What do you mean when you say the bible is inspired by God?

[839311]

Do people mean that God personally inspired people to write what they did in the bible, or do you mean that people were somehow inspired by the idea of God, or inspired by their religion or faith somehow, to write what they did?

I come across this frequently nowadays, and I think its often unclear what people mean.

If people were merely inspired by the idea of God, or inspired by their religion or faith somehow, then that in many ways takes away from the power of the bible. If God didn't personally inspire people, then how seriously should the writings be taken? Do they deserve to be called scripture?

Would it be fair to say that any devout Christian writers, whether from times past or contemporary writers, were just as inspired by God as the authors whose works made it into the bible?

 

[LaaIlahaIllAllah]

I'm not a Christian but I'm pretty sure most of them believe that the Bible was inspired by God in the sense that the Holy Spirit (one of the 3 'persons' in the Trinity) came to them and inspired them with the message of whatever they were to write. But some Christians say that it's not free from mistakes because it is written 'through' the writer and could be based on some of his own experiences or something like that - I don't get it 100% to be honest.

And since the Holy Spirit is 1 of the persons of Trinity, he is God to them.

So it's not like some random guy is 'inspired' by Christianity to write a book but actually inspired by God they believe.

 

[839311]

I'm not a Christian but I'm pretty sure most of them believe that the Bible was inspired by God in the sense that the Holy Spirit (one of the 3 'persons' in the Trinity) came to them and inspired them with the message of whatever they were to write.

Im not sure if its most of them, myself. Could be. It definetly used to be a lot more people who thought this way than there are now.

But some Christians say that it's not free from mistakes because it is written 'through' the writer and could be based on some of his own experiences or something like that - I don't get it 100% to be honest.

Not exactly an error proof system for getting a message across, to say the least. Makes you wonder why God didn't just write something himself, or have one of the angels do it or Jesus, and then introduce this writing to humanity, error-free.

 

[ChristineES]

We believe, as Laa pointed out, that the Holy Spirit will inspire prophets and men of God to write His word.

 

[LaaIlahaIllAllah]

Im not sure if its most of them, myself. Could be. It definetly used to be a lot more people who thought this way than there are now.

Not exactly an error proof system for getting a message across, to say the least. Makes you wonder why God didn't just write something himself, or have one of the angels do it or Jesus, and then introduce this writing to humanity, error-free.

Yea... In Islam we do believe that originally the 'Bible' or atleast the parts from the prophets were not just inspired by God but it was the verbatim Word of God. But it is changed now because those revelations weren't meant to be preserved since they were meant for those peoples at that certain time unlike the Quran which is the verbatim Word of God and it's message is meant for all of mankind and till end of world.

 

[arthra]

Do people mean that God personally inspired people to write what they did in the bible, or do you mean that people were somehow inspired by the idea of God, or inspired by their religion or faith somehow, to write what they did?

I come across this frequently nowadays, and I think its often unclear what people mean.

If people were merely inspired by the idea of God, or inspired by their religion or faith somehow, then that in many ways takes away from the power of the bible. If God didn't personally inspire people, then how seriously should the writings be taken? Do they deserve to be called scripture?

Would it be fair to say that any devout Christian writers, whether from times past or contemporary writers, were just as inspired by God as the authors whose works made it into the bible?

I think you probably are hoping for Christians to respond to this but as I understand it Baha'is have an attitude that the Bible was inspired...

"...the Torah that God hath confirmed consists of the exact words that streamed forth at the bidding of God from the tongue of Him Who conversed with Him (Moses)."

(From a recently translated Tablet of Baha'u'llah)

"Know ye that the Torah is that which was revealed in the Tablets to Moses, may peace be upon Him, or that to which He was bidden. But the stories are historical narratives and were written after Moses, may peace be upon Him.

(From a recently translated Tablet of 'Abdu'l-Baha)

"This Book is the Holy Book of God, of celestial Inspiration. It is the Bible of Salvation, the noble Gospel. It is the mystery of the Kingdom and its light. It is the Divine Bounty, the sign of the guidance of God."

(Written by 'Abdul-Baha in the Bible of the pulpit of the City Temple in London, quoted in "Star of the West", Vol. 2, No. 11, p. 8)

and in one essay by Colin Dibdin that I found the following that may shed some light on the topic:

"The Bible is a reliable source of Divine guidance and salvation, and rightly regarded as a sacred and holy book. However, as a collection of the writings of independent and human authors, it is not necessarily historically accurate. Nor can the words of its writers, although inspired, be strictly defined as 'The Word of God' in the way the original words of Moses and Jesus could have been."

 

[839311]

We believe, as Laa pointed out, that the Holy Spirit will inspire prophets and men of God to write His word.

Thats too vague for me.

Lets take Paul, for example. He wrote some controversial things, especially about women, like women should remain silent in church.

Did the holy spirit inspire Paul by literally making him think the thoughts he had, and saying the things he did exactly like God wanted them to be said? Did the holy spirit give Paul a general idea in his mind, after which Paul used his own understanding and own selection of words, as well as his own ideas about the OT and life experiences, to describe that general idea?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I don't believe the Bible writings are inspired by God.
Nor do I believe that the selection of the individual books was inspired by God.

