713 lines
26 KiB
Plaintext
713 lines
26 KiB
Plaintext
The following lectures are two lectures from the ENGLISH BIBLE:
|
|
MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE Lecture notes available from Bible Baptist
|
|
Church Publications.
|
|
|
|
This study in BIBLE INTRODUCTION fully upholds the Authorized,
|
|
King James Version as the pure, preserved Word Of God in
|
|
English. The notes deal with both Biblical and historical
|
|
reasons for this stand, covering the issues causing much
|
|
consternation today in a documented, non-inflammatory way.
|
|
|
|
Pastors will be glad to find these notes also maintain the
|
|
historic Baptist position without having to resort to the
|
|
'original Greek' or 'a better translation.'
|
|
|
|
-305 pages of TYPESET Lecture Notes, including CHARTS, STUDY
|
|
QUESTIONS, and ASSIGNMENTS.
|
|
|
|
-52 pages of Appendices, listing major Papyrus, Unical, and
|
|
Minuscule manuscripts, PLUS a list of English translations
|
|
since 1611 A.D.
|
|
|
|
-Spiral Bound.
|
|
|
|
-$25.00 plus shipping and handling (10%)
|
|
|
|
ORDER FROM: Bible Baptist Church
|
|
1219 N. Harns Road
|
|
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
|
|
Telephone: (206) 675-8311
|
|
|
|
Lecture One is the course description
|
|
Lecture Two is a Lecture on Revelation.
|
|
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE - LECTURE 1 - COURSE DESCRIPTION
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
INTRODUCTION
|
|
|
|
Welcome to this series of lectures on the subject of our English Bible. It
|
|
is hoped these notes will provide a clear, concise, and accurate study of
|
|
the doctrinal, textual, and historical basis for the Bible we hold in our
|
|
hands - the Authorized, King James Version.
|
|
|
|
I. AIM OF THE COURSE OF STUDY
|
|
|
|
The objectives of this course entitled "English Bible: Manuscript
|
|
Evidences" are as follows:
|
|
|
|
A. To acquaint the student with the general history of the Bible as it
|
|
came from God to man.
|
|
|
|
B. To give the student an understanding of the various kinds of
|
|
manuscript evidence, their characteristics, and their use in Bible
|
|
translations.
|
|
|
|
C. To instruct the student in lower (textual) criticism by examining
|
|
the popular theories held today.
|
|
|
|
D. To give the student an understanding of the issues relating to Bible
|
|
Versions facing believers today.
|
|
|
|
E. To give the student a firm grasp of the doctrine of the Preservation
|
|
Of The Word Of God.
|
|
|
|
F. To strengthen the student's confidence in the Authorized, King James
|
|
Version as the preserved Word of God.
|
|
|
|
G. To equip the student to defend confidently the Authorized, King James
|
|
Version both Scripturally and factually.
|
|
|
|
H. To foster a greater love and respect for, and to increase the
|
|
student's faith in, the Word of God; and to enhance his use of the
|
|
Word of God in preaching, soul winning, and personal devotion.
|
|
|
|
I. To stimulate the student and prepare him for further studies in the
|
|
Word of God.
|
|
|
|
II. IMPORTANCE OF THE COURSE
|
|
|
|
What we believe about the Bible determines what we believe about all
|
|
other doctrines. This is because our faith is BIBLE BASED.
|
|
If we are "off" on the Bible, we will be "off" on all the other
|
|
doctrines, and, if we have the wrong Bible, we will have wrong
|
|
beliefs accordingly.
|
|
|
|
CHRIST AND CHRISTIANITY STAND OR FALL WITH THE BIBLE!
|
|
|
|
Psalm 11:3 "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
|
|
|
|
A. Which Bible?
|
|
|
|
Theological battles have raged throughout most of the centuries of
|
|
Christendom's history. All the great doctrines taught in the Bible have
|
|
at some point in time been challenged and defended. Creeds have been
|
|
written, wars have been fought, and denominations founded as a direct
|
|
result of passionate controversy.
