claims of inspiration

From Norman Geisler in A General Introduction to the Bible, some Biblical Declarations and Implications About Inspiration

It is sometimes objected that it is a “circular argument” to refer to biblical passages in support of biblical claims. But that objection is unfounded for several reasons. (1) Practically, there is no better place to begin than with what is self-claimed. (2) Legally, a man can testify in his own behalf in a court of law. Why should not the Bible be permitted to witness in its own behalf? (3) Logically, the claim is not being used to support itself, but as a point of departure to study itself. The claim for inspiration within the Bible itself includes several pertinent characteristics.

It is verbal The classical text for inspiration in the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16) affirms that the writings are inspired. Inspiration extends to the very words of Scripture. “Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord” (Ex. 24:4). Isaiah was told to “take for yourself a large tablet and write” (Isa. 8:1) and to “inscribe it on a scroll, that it may serve in the time to come as a witness forever” (30:8). The distinct claim of the New Testament is that what had been written by the prophets is God’s word; for example, the gospel of Mark introduces the prophet’s word by the statement “It is written.”

Some have denied that the Bible actually claims to be verbally inspired by saying, “We need to remind ourselves that the verbal plenary formulation is, after all, only a doctrine—a nonbiblical doctrine at that.” However, in the light of the repeated general and specific claims that the words of the prophets are God’s words, it would be a more consistent view simply to admit that the Bible does claim “verbal inspiration” for itself, whether or not that claim is accepted. The evidence that the very words of the Bible are God-given may be summarized briefly as follows:

• It is the claim of the classical text that the writings are inspired (2 Tim. 3:16).
• It is the emphatic testimony of Paul that he spoke in “words . . . taught by the Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:13).
• It is evident from the repeated formula “It is written” (e.g., Matt. 4:4, 7, 10).
• Jesus said that that which was written in the whole Old Testament spoke of Him (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Heb. 10:7).
• The New Testament constantly equates the Word of God with the Scripture (writings) of the Old Testament (cf. Matt. 21:42; Rom. 15:4; 2 Peter 3:16).
• Jesus indicated that not even the smallest part of a Hebrew word or letter could be broken (Matt. 5:18).
• The New Testament refers to the written record as the “oracles of God” (Heb. 5:12).
• Occasionally the writers were even told to “not omit a word” (Jer. 26:2), and John even pronounced an anathema upon all who would add to or subtract from the “words of the book of this prophecy” (Rev. 22:18-19).
• The very words uttered by men in the Old Testament were considered to be God’s words by the New Testament writers. It may be an academic option to deny that the Bible claims “verbal inspiration” for itself, but it is clearly not a biblical possibility.
• It is identified with God’s words. The words of the writers of Scripture are used interchangeably with what “God said.” This gives rise to the expression “What Scripture says, God says.” Sometimes the Old Testament gives what the human author said, and the New Testament quotes the statement as what “God said.” At other times the Old Testament records what “God says” and the New Testament quotes that text as what the human author says. Thus, what the author says and what God says are used interchangeably, as the following chart illustrates.

Technorati Tags: Scripture