Great Bible Doctrines
Lesson No. 5: Inspiration of the Scriptures

Date: June 5, 2002, Wednesday Evening Adult Bible Class
Speaker: John Phillis

We are continuing our study of Great Bible Doctrines. Tonight we are going to look at what the Bible has to say about its own inspiration, the Inspiration of the Scriptures.

The Bible teaches that our faith as Christians rests upon the authority of Jesus Christ. On one occasion, some Jews asked Jesus, “By what authority do You do the things You do, and Who gave You that authority?” Matthew 21, verse 23. [“Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are You doing these things? And Who gave You this authority?’”] While on that specific occasion Jesus didn’t directly answer His inquirers, at a later time, after His resurrection, He would claim all authority in Heaven and on the earth. In Matthew 28, verse 18, it says, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’”

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter, to some degree, claimed the authority of Jesus Christ when he addressed that crowd of Jews in the first Gospel sermon that was preached and declared, “God has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ,” Acts 2, verse 36. [“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”]

Likewise, the Hebrew writer also stated the authority of Jesus for us today when he wrote these words: “God, Who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, Whom He has appointed heir of all things, through Whom also He made the worlds,” Hebrews 1, verses 1 and 2.

And as if this was not enough, there was the occasion at the transfiguration of Jesus, recorded by Matthew 17, verses 1 through 5. On that occasion, God’s voice boomed from Heaven and He declared in no uncertain terms, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” [Matthew 17:5] [“Now after six after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’”]

On the occasion of the transfiguration, God left no doubt in anyone’s mind regarding Who was His spokesman or Who had authority. There was another thing demonstrated on the occasion of the transfiguration: Having those two great Old Testament characters there with Him showed Jesus’ superiority even over them! So Jesus is to be heard, He is to be listened to, and the things that He says need to be obeyed.

Well, Jesus is not around to speak to us directly today. In fact, He hasn’t been around on the earth for some 2,000 years. So how is it that we can hear Him today? How is it that we can observe that injunction of God Himself when He said, “Hear Him!”

As we saw in our study of the Holy Spirit over the past two weeks, Jesus had promised to send His Holy Spirit. In John 16, verse 13, we read, “However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all Truth; for He will not speak on His Own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” Now, of course, this was not directed at us, but these are Words of Jesus directed to His apostles, to those specially selected men, those whom He would send and who would carry on after His departure. Also, in John 14, verses 25 and 26, Jesus is speaking once again: “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” The Holy Spirit did come, just as Jesus promised, and those whom He inspired wrote down His words. Remember, the Holy Spirit would call to mind the things that Jesus had taught them. So, in effect, they were writing down those things that Jesus had shown them already.

Now, over in John 20, verses 30 and 31, we read,HimHiH“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His Name.” This is illustrating and pointing out this “writing down,” those things being recorded. As John says, “these are written.”

Peter will say in 2 Peter, chapter 1, verses 3 and 4, that we have been given “All things that pertain to life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him”—through the knowledge of Christ. And these things written down, these things recorded, all pertaining to life and to Godliness, were given by the inspiration of God. [“As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”]