The Bible CREATED BY MEN OR A MESSAGE FROM GOD? WHAT DOES IT SAY? Prepared by Dr. Andrew S. Zeller Sangre de Cristo Seminary Westcliffe, CO 81252 www.sdcs76.org To fully minister the Word of God Colossians 1:25
JESUS BELIEVED THE SCRIPTURES TO BE FROM GOD Jesus used the phrase it is written about the Bible as the final authority from God But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written Matthew 4:4-10 And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer Matthew 21:13 The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him (Ref. Psalm 41:9; 55:12-14) Matthew 26:24 Jesus believed the Scriptures to be permanent. Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-19 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail. Luke 16:17 Jesus based His claim as the Messiah on the Bible "Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, (Ref: Isaiah 35:5) Matthew 11:3-5 And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. Luke 24:27 Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Luke 24:44 You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me. John 5:39 Jesus claimed the words of the Bible to be the words of God And He (Jesus) answered and said, "Have you not read, that He (God) who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh '? (Jesus quotes Genesis 2:24 as God s words) Matthew 19:4-5 Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth. John 17:17
The focus of the Bible is the life and work of Jesus Christ. He is the Divine Son of God who lived with us, performed miracles, taught about God s Kingdom and God s Grace. He lived a righteous life, but was crucified as a sacrifice for our sins. He then came to life again after three days in a grave. He s more than a credible source. THE OLD TESTAMENT WRITERS BELIEVED THEY SPOKE FOR GOD After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." Genesis 15:1 "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Deuteronomy 4:2 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 1 Samuel 15:10 Each of the 176 verses of Psalm 119 refers to the Scriptures as from God) Sample: "Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel Jeremiah 36:1-2 Then the LORD answered me and said, "Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets Habakkuk 2:2 We are told by some, in this postmodern age, that we can t know anything for certain. They say that truth is what you make it. They say the Bible is irrelevant and your purpose in life and what happens to you after you die can t be known. Are they sure? What s their source?
THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS REFER TO THE OLD TESTAMENT AS THE WORD OF GOD "David himself said in the Holy Spirit, 'The Lord said to my LORD, "Sit at My right hand Mark 12:36 "Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David Acts 1:16 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, Romans 1:1-3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. Romans 3:1-2 The Old Testament was written by prophets, men who spoke for God. The New Testament was written by Apostles or under the influence of Apostles, men who had seen the risen Jesus and were commissioned with Jesus authority to communicate the good news of truth. THE APOSTLES BELIEVED THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITING TO BE THE WORD OF GOD Jesus said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:26 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment. 1 Corinthians 14:37 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8 And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 2 Peter 3:15-16 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. Revelation 22:18-19 We have not been left alone without answers, to wonder Where did we come from? Is there a God? Does He care about us? Can we know Him? Does life have purpose? Is there life after death? THE BIBLE SAYS IT WAS INSPIRED (BREATHED) BY GOD All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 Peter 1:20-21 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things. Hebrews 1:1-2 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8) Read It Believe It It s God s message to us of His Grace through Jesus