How was the Bible written down?
The Bible was written over many centuries by many human authors, yet Scripture insists these writings are not merely human products; they are God-breathed. God spoke through the prophets, moved holy men to write by the Holy Spirit, and had His words written down in books, until in these last days He spoke finally through His Son and the Spirit guided the apostles to write the gospel down. The Bible is God's message, written by men whom He carried along.
This question arose from studying Can I trust the Bible?.
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What the Scripture says
God spoke, and had His words written down
From the very beginning, God's speaking was joined to writing. The LORD said to Moses, 'Write you these words: for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you,' and Moses wrote the words of the law in a book. God told Jeremiah, 'Take a scroll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken to you.' The spoken word of God was preserved in written form, because He intended it to endure for His people.
Yahweh said to Moses, “Write you these words: for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
When Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,
Take a scroll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day.Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.
The prophets wrote as men moved by the Spirit
Scripture is honest about its human writers and clear about its divine origin. Peter writes, 'no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit,' and that 'no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.' The human authors were real men in real circumstances, and the Holy Spirit carried them along, so that what they wrote is at once their words and God's.
For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
All Scripture is God-breathed
The Bible's own account of itself is that its breath comes from God: 'Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.' Paul could say of his own writings that they were 'the commandment of the Lord,' and Hebrews traces the whole thing back: God spoke through the prophets, and in these last days through His Son. The book is God's own word to us.
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
The New Testament was written by eyewitnesses
The New Testament claims the anchor of testimony. Luke wrote 'having traced the course of all things accurately from the first,' an orderly account of what eyewitnesses delivered, that the reader might know the certainty of what was taught. Peter declared, 'we did not follow cunningly devised fables... but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.' John wrote so that his readers might believe that Jesus is the Christ. These writings rest on those who saw and heard.
it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
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.But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Many writers, one Author
The Bible was written over centuries by prophets, kings, a shepherd, fishermen, a tax collector, a physician, and an apostle, in different lands and languages; yet it is one book with one Author. God spoke at 'many times and in various ways' through the prophets, and holy men wrote as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit, so that all of it is 'God-breathed.' The many careful human hands are all guided by the one Spirit, and the whole library is the word of the one God.
God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
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What does it mean to meditate on Scripture?→“but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”How do I find Christ in the Old Testament?→““You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”How do we know which books belong in the Bible?→“Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”What is the difference between reading the Bible and studying it?→“Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”What does it mean that the Bible is both human and divine?→“Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”Where do the wisdom books fit in the Bible's story?→“To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”What are the greatest promises God made before Christ?→“I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”Why is the Bible arranged the way it is?→“He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”How can I understand hard passages in the Bible?→“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.”Did Jesus treat Scripture as the final authority?→“But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”Should I test every teaching by Scripture?→“Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
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.But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
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