Bible Study - Sabbath School Podcast

Literary Assistants

Read Jeremiah 36:17-18 and Romans 16:22. What do these verses tell us about the Bible writers' use of literary assistants?

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Presumably, Jeremiah could have written his messages, but instead he relied on a trusted scribe to record his prophecies faithfully and to share them with the nation's leaders. Jeremiah is not the only example in the Bible where prophets used the services of a literary assistant to communicate the divine message.

In the New Testament, even though Tertius says that he "wrote this epistle" (Rom. 16:22), it is evident from the beginning of the book of Romans that he was writing only what Paul wished to say. Tertius was his amanuensis, or secretary—a literary assistant who put Paul's words into written form.

This practice was not unusual for Paul. At the conclusion of his letters to the Colossians and Thessalonians, Paul makes a point of adding his salutation with "my own hand" (Col. 4:18, 2 Thess. 3:17, NKJV) as a way of authenticating the entire letter. This suggests that he relied upon someone else to pen the letters for him. Because this reality might raise doubts as to whether the letter correctly represented him—or worse, that it wasn't from him at all—Paul provided his own handwritten note at the end so that there would be no doubt about the genuineness of his epistle.

Many commentators attribute the variation in literary style found among Paul's letters to his use of literary assistants. The same is suspected regarding Peter's two letters: "Although it is a fact that the style of language of 2 Peter is different from that of the first epistle, this may reasonably be accounted for by the probability that Peter . . . employed secretarial aid in phrasing an epistle he was writing in Greek. If Paul, who was fully at home in Greek, used secretaries, as he quite evidently did, it is even more logical to think that Peter, whose native language was Aramaic, would have done so, and that these secretaries would have exerted a definite influence on the wording of his letters in Greek."—The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 186.

This suggests that while remaining faithful to the thoughts and meaning of God's messengers, the vocabulary and sentence construction might reflect the varying literary abilities of the assistants they employed. It's the thoughts that are inspired, not necessarily the specific words used to express those inspired thoughts.

Literary Genres and Styles

The Bible contains a variety of writing styles used by God's inspired messengers. Some resemble the writing of a diary (see Num. 33:1-49). On the other hand, the books of Daniel, Zechariah, and John contain examples of apocalyptic writing, which is marked by grand symbolism, cosmic themes, and descriptions of heavenly beings, among other characteristics.

Read Isaiah 13:1. How does the Bible here refer to the message Isaiah is giving?

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Visions received by the prophets are sometimes called "oracles"—meaning that they are communications or revelations from God (some versions translate the word "burden"). Newer translations of the Bible show that many were written out in poetic form, often using parallelism. Parallelism is when subsequent lines repeat or sometimes contrast with earlier lines. For example: "In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel" (Isa. 17:7, NKJV). "Maker" and "Holy One" are in parallel to each other, each image giving us more information about the other.

The prophets also used common literary devices such as metaphors (symbols) and hyperbole (exaggeration). For us to understand better and apply their messages, it is important to recognize the kind of writing that they used.

Another literary style frequently found in Scripture is the "covenant lawsuit." For example, in Jeremiah 2:4-9, Jeremiah presents God's legal complaint against His people for violating their covenantal obligations. Using courtroom imagery, the author portrays God as the prosecutor laying out the reasons for His judgment.

Scripture also contains prophetic writing, history, song, and parables. Jeremiah was told to compose a book of all his messages (Jer. 36:2), while much of the New Testament writings consist of letters addressed to individuals or communities. No distinction is made in the authority of one style of communication over another. Paul's letters were to be regarded as carrying the same weight as the prophets of old, because Paul gives clear evidence in his letters that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 7:10, 12, 40).

Some scholarship emphasizes the human element in Scripture at the expense of the divine. Why is that a sure path to spiritual ruin?

The Call to Write

The earliest method that God used to convey messages to humanity was through direct oral communication, such as audible voices, or dreams, or angels. It was not until the time of Moses that Scripture records the first divine instruction regarding these experiences, which was to write in a "book" what God had spoken.

What is the first mention of writing in the Bible? Read Exodus 17:14.

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In the Old Testament we find multiple examples of God's giving directions to His messengers to preserve His words for His people. Like Moses, Jeremiah was told, " 'Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day' " (Jer. 36:2, NKJV).

He was also given the reason he was to write out the prophecies: " 'It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin' " (Jer. 36:3, NKJV). The predictions were given to lead the people to salvation, rather than for the sake of curiosity about the future.