|
|
To the twentieth century may rightfully be given the title, "The Battle
|
|
For The Bible." Of all the issues fought over, that of the Bible ranks
|
|
foremost.
|
|
|
|
In the earlier decades, the battle-lines were formed over the issues of
|
|
Authorship (Inspiration) and Authority (credibility), and the outcome
|
|
was the broad division of Christendom into two camps - the liberal and
|
|
the conservative. It was at this time that the terms "modernist" and
|
|
"fundamentalist" came to be used.
|
|
|
|
The last decades of the 20th Century have seen the matter of the Word of
|
|
God become a great issue within the "conservative camp", to the place that
|
|
it has now become a point of division amongst fundamentalists. Like all
|
|
theological controversies, this has raged with much feeling and fire, and
|
|
at times has been fueled with personal abuse rather than substantive facts.
|
|
Nevertheless, the burning question facing Bible-believing Baptists in this
|
|
present day and age is, "Which Bible?" There is a multiplicity of
|
|
Versions available, each with varying claims and style, and each with
|
|
significant differences in key doctrinal passages. If truth is narrow,
|
|
then they all cannot be right!
|
|
|
|
A secondary question is, "Do we really have the Word of God available
|
|
to us today?" After all, it has been over 1,890 years since the ink
|
|
dried on the Book of The Revelation, and are we not taught that the Bible
|
|
was a "lost Book" for the best part of 1,000 years?
|
|
|
|
B. Our God Is At Stake.
|
|
|
|
What kind of God do we have anyway? When He speaks, is His voice so
|
|
"fuzzy" and His words so "garbled" that we can hear Him out of any
|
|
Version of the Bible we choose?
|
|
When He gives us His Word in writing, is He so inept as to lose it for so
|
|
long?
|
|
|
|
Or can it be that we do in fact have a clear, authoritative Word of God
|
|
available to us today - the same Bible as had the early Christians? If
|
|
God is truly the God of Heaven, all powerful, all knowing, all loving,
|
|
then we can be assured the answer is a resounding "yes!"
|
|
|
|
This course of study is mainly concerned with the more recent of the
|
|
above issues - that of Authenticity. Which Bible is the Word of God,
|
|
if indeed we do have it?
|
|
|
|
The story of our English Bible is fascinating, amazing, and humbling. It
|
|
is the story of how the very words of the living God were transmitted
|
|
from the throne-room of glory into our frail, trembling hands.
|
|
|
|
Holding the Bible is like standing in the presence of Almighty God; like
|
|
sitting at the feet of Jesus; like watching the workings of the Holy
|
|
Ghost.
|
|
|
|
It is THE WORD OF GOD!
