Series 2, Lecture 11: 2 Peter 1:19-21 — the Holy Spirit as active agent and the penmen (video)

Succinctly drawing this material together in a message preached at Cambridge, Nathaniel Ingelo articulates the main-stream, orthodox rendering of this passage, writing,

“There is a place of Scripture which the Papists do impertinently allege for the obscurity, (i.e.) the dishonor of God’s word, which as it is nothing to their purpose, so it doth most excellently serve to prove what we have in hand. ὑμῶν τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. The design of the Apostle was the same with mine, to exhort Christians to give heed to Scriptures, as such Oracles which could not deceive them. He affirms the prophetic word surer than a private revelation, which he, James and John had in the Mount, and commends the diligent heed they gave to it, till the daystar should arise, peradventure till the truth of the prophecies of Christ shined forth in their accomplishment. But the stress of all this hope in the Scriptures, lies upon this, that none of them were ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως, private impulse; meaning, as Saint Paul says in other words, πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος. All Scripture is divinely inspired. And this appears by the verse that follows. For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So that ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται signifies they are not of men’s private will, but from the divine spirit. The Prophets did not go on their own head, as we say, but on God’s errand. When God reproved those that went without his biding, he says thus, I sent them not, and yet they ran. (Jer. 23:21). So that the fence will be, those holy men who delivered the Scriptures, upon which you rely, wrote not what came into their minds as from themselves, but they set down God’s will.”[1]

7 Nathaniel Ingelo, The Perfection, Authority, and Credibility of the Holy Scriptures. Discoursed in a sermon before the University of Cambridge at the Commencement, July 4, 1658 (London: Printed by E.T. for Luke Fawn at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard, 1659), 35-38.

Series 2, Lecture 11: 2 Peter 1:19-21 — the Holy Spirit as active agent and the penmen

Tonight at 7:30pm EST we hold the eleventh lecture on the Biblical basis for the theology we call the Providential Preservation of Scripture. Lecture 11 considers one of the key passages on the Doctrine of Inspiration found in 2 Peter 1:19-21.

Succinctly drawing this material together in a message preached at Cambridge, Nathaniel Ingelo articulates the main-stream, orthodox rendering of this passage, writing,

“There is a place of Scripture which the Papists do impertinently allege for the obscurity, (i.e.) the dishonor of God’s word, which as it is nothing to their purpose, so it doth most excellently serve to prove what we have in hand. ὑμῶν τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. The design of the Apostle was the same with mine, to exhort Christians to give heed to Scriptures, as such Oracles which could not deceive them. He affirms the prophetic word surer than a private revelation, which he, James and John had in the Mount, and commends the diligent heed they gave to it, till the daystar should arise, peradventure till the truth of the prophecies of Christ shined forth in their accomplishment. But the stress of all this hope in the Scriptures, lies upon this, that none of them were ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως, private impulse; meaning, as Saint Paul says in other words, πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος. All Scripture is divinely inspired. And this appears by the verse that follows. For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So that ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται signifies they are not of men’s private will, but from the divine spirit. The Prophets did not go on their own head, as we say, but on God’s errand. When God reproved those that went without his biding, he says thus, I sent them not, and yet they ran. (Jer. 23:21). So that the fence will be, those holy men who delivered the Scriptures, upon which you rely, wrote not what came into their minds as from themselves, but they set down God’s will.”[1]

7 Nathaniel Ingelo, The Perfection, Authority, and Credibility of the Holy Scriptures. Discoursed in a sermon before the University of Cambridge at the Commencement, July 4, 1658 (London: Printed by E.T. for Luke Fawn at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard, 1659), 35-38.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 and 2 Peter 1:19-21 are the primary passages on the locus of Scripture’s inspiration describing its Divine source. Focusing on God as the author of inspired Scripture, the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 8 speaks of inspiration being “immediately inspired”: “The Old Testament in Hebrews (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical.” That is, God is the primary author of Holy Scripture, the writers, the penmen of the immediately inspired text.

Don’t miss this vital study of the ramification and significance of the preserved word in 2 Peter 1:19-21 tonight at 7:30 EST.

Class Link – Click Here

Series 2, Lecture 10: 2 Timothy 3:16 — Inspiration and Preservation, part 2

Tomorrow night at 7:30pm EST we hold the tenth lecture on the Biblical basis for the theology we call the Providential Preservation of Scripture. Lecture 10 considers one of the key passages on the Doctrine of Inspiration found in 2 Timothy 3:16. Lecture 10 is a continuation of the previous session on 2 Timothy 3:16 including whether the adjective “inspiration” should be rendered in an active or passive sense.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 and 2 Peter 1:19-21 are the primary passages on the locus of Scripture’s inspiration describing its Divine source. Focusing on God as the author of inspired Scripture, the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 8 speaks of inspiration being “immediately inspired”: “The Old Testament in Hebrews (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical.” That is, God is the primary author of Holy Scripture, the writers, the penmen of the immediately inspired text.