God's messengers wrote under a great variety of circumstances. Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible while in the desert. David composed several of his psalms while being hunted by Saul (see Psalms 52, 54, 57, 59). Daniel wrote his visions while serving in the courts of Babylon and Medo-Persia. In contrast, Paul wrote his letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon while he was in prison, and John wrote Revelation while exiled on Patmos. It is evident that when God's messengers were impressed to write, they were empowered by the Holy Spirit regardless of their circumstances.

Interestingly, all the preserved teachings of Jesus come to us in written form through persons God chose to entrust with those treasured truths. This shows us the confidence God has that divine messages would be faithfully recorded and preserved by His messengers.

How would you answer someone who says that we cannot trust the Bible because we do not have the original manuscripts? Why is that, really, a weak argument?

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 17:14; Isa. 13:1; Jer. 36:17-18; Rom. 16:22; Luke 1:1-4; Jude 14, 15; 2 Cor. 4:7

Memory Text: "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4, NKJV).

How would you like to be taught a song that God Himself composed? In Deuteronomy 32, the lyrics were written down by Moses at God's direction (Deut. 31:19-22). We don't usually think of songs when we think of prophetic writings, though many of the psalms are, indeed, inspired songs, even if the lyrics themselves were not dictated directly by the Lord Himself.

The Bible describes three major ways that prophets communicated God's messages: (1) orally; (2) through writing; and (3) through symbolic actions or dramatizations. This week we will focus on the writings in the Scriptures. The Bible records the Word of God, as expressed through the words of His messengers, including sermons and speeches of the prophets.

Think of the variety of writing styles and genres in the prophetic writings: narrative, history, poetry, lament, and letters, just to name a few. Chosen men and women put into human language what they were led by the Holy Spirit to communicate. This week we will look at their writing, the use of literary assistants (secretaries), and at things to keep in mind when studying challenging passages.

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 7.

Ellen G. White on Revelation and Inspiration

Seventh-day Adventists believe that Ellen G. White was divinely inspired. Her writings, life, and ministry meet the criteria of a true prophet. She possessed the same quality of inspiration as Bible prophets, though she never considered her writings to be the same as Scripture. On the contrary, Ellen G. White always uplifted the Bible. But how did she herself understand God's prophetic revelations to her and the process of her inspiration?

First, Ellen G. White always considered the Bible as the authoritative and infallible revelation of God. The Bible reveals God's truth and His plan of salvation for the fallen human race. In that process, as we are learning, He uses prophets to communicate His messages.

Second, Ellen G. White recognized that the process of inspiration involved divine-human interaction. God communicated His messages, but then the prophet would convey the divine instruction using his or her own words. As Ellen G. White put it: "It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man's words or his expressions but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. . . . The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind and will; thus the utterances of the man are the word of God."—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 21.

In relation to visions and prophetic dreams, Ellen G. White understood "thought inspiration" as a union of divine revelation and human experience. She wrote, " 'The Bible, with its God-given truths expressed in the language of men, presents a union of the divine and the human.' "—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 25. God used many ways to produce an understanding of His message in the mind of His messenger. These included picture representations, words, and thoughts that engaged all the prophet's senses. Ellen G. White's experience was similar to that of Bible writers.

Third, Ellen G. White noted that not all her human experiences and communications were inspired. "There are times when common things must be stated," she advised, "common thoughts must occupy the mind, common letters must be written and information given that has passed from one to another of the workers. Such words, such information, are not given under the special inspiration of the Spirit of God."—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 39. It is important to realize this distinction as we read and relate to her writings and experiences, particularly her correspondence and diaries.

Knowing Ellen G. White's understanding of revelation and inspiration helps us avoid extremes and read her counsels prudently with understanding.

To discover more, visit https://whiteestate.org/absg/5.

Drama, Symbols, Parables

The Bible has a rich variety of word pictures and metaphors. For example, the whole Old Testament sacrificial system of patriarchal altars, the Mosaic tabernacle, and the temple in Jerusalem was a pictographic representation of Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross and His heavenly priesthood (Heb. 8:1-6).

In the prophecies of Daniel, the kingdoms and powers in the world were represented by the different parts of a great image (Dan. 2:31-45), various animals and horns (Daniel 7 and 8), and two kings (Daniel 11). Similar representations appear also in the book of Revelation, as in the case of the two beasts of chapter 13.

