From God to Man

The Story of How We Got the BiblePart 1 – Revelation & Inspiration

How We Got the Bible

• The Bible is the most influential book of all time with reference to its reading, printing, teaching, and discussion

• Where did it come from and how did it get here? What processes were used to bring it about?

How We Got the Bible

• “Bible” is from the Greek, then the Latin, biblia (biblion, biblia, biblos = books, written doc.); see Daniel 9:2

• “Scripture” is from the Greek, graphia (a written doc.); see Mt. 21:42

• “Testament” is from the Greek, diatheke (covenant); see Jer. 31:31; Heb. 8:13

How We Got the Bible“the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah” – Isaiah 11:9

1. Revelation

2. Inspiration

3. Documentation

4. Formation

5. Preservation

6. Translation

7. Application

8. Propagation

From God

ToMan

Revelation

Revelation

• The story of how we got the Bible begins with God’s revelation to mankind (Heb. 1:1-2)

– Direct speaking (“Thus saith the Lord…” is found over 350 times in the OT)

– Divine appearances

– Speaking to and through a prophet

– Visions, dreams, etc.

– Jesus Christ

“God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds” (Heb. 1:1-2)

Revelation

• God is infinite and man is finite; we know about God only what God chooses to reveal about himself through speaking

• God speaks to mankind in order to “reveal” or uncover his will to them

• God reveals himself in two ways: through his creation and through his words

Revelation

• “General revelation” involves God’s creation (Job 12:7-9; 36:24-37:24; 38:1-41:34; Psa. 8:3-4; 19:1-6; Isa. 40:26; Acts 14:17; 17:22-31; Rom. 1:18-20)

• “Special revelation” (the Bible) involves God’s words (Psa. 19:7-11; 119:1ff)

• God wants mankind to know who he is and what is on his mind (1 Cor. 2:10-13)

“But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words” (1 Cor. 2:10-13)

Four Results of Revelation

1. Authority – when God speaks and reveals his will it is binding upon mankind (Mt. 4:4; 7:21; Lk. 6:46; Jn. 12:48; Gal. 1:11-12)

“For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11-12) … “to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood” (Gal. 1:16)

Four Results of Revelation

1. Authority – when God speaks and reveals his will it is binding upon mankind (Mt. 4:4; 7:21; Lk. 6:46; Jn. 12:48; Gal. 1:11-12)

2. Clarity – when God speaks and reveals his will it is knowable and understandable (Eph. 3:3-5; 5:17)

“how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generation was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit” (Eph. 3:3-5) … “Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17)

Four Results of Revelation

1. Authority – when God speaks and reveals his will it is binding upon mankind (Mt. 4:4; 7:21; Lk. 6:46; Jn. 12:48)

2. Clarity – when God speaks and reveals his will it is knowable and understandable (Eph. 3:3-4)

3. Finality – when God speaks and reveals his will it is final and complete (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 1:1-2; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3)

“And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:15-17)

“God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds” (Heb. 1:1-2)

“Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust” (2 Pet. 1:2-4)

“Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3

Four Results of Revelation

4. Conformity – when God speaks and reveals his will it is for the purpose of obedience (Deut. 29:29; 1 Sam. 3:10; 2 Thess. 1:8; Heb. 12:25; Jas. 1:22-25; Rev. 1:1-3)

“The secret things belong unto Jehovah our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29)

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John; who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand”(Rev. 1:1-3)

How We Got the Bible“the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah” – Isaiah 11:9

1. Revelation

2. Inspiration

3. Documentation

4. Formation

5. Preservation

6. Translation

7. Application

8. Propagation

From God

ToMan

Inspiration

Inspiration

• God’s revelation to mankind was superintended (controlled from above) with “inspiration” (Gr. theopnustos, God-breathed, from theos, God, and pneo, to breath out); see 2 Tim. 3:16

• “Inspiration” does not mean “inspiring”, but that scripture is God-breathed; scripture is of divine origin and quality

“And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:15-17)

Inspiration

• Inspiration is not limited to the God’s speaking part, neither is inspiration limited to a general thought given by God

• Both the speaking (Mt. 10:19-20; Jn. 14:26; 16:13) and the writing/scripture (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21) of the men were inspired by the Holy Spirit; inspiration is both plenary (full) and verbal (each word)

“And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:19-21)

Inspiration

• Like Jesus, the Bible is a mixture of divinity and humanity; it is the only divine-human book in existence

• God revealed his word to the OT prophets using the Holy Spirit (Neh. 9:20, 30; Isa. 48:16; 61:1; Jer. 1:6-9; Mic. 3:8; Joel 2:28ff)

• God did the same with the NT prophets and apostles (Eph. 3:3-5; 1 Pet. 1:12)

“how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generation was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit” (Eph. 3:3-5)

“To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angel desire to look into” (1 Pet. 1:12)

Inspiration

• The words of scripture are God’s own words – the “oracles of God” (Rom. 3:2; 1 Pet. 4:11)

• Man’s part in the producing of scripture was merely to transmit what he had received from God (Jer. 1:7; Jn. 7:16; 12:49; 1 Cor. 14:37)

Inspiration

• Inspiration does not use mechanical dictation, or automatic writing, in which the individuality of the writer is suspended

• Inspiration does not allow for individual imperfections or distortions of truth

• Inspiration does not extend past the original autographs; it is not found in the subsequent copies or translations

Three Results of Inspiration

1. Divinity – the Bible is the very word of God; not a piece of man-made literature (1 Cor. 2:10-13; 1 Thess. 2:13)

“But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words” (1 Cor. 2:10-13)

“And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe” (1 Thess. 2:13)

Three Results of Inspiration

1. Divinity – the Bible is the very word of God; not a piece of man-made literature (1 Cor. 2:10-13; 1 Thess. 2:13)

2. Infallibility – the Bible is inerrant and infallible, without error (Mt. 5:17-19; Jn. 10:35; Acts 1:16); it is the “scripture of truth” (Dan. 10:21)

“Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:17-19)

“Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (Jn. 10:34-36)

Three Results of Inspiration

1. Divinity – the Bible is the very word of God; not a piece of man-made literature

2. Infallibility – the Bible is inerrant and infallible, without error

3. Reliability – the Bible is confirmed as true and trustworthy by the inspiration (and miracles) provided by the H.S. (Mk. 16:20; Heb. 2:3-4; 2 Pet. 1:19-21)

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen” (Mk. 16:15-16)

how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard;4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will” (Heb. 2:3-4)

And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:19-21)

From God to ManRevelation & Inspiration

“But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust” (Acts 24:14-15)