Intro: One August night, my children dragged me to the backyard to watch a meteor shower. I reluctantly joined them thinking, I have so many details to tend to before we leave on vacation. I don't have time for idleness. Suddenly, golden fire balls streaked across the blackness. "God made this," I whispered. It was a rare moment. Not because of the sight, but because I stepped beyond my familiar world into one of wonder and discovered the Creator in the midst. Could it be God filled the world with such beauty to lift people like me away from our obsession with details--to touch our lives with a magnificent awareness of himself?
   -- Sue Monk Kidd, Today's Christian Woman

I. Section 1,  Revelation
Read: Section 1
    A. Definitions

Question: What is Revelation?
                                                 Hebrew: Galah                         Greek: Apokaluppo

 Both express the idea of uncovering what is concealed. Theologically it is God manifesting Himself to mankind in such a way that we can know and have fellowship with Him.

Question: There are 2 kinds of revelation, what are they?

 1. General: Also called Natural. This is where God manifests Himself to all mankind ,at all times  and in all places.

           -It is general in two senses: It is universally available, it is less detailed than special revelation

Question: What are examples of General/Natural Revelation?

         -Nature, conscience, history (his dealings with Israel in particular)

 2. Specific: This is God manifesting Himself to particular people at particular times, in particular places enabling those
                    persons to enter into a redemptive  relationship with Him. (Erickson)

         -It is specific in that it is not universal in scope and it is has great detail in  subject.
        -Special revelation builds upon general revelation.

Question: What do I mean by Special Revelation building upon General Revelation?

     General revelation only goes so far in what it uncovers, Special revelation makes it more clear, fills in the details, makes it more personal.

Question: What are examples of Special revelation?

     -Visions, Dreams, Divine Speech, Angels, Donkeys,  Historical events affected by God direct  intervention ,
      Urim and Thurnmin, the Incarnation of Jesus, Scripture.

    B. The Nature of General/Natural Revelation

READ: The first full sentence of  Section 1

Question: According to Section 1 of the WCF, what does Revelation reveal?

     Revelation reveals that there is a God and it tells of some of His attributes.

Question: According to Section 1 of the WCF, in what ways does revelation reveal that there is  a God?

 1. The Light of Nature
  -Our senses and reasoning powers which are part of our humanity, combined with  the natural world will reveal that
    there is a God.

 2. The Works of Creation
  -This is seen in the created order of all things.
  -This is seen in the order and consistency in the natural world.

 3. The Providence of God's Work in the World.
  -This is the hand of God in the regular and unerring motions of the planets.
  -This is the hand of God in the regular return of the seasons.
  -This is the hand of God in the regular and consistent care for His people.

Question: What is the purpose of General revelation for the life of man?

 1. It is a testimony of God's attributes.
  -His goodness, wisdom and power

 2. It shows men their duty and guilt before God (Rom. 2:14-15)
  -It convinces them of sin.
  -It shows them the purpose of their lives
  -It brings about fear of punishment
  -It restrains the amount and extent of evil in the humanity

 3. It leads men to seek a clearer more specific revelation of God (Acts 17:27)
  -It prepares the way for the truth of the Gospel (special revelation)

 4. It serves to show that God is just in His ways. (Rom. 1:20-21; 2:15-16)
  -He is the Creator and Righteous Governor
  -He is just in how he treats obstinate sinners both now and in the end times.

Question: With General Revelation can man say they didn't know about God or that they didn't know they were sinners?
                 Do they have the right to question God's judgment?

     -No, they are w/o excuse.

Question: Why are they w/o excuse?

 Rom. 1:18-20 (they suppressed the knowledge of God)
 Rom. 1:32 (They know and practice that which is worthy of death)
 Rom. 2:14-15 (Conscience will bear witness to their sin)

Question: According to Section 1 of the WCF, is General/Natural Revelation sufficient for salvation?

     -No. It is not sufficient to give that specific knowledge of God and His will that would lead to salvation.

Question: W/ all being w/o excuse and w/ General/Natural Revelation being insufficient for salvation, is God then being fair?

 -Yes, God's judgment falls upon those who practice thus things...(Rom. 2:2)
 -Yes, for all have sinner and have fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23)
 -Yes, for the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23)

Question: Did God leave us in a state where we can not be saved?
                What did He do so that we may know Him and His will in a way that would lead to salvation?

    -He gave us Special Revelation

    C. The Nature of Special Revelation
READ: The rest of Section 1

 1. God's Method of Special Revelation
  -In various times and in various ways God revealed Himself in specific ways, to specific people.

Read: Heb. 1:1-2

     God's method of reveling Himself to mankind has been progressive and not all at once. That is why Special Revelation builds upon the work of General/Natural revelation. God spoke through the fathers/partiarchs of Israel, and thru the prophets of Israel in many different ways. (we have already discussed those)

     In the last days, God has spoken to us in His Son, Jesus, who is the image of the Father. And we have the record of the life and teaching of Jesus in Scripture, the very Word of God.  Jesus is the pinnacle of special revelation. In Him all revelation was complete. And His Word, the Bible, is the final revelation of God to man of Salvation and life, of sin and death.

Question: Why did God do this? Did He have to because it was the fair things to do?

     -No, He used special revelation to reveal His will and way of salvation because it pleased Him to do so.

 2. God's providential care for His special revelation.

Question: According to Section 1 of the WCF, what did God do to establish His special  revelation of Himself for all time?

     -He committed it wholly to writing.
     -Until the time of Moses (about 2500 yrs) no part of the Bible was written down.

  Question: How then did the people remember all that happened before anything was written down?

 1. Divine inspiration and illumination  which we will talk about at a later date.

 2. The patriarchs lived a long time which made it possible to preserve the truth and hand it  down to many generations.
  -Methuselah lived about 300 yrs while Adam was still alive.
  -Shem lived about 100 yrs while Methuselah was still alive and more than 100 yrs with Abraham.

 3. As the length of yrs lived shortened, having it written down became more necessary.

Question: What is this writing called?
      -Scripture

Question: According to Section 1 of the WCF, why did God have His special revelation  committed to writing?

     -To better preserve and propagate (spread) of the truth of His special revelation.

     -To keep the church safe and secure when it comes to the works of  the sinfulness of man, the evil desires of Satan and the desire of the world to make the church more like itself so that it doesn't feel guilty.

     -To keep separate the oral traditions of men and the inspired Word of God.

Question: According to Section 1 of the WCF, is Scripture, the Word of God necessary for  Salvation?
       -Yes. Rom. 1:16

Question: According to Section 1 of the WCF, does God reveal Himself  and His way of  salvation today in any other way
                 apart for Scripture?

     -No.

    D. The 'problem' of Special Revelation
Read: Prov. 29:18

Question: What does this have to do with special revelation and mankind being w/o excuse?

     -Without VISION or REVELATION the people perish or are unrestrained.
     -They need the Law, of God's Word to give them life is the logical response to this text.

Question: Is the Word of God, Scripture, therefore necessary for salvation?

     -Yes. Rom. 1:16

Question: What about the afterlife of those who do not have Scripture,
                 who only have the light  of Natural/General Revelation?

 -Are all the people in the world who have lived or will live and don't hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ going to Hell?
 -Are they responsible for what they do not have? (special revelation)
 -Can they be saved by Natural/General Revelation?
 -Will God make some special dispensation of way for them to be saved apart form God's Word?
 -If not, is God being fair to them?
 -What does this say about our missions efforts to those unreached people groups in the world?

 These are some of the questions I want to look at, in some detail, as it is a very important...and yet a tough question to answer.

 1. Positions
     a. Restrictivist
      -These individuals hold that receptive knowledge of Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation. This  means an individual MUST hear about Jesus Christ from the Word of God either directly by the written Scriptures or by the spoken word of another  who relates the truth of God's Word about  Jesus to them.

      -This would be the position of most conservative Evangelicals.
      -This is no longer the predominate teaching in the church today.

     b. Divine Perseverance (Post Mortem Evangelism)
      -These individuals teach that those unevangelized people who die w/o having heard  about Jesus  will receive an opportunity for salvation after death.
      -This position is held by many liberal evangelicals and main line denominations.
      -This is becoming the predominate position in the church today.

     c. Inclusivist
      -These individuals hold that though God saves people only through the work of Jesus Christ, some may be saved even if they do not know about Him.
      -They hold that if they are seeking God and they trust in 'someone or something' else, some other deity, they are  really trusting in Christ, they just don't know it.
      -This is their belief because God works through all of the worlds religions to being  people to heaven.
      -However, those who do not believe in a or any God will go to Hell.
      -This teaching is becoming popular among non-Christians.

     d. Middle Knowledge
      -God, who has infinite wisdom will know who would have rejected the Gospel if  presented to them. As a result, they never have the opportunity to accept the  Gospel. These people go to Hell when they die.
      -This would be an Arminian position

     e. Universalism
      -These individuals teach that all will eventually be accepted into Heaven by some  means after death.
      -They use 1 Tim. 4:10 as their proof text
      -This is the teaching of all the Universalist Churches.

     f. Roman Catholic
      The Pope delivered an address in St. Peter's Sq. on Sept. 9, 1999 on the topic of 'the Spirit of God and the Seeds of truth  in non-christian religions' This is an excerpt ...

