1John 1:4
Big Idea: God providentially preserved the teachings and proclamations of the Apostles and the Prophets in the Scripture.
Who Speaks for Jesus?
The Prophets and the Apostles are the given means by which God communicates his plan of redemption and preserves the testimony of his Son Jesus Christ who is the final word to men concerning our salvation from sin.
_________________ do they Speak?
What is inscripturation?
Inspiration is a supernatural influence upon divinely chosen prophets and apostles whereby the Spirit of God assures the truth and trustworthiness of their oral and written proclamation. Historic evangelical Christianity considers the Bible as the essential textbook because, in view of this quality, it inscripturates divinely revealed truth in verbal form.
The __________________ of the Written Word of God
1John 1:4 And we are writing these things…
Graphē… which in secular Gk. meant simply ‘a writing’ (though sometimes an authoritative writing in particular), is in the NT appropriated to ‘the Scriptures’ in a technical sense some 50 times, in most cases unmistakably the OT. Associated with graphē is the formula gegraptai, ‘it is written’, occurring some 60 times in the NT, and found in Greek usage for legal pronouncements (cf. A. Deissmann, Bible Studies2, 1909, pp. 112ff.).
Luke 24:44–47 (ESV) — 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
2 Timothy 3:14–17; 2 Peter 1:16–21, 3:1-2, 15-16
God speaks to us through his written Word.
The __________________ of the Written Word of God
3 Tests for Authenticity:
___________________ of manuscripts:
___________________ of manuscripts:
___________________ of manuscripts:
What is at stake?
Questions to Consider:
Are the Scriptures authoritative? Are they authentic? Why does this matter to you?
Is it important that we have an accurate account of the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets? Why or why not?