|
|
|
|
III. OUTLINE OF LECTURES
|
|
|
|
Lecture 1: INTRODUCTION
|
|
|
|
I. Aim Of The Course
|
|
II. Importance Of Course
|
|
III. Outline Of Course
|
|
IV. Overview Of Course
|
|
V. Grading Of Course
|
|
VI. Helpful Texts
|
|
|
|
Lecture 2: REVELATION
|
|
|
|
I. Revelation Defined
|
|
II. Revelation Explained
|
|
A. General revelation
|
|
B. Special revelation
|
|
III. Revelation Contrasted
|
|
|
|
Lecture 3: INSPIRATION
|
|
|
|
I. Biblical Statements Of Inspiration
|
|
II. Inspiration Defined
|
|
A. Confluent
|
|
B. Verbal
|
|
C. Plenary
|
|
D. Inerrant
|
|
E. Infallible
|
|
III. Theories Of Inspiration
|
|
IV. Old Testament Inspiration
|
|
V. New Testament Inspiration
|
|
VI. Evidences Of Inspiration
|
|
|
|
Lecture 4: COMMUNICATION
|
|
|
|
I. Development Of Languages And Writing.
|
|
II. Development Of The English Language
|
|
III. Biblical Languages & Writing
|
|
IV. Transmission Of Biblical Text
|
|
A. Manuscript Types
|
|
B. Manuscript Materials
|
|
C. Manuscript Terminology
|
|
|
|
Lecture 5: CANONIZATION
|
|
|
|
I. The Meaning Of Canon And Canonicity
|
|
II. The Standards Or Tests Of Canonicity
|
|
III. Terms Used In The Canonical Process
|
|
A. Homologoumena
|
|
B. Antilogoumena
|
|
C. Apocrypha
|
|
D. Pseudepigrapha
|
|
IV. The Old Testament Canon
|
|
V. The New Testament Canon
|
|
|
|
Lecture 6: PRESERVATION
|
|
|
|
I. The Doctrine Of Preservation
|
|
II. The Logic Of Preservation
|
|
III. The Extent Of Preservation
|
|
IV. The Various Views Of Preservation
|
|
V. The Nature Of Preservation
|
|
A. Physical perpetuity
|
|
B. Textual purity
|
|
VI. The Preservation Of The Old Testament
|
|
A. Jewish Witness To The Hebrew Text
|
|
B. Samaritan Witness To The Hebrew Text
|
|
C. Christian Witness To The Hebrew Text
|
|
VII. The Preservation Of The New Testament
|
|
A. The Old Latin Bible
|
|
B. The Old Syriac Bible
|
|
C. The Gothic Bible
|
|
|
|
Lecture 7: DESECRATION
|
|
|
|
I. The Nature Of Textual Corruption
|
|
II. The Background Of Textual Corruption
|
|
III. The Great Center Of Textual Corruption
|
|
IV. The Great Agent Of Textual Corruption
|
|
V. The Products Of Textual Corruption
|
|
A. The Eusebio-Constantine Bible
|
|
B. The Latin Vulgate
|
|
VI. The Septuagint Question
|
|
|
|
Lecture 8: EMANCIPATION I
|
|
|
|
I. Foundations Of The Reformation
|
|
II. Desiderius Erasmus
|
|
A. The Life Of Erasmus
|
|
B. The Works Of Erasmus
|
|
C. The Criticisms Of Erasmus
|
|
D. The Johannine Comma
|
|
III. The Textus Receptus
|
|
|
|
Lecture 9: EMANCIPATION II
|
|
|
|
I. The Period Of Manuscript Collection
|
|
A. Polyglot Bibles
|
|
B. Critical Editions Of The Received Text
|
|
C. The Work Of Tischendorf
|
|
II. The Major Uncial Manuscripts
|
|
III. The Major Minuscule Manuscripts
|
|
IV. The Major Papyrus Manuscripts
|
|
|
|
Lecture 10: TRANSLATION
|
|
|
|
I. Ancient English Bibles
|
|
II. Medieval English Bibles
|
|
III. Reformation English Bibles
|
|
|
|
Lecture 11: CORONATION
|
|
|
|
The Authorized, King James Version:
