16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)
Previously, we explained what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote “All Scripture.” Scripture (γραφὴ; graphe) refers to writing or to a written document. Within the context of the Bible, Scripture refers to the sacred writings of God’s written revelation or self-disclosure. In the immediate context of 2 Timothy, Paul referred to the Old Testament. In the overall context of the Old and New Testaments, Scripture refers to the entire Word of God or the entire biblical canon.
Today, we explore the meaning of the phrase “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” Many are familiar with the King James Version (KJV) or Authorized Version. It translates this phrase as “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” We know what these two translations say, but what do they mean?
Both translations translate the phase “breathed out by God” and “given by inspiration of God” from the one Greek word θεόπνευστος (theopneustos). This is compound adjective which modifies the noun Scripture. Theo refers to God. Pneustos is the Greek word for breath or spirit. Theologically, theopneustos established what is known as verbal, plenary inspiration. Verbal refers to Bible’s words. Plenary is the word meaning all. The concise meaning of this phrase is “All Words, God-breathed.”
The Chicago Statement on Inspiration defines the phase verbal, plenary inspiration as follows. “The extending of God’s superintendence of the writing of Scripture down to the very choice of words, not merely to overarching themes or concepts; that is, “the whole of Scripture and all of its parts, down to the very words of the original.”
An international Summit Conference of evangelical leaders was held at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago in October 1978. They produced The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.This conference was sponsored by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy (ICBI) in response to a growing trend of liberal interpretations of Scripture that undermined the authority of the Bible within evangelical seminaries and churches.
The Statement consists of three main parts:
- Summary Statement: A concise declaration of the belief in biblical inerrancy.
- Articles of Affirmation and Denial: Nineteen articles that outline what is affirmed and denied regarding the nature of Scripture, emphasizing that inerrancy applies to the original manuscripts and that the Bible is trustworthy inall its assertions, including historical and scientific claims.
- Exposition: A detailed explanation of the articles, providing theological and practical implications of the doctrine of inerrancy.
“Sometimes God told the Bible writers the exact words to say (e.g., Jer. 1:9), but more often he used their minds, vocabularies, and experiences to produce his own perfect infallible, inerrant word (1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 1:1; 2 Peter 1:20–21). It is important to note that inspiration applies only to the original autographs of Scripture, not the Bible writers; there are no inspired Scripture writers, only inspired Scripture. So identified is God with his word that when Scripture speaks, God speaks (cf. Rom. 9:17; Gal. 3:8). Scripture is called “the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:2), and cannot be altered (John 10:35; Matt. 5:17–18; Luke 16:17; Rev. 22:18–19),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.
When next we meet, we’ll define other significant terms related to the Bible’s verbal, plenary inspiration along with the benefits highlighted in 2 Timothy 3:16. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here/
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 