27-CHAPTER XXII INSPIRATION AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF THE BIBLE
CHAPTER XXII INSPIRATION AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF THE BIBLE
We believe in a living, full inspiration because of the spiritual energy that pervades even the smallest portions of the Bible. The question is often put as to how the distinguishing of the books of the Bible as "canonical" from all other writings can be established (canon—plumbline, standard). Apart from the proof of their inward harmony and historical unity, the answer lies especially in the "testimony of the Holy Spirit" (Lat. testimoniumSpititusSancti). Let a spiritual mind read but once the very valuable writings of the so-called Apostolic Fathers, who were the leaders of early Christianity who followed directly after the generation of the apostles and writers of the New Testament, that is, the letters of Clement, Ignatius, Barnabas, Polycarp, or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (Didache), the Shepherd of Hermas, the Letter of Diognetus! Let anyone compare, for example, the letters of Ignatius to the Romans or Ephesians with those letters in the New Testament directed to the same churches by Paul, or the letter of Clement to the Corinthians with that of the great apostle to the Gentiles, or the letter of Polycarp to the Philippians with the well-known letter in the New Testament! In spite of valuing most highly all that is truly spiritual, noble, and fine, what a disparity is observable between these writings of only the second century and the New Testament! Or one may compare the Old Testament Apocrypha with the Scriptures ’ of the Hebrew canon! Everywhere here the witness of the Holy Spirit stands on the side of the Biblical writings.
Let no one say that by this we fall into the error of an arbitrary subjectivism. In Scripture the testimony of the Holy Spirit is plainly distinguished from that of the human spirit, even of the man redeemed in Christ. " The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God," that is, witnesses in agreement with our spirit, which is thus distinguished from the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16). It is the Divine Spirit who acknowledges what Himself produces. The authority of the Holy Spirit is inward, spirit-wrought, direct, self-evidencing. It is not the bare external authority of a book as a merely literary product but is a wholly spiritual authority. As Paul once expressed it in relation to the Old Testament, the Holy Scripture is "God-breathed" (Gr. theopneustos, 2 Timothy 3:16). Only thus arises the capacity of the Bible to produce supernatural effects. Only thus comes the inward working power of the words of the Bible and the self-testimony of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers which takes place in and by means of the Bible. " The heart declares, That is true, even should I suffer for it a hundred deaths" (Luther). Calvin said justly:"The Scripture carries in itself the evidence of the truth, just as black and white each that of its own color, and sweet and bitter that of its own taste." The authority of Holy Scripture has its basis in the person of its Divine Author. Its authority is historically founded upon its inspiration. It is objective and permanent. The Bible has its authority in itself. The subjective conviction of this authority is the result of the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit who unites Himself with the written word in a living and continually active way.
Inspiration of the Holy Spirit and testimony of the Holy Spirit must be therefore distinguished. The Biblical inspiration of the Holy Spirit is a finished activity of God in the past. The inward testimony of the Holy Spirit is a continuous working of God in all subsequent times, including our own and the future. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit refers to the Bible itself. The testimony of the Holy Spirit appeals to its readers and hearers. Through this working of the Holy Spirit these are intended to be brought to the conviction of the inspiration and the authority of the Holy Scripture, and thus to the obedience of faith. From all this it follows that the Canon of Holy Scripture— from God’s side, and thus ideally and actually in itself—was finished and complete from the very first moment when the last New Testament book had come into existence. What had to follow now was only the actual collection of these writings into a single volume, and their general recognition, in the Christian church, as possessing Divine authority, individually and as a unit.
After having overcome certain questions and uncertainties in detail, this aim was reached in the course of the following two centuries. The decisive factor in this development, however, was not human agreement, or decrees of Church councils, but the spirit-wrought authority of the Bible itself, its own Divine life and power, immanent in the books from the very first moment of their origin, as the result of the Divine Inspiration. At the same time this historical process was under the overruling guidance of the exalted Divine Head of the church. The Church itself, had in no way to "complete" .or even to "create" the Biblical Canon, but simply to acknowledge it.
