SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION

This is the faith assertion that God was actively involved by His Spirit in
recording His acts, promises, and will for mankind. It is “the” divine
self-disclosure! This disclosure is called “revelation.” Its
recording for future generations is called “inspiration.”

The only use of the word “inspiration” in the Bible is in 2 Tim. 3:16 and is
literally “God exhaled.” Notice “Scripture” in the NT always refers to the
OT (i.e., 2 Tim. 3:15 refers to Timothy’s Jewish upbringing). Notice the
purpose of Scripture is two fold.

1. wisdom that leads to salvation, 2 Tim. 3:15

2. training in righteousness, 2 Tim. 3:16

Notice how John 5:39; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; and 1 Pet. 1:10-12 see the OT as pointing
toward Christ. Jesus Himself asserts this in Luke 24:25-27! The Spirit led OT writers (cf. 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
The church accepted the canon (see
Special Topic: Canon) of the OT. They saw it as fully inspired (cf. Matt. 5:17-19). However, they also
realized that the NT, which contains Jesus’ words and deeds, was ultimate revelation (cf. Matt. 5:21-48;
Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus is the full, final, and complete revelation of YHWH (cf. John 1:1-5,14; Col. 1:15-16).
He fulfills the OT promise of Messiah (i.e., Matt. 26:31,56; 14:27,49; Luke 20:17; John 12:14-16; 13:18;
15:25; 17:12; 19:24-36; Acts 1:16; 3:18,21-26; 4:25-28).

The Spirit must open the mind and heart before one can understand (cf. Acts
8:34-35; 13:27). The Spirit led biblical writers to express in human
words, idioms, and illustrations the truths of God’s self-disclosure in Jesus
(cf. John 14:26; 15:26-27; 1 Cor. 2:10-11,13-16).

A good brief discussion is in Millard J. Erickson,
Christian Theology, 2nd ed., pp. 224-245.

Also a good discussion on the literary process from an “oral” based society to
written documents is John H. Walton and D. Brent Sandy, The
Lost World of Scripture (2013).