. Although passengers on a boat have some
human freedom and can move freely within the boat, they nevertheless surely and inevitably
are carried to the destination of the boat itself. Some Scripture, we can be sure, was dictated by
God, for instance the giving of the law in Exodus 20:1-17, and in the Old Testament declared
that “God said” Gen. 1:3. Another frequent expression that “the word of the Lord came” to one
of the prophets Jer. 1:2 Hos. 1:1 Mic 1:1 Zeph. 1:1 Hag, 1:1 Zech. 1:1. In other instances God
spoke through visions Dan 7:1 or in dreams Dan. 2:1. While the form and circumstances of
divine revelation varied, in it all God speaks authoritatively, accurately, and inerrantly.

Questions
1. To what extent is the Bible inspired?

2. To what extent is the Bible infallible and inerrant, and what do these terms mean?

3. What are the problems of the concept theory of inspiration?

4. Discuss the contribution of 2 Timothy 3:16.

5. What does 2 Peter 1:21 contribute as to the method of inspiration?

6. Taking the subject of inspiration as a whole, why is it so important?