In His teachings, Jesus spoke of Himself, for instance, as the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 41-58), the Light of the world (John 8:12, John 9:5), and the True Vine (John 15:1-8). And through the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23) and several other ones (Matt. 13:24-52, etc.), Jesus illustrated the nature and growth of His kingdom.

Read Ezekiel 4:1-8. Why do you think God not only spoke verbally but also dramatized some of His messages?

A vivid dramatization appears in Ezekiel 4:1-8, where God asked the prophet to make a miniature model of Jerusalem and to lay himself down, first on his left side for 390 days, representing the house of Israel, and then on his right side for 40 days, representing the house of Judah. Another visual experience was Hosea's divinely ordained marriage to Gomer, a prostitute, representing Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness to God (Hos. 1:2-9).

The dramatic experiences of Ezekiel and Hosea seem quite shocking today. But that was the point: they were supposed to be shocking, not just to us but also to the people back then. At a time when the warnings of the prophets were openly rejected (see 2 Chron. 36:15-21), the last act of divine mercy was to dramatically alert the people to their true condition in order to lead them to genuine repentance. Such a dramatic presentation certainly should have shown them how seriously they should have taken God's warning to them.

What kind of dramatization might someone do today to warn us about, say, being Laodicean? (See Rev. 3:14-18.)

Written Messages

Some famous speeches have deeply impacted people's lives and even changed the course of history. If these speeches were not recorded, the words would have faded or become distorted with the passage of time. Thus, writing gives permanence to the spoken word, and that permanence allows the message to be transmitted through time.

Shortly after the Israelites left Egypt and defeated the Amalekites, God instructed Moses to "write this for a memorial in the book" (Exod. 17:14, NKJV). Beginning with Moses, who authored the first five books of the Bible, Psalm 90, and Job, the Holy Spirit guided the canonical prophets to produce the writings that now comprise the 66 books of the Bible.

Read Exodus 17:14; John 20:30-31; 1 Corinthians 10:11; and Revelation 1:19. What are some of the reasons God asked His prophets to write down the messages that He gave them?

The various books of the Bible reflect the literary style and skills of their respective writers. As we will discuss in next week's study, the personal nuances and various styles of each author don't take away from their messages, because there are no "degrees" of inspiration. Some parts of the Bible are obviously more relevant and applicable to our lives and faith today than are other parts. But this truth doesn't make one part of the Bible more inspired than another part.

Sometimes Bible writers recorded the inspired messages that they first delivered orally, by themselves, or by a trusted associate. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses recorded the last speeches that he made to the Israelites before his death. The four Gospels register many of the sermons and teachings of Jesus during His earthly ministry.

But there are instances in which prophets quoted non-inspired sources (Acts 17:28, 1 Cor. 15:33, Titus 1:12) and even the words of Satan (Gen. 3:1-5, Matt. 4:1-11).

We should remember that as the prophets recorded the feelings and desires of other people, they also expressed their own human reactions (see Dan. 8:27; Rev. 22:8-9). Furthermore, the Bible describes many good examples to be imitated but also many bad ones to be avoided (1 Cor. 10:1-11).

While reading the Bible, we should keep in mind that, while not written in perfect language, it carries an infallible message that will stand the test of time.

Oral Messages

Read 2 Peter 1:18-21. What assurance do we have that the oral messages delivered by God's prophets were as inspired and reliable as the written ones?

God spoke to Adam and Eve before the Fall (Gen. 2:16-17) and after (Gen. 3:9-19). In both cases, they perfectly understood His words. His voice was heard in clear terms also at Sinai (Exod. 20:1-20), as well as at the baptism and the transfiguration of Jesus (Matt. 3:17, Matt. 17:5). We might misinterpret when other people talk to us. But, surely, when God talks to anyone, there will be no miscommunication or deception.

The Bible affirms that "God spoke to Moses and said to him: 'I am the Lord' " (Exod. 6:2, NKJV). Many Bible writers acknowledged hearing the voice of God as He spoke to them. This was the case, for example, with Isaiah (Isa. 8:1, 11), Jeremiah (Jer. 1:4, 9, 11), and Ezekiel (Ezek. 3:16, Ezek. 6:1). Any attempt to deny these and other similar claims ends up questioning the honesty of the prophets and the reliability of the Bible itself.

