Theo 201 Essay 1

Essay on Short Essay on Inerrancy and Inspiration

This essay will deal with the authority and inerrancy of the bible. The premise comes from a non-believers point of view as to why the Bible is studied and how could it be considered an authoritative work.

The best way to begin a discussion such as this is to define what it means for the scripture to be authoritative. According to Ewell in the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, and determination (American Heritage Dictionary).” The basis for all authority of the scripture comes by God, God is the focal point of the bible displaying himself though interactions with man. These interactions and events were written down by men of God who were inspired by God as to the content there-in. A further aspect as to the authority of the Bible coming from God is revelation. According to Townes in “Theology for today”, “revelation is the act whereby God gives us knowledge about himself which we could not otherwise know.” So in essence the revelations that are found throughout the scripture show a deeper insight into who God is further exemplifies the authority of the Bible. Revelations are found throughout the scripture, but one central revelation is that of the messiah Jesus. This further exemplifies divine authority, due to the fact that the messiah was predicted in the Old Testament and was fulfilled in the New Testament.

From the topic of authority often leads to the question of is the question of is the bible true inspired by God? Inspiration according to The Hollman Bible Dictionary is, “the actions of God leading the writing, preservation, and collection of his words to his people into the Bible.” The key within this definition is the fact that he (God) had a part, “actions” in the writing of the scriptures. A second key to remember here is the fact that he did this act for his people. This then shows he is a personal god who...