The Bible: Understanding Its Message
The Psalmist, affirming the Old Testament as God’s Word, wrote, (Psalm 119:105) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Later in this same Psalm he wrote, (Psalm 119:130) The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Solomon wrote, (Proverbs 6:23) For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
So David wrote, (Psalms 19:8) The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
(2 Timothy 2:15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Obviously God has revealed Himself to us in His inspired Word that it might give light to our innate blindness.
However, for the Scripture to give us light, it must be understood properly, then believed and applied in faith.
But for man to understand the Bible properly, he must have two things:
(a) He needs the illuminating work of the Spirit of God, and
(b) He needs the proper method of interpretation for without the right method of interpretation, one is left on a sea of uncertainty.
Its Illumination
The Need for Illumination
Though the Bible is a pure light that can direct our paths and bring us into an understanding of God and His salvation in Christ, man needs special enablement from God due to the Bible’s spiritual dimension that raises it above man’s natural abilities.
(1Corinthians 2:11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Furthermore, Adam’s fall into sin and his consequent spiritual death rendered man incapable of comprehending the truth of Scripture.
Simply put, the (1Corinthians 2:14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
This means a special work of God is needed to make the Scripture understandable to both the natural man (unsaved) and to the saved.
As seen in the way Jesus opened the eyes of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, the work of illumination is necessary to enable us to comprehend the Word of God.
(Luke 24:44) And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
(Luke 24:45) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Definition of Illumination
Illumination can be defined as “the special ministry of the Holy Spirit whereby He enlightens men so they can comprehend the written Word of God.”
Illumination begins with the pre-salvation work of the Spirit to bring demonstrable proof of the claims of the gospel that people might trust in Christ.
(John 1:9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
(John 16:8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
(John 16:9) Of sin, because they believe not on me;
(John 16:10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
(John 16:11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
(2Timothy 1:10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
(Hebrews 6:4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Generally, illumination is used in reference to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in enabling believers to understand the Scripture.
(Ephesians1:18) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
(Ephesians 3:9) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Explanation of Illumination (Ephesians 3:9) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
The Bible: The Inspired Revelation of God
The Necessity of Inspiration
As special revelation is God’s communication to man of the truth he must know in order to be properly related to God, so inspiration deals with the preservation of that revelation so that what was received from God was accurately transmitted to others beyond the original recipient.
The question is how can we be sure the Bible is God’s revelation to man and not merely the product of human ingenuity or merely human opinion?
If what God revealed has not been accurately recorded, then that record is subject to question. The doctrine of inspiration answers that question and guarantees the accuracy of the Bible as God’s special revelation.
The Meaning of Inspiration
The English word inspiration has a number of connotations, the most fundamental being the act of drawing in, especially of the inhalation of air into the lungs.
The word is also used of the stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity. Sometimes it is used of a work of art, as a painting full of inspiration.
(1Timothy 3:16) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
(2Peter 1:21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
More accurately, it emphasizes that Scripture is the product of the breath of God.
The Scriptures are not something breathed into by God, rather, the Scriptures have been breathed out by God.
A Biblical Definition of Inspiration
Inspiration must be carefully defined because of the varied uses of this term and the wrong ideas about inspiration being promoted today, ideas that are inconsistent with what the Bible itself teaches regarding inspiration.
Inspiration may be defined as “God’s superintendence of the human authors of Scripture so that using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in the words of the original autographs.”
(1) The word “superintendence” refers to the guiding relationships God had with the human authors of Scripture in the various material of the Bible. His superintendence varied in degree, but it was always included so that the Spirit of God guaranteed the accuracy of what was written.
(2) The word “composed” shows that the writers were not simply stenographers who wrote what God dictated to them. They were actively involved using their own personalities, backgrounds, and God’s working in their lives, but again, what was composed had the superintendence of God over the material written.
(3) “Without error” expresses what the Bible itself claims to be true regarding its record; it is God’s word and that word is truth.
(John 17:17) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
(Psalm 119:160) Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Biblical Data Supporting Inspiration
The concept that the Bible is inspired, breathed out of God, is not something man has forced on the Bible, but a concept fully in keeping with the claims of the Bible itself. Inspiration is the testimony of the Bible to itself.
