Reference: Inspiration
American
That supernatural influence exerted on the minds of the sacred writers by the Spirit of God, in virtue of which they unerringly declared his will. Whether what they wrote was previously familiar to their own knowledge, or, as in many cases it must have been, an immediate revelation from heaven; whether his influence in any given case was dictation, suggestion, or superintendence; and however clearly we may trace in their writings the peculiar character, style, mental endowments, and circumstances of each; yet the whole of the Bible was written under the unerring guidance of the Holy Ghost, 2Ti 3:16.
Christ everywhere treats the Old Testament Scripture as infallibly true, and of divine authority-the word of God. To the New Testament writers inspiration was promised, Mt 10:19-20; Joh 14:26; 16:13; and they wrote and prophesied under its direction, 1Co 2:10-13; 14:37; Ga 1:12; 2Pe 1:21; 3:15; Re 1:1,10-19.
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but when they take you. into custody, be not sollicitous, how or what ye shall speak, for at the very instant you shall be inspir'd what to say. for it is not properly you that speak, but the spirit of your father that speaketh by you.
but the advocate, the holy spirit, whom the father will send for my sake, he will explain every thing to you, and make you remember, all that I have told you.
but when he, the spirit of truth shall come, he will inform you of all those truths: for he will not speak from himself; but the information he shall receive will he communicate: and acquaint you with what is to come.
this is what God has revealed to us by his spirit: for the spirit penetrates into all things, even the profound counsels of God. for who knows the thoughts of a man, but the spirit of man which is in him? even so the thoughts of God no one can know, but the spirit of God. read more. now the spirit which we have received, is not the spirit of this world, but that which comes from God; that we might know what he has graciously bestowed upon us. this is what we declare, not in the words which human wisdom, but which the holy spirit dictates; explaining spiritual things in a spiritual language.
if any one pretends to be a prophet, or to spiritual gifts, let him be assured that the rules which I have here prescrib'd, are the commandments of the Lord.
for I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
for all divinely inspired writings are conducive to instruction, to conviction, to reformation, and the practice of virtue;
The REVELATION of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to shew to his servants things which must shortly come to pass; this he signified by his angel whom he dispatch'd to his servant John:
there I was in an exstacy on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a loud voice, like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, what you shall see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." read more. and I turned to see from whence the voice came that spake to me. and turning about, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one who resembled the son of man, cloathed with a garment down to the foot, and girt below the breast with a girdle of gold. his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; his feet were like fine brass, when glowing in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. in his right hand he held seven stars: out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun shining in his full glory. as soon as I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead: but he laid his right hand upon me, and said, "Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth; I was dead; but now you see I am alive for all eternity, amen; and I have the keys of the grave, and of death." write what you have seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
Easton
that extraordinary or supernatural divine influence vouchsafed to those who wrote the Holy Scriptures, rendering their writings infallible. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God" (R.V., "Every scripture inspired of God"), 2Ti 3:16. This is true of all the "sacred writings," not in the sense of their being works of genius or of supernatural insight, but as "theopneustic," i.e., "breathed into by God" in such a sense that the writers were supernaturally guided to express exactly what God intended them to express as a revelation of his mind and will. The testimony of the sacred writers themselves abundantly demonstrates this truth; and if they are infallible as teachers of doctrine, then the doctrine of plenary inspiration must be accepted. There are no errors in the Bible as it came from God, none have been proved to exist. Difficulties and phenomena we cannot explain are not errors. All these books of the Old and New Testaments are inspired. We do not say that they contain, but that they are, the Word of God. The gift of inspiration rendered the writers the organs of God, for the infallible communication of his mind and will, in the very manner and words in which it was originally given.
As to the nature of inspiration we have no information. This only we know, it rendered the writers infallible. They were all equally inspired, and are all equally infallible. The inspiration of the sacred writers did not change their characters. They retained all their individual peculiarities as thinkers or writers. (See Bible; Word of God.)
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for all divinely inspired writings are conducive to instruction, to conviction, to reformation, and the practice of virtue;
Fausets
The supernatural action of the Holy Spirit on the mind of the sacred writers whereby the Scriptures were not merely their own but the word of God. Scripture not merely contains but is the word of God. As the whole Godhead was joined to the whole manhood, and became the Incarnate Word, so the written word is at once perfectly divine and perfectly human; infallibly authoritative because it is the word of God, intelligible because in the language of men. If it were not human we should not understand it; if it were not divine it would not be an unerring guide. The term "scriptures" is attached to them exclusively in the word of God itself, as having an authority no other writings have (Joh 5:39; 10:34-36). They are called "the oracles of God" (Ro 3:2), i.e. divine utterances.