     'Through the practice of what is good in their own religious traditions and following the dictates of their own consciences, members of other religions positively respond to God's invitation and receive salvation   in Jesus Christ, even though they may not recognize Him as Savior.'

Question: Which position does this sound like?
    -Inclusivist

     g. Liberal Theology
      -Most liberal churches reject the necessity of salvation. they also reject the entire concept of Hell  or eternal punishment for anyone, saved or unsaved.
    -To them 'What about those who have never heard of Jesus' is not a relevant  question.

     h. General Population
      -Most Americans believe that anyone who leads a good life will eventually spent eternity in Heaven, regardless of where they live and what they know or don't  know about Jesus.
  -They believe in some form of final judgment but believe that if their good works  outweigh their bad deeds they will be granted entrance to Heaven...if not they go to Hell.
  -Although many Americans believe this, they also believe that to fairly implement it would be difficult.

2. Biblical  Position
Question: What does the Bible say about Man and salvation?

  -Rom. 3:23  All are sinners
  -Rom. 6:23  The penalty for sin is death
  -Rom. 5:8, John 1:29 Christ dies to pay the penalty for sin
  -John 3:16  People are saved by faith in Jesus Christ
  -John 3:36  People who reject Christ will endure God's Wrath and  experience Hell

Question: Can a person have their sins forgiven and know eternal life apart from Christ?
     -NO!

 -John 14:6  Jesus said I am the way...
 -1 Tim. 2:5  One mediator between God and man
 -Acts 4:12  Salvation in no other name
 -1 John 5:12  he who does not have the son does not have life

Question: Is God fair if He sends people to Hell who have never heard about Christ?
      -YES!

 -Ps. 145:8-9                       God is compassionate on all His people
 -Gen. 18:25; Rom. 2:11      God is just
 -Ps. 98:9                             God will judge the world in righteousness and equity
 -Eph. 2:1-9                         God is just and it would have been fair to send ALL people to  Hell for their sin,
                                                but He has been gracious to whom He  will be gracious
 -Rom. 1:20                         God has revealed Himself and many of His attributes to ALL the  world
 -Rom. 1:18                         Man suppresses the truth of God
 -Rom. 1:21                         Man refuses to Honor God
 -Rom. 1:23                         Man chooses to worship idols instead of God
 -Rom. 1:24-32                   Man chooses to ignore God's standard of righteousness
 -Rom. 3:10-18                   No man seeks after God

 Therefore when God reveals Himself and some have chosen to reject Him, He is fair to judge them.

Question: If an unreached person responded to God's revelation in his heart and in nature,
                 how  would he ever hear about Christ?

 -Rom. 5:10; John 17:2; John 6:38-39
      God secured the salvation of His elect in the death and resurrection of Jesus

 -1 Thess. 5:24
      God is faithful to save all those He has predestined to eternal life

 -Jn. 10:11,15; Acts 20:28; Rom. 8:32-35; Matt. 1:21; Heb. 2:9,14
      Christ died for His sheep, His church, His elect, His people, His children

     God is sovereign and He will bring about the salvation of all who are His elect..from EVERY tribe and nation.
     God will use His people to share His message of salvation with those God has called to Himself.

 -Rom. 10:14-17
        Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God

 -Acts 16:6-10
      God brings His message to them by prompting other Christians to go and share the Gospel with  them

 -Acts 16:13-14
    The person hearing the Gospel will respond in faith.

 -Lk. 24:47
    Proclaim His name to all the nations

 -Matt. 28:19
    to go and make disciples of all nations

 -Acts 1:8
    be His witnesses...even to the uttermost part of the earth.

 There are people all over the world like Cornelius who are seeking after the one true God because He is calling them to Himself, and they will being reached, no matter where they live.

 The Bible says that there is Salvation in  no other name, that should be part of our imperative to go into the mission field and to send those God is calling.

 Many missionary record show that people from isolated areas who had no exposure to the Bible or to anyone who knew the message of Christianity, yet were seeking a good and loving God. God answered their search by bringing a missionary to tell them about Christ. Many have responded 'I knew He always existed, but I never knew His name.'

II. Section 2
Read: Section 2

Question: What truths are taught in the 2nd section of the WCF?

    A. The Canon
Question: What is the Word of God?

 1. Def
     a) Bible:  The English word 'Bible' is taken from an old French word and that word is based on the Latin  and Greek
                    'biblia' for book . It refers to the Scriptures of the Christian church. To the sacred writings of the Old and New
                    Testament of the Christian church. It is also the name for the sacred writings of  Judaism It is a publication that is
                    preeminent in authoritativeness.

  The earliest use to the term 'Bible' in the Christian church is said to have been in
             2 Clement 14:2 (150ad) 'the bible and the apostles declare that the church...has    existed from the beginning'.

  A term synonymous with  'Bible' is 'the writings' or 'the scriptures'. Both are    frequently used in the NT to denote the OT writings in whole or in part.
   -(Matt. 21:42,  Mk. 12:10, 2 Tim. 3:15-16, 2 Peter 3:16)

Question: What is meant by the term 'Canon'?

     b) Canon: English word taken from the Greek word 'Kanon' meaning  measuring rule,standard, model.
                    A  formally recognized and authoritative list of books accepted as  Holy Scripture since the 4th century.

Question: What is meant by an Open Canon?

  1) Open: This exists as long as it is possible to add new material to the canon. The Bible is not complete and new revelation
                from God can be added to what we already call the Bible.

Question: What is the problem of an Open Canon?

 Pentecostal /Charismatic: Tongues, Prophecy, Words of Wisdom are 'new' revelation to   these groups.
                                            Although they say the canon is closed, they make room for new verbal revelation through the
                                            use of spiritual gifts. These are to be held as authority if they are properly used and interpreted.

Question: What is meant by a Closed Canon?

  2) Closed: The collection of authoritative, inspired Scripture is complete and cannot be added to by any additional
                    writings or spoken words.

   The Jewish canon was defined as closed at the Council of Jamnia  in 90. The canon was limited to only those books written in Hebrew and Aramaic. All  Greek documents (the LXX) were removed from the Canon. The Bible was now interpreted by them as an  eternal and spiritual book.

   We hold the Bible to be a closed canon because of God's providential control over the biblical writers, on its preservation throughout history and the  inherent consistency regarding the content and purpose of the Bible.
    -(Rev. 212:18-19)

Question: Why are the Scriptures of the former part of the Bible called the Old Testament?
                 Why are the Scriptures of the later part of the Bible called the New Testament?

     c) Testament: Latin 'testamentum' and the Greek 'diatheke' (dee ath ay kay) meaning covenant or testament. It is a
                           disposition, arrangement, of any sort, which one    wishes to be valid, the last disposition which one makes
                            of his earthly possessions  after his death, a testament or will. It is a pact, a covenant, such as God's
                            covenant  with Noah.

Question: Are the titles  'Old Testament' and 'New Testament' found in Scripture?

   Perhaps OT and NT are not the best choices of terms for the divisions in the Bible. These titles are not applied to any part in the bible by the Bible.

   The Hebrew word 'berit' and the Greek word 'diatheke' were at first commonly translated as 'testament'. (as in last will and testament) But that     meaning did not come from their use in Scripture but in the use of the word in    later Greek history.

    Recent archeological and linguistic studies confirm that the common use of  these words confirm what the reformers taught. Berit means 'covenant' not 'testament'.

   Therefore, a more accurate naming of the two fold books of the Bible would  be the Old and New Covenants.

   The Old Covenant (OT) is that promise made by God about His work to make a people unto Himself by the atoning work of the Messiah on their  behalf.

   The New Covenant (NT) is that which is after the birth of the Messiah  (Christ) which brought to reality that which was only promised in the Old  Covenant (OT) Salvation in Jesus Christ.

Question: What is the Septuagint?

     d) Septuagint: LXX, A translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek probably around the 3rd century BC. It included all the books in the Hebrew Bible but  it also included a number of other writings now known as the Apocrypha.

  It is the oldest complete version of the OT dating to about 285-246 BC.

   It took a pioneering place in history as it became the first of many attempts to place    the Word of God into the hands of the common folks to read and learn from.

  Many of the later translations of the OT were based on the Septuagint.

     2. History of the canon
  The Canon of Scripture was used in the early church to distinguish between the great variety of works that was circulating among the churches. It's intent was to identify those writings approved by the church for such purposes such as reading at    services of worship, preaching and teaching, establishing moral or doctrinal norms.

  It was in the 2nd century that the idea of a canon of Scripture was first discussed. It  was the challenge of heretical teachers that began the study into the canon.

