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#4.
The Inspired Book.
pp. 230, 231
Many and varied definitions of the term "Inspiration", when used of the Scriptures,
have been suggested. The following adapted from that given by Dr. Henderson may be
helpful:--
"Divine inspiration is an extraordinary and supernatural influence exerted by the Holy
Spirit on the minds of the sacred writers, in such words and degrees as to lead to, and
secure, in documentary forms, the depositions of such historical, doctrinal and prophetic
truth as Infinite wisdom deemed requisite for the immediate and future guidance of His
people."
Inspiration is found in operation in the Scriptures in two modes:
(1)
Immediate, without the use of external means.
(2)
Mediate, by the intervention of outside agencies.
Under the first heading we place such passages and statements as II Sam. 23: 2,
"in me", Matt. 10: 20, "in you" and I Pet. 1: 11, "in them".
Under the second we place those cases where a variety of means is employed.
(1)
Audible and articulate sounds (as recorded in Numb. 7: 89; 8: 1 and 12: 8).
"There fell a voice" (Dan. 4: 31; Matt. 3: 17; 17: 5; II Pet. 1: 17, 18;
and John 12: 28, 30).
(2)
Appearance accompanying the spoken word.
We have the fire, blackness, tempest and sound of a trumpet at the giving of the
law (Heb. 12: 18-21); the vision of the Seraphim in Isa. 6:; the appearing of the
Lord to Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9: 4; 22: 9; 26: 14); the
appearing of angels to Abraham, to David, to Gideon and Mary, and the mediation
of angels at the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai (Acts 7: 53; Gal. 3: 19;
Heb. 2: 1, 2), and at the birth of Christ at Bethlehem (Luke 2: 9-14).
The inspiration of "words" (I Cor. 2: 13; John 17: 8), as well as of the Scriptures as
a whole, is stressed; indeed the testimony of the Scriptures regarding inspiration is rather
to the inspired Book than inspired men, for the instruments used by God may be as holy
as Moses and as wise as Daniel, or they may be as crafty as Caiaphas and as greedy as
Balaam: as insensible as the hand at Belshazzar's feast, or as intangible as the
phenomena at Sinai.
The whole of the O.T. Scriptures are the work of men named "Prophets". Moses was
a prophet (Acts 7: 37); David was a prophet (Acts 2: 30); all who "spoke since the
world began" were prophets (Luke 1: 70). The O.T. Scriptures are therefore the work of
prophets.