If Scripture were not plenarily and verbally sanctioned by God, its practical utility as a sure guide in all questions directly or indirectly affecting doctrine and practice would be materially impaired, for what means would there be of distinguishing the false in it from the true? Inspiration does not divest the writers of their several individualities of style, just as the inspired teachers in the early church were not passive machines in prophesying (1Co 14:32). "Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty" (2Co 3:17). Their will became one with God's will; His Spirit acted on their spirit, so that their individuality had free play in the sphere of His inspiration. As to religious truths the collective Scriptures have unity of authorship; as to other matters their authorship is palpably as manifold as the writers. The variety is human, the unity divine. If the four evangelists were mere machines narrating the same events in the same order and words, they would cease to be independent witnesses. Their very discrepancies (only seeming ones) disprove collusion.
The solutions proposed in Harmonies, being necessarily conjectural, may or may not be the true ones; but they at least prove that the differences are not irreconcilable and would be cleared up if we knew all the facts. They test our faith, whether on reasonable evidence we will unreservedly believe His word in spite of some difficulties, designedly permitted for our probation. The slight variations in the Decalogue between Exodus 20 and its repetition Deuteronomy 5, and in Psalm 18 compared with 2 Samuel 22, in Psalm 14 compared with Psalm 53, and in New Testament quotations of Old Testament, (sometimes from Septuagint which varies from Hebrew, sometimes from neither in every word), all prove the Spirit-produced independence of the sacred writers who under divine guidance and sanction presented on different occasions the same substantial truths under different aspects, the one complementing the other.
One or two instances occur where the errors of transcribers cause a real discrepancy (2Ki 8:26, compared with 2Ch 22:2). A perpetual miracle alone could have prevented such very exceptional and palpable copyists' mistakes. But in seeming discrepancies, as between the accounts of the same event in different Gospels, each account presents some fresh aspect of divine truth; none containing the whole, but all together presenting the complete exhibition of the truth. Origen profoundly says: "in revelation as in nature we see a self concealing, self revealing God, who makes Himself known only to those who earnestly seek Him; in both we find stimulants to faith and occasions for unbelief." The assaults of adversaries on seemingly weak points have resulted in the eliciting of beautiful and delicate harmonies unperceived before; the gospel defenses have been proved the more impregnable, and the things meant to injure "have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel."
When once it is admitted that the New Testament writers were neither fanatics nor enthusiasts, (and infidelity has never yet produced a satisfactory theory to show them to have been either,) their miracles and their divine commission must also be admitted, for they expressly claim these. Thus, Paul (1Co 14:37), "if any man think himself a prophet, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." And not only the things but the words; (1Co 2:13) "we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth." The "discerning of spirits" was one of the miraculous gifts in the apostolic churches. His appeal on the ground of miracles (1Co 2:4) which are taken for granted as notorious rather than asserted, (the incidental mention being a clear mark of truth because it excludes suspicion of design,) and to persons whose miraculous discernment of spirits enabled them to test such claims, is the strongest proof of the divine authority of his writings.
Peter (2Pe 3:16) classes Paul's epistles with "the other Scriptures"; therefore whatever inspiration is in the latter is in the former also. That inspiration excludes error from Scripture words, so far as these affect doctrine and morals, appears from Ps 12:6, "the words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." As our Lord promised the disciples His Holy Spirit, to teach them how and what they should say before magistrates (Mt 10:19-20), much more did the Spirit "abiding" with the church "for ever" (Joh 14:16) secure for the written word, the only surviving infallible oracle, the inspiration of the manner as well as the matter. So (Joh 16:13) "the Spirit of truth will guide you into all (the) truth," namely, not truth in general but Christian truth.