Thus has the Spirit of God united Himself inexplicably but with marvellous strength with the inspiration of the Bible as with no other book, not even with the noblest and best of other Christian writings. In these records of events in past ages there abides something present and living, there weaves and works in them a secret, imperishable energy, even the Spirit of the living God. Therefore the Bible is a living book. "The word of that former time speaks today." "As the organ of the present Christ the Bible stands forth far above the realm of all other historical records and holds an unique place" (Prof. Karl Heim). Here there is no mere once-upon-a-time but a now, no simple yesterday but a today, no mere concern with the beyond but a God- permeated interest with this life. Here is not only a written word but a spiritually living word, not only external letters but speech of the Spirit, spoken inwardly and still speaking. Thus Holy Scripture in a quite incomparable degree shares in the character of the Eternal as ever present. The Spirit of God has not only inbreathed the written word and given it, but has continued with it. He accompanies it and makes it operative. He makes the bare record to be a bridge with heaven. God comes to us now through His word, and the Word that is centuries old remains fresh and eternally young. It is as if it had been written but yesterday, "as if the ink was not yet dry," never growing old, superior to time, ever present. And it is often quite insignificant remarks, which the reader may have read in passing hundreds of times, that suddenly shine with light, and become a message from God to influence his life, and indeed can change it fundamentally. What a great difference whether God says that He will bless accordingto His riches or only outof them (Ephesians 3:16). How much confidence and hope for wandering souls lies in the two small words "until now":"He who says that he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in the darkness untilnow" (1 John 2:9). How much wisdom in caring for souls lies in the small word "partly":"I hear that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it" (1 Corinthians 11:18). And in general, how greatly is faith strengthened when it can lay hold of the verywords of God’s promises! In the history of the kingdom of God has not this reliance upon the whole Word again and again awakened a courageous faith, given wings to joyful confidence, wrought deeds, indeed made history? Was not this attitude of faith the strength of George Muller, Hudson Taylor, August Hermann Francke, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and of so many other men of God from whose life and work streams of blessing have gone forth to the world and the church? And above all, was not this the victorious weapon of Jesus Himself when in the temptation in the wilderness He conquered the Foe? "It stands written" (Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10). Was not the written word His victorious weapon? An avowed non-Christian sent to a young believer a whole packet of God-denying literature and counselled him to prefer these discussions to the Bible. The young Christian replied to him; "My dear Sir, If you know anything better than the Sermon on the Mount or the parable of the prodigal son, or if you have anything that is more refreshing and fine than the twenty-third Psalm, or, on the whole, gives more light upon the future, and reveals a more merciful and kind Father than does the New Testament, then I beg you to send it to me." To this marvellous inward spiritual strength the Bible joins its outward invincibility and conquering energy. This also is an experimental proof and testimony of its Divine inspiration. The Bible is a high mountain range which overtops all other books of the world as if they were but hills or plains. No other writing of the whole earth approaches it in distribution, longevity, and vitality. The Bible has shown the greatest longevity. For its oldest portions are more than 3,300 years old, yet all in it has the freshness of dew and early youth. It is an "eternally new Old Testament" and an "eternally new New Testament." The Bible is the most widely-printed book. One single agency (The British and Foreign Bible Society) issued over 600 millions of Bibles and Scripture portions between 1804 and 1954. The present annual global circulation of Bibles, New Testaments, and Scripture portions is about twenty-two millions of copies. The Bible has the greatest number of translations. About the year 15 00 it had been printed in some fourteen languages, about 1600 in forty languages. Two centuries later it was already in 72 languages, and then in the nineteenth century there set in the incomparable and victorious career of the Bible. At the close of this period (about 1900) Bibles or portions of the Bible were available in 567 languages; by 1937 the number of 1,000 was reached; at the present time it is approximately 1,110. All this was in spite of attempts to destroy and prohibit the Bible, in spite of opposition by spiritual, religious, philosophical, and worldly powers, employing police, military, and civil means. What a pleasant irony of the Divine world government that the nineteenth century, the century of exceptional criticism of the Bible in theology, literature, and common propaganda, was at the same time the century of exceptional conquests of the Bible. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision" (Psalms 2:4). "In the word of the King there is power" (Ecclesiastes 8:4).
Thus has the Scripture showed again and again its Divine power. As with Christ the personal word, so in general, and indeed often, has the written word been nailed to the cross, buried, and declared dead. But as with Him, so has it always risen again and still lives. As with the messengers of Jesus Christ in general, so can the books and words of the Bible say with Paul:"through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report... as dying and behold, welive" (2 Corinthians 6:8-9).
It is with the Bible as with the sun: ancient and yet always new, always overcoming the night, spreading light and life, eclipsing all other light, in short, the queen in the kingdom of the spirit, the central source of all true, abiding illumination.
I trust for ever Thy sure promise;
Thereon the soul can safely build:
I know that not one word Thou speakest Shall fall to earth as unfulfilled. The hills and mountains all may vanish, The universe collapse and flee, But not the smallest word Thou givest, O Lord, shall unaccomplished be.
(Dr. Adolf Morath)