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-21-
God Hath Spoken
Theories of Inspiration
There are four basic theories advanced to explain the manner by which God inspired His Word: the Mechanical or Dictation Theory, the Partial Inspiration Theory, the Thought Inspiration Theory, and the Plenary Verbal Theory. So first:
The Mechanical or Dictation Theory
The Dictation Theory implies that the writer was passive, and that he did not use any human style of writing, or any vocabulary of which he had knowledge. It implies that God always dictated His Word, while man was a mere robot. According to the Bible, there were times when God did dictate His Word, but this was not the norm.
The Partial Inspiration Theory
A second view is known as the Partial Inspiration Theory. People who hold this position teach that while the doctrines and all essential truth is inspired, the historical and the scientific information is marred by inaccuracies. Although the Bible is not a textbook on either science or history, yet when it speaks on these subjects, it is infallible, and therefore it is reliable. The theories of Partial and Mechanical Inspiration must be disregarded.
Thought Inspiration Theory
A third view advanced teaches that only the thoughts of the writers were inspired, and not their words. However, if only the thoughts of the writers were inspired, then would it not be possible for a writer to attempt to express the thoughts in his own vocabulary and to fail to present an accurate account of the revelation?
The primary problem with the theory of Thought Inspiration is the impossibility of communicating thoughts apart from words. In his classic work on the doctrine of inspiration, John Girardeau declares, "Accurate thoughts cannot be disjoined from language. To give the thoughts is to give the words."
The Plenary Verbal Theory
A fourth view postulated is the Plenary Verbal Theory. According to this view, every word is fully inspired by God. It maintains that God has enlightened the writer's mind, guiding him in his choice of words while giving a consciousness of freedom. Yet, all the while, God has protected His word.
We would expect a man like Paul, who received an excellent education under a private tutor, to write as an educated man. Paul, in fact, coined some words. We would also expect that John, an uneducated fisherman, would write in a very simple fashion. First year Greek students translate the gospel of John, or the epistles of John, while second and third year students tackle the difficult writings of Paul.
God enlightened the writer's mind and guided him in the choice of words that he used, yet the writer was given freedom to project his own literary style. John did not write like Paul, and yet, neither John or Paul contradicted the other. Like a heavenly Father, God oversaw, i.e. He superintended, His word.
Some portions of the Bible, however, were dictated. Turn to the book of Exodus chapter 31, verse 18. "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony [i.e. the Ten Commandments], tables of stone, written with the finger of God."
Here God wrote the words and handed them to Moses; but He usually put His own words into the mouths of His writers, the Holy Spirit controlling their thoughts and their judgments, while allowing them to express their own individuality. On certain occasions, however, He gave His word directly.
Often the writers of Scripture did not understand what they wrote. In I Peter chapter 1, verse 10, the apostle writes, "Of which salvation [speaking of the blessed salvation from sin] the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you."
While the prophets prophesied of the grace that was yet to be revealed, they nevertheless "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. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into" (I Pet. 1:11-12).
No angel was ever converted. No angel has experienced the new birth. Those that rebelled are forever denied forgiveness, because the grace of salvation was never extended to include the angels. Angels that did not sin, never forfeited their estate, and consequently are strangers to salvation. Instead, they desire to look into these things.