03.12 - Ancient Views of Inspiration
(12) Ancient Views of Inspiration
Jewish Rabbis and writers, Apostolic and Church Fathers, Councils, creeds, and confessions, give us views of Scripture which reflect the thoughts and teachings of men respecting the sacredness, perfection, and value of the Scriptures; their importance, inspiration, and authority as the rule of faith and practice: but we do not find in them any definite and satisfactory view of the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures as a whole. And while no presentation of their views and teachings would put an end to all controversy on the question, it is nevertheless important and necessary to know what their views and teachings are. 1 A careful examination of these will reveal the fact that they recognised the presence of Divine and human elements in the Scriptures, and the most conflicting statements are made respecting them, which makes it most difficult, if not impossible, to harmonise their views and statements respecting the Divine infallibility and perfection of Scripture and the human fallibility and errancy of the writers. It must be remembered, however, that the general drift of a writer’s views and opinions are not necessarily identical with particular expressions and isolated passages found in their writings. Nor must it be supposed that all ancient writers and
1 These may be found in a convenient form in the writings of Bishops Lightfoot and Westcott, and the Hampton Lecture of Prof. Sanday.
Fathers of the Church are of equal importance and authority. And while many statements imply that Verbal Inspiration was the view held by some of them, the high views held as to the importance and unsur passed moral excellency of the Scriptures are not identical with that particular theory.
These ancient writers held firmly by the Divine inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. This is evidenced by the names and titles used of the Scriptures and by which they are differentiated from all other writings. The)spoke of them as “inspired,” “ holy,” and “ divine,” they styled them “ Holy Scriptures,” “ memoirs of Christ and of the Apostles,” “divine oracles,” “ oracles of the Lord,” etc. epithets and titles intended to express belief in their inspiration and authority. Irenams speaks of the sacred writers as u fully assured about all things and possessed of perfect knowledge,” while their writings are “ perfect, because given by God and the Spirit of God.” Tertullian speaks of” the minds of the sacred writers being flooded by the Holy Ghost,” and that they “delivered that, and that only, which the}received from Christ Himself.” lie speaks of “the completeness of the Scriptures,” of “ the records of faith as the source whence all arguments in defence of the Christian faith arc derived.” The Gospels are spoken of “ as authentic accounts of Jesus Christ and of the doctrines He commissioned His servants to teach.” Athanasius speaks of the Scriptures as “ above all Synods, Councils, and creeds in matters of faith,” and as “sufficient of themselves for all purposes of faith and salvation.” Origen and Justin designate the Scriptures “ theopnenstos” and the “ source of all religious truth,” but “ they have a body and a spirit,” and “ the letter is subservient to the Spirit.” Jerome speaks of the Scriptures as “suggested by the Holy Spirit,” and he calls them “ theodidactoi” Augustine contended for the literal accuracy of every word of Scripture, and that “ the Apostles did not and could not err, nor make mistakes, nor set down anything falsely.”
We have here every diversity of expression respecting the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures, they are “ inspired,” “ divine,” “ infallible,” “ perfect,” and “ holy”; they are spoken of as “the Word of God and of His Spirit “; as being “ dictated” and “ suggested” by the Spirit; the inspiration of the Prophets was “occasional,” that of the Apostles “continuous,” and of the Lord Jesus “unceasing.” Jerome says, “ The weakness of human nature could not endure the constant indwelling of the Holy Spirit, nor could the ordinary function of the body be always discharged under the presence of the Lord.”