Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 10
January 8, 1959
NUMBER 35, PAGE 12-13b

The Measure Of Inspiration

Robert C. Welch, Birmingham, Alabama

The focal point against which the enemies of Christianity turn their attack is the inspiration of the Bible. If some doubt can be stirred as to its inspiration, its friends find hemselves battling with a blunted weapon. In some instances its friends find themselves becoming its greatest foes; they become divided among themselves as to the extent of inspiration. If they themselves cannot determine the extent or degree of inspiration the enemies of Christianity will laugh them to scorn. Christianity hinges upon the Bible, and if it is not a credible book then nothing will hold against the onslaught of Christianity's enemies.

Some would try to prove that the Bible is inspired by outside sources of information and authority. These may have great weight as corroborative evidence, but they depend upon the Bible as being inspired of God. Archeology will never prove that the Bible is what it claims to be. The church (Roman Catholic, or otherwise) will never prove by its own authority the authoritativeness of the Bible. No "latter day revelation" will prove the Bible to be inspired. If it is not what it claims to be itself, the cause is lost. It is inspired; it is what it claims to be; it tells the extent or measure of its inspiration.

Self-Testimony

"But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you." (Matt. 10:19,20). "For the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that very nour what ye ought to say." (Luke 12:12).

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak ..." (John 16:13).

"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. 2:12,13).

"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 generations 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).

Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness." (2 Tim. 3:16).

"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 Peter 1:20,21).

Theories And Categories

The above quotations develop the extent of inspiration in a general way. Of course, in these no attempt is made to deal with each specific book of the Bible as becomes necessary when dealing exhaustively with a proficient critic of inspiration. Within the camp of purported friends there are two main categories or segments: those dubbed "fundamentalists" and "modernists." There is no exact line drawn between them. The extreme "fundamentalist" thinks all others modernists and the extreme "modernist" thinks all others fundamentalists.

Numerous theories of the extent of inspiration are held by them. Usually "fundamentalists" are credited with holding to the theory of plenary inspiration. "Modernists" and "neo-orthodoxy" are more commonly credited with holding to a thought or experience limitation on inspiration. Then there are all sorts or shades of these. Some hold to the mechanical or dictation theory. Some hold that there are degrees of inspiration; that some writers had a greater degree than others. Some hold what is styled as the essential theory; that is, that in the relating of commonplace occurrences the natural intelligence was sufficient, but that in matters of doctrine they were inspired. There is also what has been styled the dynamic theory; that is, that each writer was under constant guidance of the Holy Spirit, preventing error when only prevention was needed, supervising thought when that was needed, giving the exact word when that was needed.

Problems Involved

There are problems concerning inspiration and particularly concerning each of the theories which can be met only by the statements of the inspired text. Our concern should not be with whether or not we hold the right theory or whether or not we are in the proper category; but our chief concern should be with whether or not we agree with the statement of the inspired text. The passages quoted above specifically tell us that the Holy Spirit gives the revelation; from God; to the apostles and prophets; not only in thought but also in the Spirit's words; not the man speaking but the Spirit; not by the will of man but by being moved by the Holy Spirit; and contained in the Scriptures.

The question of whether the word "inspired" means "God-breathed" or something similar in the original language is no bother to the person who has read the other passages which show what the Spirit of God does in producing the Scriptures.

Some make much of the different styles of the writers. They contend that this will deny the fact of the words being given by the Spirit. If the Spirit of God were no more divine than man there would be reason in the objection. But the same God who made the difference in men can also give through his Spirit the words to match the difference in the men.

Some speak of one writer having of necessity read from another writer because of similarity of material. It is true that one sometimes quotes and refers to another writer. If the Bible statements of inspiration be true, he so quotes or refers by inspiration. On the other hand, when no such reference is made it is pure speculation, and rejection of the extent of inspiration which the Bible declares for its writers, to say that a writer must have had access to another because of similarity of statements.

Some object to the inspiration as described in the above passages of scripture by proposing that there are errors in the writing. Not a single word which was originally written is extant. Then it is base presumption to speak of errors in the writing. Furthermore, the purported errors in the translations and versions now in existence are the problems of the critics and the enemies rather than of the person who believes the Bible in general and the statements which it makes of its inspiration in particular.