A review of Peter J. Williams, Can We Trust The Gospels? (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018), 153 pages, pbk. This excellent little book by the English biblical scholar Peter J. Williams (not to be confused with the apologist Peter S. Williams) is a readable and informative introduction to some of the main questions people have about the four Gospels. In eight tightly argued but entertaining chapters Williams, who acts as principal of Tyndale House, Cambridge, dispels common myths and furnishes many …
Category: Holy Scripture
Part One Objection 1: A common objection to viewing Scripture as propositional revelation is that it ends up treating the Bible as a sort of theological concordance, irrespective of the original context of the passage. Now I agree with that, but that’s not what we’re talking about. Propositional revelation does not necessarily involve treating the Bible as a theological concordance. Objection 2: The propriety of associating the ineffable God with human linguistic forms. Some scholars balk at the idea that …
The Bible depicts man as specially equipped by God for the express purposes of knowing God’s rational verbal revelation, of communicating with God in praise and prayer, and of discoursing with fellow men about God and his will. – Carl F. H. Henry, God, Revelation, and Authority, Volume 3, 389 Because of the theistic view of language described above we ought not to be surprised when we turn to Scripture and look upon it as information that has been given to …
This piece is based on transcripts of a lecture I gave on the subject. This lecture on the so-called phenomena of Scripture is necessary because in the modern and postmodern eras it has become more and more common not only to refer to the inspiration of Scripture, which is clearly a biblical doctrine, but to bolster this claim with the assertion of biblical inerrancy; it is perfectly justifiable to think and speak in these terms. Inspiration includes inerrancy and authority requires …
The Inspiration of Scripture – Part Three N.B. This is a companion piece to the articles on Inspiration “Scripture” usually translates the Greek term graphe. Sometimes, as in 2 Timothy 3:15 one finds hieros grammata, but it is clear that in the context grammata is referring to the Scriptures of verse 16. In other words it is just a synonym. Also, Paul is referring to the Old Testament as a unit – as a whole, and not to the different books of the …
Part Two Let us reproduce the Pache definition: Inspiration is the determining influence exercised by the Holy Spirit on the writers of the Old and New Testament in order that they might proclaim and set down in an exact and authentic way the message as received from God. – Rene Pache, The Inspiration and Authority of Scripture, 45 When one is dealing with Pache’s definition, it is vital to notice that he was speaking very much about the writers, so let’s get …
Part One The Divine over the Human What all this does is that it causes us to conclude that as evangelical Christians we should emphasize the divine aspect of the Bible more than the human element, though not neglecting the human aspect. This is the biblical pattern: Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to …
Part Two In our present “postmodern” ethos, laden as it is with deconstructionism and hermeneutical suspicion, Christians have to ask how the primacy of biblical revelation does in such an environment. Does it struggle for air or does it flourish? Maybe it is better to ask, can it flourish as an idea among ideas? The biblical outlook has set against it three formidable foes. These enemies of God’s Word are constantly at work chipping away at the foundations upon which …
Part One The Importance of a Prolegomena, and the Importance of Having a Christian Philosophy There are all kinds of philosophies which the Christian should avoid. The Apostle warns, See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. – Colossians 2:8 The reference here is probably generic, referring to the various ideas floating around in Asia Minor in …
I thought I would adapt some of my lecture notes on Systematic Theology for my blog. I am continuing to work on my book of Biblical Theology, and I thought it would do me good to change things up a bit. The first group of posts will be on the Doctrine of Revelation. That God has spoken is the most important thing that can be said by a human being in this world. Ontologically speaking, God must come first, and …