Also (Joh 14:26) "the Holy Spirit shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." "He shall testify of Me" (Joh 15:26) "He will show you things to come ... He shall receive of Mine and shall show it unto you" (Joh 16:13-14). Paul (2Ti 3:16) declares that no part of the written word is uninspired, but "ALL" (literally, "every scripture," i.e. every portion) is "profitable" for the ends of a revelation, "doctrine, reproof (conjuting error: the two comprehending speculative divinity; then follows practical), correction (setting one right, 1Co 10:1-10), instruction (disciplinary training: De 13:5; 1Co 5:13) in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works"; as it makes him "perfect" it must be perfect itself.
Some parts were immediately communicated by God, and are called "apocalypse" or "revelation," as that to John, and to Paul (2Co 12:1; Ro 16:25). Others, as the historical parts, are matter of human testimony. But inspiration was as much needed to write known facts authoritatively as to communicate new truths; else why should certain facts be selected and others be passed by? Inspired prohibition is as miraculous as inspired utterance. Had the evangelists been left to themselves, they doubtless would have given many details of Jesus' early life which our curiosity would have desired, but which divine wisdom withheld, in order to concentrate all our attention on Christ's ministry and death. The historical parts are quoted by Paul as God's "law," because they have His sanction and contain covert lessons of God's truth and His principles of governing the world and the church (Ga 4:21).
Considering the vast amount of Mariolatry and idolatry which subsequently sprang up, the hand of God is marked in the absence from the Gospel histories of aught to countenance these errors. Sacred history is like "a dial in which the shadow, as well as the light, informs us" (Trench). The Spirit was needed to qualify the writers for giving what they have given, a condensed yet full and clear portraiture of Messiah, calculated to affect all hearts in every nation, and to sow in them seeds of faith, hope, and love. The minor details, such as Paul's direction to Timothy to "bring his cloth and parchments," and to" drink a little wine for his stomach's sake and his infirmities," are vivid touches which give life and nature to the picture, making us realize the circumstances and personality of the apostle and his disciple, and have their place in the inspired record, as each leaf has in the
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I assure you, heaven and earth may as well cease to be, as that one jot or one tittle of the law should fail of its completion.
but when they take you. into custody, be not sollicitous, how or what ye shall speak, for at the very instant you shall be inspir'd what to say. for it is not properly you that speak, but the spirit of your father that speaketh by you.
my coming will occasion discord between the son and his father, between the daughter and her mother, between the daughter in law and her mother in law:
I declare unto you, among the whole race of prophets, there never appear'd a greater than John the Baptist: (notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of the
and he answered them, have ye not read, that when the creator, at the beginning, made male and female,
" I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" God is not a benefactor to the dead, but to the living.
how comes it then, said he, that David by inspiration calls him Lord, in these words,
You search the scriptures, for you think by their means to have eternal life, and they are the very writings which do testify of me.
Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law, "I said ye are Gods?" if the law stiles them Gods, who received the orders of God, and if the scripture is of any authortiy,
if the law stiles them Gods, who received the orders of God, and if the scripture is of any authortiy, how can you say that I blaspheme, I whom the father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, because I said I am the son of God?
you little consider it is our interest, that one man should die for the people, to prevent the destruction of the whole nation.
and I will pray the father, and he shall give you another advocate, to abide with you for ever;
but the advocate, the holy spirit, whom the father will send for my sake, he will explain every thing to you, and make you remember, all that I have told you.
but when the advocate is come, whom I will send to you from the father, even the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the father, he shall testify of me.
but when he, the spirit of truth shall come, he will inform you of all those truths: for he will not speak from himself; but the information he shall receive will he communicate: and acquaint you with what is to come.
but when he, the spirit of truth shall come, he will inform you of all those truths: for he will not speak from himself; but the information he shall receive will he communicate: and acquaint you with what is to come. he shall glorify me: for he will commuincate to you, the information, which I shall give him.
and said, men and brethren, the prediction which the holy ghost made, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was guide to those that seiz'd Jesus, must have been accomplished.
when all of a sudden there came a sound from heaven, like that of an impetuous wind, which filled all the house where they were.
for David says concerning him, "I had the Lord always present before me, he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. therefore did my heart rejoice, my tongue was glad: and my body shall rest in hope. read more. because thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave, nor wilt thou give thine holy one a prey to corruption. thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy by thy presence." men and brethren, let me with assurance tell you of the patriarch David, who died and was buried here, his sepulchre being with us to this day: that, as he was a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him, to place the fruit of his loins upon his throne: foreseeing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, when he said, "that his soul was not lest in the grave, neither did his body undergo corruption."' 'tis this Jesus whom God hath raised up, of which we all are witnesses. therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the father the promise of the holy spirit, he has diffused that spirit, the effects of which ye now see and hear.
but thus it is that God has accomplished what he had foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer.
but must reside in heaven, till the time of the restitution of all things, of which God has spoken from the beginning by the mouth of his holy prophets.
who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, "why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
much every way: chiefly, because they were intrusted with the oracles of God.
Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, conformable to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret from antient times, but now is laid open, and by the writings of the prophets (according to the commandment of the eternal God) made known to all the Gentiles, to induce them to obey the faith:
my discourse, and my preaching did not consist in the persuasive reasonings of human wisdom, but in demonstrating the spiritual meaning of the scriptures:
this is what we declare, not in the words which human wisdom, but which the holy spirit dictates; explaining spiritual things in a spiritual language.
don't desert one another, unless you mutually consent to retire for a time, to the solemnity of prayer; and then come together again, lest satan make an attempt upon your continency. but as for the rest, I speak it by way of counsel, and not of command.
as to the married, I enjoin this rule, not as from my self, but from the Lord, that a woman should not leave her husband:
But as to the other cases, which were not decided by the Lord; I say, if any brother has a pagan wife, who likes to live with him, let him not put her away. and if a woman has a pagan husband, who likes to live with her, let her not leave him. read more. for the unbelieving husband is christianiz'd by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is christianiz'd by the believing husband: else were your children heathens: whereas they are christians. but if the infidel will separate, let him go: a brother or a sister is not inslaved in such cases. but God has called us to peace; for how do you know,
As to the case of celibacy, I have no positive instructions: yet my advice deserves to be regarded, as coming from one the divine favour has distinguished. I think therefore it is best, considering the present distress, I say, it is best, for a single person to continue so still. read more. are you contracted to a wife? seek not to be disengag'd. are you disengag'd from your wife? don't look out for another; not that it is a sin for you to marry; nor is it so if a virgin marry; but they that do, will be troubled for their relations, and that I would prevent. This I say, brethren, because the time is coming, when they who have wives will be as those that have none; and they that weep, as those that are unconcern'd; and they that rejoice, as those that do not; and they that buy, as those that have no possessions; and they that possess this world, as those that can't make an ill use of it. for the scene of this world is continually shifting. I would have you free from anxiety. the unmarried is religiously concerned, how he may please the Lord: he that is married is worldly concern'd, how he may please his wife. there is the same difference between a married woman and a virgin: the last is religiously concern'd to be holy, both in body and mind: but she that is married is taken up with worldly cares to please her husband. And this I say for your particular advantage, not to lay any constraint upon you, but as that which is most suitable to a state of uninterrupted attendance upon religion. if any man thinks it would be a reflexion upon his manhood to be a stale batchelor, and so ought to marry; let him follow his bent, he is at liberty, let such marry. but he that has been steady in his purpose, and finds no necessity to alter it; if he is a master of his passion, and is heartily determin'd to keep his virginity, it is well. so that he who marries, does well; but he who lives single, may have less trouble.
I would not have you ignorant, my brethren, that all our fathers were under the Cloud, all passed thro' the sea: and were all baptized into the Mosaical institution by the cloud, and by the sea; read more. they all eat the same spiritual meat, and all drank the same spiritual drink: (for they drank of what flowed from the spiritual rock: and that rock was Christ.) but with the greater part God was not well pleased: for their carcasses were strown in the wilderness. now these things were examples to deter us from longing after things that are pernicious, as they did. be not idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." neither let us commit fornication, as some of them did, of whom three and twenty thousand fell in one day. neither let us provoke Christ as some of them provoked him, and were destroyed by serpents. neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and were slain by the destroying angel.
of the prophets let but two or three speak by turns, and let the others deliberate.
the prophetic gifts are to be subservient to the prophets.
the prophetic gifts are to be subservient to the prophets.
if any one pretends to be a prophet, or to spiritual gifts, let him be assured that the rules which I have here prescrib'd, are the commandments of the Lord.