|
|
|
|
I. Its Historical Setting
|
|
II. Its Proposal
|
|
III. Its Translation
|
|
IV. Its Translators
|
|
V. Its Textual Basis
|
|
VI. Its Language
|
|
|
|
Lecture 12: PUBLICATION
|
|
|
|
I. Editions Of The Authorized Version
|
|
II. Revisions Of The Authorized Version
|
|
III. Reception Of The Authorized Version
|
|
IV. Excellence Of The Authorized Version
|
|
V. Influence Of The Authorized Version
|
|
|
|
Lecture 13: DISCRIMINATION
|
|
|
|
I. Scientific Biblical Criticism Defined
|
|
II. The Historical Background Of Scientific Biblical Criticism
|
|
III. An Examination Of Higher Criticism
|
|
IV. An Examination Of Lower (Textual) Criticism
|
|
V. The Westcott And Hort Theory
|
|
VI. The Westcott And Hort Theory Refuted
|
|
VII. Major Differences With Critical Texts
|
|
|
|
Lecture 14: PROLIFERATION
|
|
|
|
I. Early Revisions Of The Authorized Version
|
|
II. Early 20th Century Perversions
|
|
III. Late 20th Century Perversions
|
|
IV. Modern Methods Of Translating
|
|
V. Testing Modern Perversions
|
|
|
|
Lecture 15: ALTERCATION
|
|
|
|
I. An Overview Of The K.J.V. Issue Today
|
|
II. Arguments Against The K.J.V.
|
|
III. Arguments For The K.J.V.
|
|
IV. Textual Difficulties In The K.J.V.
|
|
V. Deceptive Modifications
|
|
IV. OVERVIEW OF COURSE
|
|
|
|
The following diagram shows the rationale of this course of study, and
|
|
depicts the historical basis of how we came to receive our Bible. Such an
|
|
outline may be termed, "From God To Us", since we begin with the
|
|
supernatural revelation of the Word of God to holy men of God, and conclude
|
|
with the printed Word of God we hold in our hands each day.
|
|
|
|
GOD
|
|
REVELATION
|
|
INSPIRATION
|
|
COMMUNICATION
|
|
CANONIZATION
|
|
PRESERVATION
|
|
DESECRATION
|
|
EMANCIPATION
|
|
TRANSLATION
|
|
CORONATION
|
|
PUBLICATION
|
|
DISCRIMINATION
|
|
PROLIFERATION
|
|
ALTERCATION
|
|
MAN
|
|
|
|
|
|
IV. GRADING OF THE COURSE
|
|
|
|
A. Quarterly Grade
|
|
|
|
This will consist of the following:
|
|
|
|
1. Average Grade Of Assignments......... 50%
|
|
2. Quarterly Examination................ 50%
|
|
|
|
B. Course Grade
|
|
|
|
This will consist of the following:
|
|
|
|
1. Average Of Quarterly Grades.......... 70%
|
|
2. Course Paper......................... 30%
|
|
|
|
C. Grading System
|
|
|
|
A+ 97 -100%
|
|
A- 94 - 96% Excellent work
|
|
|
|
B+ 90 - 93%
|
|
B- 87 - 89% Very Good work
|
|
|
|
C+ 82 - 86%
|
|
C- 79 - 81% Average work
|
|
|
|
D 70 - 78% Below Average work
|
|
|
|
F Below 70% Fail
|
|
|
|
I Incomplete (Return in 1 week for credit)
|
|
|
|
Grades will be reduced for the following reasons:
|
|
|
|
Late assignments (unless Providentially hindered).
|
|
|
|
2 points per day late.
|
|
|
|
Inexcusable absence from regular lectures.
|
|
|
|
More than 3 such absences per quarter will result in automatic quarterly
|
|
grade of F.
|
|
|
|
Careless spelling and grammar. (Pastors need to exhibit skill in this
|
|
area.)
|
|
|
|
VI. HELPFUL TEXTS
|
|
|
|
The following texts are presented for the information of the student.
|
|
These, and other books pertaining to the subject, have been consulted or
|
|
referred to in the preparation of these lecture notes. They are not
|
|
necessarily endorsed as "recommended", and students should be aware that
|
|
doctrinal errors are likely to be found, even in books defending the
|
|
Authorized Version.
|
|
|
|
For a guide to purchasing any of the books listed below, the student is
|
|
directed to his pastor.
|
|
|
|
A. General Biblical Introduction:
|
|
|
|
Ewert, D. From Ancient Tablets To Modern Translations. Grand
|
|
Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1983
|
|
|
|
Miller, H. S. General Biblical Introduction. Houghton,New York:
|
|
Word Bearer Press, 1960
|
|
|
|
Geisler, N. L. & Nix, W. E. From God To Us. Chicago, Illinois:
|
|
Moody Press, 1981
|
|
|
|
Kenyon, Sir F. The Story Of The Bible. London: John Murray, 1944
|
|
|
|
Bruce, F. F. The Books And The Parchments. Old Tappan, New Jersey:
|
|
Revell, 1984
|
|
|
|
B. Biblical Texts And Textual Considerations
|
|
|
|
Pickering, W. N. The Identity Of The New Testament Text. Nashville,
|
|
Tennessee: Nelson, 1977
|
|
|
|
Ruckman, P. S. The Christian's Handbook Of Manuscript Evidence.