Don’t miss this important study of the ramification and significance of the preserved word in 2 Timothy 3:16 tomorrow night at 7:30 EST.

Class Link – Click Here

Series 2, Lecture 9: 2 Timothy 3:16 — Inspiration and Preservation (Video)

2 Timothy 3:15-17 and 2 Peter 1:19-21 are the primary passages on the locus of Scripture’s inspiration describing its Divine source. Focusing on God as the author of inspired Scripture, the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 8 speaks of inspiration being “immediately inspired”: “The Old Testament in Hebrews (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical.” That is, God is the primary author of Holy Scripture, the writers, the penmen of the immediately inspired text.

Series 2, Lecture 9: 2 Timothy 3:16 — Inspiration and Preservation

Tonight at 7:30pm EST we hold the ninth lecture on the Biblical basis for the theology we call the Providential Preservation of Scripture. Lecture 9 considers one of the key passages on the Doctrine of Inspiration found in 2 Timothy 3:16.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 and 2 Peter 1:19-21 are the primary passages on the locus of Scripture’s inspiration describing its Divine source. Focusing on God as the author of inspired Scripture, the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 8 speaks of inspiration being “immediately inspired”: “The Old Testament in Hebrews (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical.” That is, God is the primary author of Holy Scripture, the writers, the penmen of the immediately inspired text.

Don’t miss this important study of the ramification and significance of the preserved word in 2 Timothy 3:16 tonight at 7:30 EST.

Class Link – Click Here

Series 2, Lecture 7: Matthew 24:35

Of Matthew 24:35 James Morrison, in his commentary on Matthew observes,

“What an immeasurable height here must have been within the self-consciousness of our Lord, when he thus contrasted the imperishableness of his own words with the perishableness of the heaven and earth! It is to his prediction in the preceding verse that he specially refers. Its fulfillment might be absolutely depended on. It would not fail. It was not liable to any casualty or transformation. And what was true of the words of this prediction, is equally true of all our Savior’s words,–of the sum total of his teachings. ‘The grass withereth, and the flower thereof fadeth away,’ the sun and moon and stars shall pass away, ‘but the word of the Lord endureth forever.'” (1 Pet. I, 25.)[1]

[1] James Morrison, Matthew’s Memoirs of Jesus Christ: or a Commentary on the Gospel according to Matthew (Hamilton, Adams and Co., 1873), 531. http://0-search.ebscohost.com.newlibrary.wts.edu/login.aspxdirect=true&db=h7h&AN=36332946&site=ehost-live.

Class Link – Click Here

Series 2, Lecture 6: Matthew 5:18 — Christ’s Hyperbole or Christ’s Indicative (Take two)

Lecture 6 considers the words of Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount and specifically Matthew 5:18. Jesus’ teaching methods were simple; his lessons straight forward and easy for the common man to grasp. This simplicity corresponds with his “ordinary” or “intuitive” approach to the Scripture, a hermeneutic that resonated with the Jewish believers. His words and the Old Testament complemented one and other in that their subject and object was Jesus. The Old Testament was not an obstacle to the Jews that required Pharisaical comment to understand but was simply the message of Jesus written hundreds of years before. Nowhere in the Scripture does the message of Jesus cause doubt or question the cohesive relationship between the Scripture and Himself. Rather, as part of His Messianic ministry Jesus speaks of the authority and preservation of the text as a witness to who He is. Did those on the mount believe Jesus was exaggerating for effect, didn’t really mean jot and tittle, and was utilizing a common literary device, oriental hyperbole — or was he promising the preservation of the smallest elements of the Scripture thereby assuring the preservation of the Law?

Series 2, Lecture 8: John 10:35 and “Ye are gods.”

Tonight at 7:30pm EST we hold the eighth lecture on the Biblical basis for the theology we call the Providential Preservation of Scripture. Lecture 8 considers Jesus’ exegetical defense of his equality with the Father recorded in John 10:35 which hinges on the inspiration and preservation of one word, “gods.”

After Jesus says in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one,” in verse 31 the Jews take up stones to stone him. Jesus asks in verse 32 for which of his good works do they stone him, a timely question on the heels of the healing of the man born blind in chapter 9. The Jews reply in verse 33 that it is not for his good works they stone him but for blasphemy in that Jesus calls himself God. It is in Jesus’ reply to the false accusation of blasphemy that we read Jesus’ defense of his oneness with the Father in verses 34 and 35. Of primary significance in the context of this passage is Jesus’ use of a Psalm of Asaph, chapter 82, verse 6, which reads, “I have said, Ye are gods” referring to the princes of Israel. Secondarily, drawn from Jesus’ use of Psalm 82:6 we see the plenary authority of Scripture. It is upon one word “gods” that Jesus defends his deity, and synecdochally the absolute authority of one word, or the part, stands for the absolute authority of the whole of Scripture. Thirdly, and in keeping with the theme of this series, we will note that the entirety of this argument is established and accepted by Jesus and the Jews based on what was written in “your law,” in verse 34, or the copy of the law that the Jews had in hand during the earthly ministry of Jesus.