In reality, we writ nothing to you, but what you may perceive by the reading, and I trust you ever will perceive.
for we are not like others, who adulterate the word of God; but we preach the pure gospel of Christ, as I receiv'd it from God, and as in the presence of God.
for the spiritual meaning of the law centers in him, and the spirit of the law is gospel-liberty:
Have not I reason to glory? for now I shall mention my visions and revelations from the Lord.
since you demand a proof of my mission from Christ, who with regard to you has shown no want of power among you.
I certify to you, brethren, that the gospel, which has been preached by me, is not the result of human artifice: for I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
now to Abraham and his offspring were the promises made. he does not say, "to offsprings," as if he spoke of many; but as speaking of one, "and to thy offspring," which means Christ.
But tell me, you that are so willing to be under the law, why don't you consider the law?
which preceeding was not discover'd to men, as now it is to his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit; to wit,
for in him all divine plenitude does substantially reside. and ye are filled by him, who is the chief of all principality and power:
for all divinely inspired writings are conducive to instruction, to conviction, to reformation, and the practice of virtue;
thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet." now since he has put all in subjection to him, he left nothing that is not subjected to him. however we do not see as yet that all things are put under him.
for both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all deriv'd from one: for which cause he is not asham'd to call them brethren, saying,
Let us therefore fear, lest any of us by rejecting the promise of entring into his rest, should be excluded from it. for to us was the good promise made, as well as to them: but the word address'd to them was not effectually receiv'd with faith by those that heard it. read more. Whereas 'tis we who have believed that shall enter into rest, as he said, "wherefore I have sworn in my wrath, that they shall not enter into my rest." which is different from that rest, at the beginning of the world, when the work of creation was finished. of which in a certain place relating to the seventh day, 'tis said, "and God did rest the seventh day from all his works." but in this place 'tis said, "they shall not enter into my rest." Since there remains then a rest which some are still to enter into, for they to whom the promise was first made, did not enter in, because of their incredulity; he pointed out another time in the words, which were spoken by David, a long time after their going into Canaan, in the passage just now quoted, "today since ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts." for if Joshuah had given them rest, David would not afterwards have mentioned another day. which shows that the people of God have a sabbath still to come. then he that enters into divine rest, will indeed rest from his works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any of us by imitating their incredulity, should fall short thereof like them.
when the spirit of Christ inform'd the minds of the prophets of his future sufferings, and of the glorious consequences, they were solicitous to know the circumstances of the times pointed at:
But you must above all consider, that no prophecy of the scripture did proceed from the prophet's OWN MOTION; but the holy men of God spoke by the IMPULSE of the holy spirit.
as it were in all his epistles, where he takes notice of these things: in which there are some passages that are difficult to understand, which the illiterate, and unstable wrest, as they do the rest of the scriptures, to their own ruin.
and if any one shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall exclude him from any interest in the tree of life, and in the holy city, and in the things which are written in this book."
Hastings
The subject comprises the doctrine of inspiration in the Bible, and the doctrine of the inspiration of the Bible, together with what forms the transition from the one to the other, the account given of the prophetic consciousness, and the teaching of the NT about the OT.
1. The agent of inspiration is the Holy Spirit (see p. 360) or Spirit of God, who is active in Creation (Ge 1:2; Ps 104:30), is imparted to man that the dust may become living soul (Ge 2:7), is the source of exceptional powers of body (Jg 6:34; 14:6,19) or skill (Ex 35:31); but is pre-eminently manifest in prophecy (wh. see). The NT doctrine of the presence and power of the Spirit of God in the renewed life of the believer is anticipated in the OT, inasmuch as to the Spirit's operations are attributed wisdom (Job 32:8; 1Ki 3:28; De 34:9), courage (Jg 13:25; 14:6), penitence, moral strength, and purity (Ne 9:20; Ps 51:11; Isa 63:10; Eze 36:26; Zec 12:10). The promise of the Spirit by Christ to His disciples was fulfilled when He Himself after the Resurrection breathed on them, and said, 'Receive ye the Holy Ghost' (Joh 20:22), and after His Ascension the Spirit descended on the Church with the outward signs of the wind and fire (Ac 2:2-3). The Christian life as such is an inspired life, but the operation of the Spirit is represented in the NT in two forms; there are the extraordinary gifts (charisms)
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my father has instructed me in every thing: and no one knoweth the son, except the father: nor does any one know the father, except the son, and he to whom the son is pleased to reveal him."
