Transcript Slide 1
What is Truth?
Relativism (truth is subjective)
Pluralism (many equal “truths”)
Agnosticism (truth cannot be known)
Superstition (truth is contrary to evidence)
Revelation (truth has been revealed by God
and can be known by man)
The DIVINE
INSPIRATION
of the BIBLE
INSPIRATION
“…it is breathed out by God, ‘God-breathed,’
product of
the creative
breath
of 3:16)
God. In
the
All Scripture
is inspired
of God
(2 Tim.
a word, what is declared by this fundamental
Scripture [graphe] – a writing; in the technical
passage is simply that the Scriptures are a
sense, scripture; an oracle of God
divine product…No term could have been
chosen,
Inspiration
[theoneustos]
– lit. God-breathed
however,
which would
have more
Verbal – every
word is inspired
of God
emphatically
asserted
the divine
production
Plenary – every
inspiredisofhere
God
of Scripture
thanpart
thatis which
employed.”
(B.B. Warfield, ISBE, rev. ed., Vol. 2, p. 840)
God Spoke in Time Past –
Men Spoke and Wrote Word
Prophets – holy men spoke as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit [inspiration] (2 Pet. 1:20-21)
Prophetic word more sure than eyewitness
testimony (vv. 16-19)
Spoken word came by inspiration, not by
“private interpretation” [human origin] (vv. 20-21)
Predictive prophecy is one of the greatest
evidences of the inspiration of Old Testament
scripture (Isa. 46:9-11)
“Thus Saith the Lord”
Phrase, or equivalent, occurs more than 2000
times in the Old Testament
2 Sam. 23:1-2; Isa. 1:1-2; Jer. 1:9; 10:1-2
Zech. 7:12 – words = verbal inspiration;
Jer. 36:1-6, 32 – written, preserved
Divine inspiration of OT reflected in NT
quotations (Heb. 3:7 & 4:7; Acts 28:25; Heb.
10:15; Matt. 22:43 & Mk. 12:36)
Testimony of Jesus
John 10:34-35
Psalms = Law, Scripture
“Cannot be broken” – cannot be undone,
loosed, or deprived of its binding authority
Testimony of Jesus
Matthew 5:17-18
Not one “jot” (yod -smallest letter in Hebrew
alphabet) or “tittle” (smallest stroke, or
projection, of a letter to distinguish it from
another letter) will pass away until fulfilled
All of word is preserved, protected, and given
authority by God – plenary [full] inspiration
INSPIRATION
God communicated in times past by the
prophets (Heb. 1:1)
God now speaks to us by His Son (v. 2)
New Testament!
Now investigate the inspiration of the New
Testament
The Revelation of the
New Testament
Divine authority of the words of Jesus
(Matt. 7:24-29; Jn. 12:48-49)
Revelation of all truth by the Holy Spirit
through the apostles and prophets
Remembrance of what had already been
taught and revelation of all truth (Jn. 14:2526; 16:12-13; cf. Matt. 10:19-20)
Revelation Recorded in
Words – Verbal Inspiration
God – revelation of the mystery by the Spirit – to His
holy apostles and prophets – written in words –
readers understand the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:1-6)
God revealed His will through His Spirit in words
(1 Cor. 2:7-13)
This is why we are not to go “beyond what is written”
(1 Cor. 4:6), but rather hold fast to the traditions of truth
preserved in inspired writings (2 Thess. 2:15;
2 Tim. 1:13 – “pattern [sketch, mold] of sound words”)
NT Claims of Inspiration
Paul – Gal. 1:11-12; 1 Cor. 7:40; 14:37
1 Timothy 5:18 – OT & NT quoted and identified
as inspired Scripture
Paul’s epistles included among the “Scriptures”
(2 Pet. 3:15-16)
Affirmations of Jude 3
Organized and formal body of truth
“the faith”
Complete, unalterable, sufficient
“once for all delivered”
Given from heaven to men
“delivered to the saints”
Contend earnestly for “the faith”!
NO need for latter-day revelations!!
NO need for doubt about books of Bible!!