   -Marcion of Sinope, broke with the church in Rome in about 150 ad. He  believed that he was the sole interpreter of the writings of Paul.

    He also preached a doctrine of 2 Gods: the God of the OT (a harsh judge)  and Jesus was the ambassador of the God of the NT who was kind and compassionate and therefore greater than the God of the OT.

     This Jesus passed on the truth first to the 12 who corrupted it and then to Paul who was the sole teacher of it.

   Marcion rejected the OT and felt the world needed a distinctly Christian Scripture. Therefore, he put together his own canon of Scripture.
    -He included an edited version of the Gospel of Luke and the 10 edited Letters of Paul (no Hebrews or Pastorals.
    -He called these the Apostolos.

  It wasn't until the 4th century  that efforts were made to assemble all 'canonical' books into a single volume or uniform format that we call the Bible.

Question: What happened in the 300's that cause the early church to work on a complete canon of Scripture?

  Under the persecution of Diocletian after 303 AD, it was against the law to own    books of the bible. The Christians would want to be certain that the books they were   risking their lives for, was in fact the inspired Word of God.

  It was necessary to fight the heresy of Marcion and others.

Question: What was the name of the council that gave us the first true canon of Scripture?

  This happened at the Council of Carthage in 397 and is the earliest undisputed decision of the canon of Scripture and it's 66 books.

Question: What was the contribution of the great Reformers, Luther and Calvin to the canon of  Scripture?

  The two part Protestant Bible is the result of the work of the Reformers Martin    Luther and John Calvin. During the Reformation of the 16th century, The Reformers   called for reliance upon Scripture over church tradition.

   -They returned to what they considered the earlier form of the OT, the books  held sacred  in Judaism.

   -They retained the order of the books established in the early church but separated out  books not in the Hebrew Bible and  identified them as the   'Apocrypha'.

  Among Christians who hold that the OT and NT constitute the Bible, there is not complete agreement on their content.

   -The Pentateuch alone is the Samaritan Bible.

   -Some branches of the Syriac church do not include 2 Peter, 2 or 3 John, Jude, Revelation.

   -The Roman and Greek churches (based on the LXX) include a number of  books  in the OT in addition  to those in the Hebrew Bible; these additional      books were part of the Septuagint.

     -To combat the Protestant Reformers, the Roman Church insisted and made it Church Dogma that the Apocrypha was part of the OT and on  equal footing with the rest of the OT.

Question: Who did the Roman Church do this?

    -They made the Apocraphy canon at the Council of Trent April 8, 1546

   -The Church of England and the Lutheran Church follow Jerome's Latin Vulgate translation and include the Apocrypha in their lectionary and they hold that they may be read for example of life and instruction of manners, but they do not apply  to establish any doctrine (article 4)  Nor are they part of the canon of the Bible.

   -Most Protestant churches do not include the Apocrypha in the canon of  Scripture because they  use the MT or Hebrew Bible as their standard for OT canon.

   -The Ethiopian Bible includes  two of the Apocryphal books.

Question: How do we know we have the books of the OT in the right order?...Is there a 'right' order?

     3. Old Testament canon
  The present books from Genesis to Malachi form the OT canon of Scripture.

  The order of the books was not inspired. they were originally written on scrolls which have no fixed sequential order. They put on the scroll as many books as would fit.

  Scrolls were often kept in groups but were not bound together. When they put into book form they were arranged in logical order in groups. The books in the Hebrew  Bible are not arranged in the same way as we find in our English Bible.

  The Hebrew Bible, often called the Masoretic text (MT), is a collection of 24 books   written in Hebrew (including a few passages in Aramaic)

Question: How many books are in our English OT?
                 Why the difference if we are using the same texts?

   -The 24 books directly correspond to our 39 because:
   -The minor prophets are reckoned as 12 books
   -The books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah are all 2 books.

Question: What are the 3 divisions of the Hebrew Bible?

   -The Law (torah)
   -Gen. Ex. Lev. Num. Deut. (the Pentateuch)

   -The Prophets (nevi'im)
   -Josh. Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jere, Ezek and the 12 minor prophets

  -The Writings: Hagiography  (ketuvim) holy writings
    -Psalms, Job, Prov, Ruth, SOS, Ecc, Lamen, Esther, Daniel,   Ezra-Nehe, Chron.

  Jewish Historian Josephus in his work Contra-Apion of 66 AD, shows these same three divisions (Moses, Prophets, Songs of Praise and Counsel) he calls them 'books justly believed to be divine.'

  Philo (prior to 40 AD) shows the same divisions as Josephus.

  Qumran: The same divisions were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
                Although other works were read and used, only the Hebrew OT was considered canonical.

Question: By what principals are the books of the OT received into the canon by Protestants?
                How do we know that we have the right books in the OT?

 1. Jesus adopted this common division of the sacred books and thus personally ratified the canon of the OT as it was received
     by the Jews.
        -Luke 24:44; 16:29, Matt. 5:17

 2. Jesus and the Apostles often quoted from the OT as Scripture.
   -Acts 4:24-25, Luke 1:68-69, Matt. 5:17-18, John 10:35
  -There are 263 direct quotes of the Ot in the NT and over 350 indirect allusions.

 3. They were accepted by the Jewish people, rabbis and historians

Question: How do we know that we have the right books in the NT?

     4. New Testament canon
          We know the writings of the English NT are divine and genuine because we have the testimony of their contemporaries and immediate successors.

          They have been continuously used and quoted in Christian worship and in the writings of  the early Church fathers.

          Christ said that the HS would be given so that they would be able to write the NT.
           -(John 14:26; 15:26-27, 1 Thess 4:8, 1 Cor. 2:13)

          The Apostles treated each others writings as Scripture.  (2 Peter 3:16)

Question: By what principals are the books of the NT received into the canon by Protestants?

     1. The book was written or endorsed by an Apostle and received as divine authority during the lives of the Apostle.
      -Mark and Luke were not written by Apostles but were accepted as works of close associates of an Apostle...
        Paul and Peter.

     2. Ecclesiastical Usage. It was recognized by a leading church or a majority of churches.

     3. Agreement in the area of sound doctrine.
         Although not all the book were immediately accepted into the canon, they were all eventually accepted as genuine and
         authoritative.

 Jerome's Latin Vulgate (late 4th century) exerted considerable influence upon what books   were generally recognized as genuine, ...he listed 27 books.

 The 27 books of the English NT are the only  inspired writings  among others known as
  -The Apostolic Fathers,
  -The Apocryphal NT
  -The Apologists.

Question: What was the order in which the NT books were written and collected?

      By 48-60 AD Paul's letters were probably written and by 100 AD they were collected and published for the church around the world.

      By 60-100 the Gospels and the majority of the other NT books were written and were probably collected by the middle of the 2nd century,
         -At this time Luke was separated from Acts. Revelation was added at this time.

      The English NT was written over a period of about 75-100 years, in contrast to over 1000  years for the OT.

 The division of the NT is as follows:
  4 Gospels
  Acts of the Apostles
  21 Letters written by Apostles or Apostolic men.

 The order is not inspired and is not chronological in how they were written . But shows an order that is logical in subject matter.

III. Section 3
Read: Section 3

Question: Are the writings in the Apocrypha the Word of God?
 A. The Apocrypha
     1. Definition: Apocrypha: To hide or conceal...but it also has the idea of setting aside or to withdraw'.
     2. OT
      a. History

Question: What is the Apocrypha?

          The Apocrypha is a group of books and letters not part of the Jewish canon of the  Hebrew Scriptures but were found in
          the Greek versions of the OT (Septuagint)

          Some of the writings originated after the time of Ezra to about 70 AD.

          Jerome, one of the early church fathers, became dissatisfied with the Septuagint as it included many writings not
          considered canon, and because the Greek was not being used by the scholars of his day. So he began his own
          translation in the 4th century.

          He realized he needed to use the best manuscripts possible so he went to Bethlehem to study Hebrew with a Jewish
          teacher and he wrote a Latin version of  the OT called the Vulgate based on the Masoretic text (Hebrew Bible) without
          the apocrypha. Although he does include 4 apocrypha books, he makes note in  the margins that they are not
          authoritative.

          Jerome's Latin Vulgate became the standard Bible for the Western Church.

      Roman Catholic

Question: What church holds the Apocrypha to be fully inspired by God?

           Catholics however, consider most of these books to be authoritative and use  the term 'deuterocanonical' books recognized as canon at a later date.  They distinguish them from the 'protocanonical' books of the Hebrew canon.

           'The original and proper sense of the term apocryphal as applied to the pretended sacred  books was early obscured. But a clue to it may be recognized in the so-called Fourth  Book of Esdras, which relates that Estrus (Era) by divine inspiration composed  ninety-four books.

