19 Apr Who wrote the Bible?
As part of His teaching ministry, Jesus often taught his students (disciples) about the future. On a few occasions He promised the day He would leave them and send the Holy Spirit to perfectly remind them of his life and teachings, so that they could write and teach accurately and truthfully to complete the Bible. [John 14:25–26; 16:12–15.]
The human authors of the Bible include kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, a doctor, and scholars. The books of the Bible cover history, sermons, letters, songs, and love letters. There are geographical surveys, architectural specifications, travel diaries, population statistics, family trees, inventories, and numerous legal documents.
Unlike any other book, the Bible is a book written by both God and man. Hundreds of times the Bible says, “thus says the Lord”, and uses similar statements nearly four thousand times. It was not co-authored, however. It was not God and humans collaborating, or a human writing a draft with God making revisions, or God giving ideas that the human authors put into words. They were not words dictated to humans, as is falsely claimed with the Koran. The Bible is not human writings that become divine when the reader discovers spiritual meaning in them, as it is said of many Eastern religious writings. It is not one of many books containing the religious insights of ancient sages, as many liberals teach.
People who were providentially prepared by God, and motivated and superintended by the Holy Spirit, spoke and wrote according to their own personalities and circumstances in such a way that their words are the very Word of God. [Jer. 1:5, Gal. 1:15; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 1:20–21; Mark 12:36, 1 Cor. 14:37.] Putting it a bit more technically, the writings themselves have the quality of being God-breathed. It is not the authors or the process that is inspired, but the writings.
What is your favorite book or passage of Scripture?
This is an excerpt from Pastor Mark’s booklet Real Faith: Answers to the Top 100 Questions About Christianity. You can get a free digital copy HERE or a physical copy for your gift of any amount during the month of April HERE.
