The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience. This doctrine, like every other, is based on Scripture and is not the invention of man. The Bible repeatedly affirms that all of Scripture is profitable for us (2 Timothy 3:16) and that all of it is “God-breathed.” It is completely pure (Psalm 12:6), perfect (Psalm 119:96), and true (Proverbs 30:5). The 66 books of the Bible are God’s written revelation to man, given to us by the Holy Spirit, inspired equally in all parts (1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21). The truth of Scripture stands in judgment of men; never do men stand in judgment of it. The Spirit-given message is not merely the idea of a passage, but rather the very words (Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Jeremiah 1:9). This may be seen in the manner in which Jesus used the Bible. Consider the Lord’s reply to the Sadducees who denied the resurrection of the body (Mark 12:18-27). He refutes them by the use of one sole word from a historical passage: by the use of a single verb in the present tense instead of the same verb in the past tense. Not “I was”, but “I am the God of Abraham…” Those men therefore are still alive, and Christ has based his argument upon a single word. Another such example is found in John 10:34-35 where Jesus quotes Psalm 82, affirming its inspiration and authority. Upon even a cursory examination, it is surprising to see how frequently and emphatically the Bible speaks of itself.
An often-used verse for proof of the inspiration of Scripture is 2 Timothy 3:16 even though Paul is not addressing directly the proof of inspiration. In the greater context of the passage here, Paul is speaking to Timothy about the practical use of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 1:13-14, 2:1-2, 2:7-9, 2:14-15, 3:14). When studied in context, Paul’s mention of inspiration in verse 16 gives the impression that inspiration is clearly an assumed doctrine in need of no explanation here (which makes its teaching about inspiration all the more powerful – in this sense alone it might arguably be the strongest single verse in proof of the doctrine). Paul says that because God breathed the Scriptures out they are useful. The word in v. 16 translated “inspiration” or “inspired” (theopneustos) is probably better translated “God-exhaled” or “God-breathed”. Since it is writings which are said to be “breathed-out” this must be understood as God’s Word spoken in written form. Paul’s reference to inspiration is to emphasize the priority, authority, sufficiency, and power of God’s word in the four uses he immediately then defines: teaching, conviction (reproof), correction, and discipline in righteousness. These four identified uses serve further to prove the very doctrine of inspiration and the plenary nature of it. First, the Scriptures must be used for teaching. This principle is the very foundation of progressive sanctification. The teaching of the Scriptures reveals to the believer more of the character and attributes of God than he had known previously, as well as his own spiritual state and inability, naturally leading to the second defined use: conviction. The use of the Scriptures to convict the believer of his wrongdoing flows necessarily out of the use of them in teaching. Right thinking is born from the teaching of the Scriptures. The more rightly a believer thinks, the more he agrees with God’s holiness and his shortcoming of it. Conviction then leads the believer to the next logical question – What can be done to correct this situation? Third, the Scriptures then are clearly useful in correction. After crushing us through teaching and conviction, they tear the sin out of the believer’s life and offer in its place the correct response to God. Fourth, the Scriptures prove useful for the next logical need – sustenance. They work with the believer continually to help him order his life with the ultimate goal being godliness (1 Timothy 4:7). In these verses the Scriptures themselves clearly declare themselves both necessary and sufficient.
The effect of this evidence is cumulative. This doctrine of inspiration is not something tenuously deduced from two or three verses. No. It is the explicit, the repeated, the emphatic, the constant declaration of the Bible in all its parts.
1 comment:
Every scripture. Both testaments. I don't know Greek well enough to comment about the rendering of "is" in this verse, but if that is a correct rendering we need go no further for proof that Paul understood the fact that what he was writing was inspired. There is also the fact that Peter recognizes Paul's writings as authoritative and inspired (2 Peter 3:15-16).
Another interesting text is 1 Timothy 5:17-18. Paul's first quotation from "scripture" is Deuteronomy 25:4 but his second is not found at all in the OT but in Luke 10:7.
God bless! Hello back from my family to yours!
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