As God spoke to the prophets in an intelligible human language, so did the prophets to their respective audiences. For instance, Noah was a true prophet of God and a faithful "preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet. 2:5). He did not write any portion of the Bible, but he delivered God's message orally to his contemporaries, and his message was no less inspired than the writings of the canonical prophets.

Several other prophets, including Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist, never wrote any portion of the Bible; instead, they delivered their message orally.

And what about Jesus Christ Himself? The Gospel record mentions that during His earthly ministry He "wrote on the ground with His finger" (John 8:6, NKJV). That's it. We have no record of Jesus' writing anything else. But He taught and preached orally "as one having authority" (Matt. 7:29, NKJV). Some of His listeners even confessed, "No man ever spoke like this Man" (John 7:40, 46, NKJV). Jesus was primarily an oral communicator of God's messages. His messages were no less authoritative or binding simply because He Himself did not write any books of the Bible.

How fascinating that God has prophets who had no writings in the Bible. Why do these noncanonical prophets also carry authority?

The Process of Inspiration

Many books and writings, not just the Bible, have come down to us through the ages. And yet we deem the Bible as the Word of God. What separates it from other writings?

Read 2 Timothy 3:15-17 and James 1:17. What important message should we take from these verses?

There is some discussion about the best translation of 2 Timothy 3:16, but most Bible translations render this passage in a similar way, emphasizing that the whole Bible is of divine origin (2 Pet. 1:20-21).

One Bible commentator explains that "it seems more likely that Paul is contemplating scripture as a whole here and that he would say that the whole of scripture is 'profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness,' than that every scripture passage is profitable in these ways."—G. W. Knight III, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1992), p. 445.

But how should we understand the inspiration process that originated the Bible? We should recognize that prophetic inspiration is the Holy Spirit assisting true prophets for the reliable communication of divine messages. That assistance is provided not only in the process of receiving the messages but also in communicating the messages clearly to their recipients.

God's messages came through visions and dreams (Num. 12:6; Isa. 6:1, 8). God also used eyewitnesses (1 John 1:1-3), Spirit-inspired historical research (Luke 1:1-3), and divine impressions on the mind (2 Pet. 1:21). Regardless of the means used by the Holy Spirit, the prophets and biblical authors were given objective, rather than subjective, messages of truth to be shared. That is, God's messages were not to be tampered with or in any way distorted by His messengers, even if they used their own words to express those messages.

The task of communicating prophetic messages to their original audiences could be done orally (2 Pet. 1:19-21), or in written form (John 20:30-31), or even through dramatization (Ezek. 4:1-8).

Though many questions remain about how the Bible was inspired, or how inspiration works in general, why is it so important to trust the Bible as God's inspired Word, regardless of what we may not fully understand about how it was written?

General and Special Revelation

Read Hebrews 1:1-2. Why is God so interested in speaking to us? What is He telling us through Jesus and the prophets?

What would the Creator of the cosmos have to say to us? Why does He communicate with us? It is because we are fallen human beings in a sinful world and face death, suffering, and trials; God, therefore, speaks to us because He wants us to know why we are here, why things are so bad, and why, despite it all, we can hope in His love for us.

God's general revelation, as seen in the natural world, speaks eloquently of His infinite power and caring love. King David exclaimed, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork" (Ps. 19:1, NKJV). The apostle Paul added, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse" (Rom. 1:20, NASB).

It is also amazing to reflect on God's restoring power manifested in the mysterious healing processes in our world. Indeed, "God's healing power runs all through nature. If a tree is cut, if a human being is wounded or breaks a bone, nature begins at once to repair the injury. Even before the need exists, the healing agencies are in readiness; and as soon as a part is wounded, every energy is bent to the work of restoration."—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 113.

As beautiful and instructive as the natural world can be, it reveals not only God's power and love but also the presence of evil (see Gen. 3:14-19, Matt. 13:24-30). This ambiguous message can be properly understood only in light of God's special revelation—in both Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, and in the Bible, the Written Word of God that testifies of Him (John 5:39).

The Scriptures are the inspired record of God's messages to all human beings throughout the ages. They tell us about the Creation of the world and its tragic fall, and about God's amazing plan of redemption and the final restoration of planet Earth. As brief and selective as some biblical narratives can be, they are always reliable, because it's God speaking to us (see 2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 1:19-21).

Though nature surely points to the reality of the Creator's power and love, why do we still so desperately need the Written Word, as well? What does the Word tell us that nature, in and of itself, doesn't?