The Inspiration of the Bible
As Christians, the belief that the Bible is the Word of God is fundamental to our faith. When Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” we trust that the Bible provides true and reliable guidance from God. But how solid is that belief?
In The Da Vinci Code, a fictional character, Sir Leigh Teabing, claims:
"The Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven. It’s a product of man, not of God. It didn’t fall magically from the clouds. It’s a historical record created by people and has evolved through translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book."
Even though this comes from a novel, it reflects what some people genuinely believe about the Bible. In fact, author Dan Brown stated in his book’s introduction that “all descriptions of … documents … in this novel are accurate.” So, how do we respond to such a bold claim? Is the Bible truly God’s inspired Word?
What the Bible Says About Itself
When Jesus walked the earth, He revealed God’s nature through His life and teachings. But He didn’t just rely on His own authority; He frequently referenced the Old Testament, affirming its divine origin. He referred to the 39 books as "the Scriptures," distinct from other writings because they carry God’s authority.
For example, when debating religious leaders, Jesus criticized them, saying, “You know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Mark 12:24). Clearly, He expected them to recognize God’s power in the Scriptures.
Throughout the Bible, it claims to be God’s Word. Although written by many human authors, it presents itself as ultimately coming from God. Consider Psalm 119:105 again: “Your word is a lamp to my feet.” The prophets also started their messages with phrases like, “Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah” (see Isaiah 38:4, Jeremiah 1:4, Ezekiel 6:1). Hebrews 1:1 reminds us, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.”
The Role of the Holy Spirit
The New Testament clarifies that the Holy Spirit played a special role in guiding the human authors. Peter wrote, “No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20–21, NIV). While Peter didn’t explain exactly how the Spirit “carried” them, it’s clear that the Holy Spirit worked through the authors.
Paul echoed this, saying, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV). The Greek word theopneustos literally means “God-breathed,” emphasizing that God is the ultimate source of Scripture. It didn’t just come from human minds; God was actively involved.
Did the Authors Become Passive Scribes?
Some might wonder if God dictated every word, leaving the authors as mere scribes. That’s not the case. The Bible wasn’t written in a divine language needing supernatural translation. The authors wrote in their own languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—using their minds, cultural backgrounds, and experiences. God worked through them without overriding their personalities or styles.
You can see this in the unique writing styles of different authors. Luke’s style is different from Paul’s, and John’s is distinct from both of them. Each voice remains authentic, yet guided by the Spirit.
For example:
- Moses likely used oral traditions and records for the Torah, guided by the Spirit to ensure accuracy.
- Prophets like Jeremiah and Isaiah received direct messages from God, starting their writings with, “The word of the Lord came to me.”
- Luke, a historian, compiled his Gospel and Acts from careful research, with the Spirit ensuring he captured the truth (Luke 1:1–4).
- John’s Revelation came from a direct vision, clearly a different process of inspiration.
The Final Product: God’s Word
In ways beyond our complete understanding, God worked through human authors to create a reliable, inspired collection of books—the Bible. Early Christians recognized the New Testament writings as inspired, on par with the Old Testament. Peter referred to Paul’s letters as “Scripture” (2 Peter 3:15–16), and early Christian texts like 2 Clement cited the Gospel of Mark as authoritative.
When false teachings arose in the second and third centuries, the church formally defined the "canon"—the official list of inspired books. For nearly 1,700 years, the church consistently viewed the Bible as God’s Word.
While it’s true, as Leigh Teabing says, that humans wrote the Bible, it’s wrong to conclude it’s “not of God.” Just as God revealed Himself through Jesus—fully human and fully divine—He reveals Himself through the Scriptures, written by humans but inspired by God.
Since the Bible is God’s Word, it carries authority over our lives, showing us what God wants us to know and how He wants us to live.
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