Philip Arthur Bence PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

101
II. SOURCE--INSPIRATION
In what way is the Bible revelation?
Man wrote the Bible and
its words express man's
great wisdom.
God wrote the Bible and
its words express God's
Revealed Truth.
/ HF RB&PT KR JS KB Li
As seen in the diagram above, the extreme left
statement does not express the view of any of the seven
theologians. None see Scripture as a mere compilation of
man's own thoughts, independent of interaction with God.
But, on the other hand, all would agree that God did not
write the Bible, presenting it to man as a finished
product. The disagreement comes, of course. in the
degree of God's involvement. What part did God play in
the process which brought us the books of Holy Writ?
That is the question which the theologians now address.
Lloyd-Jones is, without doubt. the easiest to place
on the continuum of inspiration, for he comes close to
the right extreme. The Bible Cat least as it was
written, if not as we possess it) is the verbally
inspired, inerrant Word of God. Unless the context
clearly indicates the contrary, readers should interpret
the words of Scripture literally.
The claim is made for this Book [The book is
the Bible; Lloyd-Jones points to claims made in
II Peter 1.20,21 and in his own preaching] that
it is absolutely unique, that there is no other
book in the world like it. All other books are
the production of man; they are the result of
man's will, man's understanding, man's insight.
But here is a Book which claims that it is the
record of God speaking. And it claims this
with regard to the message--revelation--and
also the way in which the message was