Enda80

http://www.religioustolerance.org/inerran3.htm

There are many passages which state or imply that the authors of the Bible were inspired by God. Since errors, mistakes and duplicity are not generally regarded as qualities of God, then inspiration by God would imply inerrancy of the text. Passages are found both in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) which support inerrancy, either directly or indirectly.

Hebrew scripture: Passages concerning the words of God being without error include: Psalms 12:6: "the words of the LORD are flawless"
Psalms 119:89: "Your word, O LORD, is eternal, it stands firm"
Proverbs 30:5-6: "Every word of God is flawless"

Matthew 5:18: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (KJV) A jot is the Greek letter "i" - the smallest letter in the alphabet; a tittle is a small mark used to aid in reading ancient Hebrew. This statement would seem to imply that the Mosaic law, given in the Hebrew Scriptures, was correct and valid in the 1st century CE during Jesus' ministry on earth. That is, the Law was inerrant; there was no justification for any deletions to the law. However, Jesus' statement would seem to permit additions to the law, as in Matthew 5:28 where Jesus equates looking at a woman with lust with committing adultery with her.
Gospels, Acts, Epistle: There are a number of passages which stated that the apostles would convey the words of the Holy Spirit when they were addressing a crowd or an accuser. One might infer from these passages that the Holy Spirit would also guide their written statements. Some examples from the Christian Scriptures are: Matthew 10:19-20: "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."
Mark 13:11: "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost."
Luke 12:11-12: "And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say."
Luke 21:14-15: "Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist."
John 16:13: "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."
Acts 1:8: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
1 Corinthians 2:12-13: "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

John 10:35: "...and the scripture cannot be broken;" Jesus is recorded as believing that the Law could not be changed or edited.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, [literally God-breathed] and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." This is the main biblical passage which refers to the Bible as being inspired by God. "All" would seem to imply that the inspiration applies to every word and phrase. It is important to realize that the only Scripture available at the time that 1 and 2 Timothy were written was the Old Testament. Thus, the author of 2 Timothy was referring only to the Hebrew Scriptures. Most likely, it was a reference to the Septuagint, a Greek translation which included the Apocrypha.
2 Pet 1:20-21: "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the 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."
Revelation 22:18-19: "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." These verses would seem to imply that any change to the book would be a serious error, worthy of great punishment -- horrendous punishment or an eternity in Hell. Thus, according to the author of Revelation, everything in "the book" is accurate. Many conservative Christians believe that these verses refer to the inerrancy of the entire Bible. However, the New Testament did not exist at the time that Revelation was written. The text appears to be referring only to the single book, Revelation.

However, these passages do not prove inerrancy, just as similar statements in the religious texts of other religions no not prove that the latter are inerrant. As Josh McDowell and Don Stewart write: "The mere fact that the Bible claims to be the word of God does not prove that it is such, for there are other books that make similar claims." 2

Sheshbazzar

This is consistent with the belief that a single Power is responsible for everything that comes into being, and has existence, including everything that comes to pass, good or bad (as viewed from a human perspective) including all of the other religions, other 'gods', governments, atheists, or powers on earth, or in the heavens, including every single author, and book that was ever was, or ever will be written, (including all of the science texts)
"a'heh'yah-asher-a'heh'yah"

Rameus

I am that I am.

Rameus

Sheshbazzar

A 'conventional' English rendition, but much is lost in the translation.

Chris Weimer

Shesbazzar, I'm not saying that I believe it, but just noting the thematic parallels between Luke-Acts and the Pastorals which I've noted here.

Sheshbazzar

If "even the very hairs of your head are all numbered" how much more attention ought be given to a missing 'yod' ? Books have above all, taken a formative role in the shaping of humanity, and none of us remain untouched, as clay under the hand of the potter; put a word in and men will go to war, remove a word and a people will perish, not a single ant is crushed underfoot, nor a leaf fall from a tree in the deepest forest, that has not held its place within the space time continuum, and been known unto the Truth.

Magdlyn

Actually it is more like this:

1) The Jewish Scriptures are told, written down, created, redacted, reinterpreted and finally, used as law.
2) Paul writes some letters (rejecting most of the Jewish law, BTW)
3) The Gospels are composed, bringing Paul's indwelling Christ spirit to life in the (fictive) flesh
4) People from the "School of Paul" write more letters in his name, including 2 Timothy

Magdlyn

Interesting thread. A point that has not been made, I think, is this:

Pps have suggested the author of 2 Timothy (whoever he was) was referring only to the Hebrew Scriptures when he wrote the contested verse.

"What you have known from childhood."

That is one POV. Another would imply both the Hebrew Scriptures and the accepted letters of Paul. 2Tim was written around 100-150 CE (acc to Kirby's site). Writings from the "childhood" of a letter writer from this period would have included Paul's original letters as well as the Gospel of Thomas and the Didache, which are of course, not included in the ultimate official canon. It may have included Jewish works such as the Wisdom of Solomon; 1-5 Maccabees; Tobit; Bel and the Dragon; 1 Enoch; etc., today rejected by many.

Another work that may have been from this author's childhood could be GMark.

This is assuming all of these newer works were widely circulated and known to this author. How does a Christian get around this point, that works accepted by the author of 2 Tim were ultimately rejected by the later church?

jonesg

'First know that I AM.'

Its a people's experience and accounts of what they were inspired by and how their lives went, the ones to watch are the ones who Obey and the ones who didn't.

There is only one God or it wouldn't be God.

jonesg

They are within their religion, it tells them what to think and not question.
Spirituality is to seek and grow in understanding of ones own conception of a loving God.