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 have delivered you up be not anxious how you shall speak, or what you shall say, for it shall be given you in that hour what to say; for it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you.
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and remind you of all things which I have told you.
but when he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will lead you in all the truth; for he will not speak of himself, but he will speak whatever he shall hear, and tell you things to come.
but God has revealed them to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who knows the [things] of man, except the spirit of man which is in him? So also no one knows the [things] of God except the Spirit of God. read more. And we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things given us by God, which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
If any one thinks he is a prophet, or a spiritual man, let him acknowledge the [things] which I write to you, that they are the Lord's;
for I neither received it from man nor was I taught it, but by a revelation of Jesus Christ.
All Scripture is divinely inspired and is profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, for education in righteousnes,
A REVELATION of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his servants [things] which must shortly occur, and he sent and made them known by his angel to his servant John,
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet, saying, What you see write in a book, and send to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamus and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. read more. And I turned to see the voice which spoke with me; and having turned around I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a robe extending down to his feet, girded about the breasts with a golden girdle; and his head and hairs were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass as if they were burned in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of many waters, and he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword, and his face shone like the sun in his strength. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead; and he put his right hand on me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last and the living, and I was dead, and behold, I am living forever and ever; and I have the keys of death and of hades. Write therefore the things which you saw, and which are, and which are about to appear 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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All Scripture is divinely inspired and is profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, for education in righteousnes,
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 I tell you truly, that till heaven and earth pass away, one iota or one point shall by no means pass away from the law till all things are accomplished.
But when they have delivered you up be not anxious how you shall speak, or what you shall say, for it shall be given you in that hour what to say; for it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you.
I have come to set a man at variance against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a bride against her mother-in-law;
I tell you truly, there has not arisen among those born of woman a greater than John the Baptist; but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
And he answered and said, Have you not read that the Creator at the beginning made them male and female?
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not a God of the dead, but of the living.
He said to them, How then does David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
You search the Scriptures, because you think by them to have eternal life; and they 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 tell him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, You blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God?
neither consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that all the nation should perish.
and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, to be with you forever,
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and remind you of all things which I have told you.
But when the Comforter has come, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me;
but when he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will lead you in all the truth; for he will not speak of himself, but he will speak whatever he shall hear, and tell you things to come.
but when he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will lead you in all the truth; for he will not speak of himself, but he will speak whatever he shall hear, and tell you things to come. He shall glorify me, because he shall receive from me and tell you.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind borne along, and it filled all the house where they were sitting;
For David says of him, I saw the Lord always before me, he is on my right hand that I should not be moved; therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad, and my flesh, moreover, shall also live in hope; read more. for thou wilt not leave my soul in hades, nor suffer thy Holy One to see destruction. Thou hast made me know the ways of life, thou wilt fill me with joy with thy presence. Men and brothers, let me speak to you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God swore with an oath to him to set a descendant of his on his throne, foreseeing he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that he was not left in hades neither did his flesh see destruction. This Jesus has God raised up, whose witnesses we all are. Being therefore exalted on the right hand of God, and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured this out which you both see and hear.
but what God had before declared by the mouth of all the prophets that his Anointed should suffer, he has so accomplished.
whom heaven must receive till the times of the restoration of all things of which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since the world began.
who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the nations rage and the peoples devise vain things?
Much in every way. For first, indeed, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
And to him that is able to confirm you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery not revealed in ancient times, but made manifest now by the scriptures of the prophets, by the command of the eternal God, for the obedience of the faith among all nations,
and my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the spirit and power,
which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Withhold not yourselves from one another, except by agreement for a time that you may be at leisure for prayer, and come together again, that Satan may not tempt you by your incontinence. But this I say by suggestion, not by command.
But the married I charge, not I, but the Lord, Let not a wife separate from her husband,
But to the rest I speak, not the Lord, If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is pleased to live with him, let him not leave her; and if any wife has an unbelieving husband and he is pleased to live with her, let her not leave the husband. read more. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the brother; else were your children impure, but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving companion departs, let him depart; the brother or the sister is not bound in such cases; but God has called us to peace.