|
|
Palatka: Pensacola Bible Press
|
|
|
|
MacLean, W. The Providential Preservation Of The Greek Text Of The
|
|
New Testament. Gisborne, New Zealand: Te Rau Press, 1977
|
|
|
|
Burgon, J. W. The Revision Revised. Collingswood, New Jersey: The
|
|
Bible For Today (Classic reprint), 1984
|
|
|
|
Fuller, D. O. Which Bible? Grand Rapids, Michigan: Grand Rapids
|
|
International Publications, 1975
|
|
|
|
Fuller, D. O. True Or False? Grand Rapids, Michigan: Grand Rapids
|
|
International Publications, 1973
|
|
|
|
Hills, E. F. Believing Bible Study Des Moines, Iowa: The Christian
|
|
Research Press, 1977
|
|
|
|
Ruckman P. S. The Christian's Handbook Of Biblical Scholarship.
|
|
Pensacola, Florida: Bible Baptist Bookstore, 1988
|
|
|
|
Robertson A. T. An Introduction To The Textual Criticism Of The New
|
|
Testament. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran & Company, 1925.
|
|
|
|
Sturtz, H. A. The Byzantine Text-Type And New Testament Textual
|
|
Criticism. Nashville, Tennessee: Nelson, 1984
|
|
|
|
C. The King James Version
|
|
|
|
Grant, F. W. Translating The Bible. Edinburgh: Nelson, 1961
|
|
|
|
Beale, D. A Pictorial History Of Our English Bible. Greenville,
|
|
South Carolina: Bob Jones University Press, 1982
|
|
|
|
Paine, G. S. The Men Behind The K.J.V. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
|
|
Baker, 1977
|
|
|
|
McClure, A. W. Translators Revived. Worthington: Maranatha
|
|
Publications
|
|
|
|
Cloud, D. W. Myths About The King James Bible. Oak Harbor,
|
|
Washington: Way Of Life Publications, 1986
|
|
|
|
Reagan, D. F. The King James Version Of 1611 The Myth Of Early
|
|
Revisions. Knoxville: Trinity Baptist Temple
|
|
|
|
Cimino, D. The Book. Harlingen: Wonderful Word Publishers.
|
|
|
|
Van Bruggen, J. The Future Of The Bible. Nashville, Tennessee:
|
|
Nelson, 1972
|
|
|
|
Lackey, B. Why I Believe The Old King James Bible. Chattanooga,
|
|
Tennessee: Personal publication
|
|
|
|
Hills, E. F. The King James Version Defended. Des Moines, Iowa:
|
|
The Christian Research Press, 1979
|
|
|
|
D. Examination Of Perversions
|
|
|
|
Fowler, E. W. Evaluating Versions Of The New Testament. Watertown,
|
|
Wisconsin: Maranatha Baptist Press, 1981
|
|
|
|
Nowlin, G. The Paraphrased Perversion Of The Bible. Collingswood,
|
|
New Jersey: The Bible For Today, 1975
|
|
|
|
Lewis, J. P. The English Bible From KJV To NIV. Grand Rapids,
|
|
Michigan: Baker, 1981
|
|
|
|
Coy, G. H. The Inside Story Of The Anglo American Revised New
|
|
Testament. Personal publication, 1973
|
|
|
|
Countess, R. H. The Jehovah's Witnesses' New Testament.
|
|
Phillipsburg: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing, 1987
|
|
|
|
Cloud, D. W. Unholy Hands On God's Holy Book. Oak Harbor,
|
|
Washington: Way Of Life, 1985
|
|
|
|
Moser, M. L. Jr. Good News For Modern Man The Devil's Masterpiece.
|
|
Little Rock, Arkansas: Challenge Press, 1970
|
|
|
|
Cloud, D. W. The Bible Society, The Good News Bible, And The
|
|
Apocrypha. Oak Harbor, Washington: Way Of Life
|
|
|
|
Moser, M. L. Jr. The Case Against The Living Bible. Little Rock,
|
|
Arkansas: Challenge Press, 1973
|
|
|
|
Moser, M. L. Jr. The New English Bible Satan's Polluted
|
|
Translation. Little Rock, Arkansas: Challenge Press, 1971
|
|
|
|
Cloud, D. W. Dynamic Equivalency - Death Knell Of Pure Scripture.
