Inspiration

Biblical Introduction : 

1 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Biblical Introduction “Inspiration” An Examination of Ideas related to Scripture and its Divine Origins.

Purpose : 

2 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Purpose This tutorial seeks to introduce the student to some of the basic issues surrounding the discussion on the inspiration of the Bible. By the end students should understand and explain: The positions on inspiration from three different camps of Christianity Differing ideas on the matters of inspiration, revelation, inerrancy and authority of the Bible. A common sense approach to moving forward in the midst of disagreement on these issues by Christians. It is hoped that the process will also cultivate in the student a greater appreciation for the Bible.

Orthodoxy : 

Orthodoxy Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians fall within a camp of Christianity called “Orthodoxy.” Basically, they believe that the Bible is the Word of God to man. Orthodoxy has been the most prominent view of the Bible from the first to the eighteenth century, and some up until today. 3 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130

Orthodoxy’s Active God : 

Orthodoxy’s Active God Because of Orthodoxy’s view or the Bible, its understanding words like inspiration, revelation, inerrancy and authority will be conditioned by the presupposition that God is directly responsible for the fact that mankind has the Bible. God saw to it that man has His Word, which outlines His requirements for life. 4 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130

Inspiration : 

5 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Inspiration The concept of inspiration is very important to those who hold to orthodoxy. According to Geisler & Nix, “The most significant characteristics of the Bible is its claim of Divine Inspiration.” What do they mean by this?

Towards a Definition : 

6 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Towards a Definition The word Inspiration is used only twice in Scripture: Job 32:8 2 Timothy 3:16. The word translated inspiration, theopneustos, literally means “God-breathed” The New Testament has another important passage on inspiration: 2 Peter 1:21 It is the New Testament passages that Christians look to for their understanding of the subject

Towards a Definition : 

7 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Towards a Definition Combining the teachings of the New Testament on inspiration, Geisler & Nix (p.12) assert the following: “…the Bible is inspired in the sense that Spirit-moved men wrote God-breathed words which are divinely authoritative for Christian faith and practice.”

Arriving at a Theological Definition : 

8 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Arriving at a Theological Definition Of note, the New Testament asserts that its writings and not its writers were inspired - that is the product and not the persons, according to Geisler and Nix. But inspiration will also include “a process”, since the Holy Spirit did move upon these men. The process contains three elements: divine causality, prophetic agency and written authority

The Process of Inspiration : 

9 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 The Process of Inspiration Divine Causality God is the Prime Mover (the divine moved the human). He revealed and men recorded. Thus God is the ultimate source.

The Process of Inspiration : 

10 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 The Process of Inspiration Prophetic Agency The prophets wrote with understanding, utilizing their own literary styles, vocabularies and personalities. God was the ultimate source while they were the immediate source.

The Process of Inspiration : 

11 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 The Process of Inspiration Written Authority The above gives the Bible written authority. Thus the scriptures are “…profitable for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.”

Concluding on a Theological Definition : 

12 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Accordingly, a theological definition of inspiration must include three fundamental factors: God the Prime Mover Men of God as the Instruments Divinely authoritative writings as the final result. Concluding on a Theological Definition

Quiz #1 : 

13 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Select the best answer for each of the following: 1. “Theopneustos” means God-breathed God-spoken God-given 2. The process of inspiration does not include: - Divine causality Human Intuition Prophetic agency God was the ultimate source while the writers were the immediate source. TRUE FALSE The writers of scripture heard from God and wrote the exact words he told them to. TRUE FALSE (Prepare to discuss your perspective in class.) Quiz #1

Important Distinctions : 

14 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Important Distinctions Inspiration is not Revelation or Illumination “Revelation concerns the origin and giving of truth; inspiration the reception and recording of it; illumination the subsequent apprehension and understanding of it. The inspiration which brings a written revelation to men is not in itself a guarantee that they will understand it.” (Geisler & Nix, p.14)

Important Distinctions : 

15 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Important Distinctions Inspiration speaks of the original autographs and not the copies. The copies may include errors retained when the texts were being copied (only very few exist). Compare 2 Kings 8:26 and 2 Chron. 22:2

Important Distinctions : 

16 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Important Distinctions Inspiration speaks of the Bible’s teaching but not all of its contents The Bible records many things that it does not expect people to themselves teach, believe or practice. For example the assertion that “..there is no God” (Ps. 14:1)

Other ideas about the Bible in Orthodoxy : 

17 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Other ideas about the Bible in Orthodoxy The Bible is the Word of God written down. How could men write down the Word of God? Two theories: Verbal dictation – God dictated every word through the personality of the author Inspired Concepts – Only the concepts are inspired and not the particular literary expression used by the author.