And concerning the virgins I have no ordinance of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I think then that this is good on account of the present necessity, because it is good for man to be so. read more. Are you bound to a wife, seek not a release; are you released from a wife, seek not a wife. But if you marry, you do not sin and if the virgin marries she does not sin. But such will have affliction in the flesh; but I spare you. But this I say, brothers, the time is short, so that in future those who have wives should be as those not having them, and those who weep as those not weeping, and those who rejoice as those not rejoicing, and those who buy as not possessing, and those who use the world as those not abusing it; for the fashion of this world passes away. But I wish you to be without cares. The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord; but he that is married cares for the things of the world, how he shall please the wife. And the wife and the virgin are different; the unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit; but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she shall please the husband. But I say this for your own profit; not to impose a snare on you, but for [your] honor, and [your] attending on the Lord without distraction. But if any one thinks that he behaves improperly to his virgin, if she is past her prime, and it must be so, let him do what he wishes; he does not sin; let them marry. But he that stands firm in mind, not having a necessity, but has power over his will, and has determined in his mind to keep his virgin, does well. He that gives in marriage therefore does well, and he that gives not in marriage does better.
For I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized to Moses by the cloud and by the sea, read more. and all eat the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ; but with many of them God was not pleased; for they were destroyed in the wilderness. But these things are examples for us, that we should not desire evil things, as they did. Neither be 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 and fell in one day twenty-three thousand. Neither let us try Christ, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents. Neither do you complain as some of them complained and were destroyed by the destroyer.
Let two or three prophets speak, and let the rest judge;
And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets;
And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets;
If any one thinks he is a prophet, or a spiritual man, let him acknowledge the [things] which I write to you, that they are the Lord's;
For we do not write to you of other things, but of what you read and acknowledge; and I hope you will also acknowledge to the end,
For we are not as many, who adulterate the word of God, [for gain]; but as of sincerity, but as of God, we speak before God in Christ.
And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
It is not expedient therefore for me to boast [of these things]; for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
since you seek a proof in me of Christ speaking, who is not weak to you but powerful in you;
For I certify you, brothers, of the gospel preached by me, that it is not according to man; for I neither received it from man nor was I taught it, but by a revelation of Jesus Christ.
The promises were spoken to Abraham and his offspring. He said not, And to offsprings, as of many, but as of one, And to your offspring, which is Christ.
Tell me, you that wish to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
that by revelation the mystery was made known to me,??s I wrote before in a few words,
for in him dwells all the fullness of the Deity bodily and you are made perfect in him, who is the head of all principality and power,
All Scripture is divinely inspired and is profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, for education in righteousnes,
thou didst subject all things under his feet. For in subjecting all things to him, he left nothing not subjected to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.
For both he that sanctifies and the sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
Let us fear, therefore, lest at any time a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to come short. For we have also received the good news as they did; but the word of the report did not profit them, not being accompanied with faith in those who heard. read more. For we enter into the rest who believed, as he said, I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest, although of works made from the foundation of the world. For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day, thus; And God rested on the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest. Since then it remains that some entered into it, and those to whom it was first preached entered not in on account of unbelief, again he defines a certain day, To-day, saying in David, after so long a time, as it was said before, To-day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Joshua caused them to rest he would not have spoken of another day afterwards. Therefore a sabbatism remains for the people of God. For he [Christ] who entered into his rest, also himself rested from his works, as God from his. Let us use diligence, therefore to enter into that rest [the heavenly rest], that no one may fall, after the same example of disobedience.
inquiring as to what person or what time the Spirit of Christ which was in them signified, when it declared before the sufferings of Christ and after these the glories,
knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of its own solution. For prophecy was never brought by the will of man, but moved by the Holy Spirit men spoke from God,
as also in all his epistles speaking of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they also do the other Scriptures to their destruction.
and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and the holy city, 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 are given me by my Father; and no one knows the Son but the Father; and no one knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
He said to them, How then does David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
And he said to them, O foolish men, and of a mind slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken.
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and remind you of all things which I have told you.
but when he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will lead you in all the truth; for he will not speak of himself, but he will speak whatever he shall hear, and tell you things to come.
And having said this he breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind borne along, and it filled all the house where they were sitting; and there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and [one] sat on each one of them;
but having different gifts according to the grace given us, if prophecy [let us prophesy] according to the analogy of the faith, if a service [let us labor] in the service, if one teaches, in teaching, read more. if one exhorts in the exhortation, he that gives, with simplicity, he that rules, with diligence, he that exercises mercy, with cheerfulness.
And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then powers, then gifts of performing cures, aids, governments, different tongues.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.