           Of these, twenty-four were restorations of the sacred literature of the Israelites which had perished in the Captivity; they were to be published openly, but the remaining were to be  guarded in secret for the exclusive use of the wise (cf. Dan., ix, 4, 9, where the prophet is  bidden to shut up and seal an inspired book until an appointed time).

           Accordingly it may be accepted as highly probable that in its original meaning an  apocryphal writing had no unfavorable import, but simply denoted a composition which  claimed a sacred origin, and was supposed to have been hidden for generations, either  absolutely, awaiting the due time of its revelation, or relatively, inasmuch as knowledge of     it was confined to a limited esoteric circle.' -by GEORGE J. REID

           In response to the work of the Reformers the Roman Catholic Church at the  council of Trent in 1546 declared anathema anyone who did not accept the whole of the Vulgate as Canonical  which had by them include almost all of     the Aporcyphal books.

Question: Does the Catholic Church use the word Apocraypha in the same way Protestants do?

           The Catholics use the term Apocrypha to refer to the 'Pseudepigrapha', a group of Jewish writings other than those included in what the Protestants call    the 'Apocrypha'....We will look  at them later.

      The Reformation

Question: What are some of the doctrinal problems associated with the Apocrypha?

       The canonical status of the Apocrypha came under debate because of   disputes over doctrine.
       -2 Macc. 12:43-45 was used to support the idea of purgatory and masses for the dead.

    [43] He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing  this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection.
    [44] For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it  would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.
    [45] But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement  for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.

       -Tobit 12:8-9 Works Salvation
    [8] Prayer is good when accompanied by fasting, almsgiving, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with wrongdoing. It is better to give alms than to treasure up gold.
    [9] For almsgiving delivers from death, and it will purge away every sin. Those who perform deeds of charity and of righteousness will have fulness of life;

       -2 Esd. 8:33 Works Salvation
    [33] For the righteous, who have many works laid up with thee, shall receive their reward in consequence of their own deeds

           Martin Luther gathered all the apocryphal books and put them into one  section at the end of his 1534 translation of the Bible and called that section  'The Apocrypha'. He said that these books were not of the status of Holy Scripture but could be read profitably.

       But still this was not enough. The reformed tradition came to give the  Apocrypha even lower status.
       -In England, where the editors of the Geneva Bible began in 1599 to  exclude it completely
       -The WCF (1646-48) equated it with secular literature.

      Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Question: What does RSV stand for in Bible translations?

       In 1977, in order to make a more ecumenical Bible, the RSV included all the  Apocryphal  books. This translation was done by the World Council of Churches

      Jude 14-16

Question: Is the Apocrypha ever quoted in the NT?

Read: Jude 14-16

   There is only one possible reference to an apocryphal book in the NT. This is found in Jude 14-16. It is a close match to what is said in 1 Enoch. However, this can be explained by the fact that this text in Jude is talking  about that which was common knowledge to those Hebrews who read the Scriptures concerning the coming of the Lord to the earth in wrath and      judgment. It is also possible that if this is a quote that it still does not mean it is divinely  inspired. There are other references to other books not in the canon.
    -a 3rd letter to Corinthians, a letter to the Laodiceans

  b. Importance of the Apocryphal Books

Question: Is there any importance to studying and reading the OT Apocraphal books?

      Along with the Pseudepigrapha, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the writings of  Josephus and Philo, the Apocrypha are of great importance for historical research  into Judaism during the period of the 2nd Temple (515 BC to 70 AD.

      Their content reflects the struggle of the Jewish people to maintain faith as they  encountered religious, political and military oppression under foreign rule in   Palestine and attempted to preserve their way of life in face of the power of  Greek culture both at home and in the Diaspora.

      Absent from this literature is the prophetic voice as was seen in the earlier Hebrew Scriptures.

      Some of the apocryphal books contain some good material which is historically helpful and  consistent with revealed truth. But they also contain some pretty far  fetched stuff as well that is openly in conflict with the canonical books.

  c. The OT Apocryphal books
   1 Esdras,
   2 Esdras (4Ezra),
   Tobit,
   Judith,
   The Rest of the Book of Esther,
   The Wisdom of Solomon,
   Ecclesiasticus (Sirach),
   Baruch,
   A Letter of Jeremiah,
   The Additions to the Book of Daniel
    The Song of the Three Children (with the prayer of Azariah)
    Susanna
    Bel and the Dragon
   The Prayer of Manasseh
   1, 2, 3, 4 Maccabees

  Although there is no consensus on which books belong to the Apocrypha, this list is    the most common mentioned.

     2. NT
  a) Background

Question: What do the Apocraphal NT Books talk about?

    There is a huge group of writings that claim to preserve the memories of  Jesus and the Apostles.

   These writings follow the same genres of the NT literature: Gospels, Acts, Epistles and Apocalypse.

   Most of this literature was written between 100 and 800 AD and was written in Greek, Latin, Syriac, Coptic, Arabic, Slavonic and Anglo-Saxon.

   There was been a recent archeological discovery of many of these writings at Nag Hammadi, Egypt. This discovery has caused heightened interest in the Apocryphal  writings.

  b) Importance

Question: Can there be any importance to these NT Apocryphal books?

   Even though these writings tell us little that is reliable about Christian  theology and doctrine, they do help us see into the life of the early church and    what they felt about certain topics.

   Such as:
   The piety of the early Christians, their liturgy, prayers, dreams, martyrdom,     money and sex. It also reveals attitudes concerning the canon of the NT and     the theological diversity of the early Church.

  c) The NT Apocryphal books
      1) The Gospel Writings
   The Protoevangelium of James
   The Infancy Gospel of Thomas
   The Gospel of Peter
   The Gospel of Nicodemus
   The Gospel of the Nazoreans
   The Gospel of the Ebionites
   The Gospel of the Hebrews
   The Gospel of the Egyptians
   The Gospel of Thomas
   The Gospel of Philip
   The Gospel of Mary

 These Apocryphal gospels retell the life of Jesus to satisfy contemporary questions and imaginations by supplying information about the life of Jesus not found in the canonical Gospels. Especially details bout his birth, youth and post resurrection appearances. Few contain stories of Jesus' death.

 The Gospel of Thomas
  I. I, Thomas the Israelite, tell unto you, even all the brethren that are of the Gentiles, to make known unto you the works of the childhood of our Lord Jesus Christ and his mighty deeds, even    all that he did when he was born in our land: whereof the beginning is thus:
  II. 1 This little child Jesus when he was five years old was playing at the ford of a brook: and he gathered together the waters that flowed there into pools, and made them straightway clean, and    commanded them by his word alone. 2 And having made soft clay, he fashioned thereof twelve    sparrows. And it was the Sabbath when he did these things (or made them). And there were also    many other little children playing with him.
  III. 1 But the son of Annas the scribe was standing there with Joseph; and he took a branch of a willow and dispersed the waters which Jesus had gathered together. 2 And when Jesus saw what    was done, he was wroth and said unto him: O evil, ungodly, and foolish one, what hurt did the    pools and the waters do thee? behold, now also thou shalt be withered like a tree, and shalt not    bear leaves, neither root, nor fruit. 3 And straightway that lad withered up wholly, but Jesus    departed and went unto Joseph's house. But the parents of him that was withered took him up,    bewailing his youth, and brought him to Joseph, and accused him 'for that thou hast such a child    which doeth such deeds.'
  IV. 1 After that again he went through the village, and a child ran and dashed against his shoulder.And Jesus was provoked and said unto him: Thou shalt not finish thy course (lit. go all thy way).    And immediately he fell down and died. But certain when they saw what was done said: Whence    was this young child born, for that every word of his is an accomplished work? And the parents of   him that was dead came unto Joseph, and blamed him, saying: Thou that hast such a child canst    not dwell with us in the village: or do thou teach him to bless and not to curse: for he slayeth our    children.
  V. 1 And Joseph called the young child apart and admonished him, saying: Wherefore doest thou such things, that these suffer and hate us and persecute us? But Jesus said: I know that these thy    words are not thine: nevertheless for thy sake I will hold my peace: but they shall bear their    punishment. And straightway they that accused him were smitten with blindness.
Question: What kind of image is this projecting of Jesus?

      2) The Acts
   The Acts of John
   The Acts of Peter
   The Acts of Paul
   The Acts of Andrew
   The Acts of Thomas
   The Acts of Andrew and Matthias
   The Acts of Philip
   The Acts of Thaddaeus
   The Acts of Peter and Paul
   The Acts of Peter and Andrew
   The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles
   The Martyrdom of Matthew
   The Slavonic Acts of Peter
   The History of Joseph the Carpenter

  These 'Acts' propose many heretical doctrines some of which are Gnostic. They    share an insistence on sexual abstinence and a fascination with fantastic stories.
   Such as:
    obedient bed bugs, talking colts and a baptized lion.

  They also show a curiosity about the apostles deaths.

