A.      In the previous lesson, convincing evidence was presented in favor of God’s authorship of the Bible.  This evidence shows that the Bible is greater than the men who wrote it, which indicates that their words came from a source higher than they, namely, God (Isa. 55:8-9).

B.      The present lesson will take the next logical step in this study of the Bible by attempting to answer the following question: How did the writers of the Bible receive God’s word?

                                                             1.      To answer this question, believers in God must look to the Bible itself.  The writers of the Bible have recorded not only the words that God gave them, but also the way that He gave these words.

                                                             2.      Many passages of the Bible give the answer to the question, but none is clearer that 2Timothy 3:16 – "All Scripture is inspired by God…”  This verse is the keynote passage of this lesson.

II.      "ALL SCRIPTURE” IS THE BIBLE

A.      In this study, it is important to understand that "Scripture” is a term that the Bible uses to describe itself.

                                                             1.      The word "scripture” in a general sense simply means something written.

                                                             2.      However, "Scripture” (Greek graphē) in Bible terms specifically refers to the written word of God.  This word is used fifty-two times in the New Testament in reference to Bible writings.

                                                             3.      Consider some examples that demonstrate the Bible’s use of the word Scripture.

a.       In John 10:34-36, Jesus equated Scripture to the Law (of Moses) and the word of God.

b.       In Luke 24:27, 44-45, Luke described the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms as "the Scriptures.”

c.        In Galatians 3:8, the apostle Paul described Genesis 12:3 (God’s  promises to Abraham) as "the Scripture.”  In Romans 9:17, he described Exodus 9:16 (God’s words to Pharaoh) as "the Scripture.”

d.       In Luke 4:21, Jesus called the book of Isaiah "Scripture” (see also Mark 15:28; Acts 8:32; Rom. 10:11; 1Pet. 2:6).  Other prophets’ writings are also described as Scripture, such as Micah (John 7:42 ref. Mic. 5:2) and David (John 13:18; 19:24, 28, 36; Acts 1:16).

e.        In Romans 11:2-4, the book of 1Kings is identified as Scripture.

f.        Even the New Testament writings are classified as Scripture.

i.         In 1Timothy 5:18, Paul quoted Deuteronomy 25:4 with Luke 10:7 and called them both "Scripture.”

ii.        In 2Peter 3:16, Peter grouped Paul’s epistles with "the rest of the Scriptures,” which puts Paul’s writings in the same category as the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.

B.      This understanding is important because when the Bible explains the origin of Scripture, it is answering the question of this present lesson, which is how the Bible writers received God’s word.

                                                             1.      Everything that the Bible says about the Scriptures’ origin is true of every book of the Bible.

                                                             2.      When Paul wrote, "All Scripture is inspired by God,” he was declaring that every book of the Bible came from God.  Only inspired books are found in the Scripture, i.e., the Bible.

III.   THE BIBLE "IS INSPIRED BY GOD”

A.      The phrase "inspired by God” describes the process by which the word of God came to the Bible writers.

                                                             1.      As shown above, the Scriptures are the written word of God, but God did not pen the words Himself.  He employed men for task of writing down the words.

                                                             2.      The process by which God gave His word to the men who wrote it is inspiration.

a.       The phrase "inspired by God” comes from one Greek word, theopneustos, which means "God-breathed.”  This indicates that the words of the Scriptures came from within God.

b.       God interacted with the men who wrote the Scriptures by means of His Holy Spirit.  Notice 2Peter 1:20-21 – "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

i.         Notice that the word translated "moved” in verse 21 is the same word translated as "driven” in Acts 27:17 regarding the wind driving a ship.

ii.        Therefore, we may understand that the Holy Spirit breathed God’s word into His prophets and moved them to speak it and write it.

c.        Regarding Old Testament inspiration, the Bible says that God "spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways” (Heb. 1:1).  Consider a few examples of how God spoke to (inspired) Bible writers during these times.

i.         There is the example of Moses, who was given the Law for Israel directly by God on Mount Sinai (Ex. 20-24).

ii.        Samuel is an example of one who heard the voice of the LORD (1Sam. 2).

iii.      Some writers saw visions, such as Isaiah (Isa. 6) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 11:24-25).

iv.      Daniel is one who received a revelation by a dream (Dan. 7:1).

d.       Regarding New Testament revelation and inspiration, the Bible says that God "in these last days has spoken to us in His Son…” (Heb. 1:2).

i.         Of course, the Son of God actually came to earth in the form of a man and spoke directly to men (John 1:1-3, 14-18; 1John 1:1-3).

ii.        After His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus communicated to His apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-15; Eph. 3:4-5).

iii.      The New Testament writers received God’s word through Jesus and the Holy Spirit in similar ways as the Old Testament writers, i.e., by direct revelations (Gal. 1:12), by visions (Acts 9:1-9; 10:9-16; 22:4-21; 26:12-20), by visits from angels (Rev. 1:1), etc.

e.        Regarding God’s inspiration to the apostles and other New Testament prophets, Paul gives us further insight into this process in 1Corinthians 2:6-13.

i.         The Spirit of God, who searches and knows the mind of God, revealed to inspired men "things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard and which have not entered the heart of man” (vv. 9-10).

ii.        This was just as Christ had said, for He promised to send the Holy Spirit to the apostles in order to reveal God’s word (John 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:8-15).