All Scripture is divinely inspired and is profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, for education in righteousnes,
For prophecy was never brought by the will of man, but moved by the Holy Spirit men 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 not the Spirit by measure.
The Spirit is that which makes alive; the flesh profits nothing; the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? you have words of eternal life,
He that is of God hears the words of God; you, therefore, hear not, because you are not of God.
And with this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written,
which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the married I charge, not I, but the Lord, Let not a wife separate from her husband,
But to the rest I speak, not the Lord, If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is pleased to live with him, let him not leave her;
And concerning the virgins I have no ordinance of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
All Scripture is divinely inspired and is profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, for education in righteousnes, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly fitted for every good work.
For prophecy was never brought by the will of man, but moved by the Holy Spirit men spoke from God,
for God has put it into their hearts to do his will and to have one will and give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God are finished.
I testify to every one that hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If any one adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues written in this book; and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and the holy city, 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:
See Verses Found in Dictionary
But when they have delivered you up be not anxious how you shall speak, or what you shall say, for it shall be given you in that hour what to say; for it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you.
go and disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit;
go and disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to keep all things which I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always till the consummation of the world.
And he appointed twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them out to preach,
he that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that disbelieves shall be condemned.
SINCE many have undertaken to arrange a complete digest of the things fully believed among us, as they delivered them to us who, from the beginning, were eye witnesses and ministers of the word, read more. it seemed good to me also, having traced all things accurately from the first, to write in order to you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of the words concerning which you have been taught.
He that hears you, hears me; and he that rejects you, rejects me; and he that rejects me, rejects him that sent me.
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your enemies shall not be able to resist or dispute.
and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot receive, because it beholds it not nor knows it; but you know it, because it continues with you, and shall be in you.
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and remind you of all things which I have told you.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
I have many things yet to say to you, but you cannot bear them now; but when he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will lead you in all the truth; for he will not speak of himself, but he will speak whatever he shall hear, and tell you things to come.
And I ask not for these only, but for those also who shall believe on me through their word, that 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 performed also many other miracles in the presence of his disciples which are not recorded in this book; but these are recorded 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 of these things and has written them; and we know that his testimony is true.
who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the nations rage and the peoples devise vain things?
In which [persecutions] also, going to Damascus with authority, and a commission from the chief priests, at midday I saw in the way O king, a light from heaven shining around me and those going with me, exceeding the brightness of the sun; read more. and when we had all fallen on the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying 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 persecute. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and witness both of what you have seen and [of visions ] in which I will appear to you, delivering you from the people, and the gentiles, to whom I send you to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified by faith in me.
and disagreeing among themselves they were dismissed by Paul, saying one word; Well did the Holy Spirit speak by Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,
but God has revealed them to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
And we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things given us by God, which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
If any one thinks he is a prophet, or a spiritual man, let him acknowledge the [things] which I write to you, that they are the Lord's;
PAUL an apostle, not from men nor by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead,
for I neither received it from man nor was I taught it, but by a revelation of Jesus Christ.
But when God who gave me being and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the gentiles, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, read more. neither did I go to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus.
being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone,
Luke the beloved physician, and Demas, salute you.
And when this letter has been read with you, cause that it be also read by the church of the Laodiceans; and do you also read that from Laodicea.
For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, that receiving the word of God heard from us, you received not a word of men, but, as it is in truth, a word of God, who also works in you that believe.
All Scripture is divinely inspired and is profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, for education in righteousnes,
inquiring as to what person or what time the Spirit of Christ which was in them signified, when it declared before the sufferings of Christ and after these the glories,
For prophecy was never brought by the will of man, but moved by the Holy Spirit men spoke from God,
to remember the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour,
and consider the long-suffering of the Lord our salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given to him wrote to you,
We are of God; he that knows God hears us, he that is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
A REVELATION of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his servants [things] which must shortly occur, and he sent and made them known by his angel to his servant John,
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet, saying, What you see write in a book, and send to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamus and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. read more. And I turned to see the voice which spoke with me; and having turned around I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a robe extending down to his feet, girded about the breasts with a golden girdle; and his head and hairs were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass as if they were burned in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of many waters, and he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword, and his face shone like the sun in his strength. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead; and he put his right hand on me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last and the living, and I was dead, and behold, I am living forever and ever; and I have the keys of death and of hades. Write therefore the things which you saw, and which are, and which are about to appear hereafter,
And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.