Dr. Bingham’s Lesson for August 1, 2010
Series on The Nature of Scripture
“All Scripture is God-Breathed” – 2 Timothy 3:16
The Old Testament
We saw previously that, in the third chapter of second Timothy, Paul declared the Old Testament Scriptures as inspired.
2 Peter 1:20-21
No scripture came about by a prophet’s own interpretation. But holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. No scripture had its origin in a human being.
So Peter agrees with Paul.
2 Timothy 3:16
The Greek word, meaning God-breathed, is theopneustos. The first part, Theo, means God and the second part is from the Greek word, pneuma, meaning wind, breath, or spirit. In the New Testament, the Greek words, Hagios Pneuma, are translated as Holy Spirit. (Editor’s note: In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word ruach {pronounced ru-akh}, can also be translated as wind, breath, or spirit.)
Thus far, Peter and Paul are expressing their views on the Old Testament; that is what they meant by “the scriptures” in these verses.
The New Testament
Now what about the writings of the New Testament, which were only just being put into writing as Peter and Paul spoke? Why can we consider the New Testament to be just like the Old Testament in being God-breathed?
We must answer for the New Testament the following questions which were used to authenticate the Old Testament.
1. Do the apostles speak of the New Testament writings as scripture?
2. Do the New Testament writings have their origin in God?
3. Do the apostles talk about their own writings as being brought forth by the Holy Spirit in the same way they talk about the writings of the Old Testament?
1. 2 Peter 3:14-16
Peter refers to Paul’s account of the gospel as according to the wisdom having been given to him (presumably by God, since He is the giver of wisdom). The origin of Paul’s writing is the wisdom that comes from God. Peter further tells us that Paul writes from this wisdom in all his letters. Everything that Paul writes in his letters finds its origin in God. Peter says that some people distort some of the things Paul writes as they do the other scriptures. By saying this he calls Paul’s letters Scripture; Peter has said that Paul’s writings are to be taken on the same basis as the Old Testament. The writings of the New Testament are Scripture.
2. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 7-13
Paul speaks of the gospel of God and not merely of his gospel or someone else’s gospel. He also speaks of himself among the other apostles as having the approval of God to be entrusted with the gospel. They are not speaking from error, impurity, or by way of deceit. Paul says that they are not seeking the approval of men but are speaking only that which God approves. Paul speaks of the gospel of God several times. Finally, in verse 13, Paul says that the Philippians received their word as the word of God.
3. 1 Corinthians 2:4-11
Paul says that his message was not with wise and persuasive words but were a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit so that no one’s faith would stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. Paul is saying that he is not the great author; God the Holy Spirit is.
Furthermore, Paul tells us that he and his fellow apostles are speaking the wisdom of God that had been ordained and held secretly by God from before the foundation of the world and was destined for our glory. None of the rulers of the world knew it. It is a wisdom that could not have been conceived by the mind of man. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived how much God has prepared for those who love Him.
Paul is saying that it was impossible for what he and the apostles are preaching to have originated with man. But God has revealed it to them by His Spirit for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. The things of God no one has known except the Spirit of God. The message the apostles are delivering is something to which only the Holy Spirit has access. So the third question is satisfied.
The New Testament writings are Holy Scripture
on equal ground with the Old Testament.
