A. While Articles two through seven sreak of the Holy Scriptures, Article 3 speaks of the Inspiration of the written Word of God.
B. Revelation.
1. In Article 2 is mentioned the revelation of God in the “creation, preservation and government of the universe.” This articles speaks of a special revelation of God-a different Word which He spoke by which He revealed Himself to His fallen people. This Word as such is not the Bible, but the Word which God caused His people to hear.
a. The Bible itself is, after all, of comparatively recent origin. There was no written copy of the Word of God for the first 2000 years of the history of the world. Then the writing of the Old Testament was spread over another 2000 years. The last book of the New Testament was probably written between 90 and 95 A.D. But even then the church as a whole did not have the Bible, for it was written on scrolls and in the hands of only a few scholars and monks for many years. It was not until the invention of the printing press about 450 years ago that it was possible for every believer to have possession of the Bible.
b. But the believers were never without the Word of God. For from the very beginning when God preached the Protevangel to our first parents in Paradise, God always caused His Word to be preached.
2. This revelation took on many forms:
a. Direct speech of God-To Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham etc.
b. By angels-To Abraham, Manoah, Zacharias, Mary, the Shepherds, the women at the tomb of Jesus.
c. By dreams-To Jacob, Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Pilate’s wife.
d. By visions-To Daniel, Zechariah, Ezechiel, Peter.
e. By signs and wonders-To Israel through Moses, Elijah, Elisha etc.
f. By direct revelation-For God spoke His Word to the prophets; Christ promised the Spirit of truth.
g. Or in the words of the Heidelberg Catechism: “…the holy gospel… which God first revealed in Paradise; and afterwards published by the patriarchs and prophets, and represented by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law; and lastly, has fulfilled it by his only begotten Son”. Answer 19.
C. Inspiration.
1. When we speak of inspiration, we usually refer particularly to the recording of the Words of God’s revelation. Although it must be understood that the revelation itself is also a part of inspiration.
2. There are several false views of inspiration which we will mention:
a. The Mechanical Theory-This theory teaches that the secondary authors of Holy Writ were nothing more than dictation machines, which the Holy Spirit used as machines to write the Scriptures. This is not according to Scripture, nor does it fit the character of Holy Writ.
b. The Dynamic Theory which teaches that the Holy Spirit only put certain general ideas in the minds of the authors, and they put them in their own words and with their own embellishments.
3. The correct view of inspiration is:
a. That the Scriptures are entirely inspired in every part. Their whole contents are the result of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is referred to as plenary inspiration.
b. That the Scriptures are verbally inspired. Every word is just the word that was intended by the Holy Ghost. Even the use of a plural instead of a singular is important, for the distinction was made by the Spirit.
c. Inspiration is therefore the work of the Holy Spirit of Christ whereby He moved, guided, and directed certain authors to record the Words of the revelation of God.
4. It is sometimes objected, however, that because secondary authors were used in the preparation of the Scriptures, there is a human element as well as a divine in Holy Writ. Yet such can never be the case. Consider the following:
a. That God eternally determined who were to be the authors of the record of His revelation.
b. That God prepared from eternity the character, personality, ability, talent and other natural and spiritual gifts of each individual author.
c. That God prepared in time each man for that particular work. He prepared their birth, nationality, time of birth. He prepared Moses by instruction in Pharoah’s court, by forty years of solitude in the wilderness. He prepared David on the hillsides caring for sheep, in his fleeing from King Saul. He prepared Amos and called him from the herds, Matthew in the toll house, Paul at the feet of Gamaliel and one who persecuted the church. David, e.g., could only write Psalm 23 because he had cared for sheep when he was young. And many of his Psalms concerning the enemies of the Lord could only be written because he had fought the Lord’s battles for many years.
d. And so God eternally prepared each author and in time called him for the particular work of writing a particular part of the Scriptures. Therefore, also, although each word of Scripture is infallibly inspired by the Holy Spirit, nevertheless, the Spirit inspired only in harmony with the nature, personality, character and talents of each author. There is difference between John and Paul, between Moses and Joshua, between Isaiah and Ezekiel. But together, the Word of God forms one complete and organic whole.