2-Minute Theology - TRINITY BIBLE CHURCH

The Illumination of Scripture

7/29/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Illumination Of Scripture

The doctrine of illumination refers to “the ministry of the Holy Spirit whereby He enlightens those who are in a right relationship with Him to comprehend the written Word of God.” First, illumination is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus prophesied that the Holy Spirit would teach truth to all believers.

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

Second, illumination is only available to believers, who are in a right relationship with God.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. […] If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. - 1 John 1:8, 10

Third, the truth, which the Holy Spirit enables the believer to understand, is God’s Word.

Sanctify them in the truth: Your word is truth. - John 17:17

Illumination is necessary for two reasons. One, the Bible is a book unlike any other human book, God wrote it. Human thinking alone is insufficient to perceived spiritual truths.

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. - 1 Corinthians 2:11

Two, human thinking is not only insufficient, but it is also unregenerate.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. - 1 Corinthians 2:14

Unless the Holy Spirit regenerates an individual, he or she may learn Bible facts, but they will never know the truth contained within its pages.

The Formation of Scripture: Part Two

7/29/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Formation Of Scripture - Part Two

As other Scriptures were penned after the Torah, they too were viewed as divine and placed beside the Ark of the Lord.

Then Samuel told the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book and placed it before the Lord. - 1 Samuel 10:25

Over the next several centuries, various prophets, priests, and appointed scribes recorded, assembled, and copied the Scriptures.

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. - 1 Kings 14:19
So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. - 1 Chronicles 9:1
Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer, - 1 Chronicles 29:29
Now, the acts of Asa from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. - 2 Chronicles 16:11
These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed. - Proverbs 25:1

The books of Nathan and Gad were assimilated into what is commonly known as 1 and 2 Samuel. Daniel referenced a collection of sacred writings, which he referred to as the books or scrolls.

In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. - Daniel 9:2

The New Testament autographs were kept by the churches to whom they were written. In fact, most of the New Testament autographs were still in existence in the second century AD. According to Tertullian, “Come now, you who would indulge a better curiosity, if you would apply it to the business of your salvation, run over to the apostolic churches […] in which [the apostles] own authentic writings are read…”1

ENDNOTES:

Tertullian, “The Prescription against Heretics,” in Latin Christianity: Its Founder, Tertullian, ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, trans. Peter Holmes, vol. 3, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 260.

The Formation Of Scripture: Part One

7/25/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Formation Of Scripture - Part One

As God spoke the Law to Moses, he recorded it on clay tablets and papyrus scrolls.

And he wrote upon the tablets (lûaḥ) the words of the covenant, - Exodus 34:28b
And it came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book (sēper), - Deuteronomy 31:24

In these passages, tablets translates the term lûaḥ (i.e., clay tablet) and book translates the term sēper (i.e., a scroll). The clay tablets were written before the papyrus scrolls. Thus, the tablet is the autograph, and the scroll is the apograph. This two-fold method of near simultaneous inscription demonstrates that an apograph existed which was an exact facsimile of the autograph. When finished, the papyrus scroll was placed beside the Ark of the Covenant.

It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete, […] The Lord saying, Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you. - Deuteronomy 31:9, 24, 26

The placement of the Torah besides the Ark shows that it was finished. Also, by placing it beside the Ark, in the Holy of Holies, limited access to a select few and protected it from alteration. Protecting the Torah from alteration was significant for two primary reasons. One, the Torah was the standard or canon by which all other sacred writings were tested. Two, the Torah was the standard by which the kings and the nation were evaluated and judged (cf. 2 Kings 21:8, 10-13). If the Torah were in a continuous state of flux, it would lose its authority to be God’s standard.

The Harmony and Unity of Scripture

7/25/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Harmony And Unity Of Scripture

The Bible is a collection of sixty-six books (or forty-nine scrolls), written by forty different authors, over 1,600 years, yet there is not one contradiction. Choose any other subject matter, gather sixty-six books, by forty authors, spread over 1,600 years, on the chosen topic, and it will result in contradictions.

