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 deliver you up, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come.
God has revealed them to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit which is in him? Even so no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. read more. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand the things freely given to us by God. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.
For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness;
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what must soon take place. And he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." read more. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe down to the feet and girded round his chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like a flame of fire; his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters; he held in his right hand seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore! And I have the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place after this.
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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All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness;
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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For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will by any means pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
For I have come to set a man 'against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
And he answered them, "Have you not read that he who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'
'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
He said to them, "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord', saying,
You search the Scriptures, because in them you think that you have eternal life; and these are they that testify of me.
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, you are gods'? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
You do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish."
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
"But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come. He will glorify me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you.
"Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before me; for he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh also will live in hope, read more. because you will not abandon my soul to hades, nor let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' "Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to hades, nor did his flesh see decay. This Jesus God raised up again, and of that we are all witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you see and hear.
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago.
who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David your servant, said, 'Why did the gentiles rage, and the peoples plot futile things?
Much in every way! To begin with, they are entrusted with the oracles of God.
Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now revealed and made known to all nations through the prophetic writings, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith
and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
Do not deprive one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this by way of concession, not of command.
To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband
But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce him. read more. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him do so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace.
Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. read more. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have troubles in this flesh, and I am trying to spare you. I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; so that from now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn, as though they were not mourning; and those who rejoice, as though they were not rejoicing; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it. For the form of this world is passing away. But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but a married man is concerned about the affairs of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman, and the virgin, is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman is concerned about the affairs of the world, how she may please her husband. This I say for your own benefit, not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is good and to secure undivided devotion to the Lord. But if any man thinks that he is not acting properly toward his betrothed, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let them marry. But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has control over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who does not marry her will do better.
For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; read more. and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things are examples for us, not to desire evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play." We must not indulge in immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.
For we write you nothing but what you can read and understand; and I hope you will understand fully,
For we are not, like so many, peddling the word of God; but as men of sincerity, as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
I must go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you.
For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ.
that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
For in him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and you have been made complete in him, who is the head over all rule and authority.
All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness;
and put everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subject to him.
For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest remains, let us fear lest any one of you be judged to have come short of it. For we also have had the good news preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. read more. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall never enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." And again in this place he said, "They shall never enter my rest." Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had the good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, God again set a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later of another day. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience.
seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by the act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are described 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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"All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
He said to them, "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord', saying,
And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, let us use it in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; read more. he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then those having gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and those speaking in various kinds of tongues.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness;
for no prophecy was ever made by the act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
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 has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without measure.
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life.
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband
But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her.
Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.
All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
for no prophecy was ever made by the act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and giving over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are described 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 deliver you up, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Then he appointed twelve, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach,
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been fulfilled among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, read more. it seemed good to me also, having carefully investigated all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things which you have been taught.
"He who hears you hears me, he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; but you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come.
"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.
Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
This is the disciple who testifies to these things, and who wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
"Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus.
who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David your servant, said, 'Why did the gentiles rage, and the peoples plot futile things?
"On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. read more. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness to the things which you have seen of me, and also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
When they disagreed among themselves, they began to leave, after Paul had made one final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
God has revealed them to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand the things freely given to us by God. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.
Paul, an apostlesent not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead
For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, read more. nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus.
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
When this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read the letter from Laodicea.
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness;
seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
for no prophecy was ever made by the act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles.
And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you.
We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us; he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what must soon take place. And he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." read more. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe down to the feet and girded round his chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like a flame of fire; his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters; he held in his right hand seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore! And I have the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place after this.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.