  The History of Joseph the Carpenter
   The history of the death of our father, the holy old man, Joseph the carpenter. May his  blessings and prayers preserve us all, O brethren! Amen. His whole life was one hundred and eleven years, and his departure from this world  happened on the twenty-sixth of the month Abib, which answers to the month Ab. May his    prayer preserve us! Amen. And, indeed, it was our Lord Jesus Christ Himself who related  this history to His holy disciples on the Mount of Olives, and all Joseph's labour, and the end of his days.
   There was a man whose name was Joseph, sprung from a family of Bethlehem, a town of     Judah, and the city of King David. This same man, being well furnished with wisdom and  learning, was made a priest in the temple of the Lord. He was, besides. skillful in his trade,    which was that of a carpenter; and after the manner of all men, he married a wife. Moreover, he begot for himself sons and daughters, four sons, namely, and two daughters.Now these are their names--Judas, Justus, James, and Simon. The names of the two daughters were Assia and Lydia. At length the wife of righteous Joseph, a woman intent     on the divine glory in all her works, departed this life. But Joseph, that righteous man, my     father after the flesh, and the spouse of my mother Mary, went away with his sons to his  trade, practicing the art of a carpenter.

   3. Now when righteous Joseph became a widower, my mother Mary, blessed, holy, and  pure, was already twelve years old. For her parents offered her in the temple when she was  three years of age, and she remained in the temple of the Lord nine years.
   25. And, indeed, the inhabitants of Nazareth and of Galilee, having heard of their  lamentation, flocked to them, and wept from the third hour even to the ninth. And at the ninth hour they all went together to Joseph's bed. And they lifted his body, after they had     anointed it with costly unguents. But I entreated my Father in the prayer of the      celestials--that same prayer which with any own hand I made before I was carried in the     womb of the virgin Mary, my mother. And as soon as I had finished it, and pronounced the amen, a great multitude of angels came up; and I ordered two of them to stretch out their shining garments, and to wrap in them the body of Joseph, the blessed old man.
   26. And I spoke to Joseph, and said: The smell or corruption of death shall not have dominion over thee, nor shall a worm ever come forth from thy body.
   Not a single limb of it shall be broken, nor shall any hair on thy head be changed. Nothing of thy body shall perish, O my father Joseph, but it will remain entire and uncorrupted even until the banquet of the thousand years. And whosoever shall make an offering on the day of thy remembrance, him will I bless and recompense in the congregation of the virgins; and whosoever shall give food to the wretched, the poor, the widows, and  orphans from the work of his hands, on the day on which thy memory shall be celebrated, and in thy name, shall not be in want of good things all the days of his life. And whosoever    shall have given a cup of water, or of wine, to drink to the widow or orphan in thy name, I will give him to thee, that thou mayst go in with him to the banquet of the thousand years.

Question: What is this saying about Jesus, His work and Joseph?
                 According to this test, did Joseph die like other men?

                         No. He was taken up w/o seeing death.

     What men from Scripture never saw death or decay of their bodies?
             Enoch and Elijah were taken up by God and did not see death.
             Jesus did not see the corruption/decay of the flesh

  3) The Epistles
   Third Corinthian
   The Epistle to the Laodiceans
   The Letters of Paul and Seneca
   The Letters of Jesus and Abgar
   The Letter of Lentulus
   The Epistle of Titus

 These letters were  all written pseudonymously
  (not written by the person but anonymously in honor of them and they claim to be  divine revelations)

  4) The Apocalypses
   The Apocalypse of Peter
   The Coptic Apocalypse of James
   The First Apocalypse of James
   The Second Apocalypse of James
   The Sophia of Jesus Christ
   The Letter of Peter to Philip
   The Apocalypse of Mary

 These letters were the least popular and they were all written pseudonymously (not written by the person but anonymously in honor of them and they claim to be  divine revelations) Their predominate topics are salvation, ethics, destiny and graphic depictions of heaven and hell.

 The Apocalypse of Mary
  The Virgin at the Mount of Olives prays to be told about the torments of hell and the next world. Michael is sent. He takes her to the west: the earth opens and discloses the lost who did not    worship the Trinity.
  She sees a great darkness. At her prayer it is lifted and she sees souls tormented with boiling pitch. No one has yet interceded for them, neither Abraham, John Baptist, Moses, nor Paul. They are unbelievers...

Question: What is this saying about Mary?

 B. Other Writings
Question: What is the Pseudepigrapha?

     1) Pseudepigrapha
  DEF: False writings.

  Called this because in many cases the people they are written about were not the authors. This is a collection of about 65 writings connected with but not part of the OT and written by both Jews and Christians.Dating between 300 BC to 200 AD.
These writings were often attributed to one of the OT patriarchs

The Pseudepigrapha can be grouped in 5 genres
      a) Apocalyptic
   1 Enoch (Ethiopian)
   2 Enoch (Slavonic)
   3 Enoch (Hebrew)
   Sibylline Oracles
   Treatise of Shem
   Apocryphon of Ezekiel
   Apocalypse of Zephaniah
   4 Ezra
   Greek Apocalypse of Ezra
   Vision of Ezra
   Questions of Ezra
   Revelation of Ezra
   Apocalypse of Sedrach
   2 Baruch (Syriac)
   3 Baruch (Greek)
   Apocalypse of Abraham
   Apocalypse of Elijah
   Apocalypse of Daniel

 These documents contain a revelation of what is happening in heaven or what will happen in the future on earth. Usually illustrated with graphic visions, auditions and cosmic trips to the hidden parts of  the universe.

      b) Testaments
   Testaments of the 12 Patriarchs
   Testaments of Job
   Testaments of the 3 Patriarchs
   Testaments of Moses
   Testaments of Solomon
   Testaments of Adam

  There is a recurring theme in these writings. The aging patriarch on his deathbed, call his sons and followers around him  and given them last words of instruction. They are moral instructions with dramatic visions of the future.

      c) Expansions of the OT legends
   The Letter of Aristeas
   Jubilees
   Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah
   Joseph and Asenath
   Life of Adam and eve
   Pseudo-Philo
   Lives of the Prophets
   Ladder of Jacob
   4 Baruch
   Jannes and Jambres
   History of the Rechabites
   Eldad and Modad
   History of Joseph
  These letters expand and embellish the stories of the OT.

      d) Wisdom and Philosophical literature
   Ahiqar
   3 Maccabees
   4 Maccabees
   Pseudo-Phocylides
   The Sentences of the Syriac Meander

  These writings  display some of the insights of ancient wisdom, not only in Judaism but other cultures as well.

      e) Prayers, Psalms and Odes
   More Psalms of David
   Prayer of Manasseh
   Psalms of Solomon
   Hellenistic Synagogal Prayers
   Prayer of Joseph
   Prayer of Jacob
   Odes of Solomon

 These are poetic writings many of which are influenced by the Davidic Psalms.

Conclusion
 These books never were a part of the Hebrew Scriptures
 None of them were ever quoted by Christ or the Apostles
 The internal evidence presented by their content disproves their claim of divine inspiration
 But they can be read as literature from any other secular source concerning Biblical times  and events.

   B. Inspiration
 1. Importance
Question: Why is it important to establish that a book in the Bible or the whole Bible itself is inspired by God?

     Scripture and Scripture alone is the Protestants rule of faith and practice. This statement binds Protestant churches together. All confess that our beliefs and practices are governed by Scripture. Christians build fellowship with one another upon and around Scripture. Any matter of disagreement is to be settled by an appeal to Scripture and to Scripture alone.

     Scripture is at the center of our faith and practice and therefore we must be assured of it's authority and infallibility.

  Unless the Bible can be quoted and used as an inspired book its authority and usefulness for public preaching, for comfort in sickness or death and for instruction in every confusing problem, has been removed or at least questioned. It's value as a weapon in controversy has been weakened. And as a guide to salvation, it is uncertain.

Question: What is meant by the term 'Inspiration'?

 2. Definition
  'Inspiration is a special act of the Holy Spirit by which He guided the writers of the books of the Scriptures so that their words should convey the thought He wished conveyed, should bear a proper relationship to the thought of other inspired books and should be kept free from errors of fact or of judgment.' (Dr. Allen MacRae)

Read:  2 Timothy 3:16

 Theospneustos: God breathed. A more literal translation of this phrase would be 'All Scripture is God breathed'. The Bible is the product of the breath of God.

 3. Biblical Usage
Question: What texts would you use to prove the inspiration of the Bible by God?

Numbers 22:38; 23:3,5
Deuteronomy 18:18
2 Samuel 23:1-3
Isaiah 59:21
Jeremiah 1:7,9
Zechariah 7:12
Psalm 95:7.......................Hebrews 3:7
Psalm 45:6.......................Hebrews 1:8
Psalm 102:25,27..............Hebrews 1:10-12
Isaiah 7:14.......................Matthew 1:22-23
Hosea 11:1.......................1 Corinthians 3:19
Acts 1:16
Acts 4:24-25
Acts 28:25

 4. Theories
     a) Natural Inspiration
      Extreme Liberal/non Christian Position: The Bible is purely a book written by    human authors endowed with no special or supernatural abilities. they wrote the Bible using their normal and natural intelligence, and abilities.