how comes it then, said he, that David by inspiration calls him Lord, in these words,
then Jesus said to them, how stupidly incredulous are you not to believe things that have been all predicted by the prophets!
but the advocate, the holy spirit, whom the father will send for my sake, he will explain every thing to you, and make you remember, all that I have told you.
but when he, the spirit of truth shall come, he will inform you of all those truths: for he will not speak from himself; but the information he shall receive will he communicate: and acquaint you with what is to come.
and when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "receive ye the holy spirit.
when all of a sudden there came a sound from heaven, like that of an impetuous wind, which filled all the house where they were. and there appeared several little flames, and sat upon each of them:
having then different gifts, according to the respective favour bestowed upon us; if it be prophecy, let him prophesy according to the proportion of his gift. if it be the ministry, let him attend on that ministry; and he that teacheth, on teaching; he that exhorteth, read more. on exhortation: he that giveth, let him be disinterested; he that presideth, let him be diligent; he that sheweth mercy, let him do it with cheerfulness.
which God has placed in the church, first apostles, next prophets, then teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, assistants, governours, interpreters of languages.
but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, sweetness of disposition, beneficence, faithfulness, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
for all divinely inspired writings are conducive to instruction, to conviction, to reformation, and the practice of virtue;
from the prophet's OWN MOTION; but the holy men of God spoke by the IMPULSE of the holy spirit.
Morish
Though this word occurs in the Bible but once in reference to the scriptures, yet the one statement in which it is found is important and full of deep meaning: "Every scripture is divinely inspired literally, 'God-breathed', and is profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work." 2Ti 3:16-17. This places all scripture on one basis as to inspiration, whether it be historical, doctrinal, or prophetic. We learn by this passage that not simply the persons who wrote were inspired, but the writings themselves are divinely inspired. Cf. 2Pe 1:21.
All writings are composed of words, and if these writings are inspired, the words are inspired. This is what is commonly called 'verbal inspiration.' Other passages speak of the importance of 'words:' Peter said, "To whom shall we go? thou hast the words (??????) of eternal life," Joh 6:68: and we find those words in the Gospels. When it was a question of Gentiles being brought into blessing without being circumcised, James in his address appealed to the 'words' of the prophets. Ac 15:15. Paul in writing to the Corinthian saints said, "Which things also we speak, not in the 'words' (?????) which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." 1Co 2:13. The Holy Spirit taught Paul what words to use. The whole of scripture forms the word of God, and both in the O.T. and in the N.T. we read of 'the words of God.' 1Ch 25:5; Ezr 9:4; Ps 107:11; Joh 3:34; 8:47; Re 17:17. Neither must His word be added to, or taken from. De 4:2; 12:32; Re 22:18-19.
The above passages should carry conviction to simple souls that every scripture is God-inspired. As nothing less than this is worthy of God, so nothing less than this would meet the need of man. Amid the many uncertain things around him he needs words upon which his faith can be based, and in the inspired scriptures he has them. The Lord Jesus said, "The words (??????) that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." Joh 6:63. He had the words of eternal life; and, through the grace of God, many a soul has found them to be such, and has no more doubt of the plenary inspiration of scripture than of the existence of God Himself.
It may be noted that scripture records the sayings of wicked men, and of Satan himself. It need scarcely be said that it is not the sayings but the records of them that are inspired. Paul also, when writing on the question of marriage, makes a distinction between what he wrote as his judgement, and what he wrote as commandments of the Lord. "I speak this by permission," he says; and again, "I give my judgement." 1Co 7:6,10,12,25. He was inspired to record his spiritual judgement and to point out that it was not a command.
Some have a difficulty as to what has been called the human element in inspiration. If the words of scripture are inspired, it has been asked, how is it that the style of the writer is so manifest? John's style, for instance, being clearly distinguishable from that of Paul. The simple answer is that it is as if one used, so to speak, different kinds of pens to write with. God made the mind of man as well as his body, and was surely able to use the mind of each of the writers He employed, and yet cause him to write exactly what He wished. God took possession of the mind of man to declare His own purposes with regard to man.
Further, it has been asserted that the doctrine of verbal inspiration is valueless, because of diversities in the Greek manuscripts, which in some places prevent any one from determining what are the words God caused to be written. But this does not in any way touch the question of inspiration, which is, that the words written were inspired by God. Whether we have a correct copy is quite another question. The variations in the Greek manuscripts do not affect any one of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, and only in a few places are the words doubtful.
