FAQs Monday: What is Inspiration? Part 1

We begin our look at Henry Clay Fish's Baptist Scriptural Catechism this week. The copy I have is an abridgment that I found at The Reformed Reader website. You can view it here. This catechism leads the reader to think about the answers, and encourages them to defend their faith. Today, we ill begin by looking at part of Lesson 1, part 5, dealing with the inspiration of Scripture. We will look at the first 7 questions.

What is the meaning of inspiration?

It literally means the act of breathing into; but, as applied the the Scriptures, it means the supernatural influence of the Spirit of God on the minds of the writers, by which they were enabled to communicate the divine will.

May a book be genuine and authentic, but, at the same time, not inspired?

Will you give me an example? Note: This question is answered by a question. It reminds the learner that the responsibility of proof is on the person asking the question. If someone wants a believer to disbelieve the Bible, they should be forced to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Bible is in error.

Will you now state, definitely, what is meant, when the writers of the Scriptures are spoken of as having been inspired?

It is meant that they were specially guided and instructed by God in what they spoke and wrote.

Is it meant that they were always or at all times under the special influence from God?

It is not; but as such times only as they were communicating the will of God.

You know the language of wicked men, and Satan is, in some instances found in the Bible: is it meant that this was inspired?

It is not; but only that holy men recorded it under the direction and influence of the Spirit. Note: John Broadus put's it this way: "Does the Bible contain any errors? The Bible records some things said by uninspired men that were not true; but it is true and instructive that these men said them" (A Catechism of Bible Teaching, Lesson 3, part 1, question 13). View it here.

What are the proofs or evidences by which we know that the Scripture is inspired?

The nature of the truths which they communicated was such that must have been taught to them by God. Note: I modernized this answer, the emphasis is in the original.

Can you mention some of these truths; and show that no one, uninspired, could have known, and recorded them?

Note: The remaining questions deal with these truths. I will give you a summary, and then next week we will begin looking at them in detail.  Fish lists the testimony of the writers, the preservation of Scriptures, the sublimity of their style, the purity of their doctrine, the unity of the Bible, the miraculous powers of some of the authors, prophecy, the Scriptures power to convict and convert.


I hope this has whetted your appetite for further study. Next week, will delve deeper into the subject. I think these questions approach this important subject in a manner that encourages investigation. I hope you find these posts helpful. Feel free to leave a comment.