Holy Scripture - Lesson 2

HOLY SCRIPTURE

2004

LESSON TWO

I. Holy Scripture Identical with the Word of God (p. 213, et.seq.)

A. Introduction

1. Chief fault “moderns” find in the Early Church, Luther and Lutherans dogmaticians, is they “identify” Scripture with the Word of God.

2. They desire to distinguish between the Bible and God’s Word.

3. But this is what Scripture teaches of itself.

B. Scripture teaches the identity of Scripture and God’s Word in several ways.

1. The Scriptures of the Old Testament are quoted in New Testament plainly as God’s Word.

a. Is 7:14 quoted in Mt 1:22,23.

b. Hos 11:1 and Mt 2:15b

c. Ps 2:1 and Ac 4:25

d. Ro 3:2

e. Jn 10:35

f. Some passages state that all events in the world are directed by the Word of Scripture, e.g.:

(1) Mt 1:22

(2) Lk 24:44

2. The same applies to the writings of the Apostles of New Testament.

a. 1Pe 1:10-12

b. 1Jn 1:3,4

c. 2Th 2:15

d. 1Co 14:37

3. No real difference between “Holy Scripture says” and “God says”.

II. The Verbal Inspiration of Holy Scripture (p. 217 et.seq.)

A. Scripture also teaches very clearly why they are the Word of God.

B. They were inspired, or breathed into the writers, by God.

1. 2Ti 3:16

2. 2Pe 1:21

C. Passages speaking of inspiration contain following truths:

1. Inspiration does not consist in the so-called subject inspiration (inspiration of the matter merely) nor in the so-called inspiration of persons.

a. It is verbal inspiration.

b. The Scriptures, which are said to be inspired, do not consist of things or persons.

c. The Scriptures consist of written words.

d. Scripture affirms of Scripture, which consists of words, that it is inspired.

e. “Moderns” transform “inspiration” into an “illumination of the writers”.

f. Therefore, we must adhere to Scripture’s exact words.

g. Jn 8:31,32.

h. Jn 17:20,21.

2. Inspiration does not consist in mere divine guidance and protection against error.

a. It is a divine supplying or divine giving of the very words that constitute Scripture.

b. 2Ti 3:16: (Gk.) πασα γραφή θεοπνευστοσ (pasa graphe Theopneustos)

(1) “All Scripture” showed that the writing itself is Theopneustos (“God-breathed”) (C1 above).

(2) Theopneustos shows God not merely directed the writing of Scripture, but inspired the Scriptures.

(3) Belief that it is but merely guiding and protecting against error is to be rejected.

(4) That would never make it the living, majestic Word of God, filled with divine power that it is.

3. Inspiration covers not only a part of Scripture, but the entire Scriptures.

a. Every part is inspired (“All Scripture”).

b. Can not except parts such as history, geography, etc.

(1) Such information was not its chief purpose, of course.

(2) Real purpose: Jn 5:39.

c. We acknowledge no distinction among the matters in Holy Scripture.

4. Above points re: parts and words, declares at same time that Scripture is perfectly inerrant in all its words and in every one of its words.

a. Ps 82:6 and Jn 10:34,35.

b. Christ and the Apostles often point to a single word to prove their point (e.g. “Seed” Ge 22:18 and Gal 3:16).

c. Every word of Scripture is an inviolable sanctuary, is the infallible, unchangeable Word of God.

d. Every addition is a sacrilege (Pr 30:5,6).

e. Can not allow the corrosive poison of subjectivism to eat its way into the truth.

5. The inspiration of Scripture self-evidently includes also the impulse and command to write.

a. Roman theologians argued against the command.

b. Only trying to degrade Scripture to elevate the Pope.

c. Modern Theology has the same interest as Rome.

(1) They desire freedom from Scripture as sole source and norm.

(2) Would replace it with Ego whether “experience”, or the like,

d. The Church is built solely on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, i.e. the Word of Scripture!