Inspiration of the Bible

I am aware that almost all Christians acknowledge the inspiration of the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 shows the Bible is said to be "God breathed" or inspired. This suggests that everything found in Scripture has a divine origin or source. What God revealed in the Bible was written by human authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit. What that entails varies a lot, as I can also observe. Some see the biblical writings as a useful tool for getting in touch with God, while others believe that God dictated every word. And everything that lies in between. In what ways may I search for alternative perspectives on the Reformed evangelical viewpoints using Logos Bible Software?

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Roy

Christian,

After a really quick, cursory search of the LOGOS bookstore this caught my eye.

https://www.logos.com/product/9150/decide-for-yourself-how-history-views-the-bible

[quote]

Preface

Who wrote the Bible? God or men? If God inspired men to write the Bible, what did He inspire? Their thoughts? Or their words as well? How far does inspiration extend? Does it include only spiritual matters, or does it also include history and science?

The contemporary battle for the Bible has the average Christian understandably confused. Actually there is more than one battle, for there are at least six views on the nature and origin of the Bible. In using labels to identify the various views of Scripture, we must be aware that such labels are not absolute in the sense that they precisely define all those who hold to one position or another. They represent the core position of each of the various categories, but there is a divergence of viewpoints within the categories, and some theologians may even hold to different elements of more than one category.

1. Most evangelicals hold the “orthodox” view (ch. 5); that is, the Bible is divinely inspired in its very words, including matters of history and science.

2. “Liberal” theologians (ch. 6), on the other hand, believe that only parts of the Bible are divine. They see great religious value in much of Scripture; but other parts are rejected as myth, and some are even considered barbaric.

3. Some “fundamentalists” (ch. 7), strongly reacting against liberals, have affirmed that the Bible was verbally dictated by God, even to the point of modern scientific precision.

4. “Neoorthodoxy” (ch. 8), another reaction to liberalism but without returning to a fully orthodox view of Scripture, holds that the Bible is not a revelation from God. Rather, it is a fallible human record of the revelation God gave in His past actions. That is, God does not reveal Himself in words but only in events.

5. “Liberal-evangelicals” (ch. 9) believe that the Bible is wholly human in origin, replete with historical, scientific, and religious errors. They believe God takes these human words and “elevates” them to be a vehicle of His word.

6. Much of the contemporary debate is between the orthodox or evangelical Christians and the “Neo-evangelicals” (ch. 10). The latter believe that the Bible is infallible but not inerrant; that is, the Bible speaks with divine authority and complete truthfulness on salvation matters but is not inerrant (without error) in historical and scientific matters.

Most of the views on the origin and inspiration of the Bible claim support from the Bible and from the great teachers of the church (chs. 1–5). This is particularly true of the orthodox, fundamental, and neoevangelical views. Each claims its view is biblical and is the historic position of the church. For Christians who do not have access to the writings of the teachers of the church and who have not made a separate study of the biblical data, these overlapping claims are confusing. For this reason I have compiled this resource book of the important statements of the major representatives of these positions.

From practical considerations, it was necessary to be selective. Within the limits of a small book, I have tried to be fair and representative in the quotations presented. By a minimal use of deletions (…) and by descriptive headings, I have attempted to give the proper context for each author’s quotations. For those who wish to read more extensively on the topic, the sources are given for all quotations.

The purpose of the introductory chapter on the Bible is to present in one location many of the biblical texts on the origin and nature of Scripture. These are the standard by which the claims of the various views are to be measured. Of course, not all verses on the topic could be included; and, admittedly, some speak only to parts of the Bible. Therefore, the reader will have to consider the verses in their context and then decide for himself how they apply to the discussion at hand. This is, after all, a discover-for-yourself book that has as its primary aim to provide the reader with basic material to use as the starting point in making an intelligent decision as to the origin and nature of the Bible.

I wish to express my appreciation to the publishers of the several works extensively quoted herein for granting permission to do so.

This is the Preface of the above mentioned book. It is fairly inexpensive.

Does this book look like it might meet your needs?

Jan Krohn

This one might be helpful:

Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy (Counterpoints) | Logos Bible Software

It's not fairly inepensive though.

Nick Steffen

I have found John C Poirier’s philological examination of theopneustia I’m 2 Tim 3.16 the best argument for its meaning. Here is a paragraph from its summary.

"This book has attempted to demonstrate that the philological profile for θεόπνευστος links the term to two very different semantic fields. One group of witnesses uses the word in the sense of vivification. This use is widespread, but it takes on a narrow technical meaning within a NT context, where it refers to the life-giving quality of the gospel. A second use of θεόπνευστος resignifies the word, giving it the now familiar sense of inspiration. This meaning apparently owes its rise to the influence of Philonic thought upon the Alexandrian Christian tradition, along with (perhaps) a misreading of Porphyry on Origen’s part. Although the verbal-inspirationist meaning has ruled in the minds of translators and commentators, the vivificationist meaning represents the thought of 2 Tim. 3:16. Rather than refer to “all scripture” as “inspired,” the author of 2 Timothy calls attention to Scripture’s “life-giving” quality, a quality it has by virtue of conveying the life-giving gospel."
https://ref.ly/o/nvntnnsprscrptr/542724?length=991

MJ. Smith

I am aware that almost all Christians acknowledge the inspiration of the Bible.

Unfortunately, they mean very different things by "inspiration". The topic cannot be broached without getting into a theological discussion of the many possible meanings of the word "inspiration" and, as you framed it, the relationship of your proof-text to the remainder of scripture related to the topic. There is no way I'll step into this quagmire with suggestions.

xnman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285930#Comment_1285930

Yep, another leading question to start a debate.... I wish Christian would stop this. Because Christian keeps on doing this... I wonder what his purpose really is.... just to divide and cause arguments? I vote it's time to stop it. People would have stop anyone else from doing this...

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285951#Comment_1285951

leading question to start a debate

That is not Christian's intent as most people on the forum know judging from their responses.

People would have stop anyone else from doing this...

You are comparatively new to the forums so that you do not remember the stroke victim who wrote page long posts on a single topic, or the mentally ill seminary student, or ... (examples chosen that are no longer in the forums). In each case, the forumites showed compassion and empathy. In contrast, a combative and abusive individual who was a teenager trolling was tracked down and booted off the forums. I am proud of the forumites' ability to adjust to the actual situation, some by providing answers, some by simply scrolling past people they do not wish to deal with.

Norman Cubbage

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285992#Comment_1285992

AMEN!

Bill Anderson

In what ways may I search for alternative perspectives on the Reformed evangelical viewpoints using Logos Bible Software?

Since this is the part of the question we forumites can answer without wading into the banned theological quagmire, I did a search in the Factbook and Theology Guide on "the Bible's Inspiration" or "Inspiration of the Bible." My hits returned a number of encyclopedia and dictionary articles, systematic theologies, and books, including Catholic, Baptists, and Lutheran. Of course, your returns will be limited by your available resources.