As in any just court of law, we need to allow the Bible to give testimony to itself.
Key Facts About Inspiration (2Timothy 3:16 )
The KJV reads, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
A number of important things are stated in this passage regarding the inspiration of Scripture.
(1) The fact of Inspiration. This verse unequivocally states that Scripture is God-breathed.
Peter recognized as a writer of Scripture.
(2Peter 3:16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Declares Scripture to be the product of the out-breathing of God.
The question is, what of Scripture is inspired?
“Our English word “inspire” carries the idea of breathing into something. But this word tells us that God breathed out something, namely, the Scripture.
To be sure, human authors wrote the texts, but the Bible originated as an action of God who breathed it out.”
(2) The extent of Inspiration. This is stated in the words, “All Scripture is inspired.” The term “Scripture,” is used exclusively in the New Testament of the sacred writings, of some portion of the Bible—sometimes of the whole Old Testament;
(Matthew 22:29) Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
(Mark 14:49) I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.
(Luke 24:45) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
(Luke 10:35) And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
In 1Timothy 5:18, in support of paying elders for their work, Paul quoted
Deuteronomy 25:4, but the words of Christ recorded in Matthew 10:10 and Luke 10:7 are also connected with Paul’s statement, “For the Scripture says.”
The Bible: The Inerrant Word of God
A Definition of Inerrancy
The word inerrancy means “freedom from error or untruths.” Synonyms inlcude “certainty, assuredness, objective certainty, infallibility.”
But doesn’t the concept of inspiration automatically imply inerrancy? So we might ask the question, “Why this section on the inerrancy of the Bible?”
Formerly all that was necessary to affirm one’s belief in full inspiration was the statement, “I believe in the inspiration of the Bible.”
But when some did not extend inspiration to the words of the text it became necessary to say, “I believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible.”
To counter the teaching that not all parts of the Bible were inspired, one had to say, “I believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible.”
Then because some did not want to ascribe total accuracy to the Bible, it was necessary to say, “I believe in the verbal, plenary, infallible, inerrant inspiration of the Bible.”
But then “infallible” and “inerrant” began to be limited to matters of faith only rather than also embracing all that the Bible records (including historical facts, genealogies, accounts of Creation, etc.), so it became necessary to add the concept of “unlimited inerrancy.”
Each addition to the basic statement arose because of an erroneous teaching.
It is important to bear in mind that belief in inerrancy is in keeping with the character of God.
If God is true and He is (Rom.3:4), and if God breathed out the Scripture, then the Scripture, being the product of God, must also be true.
(Romans 3:4) God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
This is why the Psalmist affirms, “All your words are true”.
(Psalm 119:160) Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Support for Inerrancy from the Teachings of Christ
A study of what Jesus said about the Bible reveals not only His belief in its verbal, plenary inspiration, but that He also believed it was inerrant.
In fact, the greatest testimony to the authenticity of the Bible as God’s inspired and inerrant Word is the Lord Jesus.
Why is His testimony so important?
Because God authenticated and proved Him to be His own divine Son by the resurrection (cf. 4:8-12; 17:30-31.)
(Act 2:22) Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
(Act 2:23) Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
(Act 2:24) Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
(Act 2:25) For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
(Act 2:26) Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
(Act 2:27) Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
(Act 2:28) Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
(Act 2:29) Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
(Act 2:30) Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
(Act 2:31) He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
(Act 2:32) This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
(Act 2:33) Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
(Act 2:34) For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
(Act 2:35) Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
(Act 2:36) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
(Roman 1:4) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Christ not only clearly confirmed the authority of the Old Testament, but He specifically promised the New Testament.
Note what Christ taught about the inspiration of the Old Testament:
(1) Its entirety; the whole of the Bible is inspired.
(Matthew 4:4) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
(Matthew 5:17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
(Matthew 5:18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
In Matthew 4:4, Jesus responded to Satan’s temptation by affirming verbal plenary inspiration when He said, man is to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (inspiration).
In Matthew 5:17-18, Christ promised that the entire Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, would be fulfilled, not abolished.
