Part 3: The Bible - Its Inspiration (ii)

What does it mean by “Inspiration”?

The English word Inspiration comes from the Latin inspirare, which means “to breathe in”. When we say that the Bible is ‘inspired’ we mean that God spoke His message through the people whom He chose. These people did not become like robots under God’s control, but kept their own identities, while being guided by God.

John A. Beck author of Understand Your Bible wrote, “The writing process that resulted in the Bible was both informed and directed by the Holy Spirit. In the end God communicated precisely what He intended to say, yet in ways that reflected the unique experiences, knowledge, perceptions, and writing styles of the human authors. God spoke through these writings, yet without abolishing the uniqueness of their human contribution.”

To briefly study on the inspiration of the Bible, lets us examine some important points:

The Identity of Its Divine Author

The Bible claims that God is its ultimate author. The conviction that God was speaking through the messages of the Old Testament is expressed many hundreds of times. For example, God said to prophet Jeremiah, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth” (1:9).

Both the Jewish people and the New Testament writers accepted that the Old Testament was inspired by God. Jesus Himself upheld this view. He believed the Scriptures, and by the way He quoted them showed that they were more important than human opinions and traditions (remember how He quoted the Scripture when He was tempted by the Devil and when the Scribes and the Pharisees wanted to trap Him with their tradition’s laws?) The New Testament writers, for their part, were also aware that they were not teaching human wisdom, but rather God’s message to men. “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16); “…spoke from God… carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

The Diversity of Its Human Writers

The Biblical writers came from many different cultures and eras and represented a very wide range of intellects and abilities. There was a diversity of circumstance. Some wrote as prisoners in exile, while others ruled kingdoms. There was a diversity of employment. Some were ordinary bakers, shepherds or tent-makers, while others enjoyed high positions in society. There was a diversity of character – from the despairing to the joyful. John A. Beck also noted,

“The writer of the Bible also came from a variety of backgrounds. Some were leaders, such as Moses and Samuel; or prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Obadiah. But also among the recognized writers we find kings, such as David and Solomon; a physician, Luke; a Roman tax collector, Matthew; fishermen, such as Peter and John; and Amos, who identifies himself as both a shepherd and a fig farmer (see Amos 7:14)”.

The Unity of Its Many Themes

This unique library of books confronts the reader with its unity, although written over some 1,500 years. It is ancient, yet modern in its relevance to human needs. It is diverse, yet held together by its common theme of God’s people and their desire and need of a coming Savior. [Jesus, for example, told two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus that from the “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27)]. And what really amaze me until now is that; even though most of them never met one another, they told the same one Story of Redemption by God! The Old Testament finds its fulfillment in the New Testament. The New Testament has its root in the Old Testament. The library is one. The Story – His Story – is one.

The Authority of Its Inspired Truth

From early times the value of these books so impressed themselves on God’s people that they acknowledged their authority and received them into the category of inspired Scripture. They recognized that it was God who was speaking. It was not the act of binding the books into the Bible that gave them their inspiration. This they already possessed. The authority of the Old Testament was recognized by the Jews, by Jesus Himself and also by the New Testament writers, who frequently quoted the Old Testament. The New Testament writings were also accepted by the church from its early days as having the final say in everything that Christians believe and do.

[See Robert M Solomon’s The Enduring Word: The Authority and Reliability of the Bible (Singapore: Genesis Books, 2011) under titles ‘The Canon of Scripture’, ‘Old Testament Manuscripts’ and ‘New Testament Manuscripts’ for more in-depth study on this important subject.]

The Reality of Its Moral Impact

The Bible is not afraid to portray evil honestly, even when some of its finest characters are involved in it (for example, David). But in contrast, it also shows us the highest moral standard in history – the life of Jesus Christ. This is the book that consistently challenges evil, transforms lives and exalts Christ. I like what the old saying puts it: “Many books can inform, but only the Bible can transform”. Perfectly right!

My Conclusion about the Bible “Its Inspiration”

The Bible is the only book that can last for eternity. Someone asked me, “Richard, what happen if one day the Bible is totally vanish from the world?” “I don’t know how to answer that… I can’t imagine that thought,” I replied. “Why?” “Because the Bible will never vanish away, it will survive for eternity. It is God’s Word. The existence of the Bible is forever as our God is forever, always – never end.” I believe this.

It is said that Voltaire spoke of the Bible as a short-lived book. He arrogantly said that within a hundred years it would pass from common use. Is it true? Well, the truth is, not many people read or know Voltaire today, but his house has been packed with Bible as a depot of a Bible society. It will endure forever because it is God’s Word – He inspired it!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.