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I. Understanding Inspiration A. Special revelation comes primarily through Scripture today. B. Definition (2 Timothy 3:16): “All scripture is inspired by God” (“God-breathed”). 1. Inspiration is primarily a property of the text itself, not the authors. 2. The authors were “moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21), meaning the Spirit “carried them along,” but 2 Timothy emphasizes the end product (the text) is God-breathed.
II. Extent of Inspiration A. Plenary: All Scripture is inspired (2 Timothy 3:16). No part is uninspired. B. Verbal: The very words of Scripture are inspired. 1. Speaks to the depth of inspiration, not just the breadth. 2. Supported by biblical authors basing arguments on single words or verbal forms (e.g., Jesus on “gods” in John 10:34-36; Paul on “offspring” singular in Galatians 3:16). 3. Implies God’s inspiration extends beyond general ideas to the specific words used by the human authors.
III. Verbal Inspiration and “Propositional Revelation” A. Theological term “propositional revelation” is often confusing due to philosophical use of “proposition.” B. Philosophical “proposition”: The information content of a sentence, expressible by different sentences in various languages (e.g., “snow is white,” “Der Schnee ist weiß” convey the same proposition). C. Theological “propositional revelation”: More accurately means “sentential” revelation. God has revealed himself in specific linguistic utterances (Hebrew and Greek sentences). D. Implication: Strictly speaking, only the original Hebrew and Greek texts (the autographs) are the inspired, God-breathed words. Translations are translations of the Word of God, not the inspired Word itself. E. This highlights the importance of studying the original languages and focusing on reconstructing the original text. It is similar, albeit reluctantly, to the Muslim view of the Quran only truly being the Quran in original Arabic.
Discussion
- Q1: Since we don’t have the original manuscripts (autographs), which versions of the ancient texts are considered correct and inspired? A: The original inspired text was the autographs. Textual criticism aims to reconstruct the original text as accurately as possible by comparing existing copies (manuscripts). For the New Testament, scholars have achieved an extremely high degree of accuracy in reconstruction (over 99% confidence), with remaining uncertainties not affecting core doctrines. Modern translations based on the best and oldest manuscripts are highly reliable reflections of the original text.
- Q2: How do we determine the correct interpretation of words, especially controversial ones (e.g., terms related to homosexuality in Romans 1), even if we have the original Greek/Hebrew words? A: Word study and exegesis based on the original language are crucial but require expertise. Laypeople are often dependent on scholars. It is important to find trustworthy scholars whose judgment can be relied upon for accurate interpretation of the original text and the author’s intent.
- Q3: What role does a concordance play for a layperson trying to understand the original words or intent? A: An English concordance is an index to the English translation, listing occurrences of English words. It is not based on the original languages. For deeper understanding of original words and their nuances, a good Bible dictionary is needed.
- Q4: Why do we assume 2 Timothy 3:16 applies to the New Testament when Timothy was referring to the Old Testament he grew up with? How do we know the New Testament qualifies as Scripture? A: 2 Timothy 3:16 explicitly refers to the Old Testament. The question of why the New Testament books are considered inspired Scripture (canonization) is a separate topic to be addressed later in the series.
- Q5: Are commentaries helpful study tools? A: Yes, commentaries are very illuminating for understanding the text, providing background information, and suggesting meanings and applications. They are highly recommended resources for serious Bible study.
Importance of Resources: Mature Christians should utilize resources like good Bible dictionaries, multiple translations for comparison, and commentaries to deepen their understanding of Scripture, getting closer to the original text and its meaning.
IV. Upcoming Topic: Confluence A. How Scripture can be both fully the Word of God and fully the word of human authors simultaneously.