“Every scripture inspired of God …” (2 Timothy 3:16). When Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, he urged him to abide in the things he had learned and been assured of because that from a child he had “known the sacred writings …” (2 Tim. 3:15). The word “writings” is qualified by the word “sacred.” There are many writings (scriptures) but not all are sacred (holy). Those writings which have God as their source are sacred and deserve both our attention and reverence.
The Bible claims that it exists by the inspiration of God. This makes it unique among all other books which come from the hand of men for the phrase “inspired by God” literally means “God-breathed.” Jesus promised His apostles that as He sent them on the limited commission, they were not to be “anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you” (Mt. 10:19f) Later, as He prepared them for a worldwide field of labor, His promise was the same.
His Holy Spirit would teach them all things, remind them of all He had spoken unto them; would bear witness of the Father and guide them into all truth (Jn. 14:25; 15:26; 16:13). When Paul wrote the Corinthians, he spoke of the Spirit’s work in revealing God’s mind and will to man. “Unto us, God hath revealed them through the Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, ye the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10). Paul spoke this wisdom “not in words which man’s wisdom teaching, but which the Spirit teacheth, combining spiritual things with spiritual words” (1 Cor. 2:13).
The Spirit’s assistance would doubtless aid the apostles with all their words, oral or written. Peter wrote, “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. 1:20f). Just as there were instructions from God to the prophets to speak, so there were instructions from God to His prophets to write (Rev. 1:19)!
Whatever then the Bible may say about itself, one thing which cannot be gainsaid is that it claims to have originated in the mind of God, not in the mind of man! Not only does it claim to be God’s word; it claims to be God’s inerrant word.
Jim McDonald
