There are many misconceptions when it comes to the Bible. Is the Bible really still relevant to who we are? Who wrote the Bible? Was it written by men, or by God? We explore these questions in this video, The Truth About Inspiration.
When was the Bible written and who wrote it?
About the Bible
The Bible is comprised of 66 total books, written across a span of 1500 years. They were all written by at least 40 different authors from all different walks of life, and in different places. Some were kings of great nations. Some were prophets, and others we simple shepherd boys, living in poor areas of the world.
What is most amazing about the Bible in these collection of books, is that there is complete continuity and agreement amongst all of them. It is meticulously studied for centuries and yet not one contradiction exists within the scriptures. There are continuing themes, and prophecies 100’s of years before they ever took place.
How did these men write the things that they did? How were they all able to write about the same things, with complete agreement, being from different times, cultures, and places? The answer is that it was not merely men sitting down and writing these things. Inspiration occured by one author: God.
The authors who wrote the Bible driven by the Holy Spirit.
Man did not conjure up the words that exist in the Bible. Instead, they have inspiration and direction from the Holy Spirit from God.
Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:20-21
Though we have contributing men from all walks of life, there’s truly one author. That author is God. He crafted the plan and the message from the beginning of time, using man to tell that plan to the world.
Some authors who wrote the Bible didn’t fully understand what they wrote.
Reading 1 Peter 1:10-12, we find that some of these men didn’t know fully understand what they were writing at the time in which they wrote it. Regardless, they wrote these things because God directed them. For example, they knew a savior, a Messiah was coming into the world to deliver Israel. But in actuality, He would deliver all of the world as they came to understand later.
When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Ephesians 3:4-6
Throughout the Old Testament, mystery shrouds the complete truth about much of what the prophets and inspired writers record. The revelation of many of these mysteries occurs when Jesus comes on the scene. For example, Jesus brought salvation to all men, not only the Jews. Both Jews and Gentiles now have access to salvation through the gospel and His blood. This is what Jesus claims in Luke 24. More precisely, that the fulfillment of all scripture occurs through Him.
The Holy Spirit given to the Apostles to guide them into “all truth”.
Everything points to Jesus. However, through his death, burial, and resurrection ascended to His Father. Upon leaving, He says it was better for Him to go because he would give the Holy Spirit to His Apostles. These Apostles are then “led into all truth” by this Spirit beginning with the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38.
So the men of the New Testament gain inspiration to write not just the things they remembered, but what God called to their remembrance through the Holy Spirit. When you and I pick up the scriptures we are reading a product of the mind of God, not man. If this is true, that means it carries authority behind it.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
God has speaks to us through His word. Because of this, I can know how I need to live by the what He has said. This means the Bible should be the greatest guiding principle in my life.
The Hebrews writer wrote (Hebrews 1:1-2): “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”. If I understand who Jesus is, and that He has all authority, I will listen to His call. I will get into His word and understand what is God’s will for my life. The question for you remains, will you be a hearer or will you be a doer? Will you obey your Father and your creator?
Is the Bible True?
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