*Notice that God did not take away the Bible writers’ styles or personalities, for "the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets” (1Cor. 14:32).  Prophets had control of their gifts and words (Jer. 20:9; Jon. 1:3; 1Thess. 5:19-20; 1Tim. 4:14).*

B.      The same evidence that was presented in the previous lesson proves the Bible’s inspiration.

                                                             1.      Because the evidence of the Bible which can be tested has proven to be true (the unity of the Bible, the accuracy of the Bible, fulfilled prophecies), we must also accept the truthfulness of its claims which cannot be tested (such as its inspiration).  Therefore, the Bible becomes a credible witness to itself, and its testimony is that it is inspired by God.

                                                             2.      Also note that when many of the words of the Bible were given, they were accompanied by signs and miracles as evidence to confirm them as the word of God (Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:1-4).

C.      The evidence and testimony of the Bible prove that even the very words of the Bible are inspired by God.

                                                             1.      There are some people who accept the Bible’s teachings on morality but reject its accounts of creation, miracles, and other unnatural events.  Some say that it is inspired in "sense” but not in "sentence,” meaning that it is like any other great work of literature.

                                                             2.      However, consider what the Bible says of itself:

a.       More than 3,800 times in the Old Testament, the claim is made that the Scriptures are the word of God (Ex. 17:14; 2Sam. 23:2; Jer. 1:9).  Psalm 119 alone exalts the Scriptures as the word of God 175 times.

b.       In the New Testament, Jesus recognized that every word of the Law was of divine origin (Matt. 5:17-19; Luke 24:44-45).

c.        The Lord told His apostles that God would tell them what words to say (Matt. 10:19-20).

d.       The apostle Paul described His teachings as being verbally inspired by God, given by His Holy Spirit (1Cor. 2:11-13; 1Thess. 2:13).

                                                             3.      Again, if the many points we can test prove to be true, then we must believe all that the Bible says about itself.  Therefore, we must accept that the Bible is inspired in word and not just in sense.

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      While it is important to understand all that has been presented here regarding inspiration, it is most important to simply cultivate a conviction that every word of the Bible has come from Almighty God.

B.      The next lesson will explain why the books and letters of the Bible have been accepted as God’s word while others have been rejected.

V.      POST-SCRIPT APPLICATION: GOD IS SPEAKING; ARE YOU LISTENING?

A.      Today, God does not speak to us by the same process He used to speak to the apostles and prophets, but He continues to speak to us through His word, the Bible.

                                                             1.      Spiritual gifts and inspiration from God among Christians has passed, for the perfect (complete) knowledge and prophecy of God’s word has been given in the Bible (1Cor. 13:8-10).

                                                             2.      Although the spiritual gifts have passed, the products of the gifts of prophecy and revelation remain, for they are preserved in the Bible.

a.       Notice how Jesus said that the Jews of the first century still had Moses and the Prophets and that they could still hear them (Luke 16:29).  Moses and the Prophets had perished from the earth, but their words lived on through the Scriptures.

b.       Likewise, we still have Moses, the Prophets, the apostles, and all of the Bible writers.  They do not live among us, but their words, which are God’s words, live on in the Bible.

                                                             3.      Therefore, when we hear or read the Bible, it should be as if we are hearing the voice of God.

B.      God’s word should command our attention today just as it did for those who first received it.

                                                             1.      Granted, we are not likely to be affected by the Bible like the children of Israel were affected at Sinai (Ex. 20:18-21) or like Isaiah was affected by his vision of heaven (Isa. 6), but we should be profoundly affected by the Bible because we appreciate it as God’s word.

                                                             2.      Consider a few examples that demonstrate the correct attitude that we should have toward the words of the Bible.

a.       Notice the believers in Thessalonica, who heard Paul, Silas, and Timothy speak, but received their words as the word of God.

i.         Paul praised these Christians when he wrote, "For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1Thess. 2:13).

ii.        This epitomizes the reception that we must have for the Bible.  It is not the word of men, but the powerful word of God (Heb. 4:12).

b.       Notice the reverence shown by the Jews for God’s word when they returned from their Babylonian captivity.

i.         Ezra the priest and scribe read the Law to the people as part of the restoration of Jerusalem, and all the people showed respect for God’s word.  Notice Nehemiah 8:5 – "Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.” (Read the whole chapter to get the full sense.)

ii.        This was a tremendous change from the previous generations of Jews who neglected God’s word and literally lost the Scriptures in the temple until Josiah  restored them (2Ki. 22:8-23:3).

c.        Notice the instructions given by Paul to Timothy regarding the reading of Scripture.

i.         Paul encouraged Timothy to be a good example to other believers, saying, "Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (1Tim. 4:13; words in italics were inserted by translators).

ii.        This is not the only admonition given by Paul to Timothy regarding the Scriptures, for he also commended Timothy to the "sacred writings” in 2Timothy 3:14-17.

iii.      Like Timothy, we should give attention to the reading of Scripture, for it is the inspired word of God that speaks to us with all authority and power.

C.      To close, ask yourself a few questions about your attitude toward the Bible?

                                                             1.      When you hear or read the words of the Bible today, do you receive them as the words of the men who speak them or wrote them, or do you received them for what they really are, the words of God?

                                                             2.      When you hear or read the words of the Bible, do you have a profound sense of reverence, respect, and attention, or do you turn a deaf ear and a dull mind?

                                                             3.      When God speaks to you today, do you listen?