So let the Bible be what it is. Let God's choice of people be what they were.
Let Providence rule the day. And I think our understanding of inspiration
needs to be consistent with what the Bible is by God's choice.
So what I want to suggest here real quickly.
We'll have time for your response to some of the readings here.
Here's what I'm going to suggest. I'm going to suggest that 2 Timothy 3:16 is true.
But it refers to the ultimate point of origin. «All Scripture is breathed out by God
and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.»
It is "breathed out", it is theopneustos. That does not refer to the process.
It's not whispering, breathy whispering.
It refers to the point of origin. And this is not Mike, making something up.
This is Word Biblical Commentary. I mean, I could find this in lots of places.
Pastoral Epistles, commentary on this passage.
«Theopneustos "God-breathed," occurs only here in the Greek Bible.» And right there,
«it denotes not the manner of the inspiration of Scripture but rather its source.»
But I was always taught that it referred to the manner, except we're not dictation here.
But God's doing something to, you know, to Breathe it out. No, it's not the process.
It's the point of origin, which is God. 2 Peter 1 is also true.
«Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture
comes from someone's own interpretation.»
It's not self sourced. «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.»
And "carried along" refers to guidance, being assisted, nudged along, guided, steered,
as opposed to having to dictate every word. Again, I think 2 Peter speaks of Providence.
That we have a combination of personal intent on God's part, also intent on the writers part,
but the writers have to be assisted and they were.
God oversaw their entire life, just like Erickson says in you know, that I read,
he said it really well. They are prepared to do the job. And you would think,
if God knows that he prepared them well, and he has the right people.
Does God think next that Oh, man, I still got a whisper. I've still got to connect mentally.
I wish I had an app for this.
No, he doesn't need to do that. If God has done his job to this point.
He doesn't need that. So why must we say God chose or gave the words?
And I mean, in some passages, I think that's probably what happened, you know,
but the passage will tell you. Why can we not say God was satisfied by the word decisions
made by the people he chose? And prepared? Why can't we say that?
Like some cosmic law that says we can't say that?
Well, in 1845, there is this statement written by a council. Okay, great, doesn't help.
It just doesn't help.
So let the Bible be what it is. Let God's choice of people be what they were.
Let Providence rule the day. And I think our understanding of inspiration
needs to be consistent with what the Bible is by God's choice.
Otherwise, we make it vulnerable to attack.
Let's not give enemies of Scripture an easier task. That's all I'm asking.
Let's not help them along, give them fodder for what they want to do.