S7E7 Theopneustos and Biblical Inspiration

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D., M.Div. | October 19, 2023

**S7E7 Theopneustos and Biblical Inspiration on YouTube**

What Do We Mean by Biblical Inspiration?

On “S7E7 Theopneustos and Biblical Inspiration,” let’s talk about what we mean by biblical inspiration. By biblical inspiration, we mean to say that God inspired the writers of Scripture to accurately convey his message in all that it says, while also permitting the writers to incorporate their own words, styles, and personalities when writing out the text. As such, the Bible is the ultimate rule and guide for the Christian faith. This corroborates with what Dr. Deanna Huff said last week when she defended the verbal plenary theory of biblical interpretation. God guided and directed the writing of Scripture, but he also permitted the biblical writers to interject their own words and thoughts in God’s revelation.

Norman Geisler offers the following definition for biblical inspiration, “Inspiration is the supernatural operation of the Holy Spirit, who through the different personalities and literary styles of the chosen human authors invested the very words of the original books of Holy Scripture, alone and in their entirety, as the very Word of God without error in all that they teach or imply (including history and science), and the Bible is thereby the infallible rule and final authority for faith and practice of all believers” (Geisler, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1: Introduction, Bible, 241).

When considering the nature of biblical inspiration, it is helpful to remember the three “I’s”: inspiration, infallibility, and inerrancy. As already noted, biblical inspiration speaks of God’s guidance and direction of the biblical texts. Biblical infallibility means that the Bible is trustworthy in what it says concerning matters of God, faith, and salvation. It does not necessarily speak to historical events, per se, but it rather speaks to the spiritual and theological principles found in the text. Biblical inerrancy takes the trustworthiness of Scripture to another level. Inerrantists hold that the Bible contains no errors whatsoever. Thus, the Bible is true in everything it says historically, theologically, and philosophically. Even still, inerrantists maintain that the biblical autographs are inerrant, not translations of the autographs.

**What Does Theopneustos Mean?**

On “S7E7 Theopneustos and Biblical Inspiration,” let’s also talk about the term theopneustos. The term Theopneustos is found in 2 Timothy 3:16, which we will examine in just a moment. Paul said that the Bible is “inspired by God.” The word in Greek translated as “inspired” is the term Theopneustos. It literally means “God-breathed.” B. B. Warfield in 1900 argued that the Theopneustos is passive in 2 Timothy 3:16, meaning that God did not breathe through Scripture, and the Scripture did not breathe out God. Rather, God breathed out Scripture.

Therefore, the writing, composition, and formulation of the biblical canon was a divine act. Scripture is not only inspiring. Scripture is a divine product that flowed from God himself. If this is true, then it behooves the Christian to take seriously the truths of Scripture and to accurately interpret it as best they can. For the life of me, I do not see how a biblical-based Christian could be against biblical education, especially seeing how valuable accurately interpreting Scripture is to the life of the believer.

What Do the Biblical Writers Say About the Inspiration of the Bible?

There are several Scriptures that we need to consider when answering this question. But the Bible itself tells us four things about the inspiration of Scripture.

Biblical Inspiration Requires the Act of Being God-Breathed (2 Timothy 3:16)

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (CSB): All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Biblical Inspiration Includes Human Agency (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Sam. 23:2)

2 Peter 1:20–21 (CSB): Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Samuel 23:2–4 (CSB): The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, his word was on my tongue. 3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, “The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God, 4 is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.”

Biblical Inspiration Imparts Divine Authority (Exod. 24:4; Psa. 138:2; Psa. 119:89)

Exodus 24:4 (CSB): And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early the next morning and set up an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel at the base of the mountain.

Psalm 138:2 (CSB): I will bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your constant love and truth. You have exalted your name and your promise above everything else.

Psalm 119:89–91 (CSB): Lord, your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness is for all generations; you established the earth, and it stands firm. 91 Your judgments stand firm today, for all things are your servants.

Biblical Inspiration Rebukes Human Insubordination (Matt. 5:18; 15:3–6)

Matthew 5:18 (CSB): For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished.

Matthew 15:3–6 (CSB): He answered them, “Why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition? 4 For God said: Honor your father and your mother;, and, Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death., 5 But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple,” 6 he does not have to honor his father.’ In this way, you have nullified the word of God because of your tradition.

As Augustine aptly put it,

“If we are perplexed by any apparent contradiction in Scripture, it is not allowable to say, “The author of this book is mistaken”; but either the manuscript is faulty, or the translation is wrong, or you have not understood” (AF, 11.5.) (quoted in Geisler, Systematic Theology, vol. 1 God:Bible, 240).

Is There a Good Analogy to Understand Biblical Inspiration?

In his Systematic Theology series, Dr. Norman Geisler offers some illustrations on how we can best understand biblical inspiration. He dissuades us from using a couple of them. The first bad analogy is that of a secretary. The secretary analogy sees God as dictating the words of Scripture to a transcriptionist. While this analogy holds some value, it ultimately fails because it causes Scripture to be seen in the light of the dictation model, which removes the human influence in the composition of Scripture.

Another bad model is the musical instrument view. In this illustration, the writers of Scripture were like a musical instrument that played only the notes that God directed. However, this analogy is even worse than the secretary view as it completely removes human freedom in the process.

A better analogy is called the conductor view first given by Louis Gaussen in his book Theopneusia. Gaussen likens the inspiration of Scripture to a conductor of an orchestra who guides the musicians to play their instruments, using their own style and ability, to make beautiful music together.

I would agree with Geisler that the best analogy was given by Thomas Aquinas, one that recalls the relationship between a teacher and student. The teacher guides the student in truth and guides him or her to write in truth while preserving their own identity in the process.

Aquinas writes, “As may be gathered from what has been said (AA. 1, 3, 5), prophecy is a kind of knowledge impressed under the form of teaching on the prophet’s intellect, by Divine revelation. Now the truth of knowledge is the same in disciple and teacher since the knowledge of the disciple is a likeness of the knowledge of the teacher, even as in natural things the form of the thing generated is a likeness of the form of the generator.

Jerome speaks in this sense when he says (super Dan. ii.) that prophecy is the seal of the Divine foreknowledge. Consequently the same truth must needs be in prophetic knowledge and utterances, as in the Divine knowledge, under which nothing false can possibly come, as stated in the First Part (Q. XIV., AA. 13, 15; Q. XVI., A. 8). Therefore nothing false can come under prophecy” (Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.q171.a6).

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton is the founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. Dr. Chilton earned a Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction), a M.Div. in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his B.S. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and completed Unit 1 of Clinical Pastoral Education at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Chilton is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out in his home gym, and watching football. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years and serves as a clinical chaplain.