Bible Question: What would you consider to be the strongest arguments to back the claim of inspiration of the Scriptures? |
Bible Answer: Hi, Haasdjik... Here are a few thoughts that might be helpful. The Bible teaches its own divine origin and authority: "No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophets’ own interpretation." 2 Peter 1:20; All Scripture was written as "Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:21; "God Spoke... through the prophets... and by His Son." Hebrews 1:1-2; "All Scripture is God-breathed." 2 Timothy 3:16; the Word of God, once given and written, is exact in all details down to each letter and stroke of the pen. Matthew 5:18; "The Scripture cannot be broken." John 10:35; "The Word of the Lord stands forever." 1 Peter 1:25. "For as the aged, or those whose sight is defective, when any books however fair, is set before them, though they perceive that there is something written are scarcely able to make out two consecutive words, but, when aided by glasses, begin to read distinctly, so Scripture, gathering together the impressions of Deity, which, till then, lay confused in our minds, dissipates the darkness, and shows us the true God clearly" --John Calvin "The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no-one dreams of questioning. And if the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt. It is a curious fact that historians have often been much readier to trust the New Testament than have many theologians." --F. F. Bruce "To preach the Bible as 'the handbook for life,' or as the answer to every question, rather than as the revelation of Christ, is to turn the Bible into an entirely different book. This is how the Pharisees approached Scripture, as we can see clearly from the questions they asked Jesus. For the Pharisees, the Scriptures were a source of trivia for life's dilemmas. To be sure, Scripture provides God-centered and divinely revealed wisdom for life, but if this were its primary objective, Christianity would be a religion of self-improvement by following examples and exhortations, not a religion of the Cross." --Michael Horton I highly recommend the classic discussion of the doctrine of divine inspiration by A. A. Hodge: http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/aahinsp.htm In Him, Doc |