For Further Discussion : 

18 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Geisler & Nix mentions three important distinctions when speaking of Inspiration. Do you agree with them? Why? How comfortable are you with the idea that the versions we have today may contain errors? What effect (if any) does this have on the authority of Scripture, if indeed there are errors? Be prepared to justify your answer. For Further Discussion

Biblical Teaching on Inspiration : 

19 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Biblical Teaching on Inspiration Inspiration is verbal (2 Timothy 3:16, Ex 24:4, Is. 30:8, 2 Sam 23:2, Matt 4:4, Lk. 24:27) Inspiration is plenary- The Bible claims to be inspired in all its parts (2 Tim. 3:16, Ro 15:4) Inspiration gives authority (Jn 10:35, Mk 11:17, Lk 24:44) Please read Geisler & Nix pages 23- 26: “Some Implications of the Biblical Doctrine of Inspiration”

The Inspiration of the Old Testament : 

20 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 The Inspiration of the Old Testament This claim is based on various factors: The Old Testament’s own use of expressions like “thus saith the LORD” The New Testament’s assertion that the OT is: God-breathed and authoritative (2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 3:15-16) and the product of the Spirit of God (Acts 1:16 cf Psalm 41:9; Acts 28:25-26 cf Isaiah 6:9-10) (more next slide)

The Inspiration of the Old Testament : 

21 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Jesus’ affirmation of the OT’s divine authority He rebuked the Pharisees for nullifying the Word of God – a reference to the Old Testament – by their tradition (Mark 7:13) He pointed to the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures and explained that its message concerned Him – the writers spoke of His suffering and glorification (Luke 24:27) and the fact that its teachings would be fulfilled in and by Him (Matthew 5:17-18) The Inspiration of the Old Testament

The Inspiration of the New Testament : 

22 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 The Inspiration of the New Testament The claim is also based on various factors: Peter’s assertion in 2 Peter 1: 16, 20-21 and 3:16 (it is important to note that Paul wrote the majority of the New Testament) John’s assertion that the message declared was received from God and came from eye-witness testimony (1 John 1:1-5)

The Inspiration of the New Testament : 

23 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 The Inspiration of the New Testament Jesus’ affirmation that the Holy Spirit would bring back to the memory of His disciples everything they were taught and guide them into all truth (John 14: 26; 16:12-15)

Internal Evidence for the Inspiration of the Bible : 

24 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Internal Evidence for the Inspiration of the Bible Geisler & Nix present the following as Internal Evidence for Biblical Inspiration. What are your critical views on each? The Bible’s self-vindicating authority The Testimony of the Holy Spirit The Bible’s transforming ability The unity of the Bible

External Evidence for the Inspiration of the Bible : 

25 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 External Evidence for the Inspiration of the Bible Geisler & Nix present the following as External Evidence for Biblical Inspiration. Which do you find most/least convincing? The historicity of the Bible The testimony of Christ The evidence from prophecy The influence of the Bible The indestructibility of the Bible The integrity of the human authors

Other theories of Inspiration : 

26 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Other theories of Inspiration There are at least two other theories of inspiration that have flourished (especially at different times). The views can be described as those of Modernism Neo-orthodoxy

Modernism : 

27 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Modernism “The Bible CONTAINS the Word of God” Certain parts of the Bible are divine and true – two theories of this possibility: 1. Illumination View They are deep religious insight to pious men Which are mingled with erroneous religious lore and common sense science. Inspiration then speaks only of the depth or religious insight of the authors. 2. Intuition View: Bible is Jewish scrap-book of legends & stories. Inspiration is intensive human intuition Within the legends, etc. are some heightened moral and religious genius.

Neo-orthodoxy : 

28 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Neo-orthodoxy “The Bible BECOMES the word of God.” The Bible must be “critically” understood, but that does not mean that God cannot use it in a personal encounter with individuals. He reveals himself through the Bible in personal encounter, but not in a propositional way (i.e. not through its actual teachings). Two views: Demythological View Personal Encounter

Demythological View : 

29 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Demythological View Bultmann and Ogden (the most popular adherents) held that: The Bible is written in the mythological language of its day. Bultmann adds that the modern Christian must “demythologize” it, that is strip it of its myths and legends to arrive at the existential core beneath. Objective, historical and personal truth are not necessary to experience the subjective and personal truth of the Bible.

Personal Encounter View : 

30 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Personal Encounter View Karl Barth and Emil Brunner are the best know exponents of the view that: The Bible has its imperfections but is the locus of God’s revelation. God speaks to us through the Bible as it is the vehicle of his revelation, not the actual revelation itself. It is a witness to God’s revelation. When modern man encounters God through the scriptures the Bible BECOMES the Word of God.

Quiz #2 : 

31 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Which of the views of Inspiration declares the following statements: 1. “The Bible is the Word of God” Neoorthodoxy Modernism Orthodoxy 2. “The Bible contains the Word of God” Neoorthodoxy Modernism Orthodoxy 3. “The Bible needs to be stripped of its cultural baggage for us to get to its real core.” Neoorthodoxy Modernism Orthodoxy 4. “The Bible is not divine, only of a heightened human understanding of some sort.” Neoorthodoxy Modernism Orthodoxy Quiz #2

What do you think? : 

32 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 Some scholars argue that Jesus’ use of the OT as Scripture does not vindicate it as God’s Word as He was merely demonstrating a Jewish understanding of the Bible. What do you think? “The supernatural in Bible can be logically defended?” What do you think of this statement? Explain. What do you think?

Slide 33: 

33 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 I’m sorry, but that’s not correct! Please try again!

Slide 34: 

34 14/06/2010 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." - Psalm 119:130 That’s Correct! WELL DONE!