Another objection to the value of verbal inspiration is that most persons read scripture in a translation, the words of which cannot, it is alleged, be said to be inspired. But if the translation conveys exactly the same meaning as in the original, the words can be said to be inspired: for instance, the words 'God is love,' may surely be said to be the same as ? ???? ????? ?????, or Deus caritas est, Dieu est amour, or Dio ? carit?, to those who can read them. It may be that the translations from which the above are taken cannot in all places be said to be the same as the Greek; but this only shows the great importance of each having a correct translation in his vernacular tongue. And it must not be forgotten that the Lord Himself and those who wrote the New Testament often quoted the Septuagint, which is a translation from the Hebrew; and they quoted it as scripture.
Nothing can exceed the importance of having true thoughts of the inspiration of scripture. As no human author would allow his amanuensis to write what he did not mean, so surely what is called the word of God is God's own production, though given through the instrumentality of man. Though there were many writers, separated by thousands of years, there is a divine unity in the whole, showing plainly that one and only one could have been its Author. That One can only have been the Almighty
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for he whom God hath sent, saith nothing but what is divine: for God hath given him the spirit without restriction.
it is the action of the mind that vivifies, that of the body profits nothing: the words that I have delivered to you, spiritually understood, give life.
but Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life.
he that is of God, does therefore observe what God says: which you do not observe, because ye are not of God.
and this is agreeable to the oracles of the prophets: as it is written,
this is what we declare, not in the words which human wisdom, but which the holy spirit dictates; explaining spiritual things in a spiritual language.
as to the married, I enjoin this rule, not as from my self, but from the Lord, that a woman should not leave her husband:
But as to the other cases, which were not decided by the Lord; I say, if any brother has a pagan wife, who likes to live with him, let him not put her away.
As to the case of celibacy, I have no positive instructions: yet my advice deserves to be regarded, as coming from one the divine favour has distinguished.
for all divinely inspired writings are conducive to instruction, to conviction, to reformation, and the practice of virtue; that the minister of God may be perfectly accomplished for every office of religion.
from the prophet's OWN MOTION; but the holy men of God spoke by the IMPULSE of the holy spirit.
for God hath put it in their hearts to execute his designs, in agreeing to give their kingdom to the beast, until the divine oracles shall be accomplished.
"I declare to every one that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if any one shall add to these things, God shall strike him with the plagues that are written in this book: and if any one shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall exclude him from any interest in the tree of life, and in the holy city, and in the things which are written in this book."
Smith
Inspiration.
Dr. Knapp given as the definition of inspiration, "an extra-ordinary divine agency upon teachers while giving instruction, whether oral or written, by which they were taught what and how they should write or speak." Without deciding on any of the various theories of inspiration, the general doctrine of Christians is that the Bible is so inspired by God that it is the infallible guide of men, and is perfectly trustworthy in all its parts, as given by God.
Watsons
INSPIRATION, the conveying of certain extraordinary and supernatural notices or thoughts into the soul; or it denotes any supernatural influence of God upon the mind of a rational creature, whereby he is formed to a degree of intellectual improvement, to which he could not have attained in his present circumstances in a natural way. In the first and highest sense, the prophets, evangelists, and Apostles are said to have spoken and written by divine inspiration. This inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures is so expressly attested by our Lord and his Apostles, that among those who receive them as a divine revelation the only question relates to the inspiration of the New Testament. On this subject it has been well observed:
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but when they take you. into custody, be not sollicitous, how or what ye shall speak, for at the very instant you shall be inspir'd what to say. for it is not properly you that speak, but the spirit of your father that speaketh by you.
go and instruct all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost:
go and instruct all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost: teaching them to observe every thing which I have enjoin'd you: and be assured I shall be always with you to the end of the world.
then he chose twelve of them to be near his person, and afterwards to be gospel-missionaries.
he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that disbelieves, shall be condemned.