|
|
Oak Harbor, Washington: Way Of Life
|
|
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE - LECTURE 2 - REVELATION
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
The word "revelation" simply means a revealing, and in theology is applied
|
|
to God's revealing of Himself to mankind.
|
|
|
|
Without revelation, we wouldn't know anything about God - or even that there
|
|
was a God. Thus we begin this study with the premise that God desires to
|
|
make Himself known to man, and has revealed Himself at various times and in
|
|
different ways - Hebrews 1:1,2; 2:1-4.
|
|
|
|
I. REVELATION DEFINED
|
|
|
|
"Revelation is the unveiling of something previously hidden so that it
|
|
may be seen for what it is."
|
|
|
|
All revelation is supernatural in that it has God for its source and
|
|
truth as its end. See: Deuteronomy 29:29.
|
|
|
|
II. REVELATION EXPLAINED
|
|
|
|
The revelation of God to man falls into two basic categories:
|
|
|
|
GOD
|
|
|
|
GENERAL T SPECIAL
|
|
REVELATION O REVELATION
|
|
|
|
MAN
|
|
|
|
A. General Revelation.
|
|
|
|
General (or Natural) Revelation is that knowledge of God derived
|
|
from the light of natural things.
|
|
|
|
General Revelation is accessible to all men and is addressed to all
|
|
intelligent creatures. It is the revelation of God to man in:
|
|
|
|
1. Creation.
|
|
See: Psalm 19:1-6; Isaiah 40:12,26; Acts 14:17; Psalm 8:1; 104:24.
|
|
|
|
2. History.
|
|
See: Psalm 9:16a
|
|
|
|
3. Conscience.
|
|
See: Romans 2:15
|
|
|
|
General Revelation bears witness to the existence of God, the
|
|
power of God, and the need for God. However it does not testify
|
|
to the personality of God or the plan of salvation.
|
|
|
|
According to Romans 1:18-20, the effect of General Revelation is
|
|
to condemn man. Why? See: Romans 1:21.
|
|
|
|
General Revelation alone is inadequate to save man for two
|
|
reasons:
|
|
|
|
a. Creation has been affected by the entrance of sin.
|
|
See: Genesis 3:17; Romans 8:22.
|
|
|
|
The witness is marred and blurred, and is now a monument to
|
|
God's curse upon sin.
|
|
|
|
b. Man himself has also been affected by sin, to the extent that
|
|
he is not able to read the evidences of God afforded in nature
|
|
aright.
|
|
|
|
B. Special Revelation.
|
|
|
|
Special Revelation is direct, divine intervention in the affairs of
|
|
this world, and is God revealing Himself through special acts done
|
|
by His Person.
|
|
|
|
This kind of revelation has come to man by various means -
|
|
Hebrews 1:1:
|
|
|
|
1. Through Dreams.
|
|
See: Genesis 37:5-10
|
|
|
|
2. Through Visions.
|
|
See: Daniel 8:1
|
|
|
|
3. Through Urim And Thummin.
|
|
See: Numbers 27:21
|
|
|
|
4. Through Audible Voices.
|
|
See: I Samuel 3:1-10
|
|
|
|
5. Through Animals.
|
|
See: Numbers 22:28
|
|
|
|
6. Through Angels.
|
|
See: Luke 1:26-37
|
|
|
|
etc.
|
|
|
|
The "crown" of God's special revelation of Himself to man was in the
|
|
coming to earth of the Lord Jesus Christ. See: John 1:14; 14:9.
|
|
|
|
The "completion" of God's special revelation of Himself to man is
|
|
the BIBLE.
|
|
|
|
According to Psalm 19:7-14, the effect of special Biblical revelation is to save man. Thus this kind of revelation is redemptive
|
|
and remedial.
|
|
|
|
Special Revelation is necessary because of:
|
|
|
|
a. The effects of sin (as outlined above).
|
|
|
|
b. The transcendence of God (the fact that He is so separated, holy,
|
|
that man could not find Him).