  The Bible is regarded no different than any other book.
  It denies completely any inspiration by God.

Question: If this is true, what is it saying about the authority and infallibility of the Bible?

  The Bible would hold no more authority than any other book ever written and is open to error.

     b) Mystical/Dynamic Inspiration
  Liberal Position: One step removed from Natural Inspiration. The human authors of  Scripture were empowered for the task of writing the Bible by God as much as any other service or work for God is empowered. The human authors were enabled to  do their very best and possessed some measure of divine power in completing their task. BUT, people who hold to this position are not agreed as to the degree of divine   empowerment.

  The Bible is regarded as no more inspired and authoritative than a well researched  and delivered sermon.

  It denies any real inspiration by God.

Question: If this is true, what is it saying about the authority and infallibility of the Bible?

  The Bible would hold no more authority than any other book ever written and is open to error.

     c) Concept Inspiration
          Liberal and some Evangelical Position: So as to avoid having to deal with the  inspiration of the very words of Scripture, come have claimed this theory. God gave the human authors the ideas, some of them supernatural which would have not been    known by human intelligence.

          The human authors wrote down these supernatural ideas in their own words. The result is that Scripture is no more than the record of their divine experience.

          Revelation as received by the human authors had the authority and accuracy one would expect from divine revelation, BUT because it was communicated through    human authors, it would carry with it a lack of complete understanding and contains    coloring by the authors perspective and environment.

          The ideas mentioned in Scripture are inspired the words are not.

Question: If this is true, what is it saying about the authority and infallibility of the Bible?

      The Bible is still a fallible book and it's authority is in question.

     d) Experiential Inspiration
      Neo-Orthodox Position: This position emphasizes the experiential nature of divinerevelation. The  question of the Bible's divine inspiration is irrelevant and is in fact  openly rejected.  They hold that the human authors may or may not have been    inspired and their writings may or may not be the Word of God.

  What is important is the impression received or the experience of divine revelation  which comes when the reader examines the Scripture. (Barth)

Question: What other doctrine or work of the Holy Spirit is Barth confusing with Inspiration perhaps?
                       Spiritual illumination

ILL:  Karl Barth refers to inspiration as a 'threefold form' of God's Word. The 'preached Word' the 'written Word' and the 'revealed Word'. All forms are legitimately the Word of God.

Question: If this is true, what is it saying about the infallibility and authority of the Bible?

          The written Word, the Bible is on equal par and equal authority as the preached and  revealed word. There is no SOLE authority for faith and practice.

     e) Mechanical/Dictation Inspiration
      Extreme Conservative View: All parts of the Bible were dictated by God and the human authors were only stenographers. This view was held by some in the early church as well as some of the Reformers.

ILL:   Calvin  'the HS dictated to the prophets and apostles' Calvin described the human authors as 'clerks' and 'penmen' But in other writing Calvin freely admits the    human element in Scripture. It seems that what Calvin was actually saying was that the Bible was infallible rather than it was dictated so rigorously.

Question: Do you think there are at least portions of Scripture that were dictated by god to the human authors?

Read: Exodus 20:1-17

Question:  However, it seems that most of the Bible could not have been dictated...why?

  Scripture includes the personal characteristics of the human authors
   -Luke was a  physician and uses technical medical terms
   -John used words that reflected his life as a fisherman.

  Scripture includes the prayers, feelings, fears and hopes of the individual who wrote   that part.

Read: Rom. 9:1-3; Ps. 51

Question: If these passages and others like them were dictated by God to the human authors, what do you think that would do to the impact these texts have on those who read  them?

  They would lose some or all of their meaning to us as being able to identify with the author, another Christian struggling in life.

Question: Is this the common view on the inspiration of the Bible?

  No. Even among orthodox conservative Christians there is little support of the  mechanical or dictation theory of inspiration.

Question: If dictation is not true and not what we believe at CBC, what do we believe about the inspiration of the Bible?

     f) Verbal/Plenary Inspiration
  Def:  Verbal is the divine guidance by the HS in the very selection of Words used  in the Bible. The human author chooses the exact words God intended  him to select. The result is the infallible and accurate Word of God, just as if God wrote it Himself.

       Plenary  means full, complete or all. Inspiration by God includes all parts of  Scripture, not  just the moral parts or those which speak of our  relationship with God. Therefore, all parts of Scripture are equally  authoritative and infallible.

        'God so supernaturally directed the human authors of Scripture that without excluding their human intelligence, their individuality, their literary style, their personal feelings or any other human factor, His own complete and coherent message to man was recorded in perfect accuracy, the very words of Scripture bearing the authority of divine authorship'. (John Walvoord)

      Another name used for this position is Organic Inspiration. This is the position held by the Westminster Divines, and can be found in the writings of many reformers such as A.A. and Charles Hodge, L. Berkhof, B.M. Palmer, W.G.T. Shedd, B.B. Warfield, C. VanTil as well as other non reformed scholars such as L.S. Chafer and H.C. Thiessen.

     1) Dual Authorship

Question: What is inspired...the Scripture or the human writers?

ILL: Like Jesus had 2 natures (divine and Human) so Scripture is both wholly God and wholly human.

     Scripture itself and only Scripture is inspired.  It is Scripture (graphe) that is God breathed. While Scripture is physically written by man, by the fruit of his human thought and art, it is also God's Word spoken through man's lips and written with man's pen.

     Dual authorship means that while God is the primary author and originator of All Scripture, man is the secondary author, the instrument of the finished product, whose initiative, prompting and enlightenment was under the direct supervision and providential care of the Holy Spirit.

 5. Degrees of Inspiration
  Some have tried to explain Biblical Inspiration as a matter of degrees. Certain parts of the Bible are more inspired than others.

  Salvation: Those dealing with our relationship with God, especially our relationship  with God through Christ in salvation and redemption is the most  authoritative and trustworthy. This revelation is the most clear in all  Scripture.

  Morality: Is also inspired, there is clearer revelation given by God to the human  authors so that what they are writing is authoritative and trustworthy.

  History/Creation/Prophecy: Are less inspired and therefore less authoritative.

Question: What is the problem with an inspiration of degrees?

      Judgment is transferred from the Bible to the decision of the reader. It becomes subjective. Will two minds ever be one on the degree of the inspiration of a particular passage? Probably not.

 6. Providence and Inspiration
      Providence is the second cause God uses to govern nature (heat of the sun to cause evaporation and condensation of water used for the rain cycle)

Question: How do you think providence and inspiration are connected, specifically concerning the human authors?

  Providence in connection to Inspiration means that the human authors were prepared for the very work or task of writing Scripture by the Holy Spirit. Their lives moved and developed, their experiences and learning, their relationships and political views, everything about them was directed and guided by the Holy Spirit's influence.

Bibliography
Paul J. Achtemier, Harper's Bible Dictionary, San Francisco, Harper and Row Pub. 1985
Louis Berkoff Systematic Theology Eerdmans Pub. Grand Rapids 1938
Henry Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church, London, Oxford Press, 1967
Millard Erickson Christian Theology Baker Book House Grand Rapids 1985
Millard Erickson. Does It Really Matter What I Believe? Grand Rapids, Baker Book House 1995
A.A Hodge. , Commentary on the Westminster Confession, Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group 1999
Michael Horton Putting Amazing Back Into Grace' Grand Rapids, Baker Book House 1994
Danald K McKim Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith Westminster/John Knox Press Louisville 1992
R.C. Mills  'Ordination Paper' 1997
B.A. Ramsbottom, Bible Doctrines Explained, Great Britain, Gospel Standstd trust Pub. 1992
Robert Shaw An Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith Christian Focus Pub. Great Britain 1998
R.C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, Wheaton, Tyndale Pub. 1992
John Walvoord, and Roy Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Wheaton,  Scripture Press Pub,  1985.
B.B. Warfield, Biblical and Theological Studies, Phila., Presbyterian and reformed Pub. 1968
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I Robert Appleton Company 1907
The Westminster Divines  The Westminster Confession of Faith Great Commission Pub. Suwanee 1999
G.I. Williamson The Westminster Confession of Faith Presbyterian & Reformed Pub. Phila. 1964
 The New Bible Dictionary, Wheaton, Tyndale House Pub. 1962
 'Bibliotheca Sacra' Dallas, Dallas theological Seminary 1997

III. Sections 4-5  'The Authority of Scripture'
Question: Can we prove that the Scriptures are the Word of God?
      How can we prove the Scriptures are the Word of God?

    A. Section 4
Read: Section 4

    1. Authority of Scripture
Question: What does that phrase mean? How does Scripture have its authority?

     Authority: The Bible as the expression of the will of God to us who has the supreme right to define what we are the believe
                       and to obey.

