October 7, 2007
Sun Oak Baptist Church
Introduction
See 2nd Tim. 3:16.
How did the Bible come into being? How did we get it? These are the kinds of questions Peter answers in verse 21.
I. The trustworthiness of prophecy (or Scripture) confirmed. See 1:19.
II. The interpretation of prophecy (or Scripture) clarified. See 1:20-21.
“Knowing this first that no prophecy (no portion of Scripture that foretells the future) originates or comes into existence as the result of any private (or personal) determination – for prophecy has never come by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
III. The inspiration of prophecy (or of Scripture) explained. See 1:21.
A. In order to understand what Peter says about the how the Bible came into being there are a couple of things we need to see.
1. We need to understand that prophecy (Scripture) is not the result of man’s efforts. See 1:21a.
a. Man did not sit down and decide to write.
b. Liberal and scoffing scholars question the integrity of God’s Word – some examples.
c. Not one of the Biblical authors ever intended to write; they never set out to write; “prophecy came not in old time by the will of man.”
2. We also need to understand the meaning of the word “moved.”
a. The word “moved” here means “carried along” or “driven along.” “Prophecy (God’s Word) never came about by the will of men, but holy men of God spoke as they were ‘carried along’ or ‘driven along’ by the Holy Spirit.”
b. See Acts 27:12-15.
B. So: how did we get our Bible? How did God turn His words into the written word?
1. The prophets and the other authors of Scripture were taken hold of by the Holy Spirit: God took hold of them and gave them a message, then carried them along, and drove them along as they wrote and recorded the message.
2. The OT prophets never said: “This is what I think; or “this is what I believe;” “or these are my thoughts.”
3. Sometimes they were even called against their own will and against their own desire. Examples: Jonah and Jeremiah 15.
C. In a very explicit and precise manner Peter sets forth the great doctrine of revelation – of inspiration. God has been pleased in His infinite compassion and condescension to speak to men. The claim is made for this Book that it is absolutely unique, that there is no other book in the world like it.
Conclusion
When we pick up a Bible we hold in our hands a miracle. And I want us to understand that just like any other aspect of the character of God – we will fall short when we try to explain this miracle.
I can’t explain the parting of the Red Sea; I can’t explain how the widow kept pouring oil from one jar into the other jars and the jar with the oil did not run out; I can’t explain how Jesus was born of a virgin and why Joseph did not divorce Mary; I can’t explain how a star that could be seen for hundreds if not thousands of miles around guided the wise men to Bethlehem.
All I can really do is tell us that in the Bible God has revealed His own thoughts concerning man, and life, and the world; this book tells us how man came into existence; it tells us how all of man’s troubles are the result of sin; it tells us what God has done about sin; and it tells us what God will do about sin. The Bible is a map of history – it’s a philosophy of the ages.
I either accept this Book in its entirety or I base my life and view of the future upon the thoughts and ideas and insights and understandings of men.
Peter has finished his defense, his apologetic for the truth and validity of the doctrine of the Second Coming, and by extension, the validity and integrity of everything else he writes – and we are now ready to confront the false teachers.