The Bible was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. The largest portion of the Bible was written in Hebrew and the smallest portion in Aramaic. While much of the Bible was written in Israel, it was also penned in Babylon, Arabia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The human writers were kings, priests, prophets, soldiers, statesmen, shepherds, fisherman, a tax collector, a doctor, a tent-maker, and a farmer.

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, - Hebrews 1:1-2a

The many portions refer to the various genres of the Bible: historical, legal, wisdom, psalms, prophecy, apocalyptic, gospel, and epistles.

The various occupations of the human authors account for the various literary genres of the Bible. The many ways refer to the various processes by which God communicated to man: dreams, visions, theophanies, angels, and prophets. Despite the diversity of languages, locations, authors, occupations, and genres, the Scripture is unique in its harmony and unity.

The Canonicity of the New Testament

7/22/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Canonicity Of The New Testament

The Torah continued as the standard used to determine the God-inspired writings, which comprised the New Testament. Along with the seven-point tests used for the Old Testament, four more tests were added:

Did the book reflect the same quality of inspiration as the writings of the Old Testament?
Was the human writer an apostle or an associate of an apostle?
Was the book consistent with established, orthodox doctrine?
How was the book received by the churches?

As the Apostolic Age came to a close, books were being identified as inspired by God. The term Scripture was a common designation in First Century AD Judaism for the canonical books. Paul quoted from both Luke’s Gospel and Deuteronomy referring to them as Scripture.

For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing, and The laborer is worthy of his wages. - 1 Timothy 5:18

Peter identified Paul’s epistles as Scripture.

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 ... - 2 Peter 3:15-16

John placed the book of Revelation on par with the rest of Scripture by quoting the Deuteronomic curse for changing the Scriptures.

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will 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 will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city .... - Revelation 22:18-19

The New Testament canon was accepted long before the church councils of the Third and Fourth Centuries AD. Shortly after Revelation was penned, Clement of Rome (AD 95), Ignatius of Antioch (AD 115), and Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John (AD 108) testified to the acceptance of the New Testament canon. In fact, between AD 70 and AD 170, all the New Testament books were quoted and recognized as canonical.

The Canonicity of the Old Testament

7/22/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Canonicity Of The Old Testament

The Torah was used as the standard to determine the God-inspired writings, which comprised the Old Testament. Each potential writing went through a seven point test.

Did the book claim divine authorship?
Was the book a product of God speaking through a mediator?
Was the human writer identified as a spokesman for God?
Did the human writer have the prophetic gift?
Was the book historically accurate?
Was the book a record of actual facts?
How was the book received by the recipients?

There are three periods in Israel’s history when it was recorded that the writings were viewed as divine. The first was at the receiving of the Torah. Six hundred thousand men acknowledge that the words were from God and committed to obey them.

All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient! - Exodus 24:7

The second period was during the reforms of King Josiah. The Book of the Covenant was read before the people. The people accepted it as divine and committed to obey it.

The king made a covenant before the Lord, to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes.. to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant. - 2 Kings 23:3

The third period was during the rededication of the Post-Exilic Temple. Ezra read the Scripture to the people. The people wept and committed to obey it.

For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. - Nehemiah 8:9

Ezra collected the inspired books and ordered them as the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (i.e. the Writings). Jesus’ use of the phrase, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms shows His acknowledgment of the Old Testament canon.

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

The Canonicity of Scripture

7/18/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Canonicity Of Scripture

The term canon refers to a measuring stick or standard used to determine, which books God inspired and are therefore authoritative and orthodox. Canon does not make the Scriptures inspired. At no time has a church council ever made a book inspired.

The first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah, are the standard by which all other Biblical writings are tested. One, God, the divine author, spoke His revelation directly to Moses, the human writer, as witnessed by 600,000 men. Two, Moses was a prophet second only to Jesus. Three, God specifically stated that nothing could be added to or taken away from the Torah.

You shall not add (yāsap) to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away (gāraʿ) from it. - Deuteronomy 4:2

The term add (yāsap) means to increase the size or scope. The term take away (gāraʿ) means to take away or reduce. Thus every book that came after the Torah, had to be in agreement with God’s truths as revealed in the Torah.

