By Pastor Dave Farmer
Summary
Satan will not allow something so important as the integrity of Scripture stand without resisting it. He has attempted to twist and distort the truth about the Bible for thousands of years, yet the Word of the Lord endures forever. There are some views of inspiration that have been offered to explain how we got our Bibles which are incorrect. Now that we have studied the Biblical Doctrine of Inspiration we can see the defects in their theories.
Natural Inspiration
The Bible was written by men having a high order of genius such as that belonging to writers, artists, and musicians. At first glance, this might be construed as a compliment, but I am sure the Apostle Peter and Apostle John would protest. We are not seminarians; we are fishermen. The Apostle Paul and Dr. Luke may fit the mold, and Moses in the Old Testament, all highly educated, but what of the prophet Amos who was a sheepherder from Tekoa. (Amos 1:1) This view is incorrect because it reduces Scripture to the level of natural man. Furthermore, we would object on the grounds that if the Bible is solely the product of man, then it is subject to error just as with all secular writers. True inspiration is the work of God the Holy Spirit, in, through and upon the writers of Scripture. It is supernatural inspiration that explains the Scripture.
[20] But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,
[21] for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:20, 21)
Degrees of Inspiration
Another incorrectly held view of Scripture is called "Degrees of Inspiration." This theory says that some parts of the Bible are inspired to a greater degree than others. This is similar to another false idea of inspiration that is entitled Partial Inspiration. For instance, the critics say the Bible contains statements contrary to the findings of science. They would argue that when the Bible speaks on scientific matters, the writers were not inspired, and the scientist is right, and the Bible is wrong.
However, our response is this "All Scripture is inspired by God." (2 Timothy 3:16) These men wrote while under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We believe the Holy Spirit knows more about creation than all scientists combined. Also, we would state that the Bible was not written in the technical, scientific language of the 20th century, but in the popular language of Bible times. It describes things as they appear. However, it does not incorporate the false ideas of those times. It does not mislead in scientific matters. It sets forth principles which are basic to science and its disciplines.
For instance the movement of planets:
[31] "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion?
[32] "Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her satellites?
[33] "Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or fix their rule over the earth?
(Job 38:31-33)
God is speaking to Job, and it is obvious that this is poetical discourse and not a scientific treatise. Yet, it wasn't until Medler, an astronomer, discovered that Alcyone, the brightest star in the Pleiades, is the center of gravity in our vast solar system. Our English word Pleiades is the Hebrew word KIMAH. This word means a "hinge, pivot, or axle" and refers to a body that moves around and turns other bodies with it. Job was written three thousand years ago, but this is an absolutely accurate description of the whole system of gravity at work in our solar system. When God spoke to Job it wasn't a science lesson; it was a rebuke. Job did not understand the laws of the heavens, the principles that God uses to regulate the stars and planets, how could he criticize God's dealing with man?
Another instance of scientific fact is the earth is spherical.
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. (Isaiah 40:22)
Just think of all the people who believed the earth was flat. Yet the Hebrew word rendered circle is CHUG and here and in Proverbs 8:27 should be rendered "spherical." There are others, but we don't have time to develop them. Whenever the Bible speaks on a subject that interests the scientist, it does so accurately because the Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of truth, not error." True inspiration states clearly the fact that the Holy Spirit supernaturally, superintended the writing of Scripture.
Another common objection is that the Bible contains statements contrary to historical facts. Like the study of science, the study of history has yet to have the final word regarding many persons and events of which little or nothing, as yet, is known. Archaeological discoveries have done much to confirm the historical accuracy of the Bible. All Scripture, including historical facts, are inspired by God.
Our main objection to degrees or partial inspiration is that there is a need for someone to determine what parts of the Bible are inspired. It also allows for human error in the uninspired parts. True Inspiration is plenary 1, that is every part of the Bible is inspired equally. (2 Timothy 3:16)
Universal Christian Inspiration
Bible writers were inspired in the same way, though to a fuller degree as Holy Spirit-filled men are inspired today. We object to this view of inspiration for the following reasons:
True inspiration is a particular work of the Holy Spirit in men whom He fills, not the filling or illumination of these men itself. (2 Peter 1:21)
Inspired Concepts Views
God gave men thoughts or ideas of His truth; then He allowed them to express these ideas in their own words as they remembered them and understood them. This allows for human error while true inspiration extends to every word of Scripture. (2 Timothy 3:16)
[12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,
[13] which things we also speak, not in WORDS taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual WORDS. (1 Corinthians 2:12,13)
Verbal Dictation Theory
Every word of Scripture was dictated by God, and the writers recorded these as stenographers. Although God used verbal dictation as a method of communicating His truth, such as, when Moses received the Ten Commandments (see also Jeremiah 36:4; Rom. 16:22), the Bible was not recorded by simple dictation. This view of how we got our Bible is incorrect for it does not account for the characteristic style of the individual writers which is seen in their writings. True inspiration incorporates the writer's style, vocabulary, personality, etc.
Liberal theologians confuse these false theories of inspiration with true inspiration, especially they confuse the Inspired Concept Theory, which allows an errant text, and the Verbal Dictation Theory, which results in a dead, mechanical, petrified text.
True Inspiration
It is the activity of God, the Holy Spirit, who so supernaturally superintended and guided the writers of Scripture that without waiving their human intelligence, their individuality, their literary style, their personal feelings, or any other human factor, God's own complete and coherent message to man was perfectly recorded in the original writings, so that the very words of Scripture bear divine authorship.
ENDNOTES
1 Plenary means full, complete, or absolute. It means every part of Scripture is inspired.