Organic Disciplemaking
Appendix 2:
Verbal Plenary Inspiration of the Bible
By Dennis McCallum and Gary
DeLashmutt
We use this outline to teach disciples why the Bible is inspired
by God, and what inspiration means. We usually read the text and look
up the verses, asking for each what implications they see for the doctrine
of inspiration.
Definition
Inspiration - “All Scripture is inspired
by God [theopneustos= “God-breathed”] and profitable
for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” (2 Tim.
3:16) - God so moved the authors of Scripture that the resulting product
was the Word of God written, totally without error in the autographs,
in every area including theology, history, geography and science.
Reasons for Accepting This View
An inductive case for verbal inspiration:
- Demonstrate the relative
historical reliability of the Gospel records.
- Bibliographical test - Are there enough copies to reconstruct
the originals?
- Internal test - Does the author disqualify himself
by contradictions or known factual errors?
- External test - Do other historical materials confirm or
deny the author's testimony? (See F.F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents,
Are They Reliable? or Gleason Archer, Survey of Old Testament
Introduction for details on these questions.)
- Note the claims of Christ
to deity recorded in the Gospels.
- Verify the claims deductively
by eliminating unsatisfactory explanations (the Lord, liar, lunatic
argument) or by demonstrating the authentication of Christ based on
biblical prophecy.
- Therefore, since Christ
is God, his teaching on biblical inspiration is authoritative.
Christ's Teaching on Inspiration
With your disciple, go over each of the following passages,
answering the question, “What does this passage teach or imply
about the nature of inspiration?”
- The Old Testament:
Mat. 5:18; John 10:35; John 5:39-47; Mark 12:36; Mat. 19:4-5; Mat. 22:29-32;
Mat. 12:39,40; Luke 17:26-32; Luke 24:44
- His own words:
Mat. 24:35; Mat. 7:24-27; John 3:5 "truly I say"; John 8:31,
32
- The Apostles' writings:
Jesus preauthenticated the apostles' writings during the last
supper: John 14:26; John 15:26,27; John 16:13,14
The Human Authors Agree with Christ's Position
Again, if you have your disciples read these passages with you,
and determine what each teaches or implies about inspiration, the knowledge
will last longer in their memory than simply telling them.
- The Old Testament:
Joshua 1:8; 22:5; 2 Sam. 23:2; Neh. 10:29
- The New Testament:
John 21:24; 1 Cor. 14:37; Gal. 1:11-12; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 Tim.
5:18 (Where in the scripture does it say “The laborer is worthy…?”)
2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:16-21; 2 Pet. 3:2; 2 Pet.
3:15, 16; Rev. 1:3; Rev. 22:18,19
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