|
|
|
|
c. The Personality of God (the fact that He is a God of love Who
|
|
desires fellowship with man).
|
|
|
|
"Without special revelation, general revelation would be for sinful
|
|
men incomplete and ineffective, and could issue, as in fact it has
|
|
issued wherever it alone has been accessible, only in leaving them
|
|
without excuse (Romans 1:20).
|
|
|
|
"Without general revelation, special revelation would lack that basis
|
|
in the fundamental knowledge of God as the mighty and wise, righteous
|
|
and good, Maker and Ruler of all things, apart from which the further
|
|
revelation of this great God's interventions in the world for the
|
|
salvation of sinners could not be either intelligible, credible, or
|
|
operative." Warfield B. B. Inspiration And Authority Of The Bible.
|
|
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Baker, 1948
|
|
|
|
III. REVELATION CONTRASTED
|
|
|
|
Several terms are often associated with any discussion on the doctrine
|
|
of the Bible. As an aid to understanding what is meant by "Revelation,"
|
|
these terms are contrasted below:
|
|
|
|
A. Revelation vs. Inspiration.
|
|
|
|
1. Revelation makes truth known.
|
|
|
|
Inspiration provides for its inerrant recording.
|
|
|
|
2. The Bible contains Revelation.
|
|
|
|
The entire Bible is Inspired.
|
|
|
|
The writers of the Bible drew from two different sources for their
|
|
narrative:
|
|
|
|
a. Special revelation - i.e. things that only God could make
|
|
known. e.g. the account of Creation, the fall of Satan, etc.
|
|
|
|
b. Personal observation - i.e. known facts that resulted from what
|
|
the writer saw, e.g. the crossing of the Red Sea, or, from
|
|
existing documents, e.g. Ezra 6:1-12.
|
|
|
|
Both kinds of narrative are recorded for us in the Bible.
|
|
Inspiration ensures both are recorded without error.
|
|
|
|
3. Revelation Is Progressive.
|
|
|
|
Inspiration is plenary.
|
|
|
|
God did not reveal all truth at the beginning. Much truth was
|
|
revealed progressively over centuries - I Peter 1:9-12. Some
|
|
examples of this would be:
|
|
|
|
a. The Name of God.
|
|
|
|
b. The Coming of Messiah.
|
|
|
|
On the contrary, there is NO SUCH THING as progressive
|
|
inspiration. All parts of the Bible were inspired of God, and
|
|
equally inspired.
|
|
|
|
B. Revelation vs. Illumination.
|
|
|
|
Illumination is the Holy Spirit-given understanding of revelation or
|
|
revealed truth.
|
|
|
|
The believer enjoys this blessing today as he studies the Word of
|
|
God. See: I John 2:20,21,27.
|
|
|
|
The presence or absence of illumination with the writers of the Word
|
|
of God had no bearing on the inspiration of the Bible.
|
|
|
|
1. Sometimes the words of the Biblical writers were the result of
|
|
careful research. e.g. Luke 1:1-4, where Luke had full
|
|
understanding of what he was writing.
|
|
|
|
2. Sometimes the Biblical writers both understood what they were
|
|
writing and recognized the words they were penning as coming
|
|
directly from God. e.g. II Samuel 23:2.
|
|
|
|
In such cases, the writers had full illumination of what was being
|
|
written.
|
|
|
|
3. Sometimes the Biblical writers did not know the importance of the
|
|
words they penned, recognizing them as divine, but not
|
|
understanding them. e.g. Daniel 12:8,9.
|
|
|
|
4. Sometimes, the source of the words neither understood the words
|
|
nor recognized them as divine. e.g. John 11:49-52.
|
|
|
|
The point is, whether the writer had illumination or not,
|
|
inspiration provided that God's exact message was truthfully
|
|
recorded.
|
|
|
|
I Corinthians 2:9,10 - REVELATION - "Disclosure"
|
|
I Corinthians 2:12 - ILLUMINATION - "Discovery"
|
|
I Corinthians 2:13 - INSPIRATION - "Documenting"
|
|
|