2. The Inspired Nature of Scripture

Question 0

Old Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #2

Answer 0

Numbers 12:6–8

“I speak to him in dreams”
The Lord reveals himself in visions and speaks in dreams, esp. to Moses.

Question 1

Old Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #1

Answer 1

Exodus 4:10–16; 7:1–4

“Who gave man his mouth? … I will help you speak”
A prophet speaks for God, as Aaron speaks for Moses.

Question 2

Old Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #3

Answer 2

Deuteronomy 18:14–21

“I will put my words in his mouth”

Question 3

Old Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #4

Answer 3

Habakkuk 2:2–3

“Write down the revelation…”

Question 4

Old Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #5

Answer 4

Jeremiah 1:4–10

“Before I formed you in the womb…I appointed you as a prophet…”
The prophet’s message originates with God.

Question 5

Old Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #6

Answer 5

Jeremiah 36

“…the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire”
God speaks verbally to men, this speaking is inscripturated (e.g. by Baruch), and when destroyed God ensures they are re-written.

Question 6

New Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #2

Answer 6

Galatians 1:11–12

“For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ”

Question 7

New Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #3

Answer 7

1 Thessalonians 2:13

“… you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God …”

Question 8

New Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #1

Answer 8

1 Corinthians 2:6–13

“…we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit…” – a verbal inspiration

Question 9

New Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #6

Answer 9

2 Peter 3:15–16

“…our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you … There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures”

Question 10

New Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #4

Answer 10

2 Timothy 3:16,

cf 1 Timothy 5:18 for ‘scripture’ as OT and NT
Warfield, “it speaks only of a ‘spiring’ or ‘spiration’”

Question 11

New Testament evidence for the inspiration of Scripture #5

Answer 11

1 Peter 1:10–12

“… the prophets … inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories”

Question 12

Objection: Aren’t all prophecies ‘psychologically mediated’ through the prophet’s own bias?

Answer 12

1. The prophet’s considered themselves instruments through whom God gave revelations – Exodus 4:11
2. God providentially raised up prophets and gave them their own characters in order to give his divine message – Gal 1:15 (…when he who had set me apart before I was born…)

Question 13

Objection: The Bible is contradictory in its teaching (“drawing a straight line with a crooked stick”)

Answer 13

At all stages of biblical history, coherence is highly valued:

1. Psalm 119:160 “The sum of your word is truth…”
2. 2 Cor 1:18 “As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No”

Question 14

Christ’s authentication of scripture #8

Answer 14

John 10:35

… Scripture cannot be broken …

Question 15

Christ’s authentication of scripture #2

Answer 15

Matt. 5:17–18

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets … not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Question 16

Christ’s authentication of scripture #6

Answer 16

Luke 16:17

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void

Question 17

Christ’s authentication of scripture #3

Answer 17

Matt. 12:40

Jesus refers to Jonah and the fish.

Question 18

Christ’s authentication of scripture #4

Answer 18

Matt 19:4–5

Jesus refers to creation of Adam and Eve.

Question 19

Christ’s authentication of scripture #1

Answer 19

Matt. 4:4,7,10

Jesus cites Deuteronomy to the tempter, demonstrating his belief in the final authority of the Old Testament.

Question 20

Christ’s authentication of scripture #7

Answer 20

Luke 16:31

… If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.

Question 21

Christ’s authentication of scripture #5

Answer 21

Matt. 27:46 – Jesus cites Psalm 22:1

At his death, Jesus’ thoughts were centered upon Scripture.

Question 22

Christ’s authentication of scripture #9

Answer 22

John 14:26

Jesus ‘pre-authenticated’ the New Testament. “…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.”

Question 23

analogia totius Scripturae

Answer 23

“analogy of the whole of Scripture”

Based on Rom. 12:6, it is the studied comparison of all relevant biblical passages on any one topic to avoid contradictions.

Question 24

The Old Testament was written for us #1

Answer 24

Romans 4:23–24

But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord…

Question 25

The Old Testament was written for us #2

Answer 25

Romans 15:4

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Question 26

The Old Testament was written for us #3

Answer 26

1 Corinthians 9:9–10

For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake…

Question 27

The Old Testament was written for us #4

Answer 27

1 Corinthians 10:6,11

Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did … Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.