August 1930
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The Holy Spirit and The Bible B y L eander S. JC eyser , D.D. (Professor o f Systematic Theology, Hamma Divinity School, Springfield, Ohio)
does not tell the truth. Is the Bible the kind of a book that would tell falsehoods from ’ beginning to end? Could a book which constantly enjoins honesty, truth and sincerity, and just as constantly condemns duplicity o f every kind— could such a book be an imposture, composed by wicked and deceitful men? Such a conclusion is utterly illogical. Therefore, when the Bible claims to be the record of divine revelations, it must be telling the truth. Thus it claims in its very structure to be the production o f the Holy Spirit, and so, since its testimony cannot be impeached, it must be true.
HERE is an intimate relation between the Holy Spirit and the Holy, Bible. They should never be divorced. If there had been no Pentecost, we would have had no Bible; if we had no Bible, we would know nothing about Pentecost. Pente cost and the Bible—what a glorious combination! I. T he H oly S pirit P roduced the B ible The ultimate Author of the Bible is the Holy Spirit. It is true that the writing of the Bible was done by human hands and by means of human personalities; but the writers did not compose the Bible through their own wis dom; nor did it “ bubble up from the rich' contents of their subconscious minds,” as some liberalist has suggested; nor did they work it up out of their so-called “ religious experience,” N o; what they were to write was divinely revealed to them, and in transcribing the thoughts of God they were unerringly guided by the Holy Spirit. I am aware that this is pretty strong teaching for this “ age of deadly doubt,” and for the' people of the liberalistic school; but after many years of thought, study and expe rience, I am persuaded that the doctrine of plenary in spiration is the only view that will adequately account for the fact of the Bible and the ethical and spiritual forces that have sprung from its teaching. T he C laim of the B ible I tself . Surely it is relevant to learn what such a potent book as the Bible has to say for itself. In many places it claims to give a direct revelation from God. It begins by telling us things about the origin of the universe and man that no one could have discovered for himself, and that must, therefore, have been divinely revealed to some one who recorded them and put the record in the Book. The Bible teaches that God spoke directly to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel and many other Old Testament saints and patriarchs. The New Testament also records many instances o f God’s making special revela tions in various ways to men and women. Some one has made the calculation that such phrases as, “ God said," “ God spake ” “ God appeared," “ The word o f the Lord came unto me," occur in the Bible over two thousand times. Now, what is the logical conclusion from this general fact that God so often manifested Himself and made kfiown His holy will to men? Just this; no more, no less: that the Bible makes numerous claims to be a record o f special divine revelations. It either tells the truth or it $
O ur L ord ’ s T estimony Jesus always treated the Old Testament Scriptures as if they were of divine inspi ration and authority. Many passages might be cited. The classical phrase, “ It is writ ten," often fell from His lips, and in every case He cited a passage from the Old Testament as if it were the last court of appeal. He de clared that the Scriptures testified of H im ; that He came, not to destroy but to fulfill them; that they would rise up in judgment against their rejectors at the last day; that, if people did not believe Moses (and this could refer only to the writings of the great lawgiver), they would ! not believe though one rose from the dead.
The Bible The Book o f books, holy, sublime, and true, Spirit-inspired in every thought and word, Revealing God and Christ as Saviour Lord, Teacher o f all that men should be and do, A heavenly light within earth’s midnight gloom, A quickening life amidst death’s dread decay, A steadfast hand pointing the upward way, A voice of triumph o’ er the grave and tomb: Here is a love which casts out every fear, Here is a peace which sets the spirit free, Here is a hope winch gives the life good , cheer. And here are visions o f the world to be; Here then I rest, and thus I ever may E’en when this earth and heaven have passed away. —Henry W. Frost.
—X A very specific instance oT our Lord’s testimony, to the" inspiration of the Holy Spirit is found in Mark 12 :36: “ For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, . . . Sit thou on my right hand, till I make' thine enemies thy footstool." The reference is to Psalm 110:1. Here our Lord declares positively that David spake “ by the Holy Spirit." Now, if Psalm 110 was divinely inspired, there is no reason for believing that it was the only part of the Old Testament that was thus divinely imparted. On the other hand, we may reasonably conclude that, if that Psalm was inspired, the rest of the Old Testament was likewise-inspired. . ’ Our Lord’s wltness td'the Holy Spirit’s authorship of the Old Testament is, therefore, established. That fact is sufficient evidence for all persons who believe in the true divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, if the Holy Spirit indited the Old Testament, it is reasonable to believe that He was also the primal Author of the New Testament, which everywhere claims to give a further and clearer revelation of God’s gracious redemptive plan and purpose for the world. T he W itness of P eter The apostolic testimony to the divine inspiration of the Old Testament is signally important. Let us begin with
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