It is hard to believe the writer of revelation was even a Christian.
Nevertheless, Both the old and new testaments contain many truths that are important to our faith.
I do not believe that those early writers were any wiser, any more able as historians, or any closer to God than we are today. They did however have the advantage of talking with people who had listened to Jesus and his disciples.

At best the New Testament is based on hear say, and the passages that have come down to us are the best we know about. But they are certainly not all that was written, nor possibly the most accurate.

Had God wanted an inspired Bible or one that most accurately recorded Jesus teachings, he would have done so during Jesus life time.

 

[Vultar]

Yea... In Islam we do believe that originally the 'Bible' or atleast the parts from the prophets were not just inspired by God but it was the verbatim Word of God. But it is changed now because those revelations weren't meant to be preserved since they were meant for those peoples at that certain time unlike the Quran which is the verbatim Word of God and it's message is meant for all of mankind and till end of world.

The quran is not "the word of god", it is the word of the evil spirit Gabriel. Except when Muhammad was just making stuff up and later blaming it on the evil spirit Satan.

________________________

Disclaimer: I don't expect anyone to believe what I write.... I'm just a messenger....

 

[muhammad_isa]

Thats too vague for me.

Did the holy spirit inspire Paul by literally making him think the thoughts he had, and saying the things he did exactly like God wanted them to be said? Did the holy spirit give Paul a general idea in his mind, after which Paul used his own understanding and own selection of words, as well as his own ideas about the OT and life experiences, to describe that general idea?

Paul wasn't a prophet .. but that doesn't make what he was reported to have said of no worth.

I hope you don't think that what I say has no worth, as I'm not a prophet either

Bottom line ---> we need to gain knowledge through study, and not be extreme
--------------

 

[839311]

Had God wanted an inspired Bible or one that most accurately recorded Jesus teachings, he would have done so during Jesus life time.

Assuming God can do anything he wants. But, maybe God is just too lazy? Maybe the world has been such a violent mess for the last two thousand years because God doesn't feel like doing some work to fix things? Maybe he wants to help, but just doesn't have the motivation to do it?

 

[Levite]

Do people mean that God personally inspired people to write what they did in the bible, or do you mean that people were somehow inspired by the idea of God, or inspired by their religion or faith somehow, to write what they did?

I come across this frequently nowadays, and I think its often unclear what people mean.

If people were merely inspired by the idea of God, or inspired by their religion or faith somehow, then that in many ways takes away from the power of the bible. If God didn't personally inspire people, then how seriously should the writings be taken? Do they deserve to be called scripture?

Would it be fair to say that any devout Christian writers, whether from times past or contemporary writers, were just as inspired by God as the authors whose works made it into the bible?

Personally, when I say that the Torah was divinely inspired, I mean that it was written by prophets. But I also believe that prophecy is not like getting a phone call in your head: a prophet gets revelatory visions and dreams, and it is up to him or her to try and understand the message correctly, and then to put it into fitting words for others. So while I think our prophets did they best they could, and their work was, so to speak, more hit than miss, it is still imperfect.

Thus I will sometimes say that I consider the Torah divinely inspired, but I do not believe in divine authorship of the text. And in this way I find myself both considering the Torah a holy text, and also an imperfect text.

 

[Sleeppy]

Have you heard the phrase, "Holy Spirit filled?" If you have, then you can understand that every prophet had a portion, not the full. Not even if the person is filled is it the full.. because the person is of a limited capacity and purpose. There is only one Almighty. Only the Father has the full. The Holy Spirit gives specific authorities. So, not everything coming from a prophet is direct of the Spirit, but according to the person's relation to and understanding of it.

 

[JustWondering]

Have you heard the phrase, "Holy Spirit filled?" If you have, then you can understand that every prophet had a portion, not the full. Not even if the person is filled is it the full.. because the person is of a limited capacity and purpose. There is only one Almighty. Only the Father has the full. The Holy Spirit gives specific authorities. So, not everything coming from a prophet is direct of the Spirit, but according to the person's relation to and understanding of it.

So how much of the holy spirit are we talking here? 1%, 10%, or maybe even 50-60%?

 

[Sleeppy]

So how much of the holy spirit are we talking here? 1%, 10%, or maybe even 50-60%?

Well if you think about that just a little more, you'll know I can't possibly answer that for any, let alone, everyone one of those prophets. And I'm not sure you can say there is 50% of an infinite/almighty power.

 

[Vultar]

God can create the heavens and the earth, God can create light, God can create all the different plants and creatures, God can communicate with prophets in any language they understand...
God can't create a book... that's just asking too much, God needs help with that one....

 

[waitasec]

Well if you think about that just a little more, you'll know I can't possibly answer that for any, let alone, everyone one of those prophets.

but you did answer the question with the following statement

And I'm not sure you can say there is 50% of an infinite/almighty power.

 

[waitasec]

God can create the heavens and the earth, God can create light, God can create all the different plants and creatures, God can communicate with prophets in any language they understand...
God can't create a book... that's just asking too much, God needs help with that one....

it's not the writing part, it's the interpretation that he seems to be needing help with....

 

[Sleeppy]

but you did answer the question with the following statement

Somewhat.. It's some or none. I can't determine every authority and over what these prophets were given by the Holy Spirit.

 

[IslamBox]

It can be like spiritual feelings or thoughts came to people mind and they wrote. What can we say...