     God is the authority in all matters because He us the highest being, the One who always has been, who existed before we or any other thing came into existence.  He is authority because of what He has done. He has created us as well as everything else in the universe. And He is active in the world to maintain His creation.

    2. Belief
Question: What does it mean to BELIEVE?

     To believe is to give assent or give credit to truths, because of the authority of another.

Give examples of things you believe and by what authority do you believe in them?

    Laundry: They are professional dry cleaners and they have the equipment needed to do the job.
                  They may even have a good reputation.
    Mechanic: They have had special training, they have specialized equipment,
                    They may be reputable.
    Pastor:  He has special education and training, he has a library of reference books,
                he has spoken truthfully in the past, a good reputation, he has the character as a man of God.

Question: What does it mean to believe what the Scriptures teach?

      To believe what the Scriptures teach means to give assent or credit to the truth it states because of the authority of God who wrote it, this is divine faith.

Question: Can we hold beliefs in anything else with regard to our faith other than the Bible?

      No and yes. No in that the Bible is our only rule, authority in all matters of faith and practice. However, we may hold as truth, although not absolute or of supreme authority, other writings that do not contradict Scripture. (commentaries, books written by biblical scholars etc)

    3. Duty
Question: What is meant by the duty which God requires of man?

      By duty we mean that which is God's due, or that which we owe to God and are bound to do, as we are creatures, subjects and children of the Father.

Question: Are we bound only to that which is found in Scripture?

  Yes and no. Yes, because Scripture is so invasive and inclusive of our whole lives that it gives us all we need  to know and do regarding life in Christ. No, in that any other thing apart from God's Word  we may told to obey is to be obeyed if it is in accordance and not in contradiction to God's Word.

Question: What examples can you name of things you do because you are told and it is not directly from the Bible.
      Federal, State and local laws
      Rules on the job
      Traffic laws
      Rules for organizations

     4. Testimony of man or church
Question:  What about the testimony of man and the church? Are we to listen to them?
                   Are we to hold them as authoritative?
                  What in particular do you think the WCF is addressing here?

    What we are talking about here is authority. The authority of Scripture over the life of the Believer and unbeliever alike. Where does this authority lie? In God's Word...solely in God's Word.  A little logical reasoning form the Bible:  If the Scripture is the Word of God, then obviously it must possess divine authority, then it cannot and need not depend on anything else other than God.

Read: Luke 7:8

ILL: Authority can only depend on that which is higher than itself. ie: The authority of man can depend on the authority of a man if that authority is of a higher nature. The authority of a Captain depends upon that of a major and a Major is under the authority of a Colonel

     But God is the highest authority. The word of a captain may be backed up by the word of a Major. But who can back up the authority of the word of God but God?

Question: Yet, there are those who hold strongly that there is another authority by which we must believe and  obey. What is that group, church, and what other authority am I speaking of?

 RC Church
  The Catholic Church says that the Bible is the Word of God. But it also says that the certainty of this depends upon the testimony of the church. Baltimore Catechism (Q 1327) it is only from the tradition (preserved writings of the catholic church) that we can know which of the writings of ancient times are inspired and which are not inspired. The Catholic church holds that Scripture needs a guarantee of its authenticity. It is the church alone who can give this guarantee, without the church it (the authority of Scripture) can not exist (This is the faith: Catholic Theology for Laymen)

Question: What is this saying about God's ability to authenticate His own Word?

     It is saying God is not able to do this. It is interesting that the RC church does not say that God can guarantee the authority of His own Word. This is putting the creature above the creator in authority. It doesn't make logical nor biblical sense.

ILL Reformed theologian, John Murray has once said, The authority of Scripture is an objective and permanent fact residing in the quality of inspiration. Faith in Scripture as God's Word...rests upon the perfection's inherent in Scripture and is elicited by the perception of these perfection's.' (The Infallible Word)

     The true church of God exists and depends on Scripture alone for its authority and therefore it can not depend on the authority given to it by the church.

Read: Eph. 2:19-20

     If the authority of the Scriptures came from the church, then the church would have to be infallible of any error, if the Scriptures were to be proven by it. Agreed?

Question: Is the church, any church infallible? By what do you base your answer on?

      No. Scripture, both old and new testaments show us a church not only prone to error and falsehood and sin, but one actually in falsehood and sin.

Read: 2 thess. 2:15

Question: What does this mean? Are we to follow the unwritten, oral traditions of man and the church?

  No.
     1. No unwritten or oral tradition carried down from the Apostles could have done so without undue corruption. Therefore, we can not ever be certain they were true.

     2. Because of the historical corruption in the church , especially during the 9th century and  following any oral tradition would surely be questionable as to its truthfulness.

     3. Because several of the unwritten, oral traditions currently and previously held by the Catholic Church are contrary to the direct teaching in Scripture.

     4. Because the Thessalonians needed to hold on to some oral, unwritten tradition (teachings) of the Apostles because not everything had been written down yet.

    B. Section 5
Read: Section 5
  1. Tradition of the church
Question: Does what we have just talked about keep us from listening to any of the traditions of the church , to  the writings of the early church fathers or to even contemporary Christian writers who write about the Christian life?

      No. The church, the early church fathers and contemporary writers have something to say about the Word of God and its application. But these writings must only be viewed as commentaries to the text not as that which certifies the Word of God itself. Whenever tradition conflicts with the Bible it must give way to Scripture.

Question: What good are the traditions and teaching of man to the life of the Christian?

     They may be used to move the Christian to a high and reverent esteem for the Scriptures.

 2. Internal Evidences of Scriptures Authority
Question: What internal evidences of Scripture proves it's authority?

     a. The heavenly character of its content
          It is holy (Rom. 1:2)  It is pure (Ps 12:6) It forbids anything profane or unholy, sinful. It commands holiness of all who will be in the presence of God. It is 'otherness' and not of the world in our understanding. The Trinity, the Incarnation and Virgin Birth, the mystical union of Christ and His church.

     b. The efficacy of its doctrine
      It is powerful to convince and awaken and wound the conscience. (Heb. 4:12)
      It is powerful to convert and change the heart (Ps. 19:7)
      It is powerful to quicken men out of spiritual death and darkness (Isa. 55:3; Ps. 119:50)
      It is powerful to rejoice and comfort under the deepest distress. (Ps. 19:8)

     c. The majesty of  its style
      The prophets and writers speak of God in an exalted and lofty manner. As the King of Kings and Lord of Lord. the supreme authority and sovereign. (Isa. 57:15, 1 Tim. 6:15-16)  Its intent is to bring honor and glory to God and designed not to exalt any person.

     d. The agreement of all its parts
      It presents a supernatural intelligence; in the unity of design developed through its entire structure. There is consistency between the Old and New testaments. There is fulfillment of prophecy.

     e. The full disclosure it makes of the only way of man's salvation
      It gives wisdom in finding out a way for man to be saved by Jesus Christ, even when in a fallen and sinful state. No mortal intelligence could have come up with this plan of salvation.

     f. Its many other incomparable excellencies and its entire perfection
      In the unparalleled perfection of its moral system which is effectively enforced.: in the exalted view of God, His law and moral government; in the power of the human conscience, in the unrivaled persistence of its influence over humanity.

Question: But is this enough (all the internal proofs from Scripture)  for the sinner to believe the Bible is true
                 and infallible and that its divine authority comes from God Himself?
                What is first necessary for the truths of the Bible to bring one to faith in Christ and salvation?
                If Scripture is divine, why is not faith the result in every case of every one who reads it?

 3. The Witness of the Holy Spirit
  Scripture, God's Truth to unregenerate man is like light to the blind. They may be felt as the rays of the sun are felt by the blind, but they can not be seen. the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of the spiritually blind and gives then understanding of God's Word, understanding that leads to faith and salvation in Christ. As we walk closer to the Spirit in our lives, we see and understand all the more, the authority of Scripture being found in God alone.

Hosea 8:12; 1 Cor. 2:6-8; Ps. 119:18,129; Ps. 12:6; Ps. 119:140; acts 10:43, 26:22; Rom. 3:19,27; Acts 18:28; Heb. 4:12; Ps. 19:7-9; Rom 15:4; Acts 20:32; John 16:13-14; 1 Jn 2:20,27; John 20:31

4. Illumination by the Holy Spirit
Question: Does the fact that man needs inward illumination from the Holy Spirit to understand Scripture unto salvation,
                 mean that the Bible is not complete or is insufficient to accomplish its purpose?

     -No. Man in his natural state is dead to spiritual things and it is the Holy Spirit which quickens the sinner to life in Christ so that he/she will be able to understand spiritual things.

Question: Is illumination the same things as inspiration?
                Can there be new revelation by the illumination of the Holy Spirit?

     -No on both accounts. The Holy Spirit in the work of illumination does not bring new truth but opens the mind and the heart to understand spiritual things already revealed in the Word of God.

Question: Why the  mention of the internal work of the Holy Spirit?
                 Was there at one time in redemptive history that there was an outward work of illumination ?

