“GOD AND HIS WORD”
PART I: THE INSPIRATION AND
THE
AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE
Presentation Summary
GOD’S REVELATION
THE HOLY SCRIPTURE
ADVANCED RECOMMENDED STUDIES:
A. GOD’S REVELATION
• Definition:
“An uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had
been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely
seen.” (Easton’s Bible Dictionary)
• God is the one who reveals himself to men (Psalms
103.7; Jn 1.18)
• 2 Types of Revelation: General & Special
General Revelation
• Revelation through God’s Creation (His Power,
Intelligence, Wisdom, Providence, Love [to a certain
degree])
• Key Biblical References: Psalm 19.2; Romans 1.20;
Acts 14. 16-17; Matthew 5.45
…. General Revelation
• Revelation through human conscience (Morals,
Values, Good & Wrong)
• Biblical Reference: Romans 2. 15
Special Revelation
• Revelation through God’s Son, Jesus Christ (God’s
Power, God’s Love, God’s Plan of Salvation)
• Biblical Reference: Psalm 144.5; Isaiah 63.19;
Hebrews 1.1-3; Jn 14.9; Jn 1.18; 1Peter 1.7,13
… Special Revelation
• Revelation through the Holy Spirit (God’s Spiritual &
Deep Truths and Mysteries)
• Biblical Reference: Jn 16.13; 1 Corinthians 2.9-10
… Special Revelation
• Revelation through the Holy Scripture ( 2 Timothy 3.
16-17)
• Scriptures are identified with God (John 1.1;
Galatians 3.8 vs Genesis 12.1-3; Romans 9.17 vs
Exodus 9.16)
B. THE HOLY SCRIPTURE
• Commonly called “Bible” and is the equivalent of the Greek word
biblia meaning originally “books.” (Cfr. Dan 9.2, Septuagint)
[International Standards Bible Encyclopedia]
• Written by more than 40 authors with different Backgrounds
(Fishermen, Businesspersons, Statesmen, Philosophers, Poets,
Scholars, etc..), in different places, at different times, during
different moods and on 3 continents (Asia, Africa & Europe)
• Written in Hebrew (OT), Aramaic (Daniel 2-4; Ezra 4-8) & Greek
(NT) and translated in as many modern languages as possible
• Written over a 1,500 year span and over 40 generations;
The Inspiration of the Bible: Definitions
& Concepts
• Inspiration: God’s Action through which his servants
were preserved and kept from error in order to
perfectly communicate his truth to men (Paraphrased
from “Précis de Doctrine Chrétienne”, Prof. J.M. Nicole)
• 2 Timothy 3: 16-17: Scriptures are “God-breathed”
(“Theopneustic” from the grec “theopneustos”)
• See also God’s instruction in Jeremiah 30. 2
• God-breathed but also Human (Luc 1. 1-3)
….The Inspiration of
Definitions & Concepts
the
Bible:
• Dynamic Inspiration (2 Peter 1. 19-21)[Grec: Pherõ:
moved, driven, carried, etc ]
• Verbal & literal Inspiration ( Matthew 5.18; 1
Corinthians 15. 2)
• Plenary Inspiration (Proverbs 30. 5)
• Inerrancy of Scriptures (Psalms 19.8; Jn 17.17)
The Inspiration of the OT message
• Moses received his message directly from God
(Numbers 12.8; Exodus 17.14; Malachi 3.22 (4.4) [
See also Jesus’ testimony in Mark 7. 9-10]
• OT Prophets were inspired by God and was
instructed to communicate his Truth (Jeremiah 30.2;
36.1-3; Zechariah 1. 4-6; Micah 3.8;
Jesus Christ’s Testimony
• Jn 5.43: He declared that he was speaking on God’s
behalf
• Jn 6.63: He declared his words (message) were
“spirit” and that it gives “life”
• Mark 7. 9-10: He affirmed the divine nature of
Moses Writings and the OT (Luke 24. 25-27)
The Inspiration of the Apostolic Message &
Writings
• Jesus declared his Apostles would be divinely inspired by his
HOLY SPIRIT (John 14.26; 16.13)
• Paul declared that his message was given directly from God
(1 Thessalonians 2.13, 1 Corinthians 14.37; Gal 1.12)
• Paul affirmed the unity and the compatibility of the message
preached by the early Apostles (1 Corinthians 15.11;
Galatians 2. 7-9)
• Peter affirmed the divine nature of Paul’s writings (2 Peter
3.15-16 ; Comp. Romans 2.4)
The Authority of Holy Scriptures
• The Authority of Scriptures in OT times
(Exodus 24.6-7; Joshua 1.8; Nehemiah 8.1,3,5,8; Daniel 9.2)
• The Authority of Scriptures in JC’s Life (“It is Written”)
Matthew 4.1-10; 26.24,31; 26.52-54; John 13.18; John
15.25
• The Authority of Scriptures in JC’s Ministry
(Matthew 5.18; John 10.34; Matthew 20.42; Luke 10.25-26;
Luke 24.25-27)
The Authority of Holy Scriptures in the
Early Church
• The Apostles quoted the Scriptures to establish the
authority of their message and their writings
• The Early Church considered the Scriptures to be
the Absolute norm for faith, Doctrine and Conduct (
1 Corinthians 4.6; 1 Corinthians 15.3-4; Acts 17.11 )
The Authority of Holy Scriptures in
the Early Church
• The Early Church considered the Apostolic Writings
& message to be Divinely Inspired and therefore
Authoritative (2 Peter 3. 15-16; Colossians 4.6; Acts
2.42)
2
Important
Interpretation
Principles
of
• Principle #1 : Capturing the SENSE of the text (if
possible the original text) for a good understanding
and an appropriate application (Nehemiah 8.8:
Reading, Understanding, Applying)
• Principle #2: Studying a particular text in light of the
whole Revelation (Matt 4.7: “The Scriptures also
say” )
Suggested advanced Studies
• Answering Objections against the Original text
authenticity (Scriptures preservation, etc..)
• Answering Objections against Scriptures Inerrancy
(History, Archeology, Philosophy, etc..)
• Studying External Evidences that support Scriptures
Inspiration Doctrine
Some Useful Books
• René Pache, The Inspiration And Authority Of
Scripture (1969)
• La Théologie de Wesley by Matthieu Lelièvre; 1
edition; First published in 1924
• A Ready Defense. The Best Of Josh Mcdowell (1992)
• John Stott, The Foundations of the Christian Faith
• Eric Gatera, Help me Understand Jesus
• J.M. Nicole, Précis de Doctrine Chrétienne