Jesus, acknowledged that the Torah was the standard by which His own words should be tested.

For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? - John 5:46-47

The implication of this is that Jesus could not speak anything contrary to the Torah. Jesus testified to this fact.

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill (plēroō). - Matthew 5:17

The term fulfill (plēroō) means “to cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) to received fulfillment.”1

ENDNOTES:
1. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995).

What is Meant by Bible, Scripture, and The Word of God?

7/18/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · What Is Meant By Bible, Scripture, & The Word Of God?

The term Bible comes from the Greek term biblion and refers to a scroll. The term biblíon is used in Luke 4:17 to refer to the sacred writings of Isaiah. The term biblíon is also used in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) to translate the Hebrew term sēper meaning scroll, which is used to described the sacred writings.

Then he took the book (sēper / biblíon) of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient! - Exodus 24:7

The term Scripture comes from the Greek term graphē and refers to both the Old and New Testaments as sacred writings.

All Scripture (graphē) is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; - 2 Timothy 3:16

The Old Testament is called the Scripture in Matthew 21:42, Acts 1:16, Romans 1:1-2, James 2:23; James 4:5; 1 Peter 2:6 and 2 Peter 1:20. Paul referred to both Luke 10:7 and Deuteronomy 25:4 as Scripture in 1 Timothy 5:18. In 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter referred to Paul’s writings as Scripture.

The phrase Word of God is used in both the Old and New Testaments to recognize the writings as being from God.

Every word of God is tested - Proverbs 30:5
If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture (graphē) cannot be broken), - John 10:35
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. - Hebrews 4:12

The Perspicuity of Scripture

7/15/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Perspicuity Of Scripture

Perspicuity means, “that Scripture is clear enough for the simplest person, deep enough for highly qualified readers, clear in its essential matters... understandable through ordinary means.”1

The Scripture must be transparent or understandable to be the source of saving faith and to be profitable to equip saints.

and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. - 2 Timothy 3:15
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Scripture must be transparent enough that ordinary people and children can understand it. Scriptural transparency does not mean that all of the Bible is equally clear or understandable. Some passages are more explicit than others. Even Peter acknowledged that some of Paul's writings were difficult to understand.

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 3:16

Any difficulties one may have in understanding the Bible is due to their finiteness or sinfulness. The Bible cannot be blamed for one’s lack of understanding. Never once did Jesus say that the Scriptures were not clear or understandable. In fact, when the religious leaders tried to make the Scriptures less than transparent or understandable, Jesus accused them of either not reading the Scriptures or just not knowing the Scripture.

Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures...? - Matthew 21:42
But Jesus answered and said to them, You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. - Matthew 22:29

ENDOTES:
1. Larray D. Pettegrew, “The Perspicuity of Scripture,” The Master's Seminary Journal, Volume 15, Number 2 (Fall 2004), 209.

The Preservation of Scripture

7/15/2020

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Preservation Of Scripture

Today, there are no original manuscripts (i.e., autographs) of Scripture known to be in existence. This is due to the passing of time and to the wear and tear of use. God intended though that His Word be preserved. He accomplished this by employing His people to make copies (i.e., apographs) of His Word. Since God employed people to copy His Word, He placed a severe penalty upon those who would add to it or take away from it.

Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it. - Deuteronomy 12:32

This penalty is repeated again in Proverbs 30:5-6 and Revelation 22:18-19.

While the autographs were free from error, this does not mean that all the apographs were errorless. That there are copies or apographs which are in error is a testimony to the fact that Satan has been trying to distort and destroy God’s Word. Despite Satan’s attempts, God has preserved a line of apographs which are exact copies of the inerrant, infallible autographs.

Forever (ʿôlām), O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. - Psalm 119:89
Of old I have known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever (ʿôlām). - Psalm 119:152
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God shall stand forever (ʿôlām). - Isaiah 40:8

The term forever (ʿôlām) means continuous, perpetual, or everlasting. While the autographs have long since deteriorated, no Scripture has ever been lost, nor is any Scripture waiting to be discovered. God promised that the Scriptures will be preserved, guaranteeing that it will not become extinct and that a line of apographs will be kept from corruption.