Results 1 - 3 of 3
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What does inspiration mean? | 2 Tim 3:16 | charis72 | 94178 | ||
As believers, we believe that the Scriptures are inspired - breathed by God Himself. How does this apply to the inscripturation (writing down) of the Bible? I have heard some say that it means that God inspired the writers of the Bible in such a way that they recorded the EXACT words that God wanted used. And yet they claim that He did NOT dictate. It seems to me that if I told a person EXACTLY what to write, down to the very words to use, then that IS dictation. One the other hand, I have heard that it means that God placed thoughts or ideas within the minds of the writers and they then chose their own words to convey God's truth. This view may explain why we see some variances between accounts of what happened or what was said during a particular event in the Bible. The biblical authors did seem to use their own vocabulary and writing styles. Any thoughts? charis72 |
||||||
2 | What does inspiration mean? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Morant61 | 94212 | ||
Greetings Charis72! Allow me to respond to your question with an older post. ************************************** I think that the issue which began this thread really was the issue of how does inspiration work. How and in what manner is the Bible the Word of God? The theologian Milliard Erickson defines inspiration in this way: "By inspiration of the Scripture we mean that supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit upon the Scripture writers which rendered their writings an accurate record of the revelation or which resulted in what they wrote actually being the Word of God." It is this influence of the Holy Spirit that makes Scripture more than just a history book. This is where I differ with many modern theologians. We have tried to dig so much into the human side of Scripture (motives, structure, culture) that we have neglected the Divine side of Scripture. My understanding of the inspiration can be summed up under the following terms. 1) Inspiration is Verbal: The influence of the Holy Spirit extends even to the words chosen. The writers didn't always even understand what they were writing. They didn't always have all the facts, but the Holy Spirit gave them the words. 2) Inspiration is Plenary: The influence of the Holy Spirit extends not only to the words, but it covers all of Scripture. There are some who believe that the parts of Scripture that deal with spiritual issues are "God's Word," but everything else is simply human. I reject this view. Everything in the Bible is there because God willed it. 3) Inspiration is Confluent: Having said all of the above though, I do not believe that the Holy Spirit simply dictated the Bible to the authors. Rather, God worked through them in such a way that their personalities, style, ect... shine through. This view is consistent with 2 Tim. 3:16. 2 Tim. 3:16 makes it clear that Scripture has God as it's ultimate source, in that it is literally "God-breathed." I have said all of this that I might apply it to your question. Scripture was never presented to it's readers or hearers as just another biography, history, or sermon. It was always presented as "Thus saith the Lord." Therefore, I think we err if we assume that each detail in Scripture must have had a human source of information. There is much in Scripture that is recounted by eye-witnesses, but there is also much (Like Revelation or all Prophecy) that comes directly from the Holy Spirit. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
||||||
3 | What does inspiration mean? | 2 Tim 3:16 | Truthfinder | 94223 | ||
Well said Tim, We know that God is spoken of as accomplishing work with his “finger(s),” such as writing the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (Ex 31:18; De 9:10), and I am sure you too watched the movie. You mention in your last paragraph that "always presented. . ." or as I understand your thought that God's writings were "always" performed by "man". But think about the account recorded in Ex 31:18 and De 9:10. Did Jehovah God have this written by someone other than Moses? Something to consider. Truthfinder |
||||||