Bible – All-Sufficient and
Authoritative
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Profitable for doctrine, reproof,
correction, instruction in
righteousness
Makes man of God complete,
thoroughly equipped for every
good work
1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this reason we also thank God
without ceasing, because when you
received the word of God which you
heard from us, you welcomed it not as
the word of men, but as it is in truth,
the word of God, which also works in
you who believe.
The Inspiration
of the Bible
Additional Evidences
Unity of the Bible
Bible written by about 40 different writers over a
period of about 1600 years
Writers lived in different parts of the world and had
varied social, occupational, and educational
backgrounds
Written in three separate languages: Hebrew,
Aramaic, and Greek
In spite of this, the Bible message demonstrates
great harmony – alleged contradictions have
never been shown to be legitimate
Writing style is unique – brevity, nonemotionalism, no cover-up of sin
History/Archaeology/Geography
Hittites were thought to have never
existed (Gen. 15:20); capital discovered in
1906
Hezekiah’s tunnel has recently been
radiocarbon dated to the time of Hezekiah
Identify Biblical sites: Gibeon, Gezer,
Dan, etc.
Other archaeological examples: “House of
David” inscription, Cyrus Cylinder, Pilate
inscription, numerous Bible figures found
named in ancient inscriptions and records
History/Archaeology/Geography
Accurate in geography (Lk. 2:42 – “up
to Jerusalem”)
Where Bible history can be checked, it
has been found accurate; encourages
our faith in those areas which cannot be
checked – lends additional credibility to
the claim of inspiration
Scientific Accuracy
Life is in the blood (Gen. 9:4)
Earth suspended in space (Job 26:7)
The Bible is not a scientific textbook,
but where it touches on science it
speaks accurately
Prophecy (Isa. 46:9-10)
Isaiah (700 BC) prophesied of Cyrus, king of
Persia allowing Jews to return to Palestine after
Babylonian captivity (Isa. 44:28-45:7; fulfilled in
536 BC – Ezra 1)
Babylon would never be rebuilt (Isa. 13:20 – 700
BC; still true today)
Over 300 Old Testament prophecies about Jesus
– all fulfilled
Born of a virgin in Bethlehem (Isa. 7:14; Micah 5:2;
Matt. 1:18-23; 2:1-6)
Suffer and die (Isa. 53; Lk. 24:25-27; Acts 13:29)
Rise from the dead (Psa. 16:10; Acts 2:31)
Denials of OT Inspiration
Apocryphal books and “lost books”
Included in some versions, but never accepted by
Jews as Scripture (cf. Rom. 3:2)
Documentary Hypothesis (JEDP theory; source
criticism)
Denies Mosaic authorship of Pentateuch; four
human traditions compiled at a later time
Denial of predictive prophecy – denial of stated
truths of prophetic books and fulfillments
Example: Daniel is said to be written after
prophesied events – 165 BC
Man’s Denials of NT
Inspiration
Human councils “determined” canon of New
Testament and some books were “left out”
God’s grace and providence has always provided
and preserved His truth for man
As early writings circulated, inspired scripture was
identified (1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:15-16); false
teachings and writings were also identified
(2 Thess. 2:2)
Holy Spirit, by the apostles and prophets, guided
early church into all the truth (Jn. 16:13; Jude 3),
not fallible men or denominational councils!
Man’s Denials of NT Inspiration
Some books of the New Testament claimed
not be “authentic” (not completely genuine or
written by stated author – ex. Gospels, Hebrews,
James, 2 Peter, Jude, 2 & 3 John)
Such arguments derive from human wisdom –
modernistic and dangerous to our faith
Only a small portion of what is written is
actually “historically true” (Jesus Seminar)
Denial of miracles and other bothersome
passages – unsubstantiated claims
Affirmations of Jude 3
Organized and formal body of truth
“the faith”
Complete, unalterable, sufficient
“once for all delivered”
Given from heaven to men
“delivered to the saints”
Contend earnestly for “the faith”!
NO need for latter-day revelations!!
NO need for doubt about books of Bible!!
Bible – All-Sufficient and
Authoritative
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Profitable for doctrine, reproof,
correction, instruction in
righteousness
Makes man of God complete,
thoroughly equipped for every
good work
1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this reason we also thank God
without ceasing, because when you
received the word of God which you
heard from us, you welcomed it not as
the word of men, but as it is in truth,
the word of God, which also works in
you who believe.