Whereas several have undertaken to draw up a narrative of those transactions, which pass'd among us; according as they were delivered to us by persons, who were all along eye-witnesses, and had a share in the transactions themselves: read more. I have likewise thought proper; most excellent Theophilus, to write to you a particular account; having made a very diligent inquiry into the whole matter, that you may have a distinct view of those things about which you have been inform'd.
he that adheres to you, adheres to me; he that rejects you, rejects me: and he that rejects me, rejecteth him that sent me.
for I will make you speak with such strength of argument, as all your adversaries shall not be able to contradict or withstand.
and I will pray the father, and he shall give you another advocate, to abide with you for ever; even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees nor knows him: but ye shall know him, for he shall dwell with you, and shall be in you.
but the advocate, the holy spirit, whom the father will send for my sake, he will explain every thing to you, and make you remember, all that I have told you.
this is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
I have yet many things to tell you, but ye cannot bear them now; but when he, the spirit of truth shall come, he will inform you of all those truths: for he will not speak from himself; but the information he shall receive will he communicate: and acquaint you with what is to come.
neither pray I for these alone, but for those also who shall believe on me through their preaching. that they all may be one, as thou, father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Jesus perform'd many other miracles in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Messias, the son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name.
This is the disciple who testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
and said, men and brethren, the prediction which the holy ghost made, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was guide to those that seiz'd Jesus, must have been accomplished.
who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, "why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
with such views, authorized by commission from the high priests, I was on the road to Damascus: when at mid-day, O king, a light from heaven exceeding the splendor of the sun, broke all around me, and those that accompanied me. read more. we were all struck down: when I heard a voice directed to me pronounce these words in the Hebrew tongue, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? it is dangerous for thee to kick against the goad." I answer'd, who art thou, Lord? he said, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. but rise upright upon thy feet: for I have appear'd to thee in order to establish you my minister in testifying both what you have seen, and what I shall hereafter show to you, by delivering you from this people, and from the Gentiles to whom I now send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and partake of the inheritance of the saints, by believing on me."
so not being able to agree, they retir'd, upon Paul's having told them, that the holy spirit had very justly said to our fathers by the prophet Esaias,
this is what God has revealed to us by his spirit: for the spirit penetrates into all things, even the profound counsels of God.
now the spirit which we have received, is not the spirit of this world, but that which comes from God; that we might know what he has graciously bestowed upon us. this is what we declare, not in the words which human wisdom, but which the holy spirit dictates; explaining spiritual things in a spiritual language.
if any one pretends to be a prophet, or to spiritual gifts, let him be assured that the rules which I have here prescrib'd, are the commandments of the Lord.
Paul an apostle (not from men, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the father who raised him from the dead) and all the brethren,
for I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
but when it pleased God, who ordained me from my birth, and called me by his especial favour, to reveal his son to me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not thereupon apply my self to any man; read more. neither went I up to Jerusalem, to those who were apostles before me: but I went immediately to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
being built upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, whereof Jesus Christ himself is the main stone of the angle:
church which uses to meet in his house. when this epistle has been read among you, take care that it be read likewise in the church of the Laodiceans, and
nor do we fail of giving thanks to God continually, that, when you received the word of God, which we preach, you did not receive it as the doctrine of men, but as a doctrine that appears to be truly divine, by the influences it displays in you, who believe.
for all divinely inspired writings are conducive to instruction, to conviction, to reformation, and the practice of virtue;
when the spirit of Christ inform'd the minds of the prophets of his future sufferings, and of the glorious consequences, they were solicitous to know the circumstances of the times pointed at:
from the prophet's OWN MOTION; but the holy men of God spoke by the IMPULSE of the holy spirit.
by admonishing you to be mindful of the predictions of the holy prophets, and of the directions of the apostles of our Lord and Saviour.
that the patience of our Lord is for your advantage: as our dear brother Paul, according to the information he receiv'd, has writ to you,
we are of God: he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us. by this we distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of imposture.
The REVELATION of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to shew to his servants things which must shortly come to pass; this he signified by his angel whom he dispatch'd to his servant John:
there I was in an exstacy on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a loud voice, like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, what you shall see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." read more. and I turned to see from whence the voice came that spake to me. and turning about, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one who resembled the son of man, cloathed with a garment down to the foot, and girt below the breast with a girdle of gold. his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; his feet were like fine brass, when glowing in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. in his right hand he held seven stars: out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun shining in his full glory. as soon as I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead: but he laid his right hand upon me, and said, "Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth; I was dead; but now you see I am alive for all eternity, amen; and I have the keys of the grave, and of death." write what you have seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb.