Lesson 14
Second Peter
Warning against dangers
facing the Church
DOCTRINE: INSPIRATION (Part 2)
12. The true view: Verbal, Plenary Inspiration:
a. By verbal inspiration is meant that, in the
original languages of scriptures, the Spirit guided in the choice of the words
used. However, the human authorship was respected to the extent that the
writers characteristics are employed (style, vocab,
personality), but without the intrusion of error. It means that every word is
inspired or God-breathed.
b. By plenary inspiration is meant that the
accuracy which verbal inspiration secures, is extended
to every portion of the Bible so that it is in all its parts both infallible as
to truth and final as to divine authority. It means that every part is inspired
equally.
13. Fulfilled Prophecy: A Proof of Divine
Inspiration
From
the Book of Genesis to the Book of Malachi, the Old Testament abounds with
anticipations of the coming Messiah.
Numerous
predictions - fulfilled to the "crossing of the t" and the
"dotting of the i" in the New Testament relate to
His birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and glory.
These
fulfilled prophecies constitute a powerful apologetic for the inspiration of
Scripture.
The
New Testament writers often pointed to how Christ was the specific fulfillment of a messianic prophecy in the
Old Testament. Below is a sampling of
these prophecies.
a.
Messianic Prophecies Fulfilled By Jesus Christ
1.
Seed of woman: Genesis 3:15
2.
Virgin Birth: Isaiah 7:14
3.
Birthplace:
4.
Forerunner: John: Malachi 3:1
5.
Ministry of miracles: Isaiah 35:5-6
6.
Sold for 30 shekels: Zechariah 11:12
7.
Hands and feet pierced: Psalm
8.
Crucified with thieves: Isaiah 53:12
9.
No bones broken: Psalm
10.
Suffered thirst on cross: Psalm 69:21
11.
Resurrection: Psalm
b.
Conclusion:
It
is only logical to conclude that if these prophecies were written many hundreds of years before they were
fulfilled - and if they could never have been foreseen, and depended upon
factors outside human control for their fulfillment - and if all of these
prophecies were, in fact, precisely fulfilled - then clearly the Scriptures are
divine in origin and not man-made.
14. Testimony of Christ related to Scripture:
a. Mt
Christ
is saying that the accuracy and inspiration of the O.T. scripture extends to
the very letters of scripture.
b. Christ declared the inviolability of
scripture in Jn 10:35 "scripture cannot be
broken".
c. Christ quoted the O.T. as authoritative; Mt
4:4, 7, 10
d. Lk 24:4 - in upper
room discourse - "that all things which are written about me in the Law
of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." (these describe the three sections of the Hebrew O.T. Canon)
Christ
is affirming that the entire O.T. Canon is scripture, is accurate and
authoritative.
Hebrew
OT canon is divided into 3 parts or sections:
#1 Law – Torah; often
referred to as the 5 books of Moses
#2 Naviim
– Prophets (2 categories)
Former
prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings
Latter
prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve
#3 The Writings, kathuvim (Psalms is
the first and the longest)
Poetical
– Psalms, Proverbs, Job
5
Rolls (Megillah) - Song of Solomon, Ruth,
Lamentations, Esther, Ecclesiastes
Historical
books – Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles
(This
is the order of the OT Canon)
e. Lk
f. PRINCIPLE: It is logically
impossible to question the inspiration of O.T. without questioning the very
character and veracity of Jesus Christ.
g. Therefore the denial of the inspired,
inerrant W.O.G leads to the denial of the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ.
The
authority of Scripture cannot be separated from the authority of God. Whatever the Bible affirms, God affirms.
And
what the Bible affirms (or denies), it affirms (or denies) with the very
authority of God."
Theologian
Rene Pache agrees, noting that "if God entirely
inspired Scripture (as we have seen that He did), then Scripture is vested with
His authority.
The
authority of the Bible is a natural outgrowth of the Bible as inspired revelation from God.
As
Robert Lightner puts it, When
the questions of revelation and inspiration with regard to the Bible have been
answered, the issue of authority will have been settled.
In
other words, how one views revelation and inspiration will determine how he
views the Bible's authority....Since the written revelation from God has been
recorded under the Spirit's superintendence and is "the very breath of
God," it is therefore
authoritative - just as authoritative as the One who gave it.
Chapter Two
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE TEACHERS 2:1-3
Satan’s
counterfeits with their insidious activities are always present. They appeared
in
Peter
reminds them of the past and also is drawing a marked contrast to the true
source of the prophetic Word just covered.
That
is through the agency of the Holy Spirit, from the ultimate source of God.
But false prophets also
arose among the people,
just as there will
(also) be false teachers among you,
They are false teachers
precisely because the content of their message was not from the source of God
and therefore not illuminated truth.
Peter also reminds us here
that false teachers will be among you just as Paul did in Acts
20:28-30.
This passage tells us that
there are 2 sources of false teachers to be on guard for:
#1 Savage wolves (vs:29) unbelieving false teachers – personal gain
#2
those “from among your own selves” – these are believer P/T’s who get
sidetracked from the objective
Now
Peter begins to layout for us the tactics used by the false teachers:
who will secretly introduce destructive heresies,
The false teachers
greatest error is stated next: even denying the Master who bought them,
The next phrase leaves no
doubt as to who is in view here! who bought
them,
The
result of denying the master who bought them!
bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
Lit. bringing upon themselves swift destruction
2:1 But false prophets also came
into existence among the people (Israel) as indeed there will be false teachers
among you, who will bring in under false pretenses (along side true
doctrine) destructive heresies, even denying the master who bought them,
bringing upon themselves imminent destruction.