In fact, He declared that not even the smallest Hebrew letter, or stroke of a letter, a small distinguishing extension or protrusion of several Hebrews letters, would pass away until all is fulfilled.
Christ’s point is that it is all inspired and true and will be fulfilled.
(2) Its historicity; He spoke of the Old Testament in terms of actual history.
Adam and Eve were two human beings, created by God in the beginning, who lived and acted in certain ways.
(Matthew 19:3) The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
(Matthew 19:4) And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
(Matthew19:5) And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
(Mark 10:6) But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
(Mark 10:7) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
(Mark 10:8) And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
He spoke of Jonah and his experience in the belly of the great fish as an historical event.
(Matthew 12:40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
He also verified the events of the flood in Noah’s day along with the ark.
(Matthew 24:38) For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
(Matthew 24:39) And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
(Luke 17:26) And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
(Luke 17:27) They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
He verified God’s destruction of Sodom and the historicity of Lot and his wife.
(Matthew 10:15) Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
(Luke 17:28) Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
(Luke 17:29) But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
These are only a few illustrations; many others exist.
(3) Its reliability; because it is God’s word, the Scripture must be fulfilled.
(Matthew 26:54) But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
(4) Its sufficiency; it is sufficient to witness to the truth of God and His salvation.
(Luke 16:31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
(5) Its indestructibility; heaven and earth will not pass away until it is all fulfilled. Nothing can stop its fulfillment.
(Matthew 5:17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
(Matthew 5:18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
(6) Its unity; the whole of the Bible speaks and witnesses to the person and work of Christ.
(Luke 24:27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
(Luke 24:44) And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
(7) Its inerrancy; men are often in error, but the Bible is not; it is truth.
(Matthew 22:29) Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
(John 17:17) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
(8) Its infallibility; the Bible cannot be broken, it always stands the test.
(John 10:35) If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
The Bible: Alive and Powerful (Animation)
(Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
(Psalm 19:7) The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
(Psalm 19:8) The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
(Psalm 19:9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
In addition, there is probably no passage that stresses the animating power and value of the Scripture like Psalm 119 which describes numerous attributes of God’s Word as “faithful” (vs. 86), “exceedingly broad” (vs. 96) , “right” (vs. 128) , “wonderful” (vs. 129), “pure” (vs. 140), “truth,” “everlasting” (vs. 160), and “righteousness” (vs. 172) .
The doctrine of animation stresses the powerful and life-changing activity of the Scripture.
Unlike any other book known to man, the Bible possesses a living quality that stems from its divine origin as the unique God-breathed book. This power is manifested in two primary ways.
First, the power of the Bible is seen in the way it reveals God and His glorious plan of salvation in the person and work of Jesus Christ; it is the power of God unto salvation.
(Romans 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
The stress here is on the power of the Bible on the unsaved. This truth is brought out for us in many ways, but the classic passage is,
(1Peter 1:23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The Word of God combined with the ministry of the Holy Spirit work together to bring people to faith in Christ and into the new birth so they become the children of God.
(John 3:5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(2Tmothyi 3:15) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
(Titus 3:4) But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
(2Peter 1:1) Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
(2Peter 1:2) Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
(2Peter 1:3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
(2Peter 1:4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Second, the power of the Word is seen in the lives of the saved as God uses it along with the illuminating and empowering ministry of the Spirit to conform us into the image of the Lord Jesus.
Our Lord had this in mind in His prayer in.
(John 17:17) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
When He prayed, “Sanctify them through Your truth, Your Word is truth.” God’s Word is truly alive and powerful.
Another illustration of the animating power of the Word may be seen in the many pictures God gives us in the Bible of what His Word can do.
It is pictured as a sword,
(Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
(Ephesians 6:17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
As a critic or judge Heb. 4:12), as a lamp or a light (Ps.19:8b; 119:105, 130; Prov. 6:23), as a mirror (1 Cor. 3:18; Jam.1:22-25), as rain, snow, or water (Isa. 55:10-11; Jer. 17:5-8; Eph. 5:26), as food or bread from heaven (Deut. 8:3; Job 23:12; Ps.19:10b), and as gold (Ps.19:10; 119:72, 127; Pr. 8:10, 11; Isa. 55:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:18). And these are not all of the pictures.