Don’t miss this important study of the ramification and significance of the preserved word in John 10:35 tonight at 7:30 EST.

Class Link – Click Here

Series 2, Lecture 7: Matthew 24:35 and John 10:35

Tonight, 3/14 at 7:30pm EST we hold the seventh lecture of a 10-week series on the Biblical basis for the theology we call the Providential Preservation of Scripture. Lecture 7 considers the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 24:35 and John 10:35. Of Matthew 24:35 James Morrison, in his commentary on Matthew observes,

“What an immeasurable height here must have been within the self-consciousness of our Lord, when he thus contrasted the imperishableness of his own words with the perishableness of the heaven and earth! It is to his prediction in the preceding verse that he specially refers. Its fulfillment might be absolutely depended on. It would not fail. It was not liable to any casualty or transformation. And what was true of the words of this prediction, is equally true of all our Savior’s words,–of the sum total of his teachings. ‘The grass withereth, and the flower thereof fadeth away,’ the sun and moon and stars shall pass away, ‘but the word of the Lord endureth forever.'” (1 Pet. I, 25.)[1]

John 10:35 deals with the plenary inspiration and preservation of Scripture utilized by Jesus as an defense of His equality with the Father. After Jesus says in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one,” in verse 31 the Jews take up stones to stone him. Jesus asks in verse 32 for which of his good works do they stone him, a timely question on the heels of the healing of the man born blind in chapter 9. The Jews reply in verse 33 that it is not for his good works they stone him but for blasphemy in that Jesus calls himself God. It is in Jesus’ reply to the false accusation of blasphemy that we read Jesus’ defense of his oneness with the Father in verses 34 and 35. Of primary significance in the context of this passage is Jesus’ use of a Psalm of Asaph, chapter 82, verse 6, which reads, “I have said, Ye are gods” referring to the princes of Israel. Secondarily, drawn from Jesus’ use of Psalm 82:6 we see the plenary authority of Scripture. It is upon one word “gods” that Jesus defends his deity, and synecdochally the absolute authority of one word, or the part, stands for the absolute authority of the whole of Scripture. Thirdly, and in keeping with the theme of this series, we will note that the entirety of this argument is established and accepted by Jesus and the Jews based on what was written in “your law,” in verse 34, or the copy of the law that the Jews had in hand during the earthly ministry of Jesus.

Don’t miss this important study of the ramification and significance of the preserved word in Matthew 24:35 and John 10:35 tonight, 3/14, 7:30 EST.

[1] James Morrison, Matthew’s Memoirs of Jesus Christ: or a Commentary on the Gospel according to Matthew (Hamilton, Adams and Co., 1873), 531. http://0-search.ebscohost.com.newlibrary.wts.edu/login.aspxdirect=true&db=h7h&AN=36332946&site=ehost-live.

Class Link – Click Here

Series 2, Lecture 6: Matthew 5:18 — Christ’s Hyperbole or Christ’s Indicative (Take two)

Tonight, 3/7 at 7:30pm EST we hold the sixth lecture of a 10-week series on the Biblical basis for the theology we call the Providential Preservation of Scripture. Lecture 6 considers the words of Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount and specifically Matthew 5:18. Jesus’ teaching methods were simple; his lessons straight forward and easy for the common man to grasp. This simplicity corresponds with his “ordinary” or “intuitive” approach to the Scripture, a hermeneutic that resonated with the Jewish believers. His words and the Old Testament complemented one and other in that their subject and object was Jesus. The Old Testament was not an obstacle to the Jews that required Pharisaical comment to understand but was simply the message of Jesus written hundreds of years before. Nowhere in the Scripture does the message of Jesus cause doubt or question the cohesive relationship between the Scripture and Himself. Rather, as part of His Messianic ministry Jesus speaks of the authority and preservation of the text as a witness to who He is. Did those on the mount believe Jesus was exaggerating for effect, didn’t really mean jot and tittle, and was utilizing a common literary device, oriental hyperbole — or was he promising the preservation of the smallest elements of the Scripture thereby assuring the preservation of the Law? Don’t miss this important study of the ramification and significance of the preserved word in Matthew 5:18 as a promise of Jesus tomorrow tonight, 3/7, 7:30 EST.

Class Link – Click Here