Inspiration of Scripture

In it's research and publications, the Institute approaches Scripture as “inspired by God,” where “inspiration” bears its literal meaning, “breathing into.” In regarding God as the ultimate ‘author’ of the Bible, the understanding is that he did not dictate his words verbatim to men, as a businessman would to a secretary, but that the authors expressed what God had breathed into them through their own personalities in their own words.

Sometimes these words were originally uttered with an immediacy that attributes them directly to God: “Thus says the Lord”! At other times, they are written with a sense of authority from a writer, such as the apostle Paul, who has had an intimate experience of God which clearly governs his insight, his judgement and his presentation of the truths he holds dear, as a trust given by God.

The alternative view is that the Bible may contain many complex thoughts, some beautiful, some not, philosophical insights, high moral sentiments; that it is a “work of genius,” but, ultimately, that it is not a communication from God in any distinct manner that would set it apart from other works.

David Stern provides evidence for strong confidence in the former view, when, within his Complete Jewish Bible, he offers three reasons for considering the Bible to be “inspired by God,” namely: Scripture claims to be God’s word; the Bible seems to be God’s word and, ultimately, the Bible proves to be God’s word.

Scripture claims to be God's word

“Thus says the Lord” is found over two and a half thousand times in the Bible, placed their by numerous authors, over a period of more than a millennium; this is a claim that is not made very often, so when it is – particularly when many people believe it and suffer for that belief too – it may be worth investigating the claim...

The Bible seems to be God’s word

Its breadth of subject matter, its wisdom, honesty, understanding of the human condition, its expressions of joy and sadness, awe and fear, anger and love, frustration and peace... all ultimately point towards a character underlying the words who is worthy to be called, known and worshipped as God. Within its pages paradoxes are exposed, some are settled, others must be held in tension (such as why bad things happen to good people) through trusting.

The Bible proves to be God’s word

Whilst the Bible is not a scientific document, it is a historical one and historical and archeological evidence is continually being discovered which appears to demonstrate the reliability of the writers and suggest that what they have to say about the unverifiable, may also be trustworthy.

[Stern 1992]