The Origin of Scripture

REVELATION:
Intro Question: In what ways has God shown you Himself?

The Need for Scripture

• General Revelation
  
  The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:1-4
  
  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, becoming understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20
  
• How is this helpful and not helpful?
  o Relational ramifications?
  o Is it sufficient?
  o For what and whom?
  o What can we know?
  o What can’t we know?
  We cannot know HIS NAME!

Sin’s Effect
Before the Fall: We saw God clearly even if not exhaustively
After the Fall: Sin ruined our vision

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God made it plain to them. Romans 1:18-19

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. Romans 1:18

How is this helpful and not helpful?
o Humility of knowing?
o Finitude and Fallen-ness?

The Provision of Scripture

• Special Revelation: God’s Gift of Spectacles
  · Scripture is a record of God’s promise to redeem
  · Scripture is a record of the fulfillment of that promise in Christ
  · There is no way to know Christ outside of robes of Scripture

CANON: HOW DID THE BIBLE COME TO BE?

• Theories of Formation
  Start with the Source: Old Testament
  · The OT claims to be giving Words from God
  · Jesus thought the OT was God’s Word
  · Interchangeability of Bible said… and God said…
  
  Start with the Source: NT
  · The Unique Nature of the NT: In medias res
  · Covenant and OT Expectation
  
• Apostolic Commission
  · Authority: Acts 13:47; Matt 10:40; John 14:13; 17:18, Gal
  · Mission: 2 Timothy 1:13


• The Self-Understanding of the NT authors
  · Are the critics right?
  · NT authors believed they were inspired by God
  · NT authors believed each other's writings were Scripture
  
• Back Track: Old and New
  · Dead Sea Scrolls
  · Josephus
  · Talmud
  · Church Fathers
  · Melito of Sardis (170 A.D.)
  · Origen (185-254 A.D.)
  · Athanasius (345-410)
  · Church Fathers NT agreement
  · Controversies Prove the Point: Marcion

CONCLUSION

· The Canon is Received more than Adopted
· The Canon is Initiated by God
· The Writers of the Scripture knew they were inspired
· And so did everybody else around them