      -Yes, the Urim and Thummim were the external medium God used to direct the leaders in Israel's past.
      -To illumine then to His mind on certain issues. Perhaps the Umin and Thummim were a pledge of  something more personal to come whereby God's people can know the mind of God on a particular issue.

  a. Inward
      -Reformers called this the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit. It means that the Holy Spirit,  now residing in the newly regenerated Believer in JC, gives assurance of the certainty of Scripture's truth to that Believer. They now just know the Bible is God's Word.

      -Without this inward work of the Holy Spirit faith in the inerrant, infallible Scriptures ad the divine word of God would not be possible.

  b. Necessary for understanding leading to salvation
      -If salvation is to come to man, there must not only be a new gospel that they believe but a new  heart so that they can believe. It is the initial work of the Holy Spirit's ministry of illumination which is called regeneration that takes the sinners heart of stone and makes it a heart of flesh.

Question: Does the illumination by the Holy Spirit change anything about the message of the Bible?

     -No.
     -The revelation/ God's Word does not change by illumination, but the way it is seen does  change. The Holy Spirit's work of illumination does not bring new truth but understanding of  the truths already in Scripture. Illumination causes the now regenerate mind to be open to what is being read.

ILL: The unregenerate sees the truth of God's Word and resists it, hates it and suppresses the truth of it.
        The regenerate see the truth and now welcome, love and nourish it

      -Illumination of the Holy Spirit opens the eye of the Believer to see that which is held from the unregenerate, the glory of God.

Read:
Matt. 13:13-15
 Jesus speaks of those who hear but never understand and see but not perceive.

Rom. 1:21
 They know God but do not homor Him or give Him thanks

2 Cor. 4:4
 Paul attributes this condition to the god of this world (satan) who has blinded the minds of   the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of Christ.

1 Cor. 2:14
 The natural man has not received/accepted the gifts of the Spirit of God because he thinks the wisdom of God is foolishness.

1 Cor. 2:11
 Only the Spirit of God can know the things of God.

2 Cor. 3:12-18
 The sinners mind and heart wears a veil so that it can not see the glory of God.

 The natural man is both unwilling and unable to understand the truths of God's word apart from the work of the Holy Spirit.

Read:
Eph. 1:18
 The eyes of the heart is enlightened by the Holy Spirit

2 Cor. 3:16
 The veil covering the heart and mind is removed

1 Cor. 2:12
 We have the Spirit who is from God that we may understand the things of God.

Rom. 2:29
 Understanding comes from a circumcised heart.

Col. 1:9
 Says that we can be filled with wisdom and spiritual understanding

Jn 15:26-27
 The Holy Spirit will testify in our hearts to the truth of Jesus Christ.

Jn 16:14
 The Holy Spirit will guide Believers into all truth.

Question: Why then is the illumination by the Holy Spirit necessary to understand Scripture?

     -Because God is different than us. He is transcendent; He is beyond our categories of understanding; He  can never be fully grasped by our human minds. By contrast, we are finite, limited beings, we are limited by time and what we are able to understand.

     -Because sinful mankind is totally depraved. this means the whole of human nature, our thoughts, reasoning and will have all been devastated by the Fall. In this our natural state can not recognize and respond to the truth of God's Word.

     -The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not only to make know what was once not understood but to persuade Believers of the truth of God's Word.

5. Worship & Church government
     a. Worship
Read: Acts 2:46; Acts 17:10-11; 16:25; 20:7; Ex. 20:8; Mk 2:27; Col. 2:16

Question: What do these texts tell us about worship in the early church?

      -That it was varied

 -Acts 2:46         They met in the temple and also went from house to house
 -Acts 17:10-11 They met in a synagogue
 -Acts 16:25      Paul and Silas were Praying and singing at midnight
 -Acts 20:7       They gathered on the first day of the week.
 -Ex. 20:8        We are to keep the Sabbath day holy.
 -Mk 2:27        The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath.
 -Col. 2:16       There is liberty associated with the observance of the Sabbath.

     Scripture is not specific about the time or location for worship. Nor is it specific about the content of worship.

     b. Church government
Read: Phil. 1:1

Question: What offices are mentioned in this text?

     -Overseer/Elder is the only office mentioned. The other groups are the saints (Believers) and deacons (mistranslated and should be translated servants) Paul was addressing three groups of people at the church in Philippi; the Elders, the servants (anyone who serves in an official capacity in the church) and the saints (all those who attend and are ministered to by the others)

     -No where are the words office and deacon used together in the Greek. Everywhere it is translated  Deacon it should be servant instead.

     -For more information go to our church web site and look up Pastor's Page then Adult Sunday School, then Leadership, then Deacons.

     -There is very little given concerning how church governments are to be structured, how long the terms of office are, even what offices there need to be.

     c. How are they to be structured?
  1). Ordered by the light of nature

Question: What does this mean?

     -It means we can use the wisdom and knowledge  that God gave to us when we consider structuring our worship and church government. We must look at the circumstances that surround us and we have the freedom to act accordingly.

Such as: If we use another churches building, we may need to hold services on Saturday instead of Sunday, if that was our only place to meet.

  2). Ordered by Christian prudence

Question: What do you think this means?

     -It means that we use common sense and follow what Paul said in 1 Cor. 6:12 'all things are lawful to me but not all things are profitable'

  3). According to the general rules of the Word
Read: Heb. 10:24-25

Question: What do this texts tell us about the general rules for worship found n Scripture?

 -That we are to gather regularly to build up the brethren to good works for Christ's kingdom.

Read: 1 Cor. 14-20-40

Question:     What does this text tell us about the worship service?
                      What is it to include? What is of importance?
                      How are things, whatever they are, to be done in worship?

 -Psalm (singing)
 -Teaching (preaching)
 -Revelation (reading God's Word)
 -Use of Spiritual gifts (talents and gifting)
 -All is to be done for the edification of the Believer
 -All is to be done in an orderly manner
 -All is to be done in humility

Read: Ex. 18:17-27; Acts 14:23, 20:17-18, 21:18, 22:5, 15:1-7, 16:4; 1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Peter 5:5

Question: What do these texts tell us about church government in the early church?

Ex. 18:17-27
 Delegated responsibility and authority

Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17-18; Acts 21:18; Acts 22:5
 Plurality of elders

Acts 15:1-7; Acts 16:4
 Elders and congregation decision making for the church

1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Peter 5:5
 Elders rule over the church

Question: Is there anything in Scripture that speaks of Congregational Rule?

 Acts 15:4
 Acts 15:22

 Again, not specifically, but perhaps by inference.

  4). These rules are always to be obeyed
 Since these rules, commands come from the mouth of God, they are always to be obeyed.

SUMMARY:
 - God's completed revelation is entirely sufficient for all our spiritual needs.
 - God's completed  revelation is entirely sufficient for all time. It does not need to be  amended later.
 - God's completed revelation is entirely sufficient in terms of principals rather than in  details.
    Leaving many of the details of worship and government up to the Believer in  accordance with the expressed and  implied
    consent of Scripture.
 -God the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to understand Scripture.
    First by regeneration  and then by illumination we come to understand and accept the truth of God's word.

VII. Section 7  The Perspicuity of Scripture
    A. Definition
Question: What does the perspicuity of Scripture refer to?

     -The Reformers held that the Scriptures were 'see through ' or 'transparent' in it's ability to be understood by the masses. It is clear because of the clarity and precision of presentation. That Scripture clearly communicate to all men all that is necessary for salvation, they are for personal use and are adopted by the educated and uneducated alike.

     -This is not to say that all Scripture is equally clear. But, neither is it hidden or mysterious. The essence of its message is available to all who will accept it by faith.

      -Protestants admit that many of the truths revealed in Scripture in their own nature transcend human understanding and that many prophesies remain intentionally obscure until they are explained by their ultimate fulfillment.

Protestants believe and Catholics deny:
 1. That every essential article of faith and rule of practice may be clearly learned from Scripture
 2. That private and unlearned Christians may safely be allowed to interpret Scripture for themselves.
 3. That through the advance of historical and critical knowledge, the community of the Church has made
     progress in the accurate interpretation of Scripture.

Question: Using Scripture, how do we know this is true?

 1. 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Acts 17:11; John 5:39
    All Christians are commanded to search the Scriptures

 2. Deut. 6:4-9; Lk 1:3; Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1
     Scriptures are addressed either to all men or to the whole body of Believers.

 3.  Ps. 119:105, 130; 2 Cor. 3:14; 2 Peter 1:18-19; 2 Tim. 3:15-17
      The Scriptures themselves affirm their own perspicuity.

Question: What are some of the ways the church has made the Scriptures more clear to the common people?

     -Common language translations of the Bible
     -Common language of the worship service
     -Common use of the Bible in Worship and study
     -Common use of preaching and teaching in the church

B. Not all things in Scripture are equally clear
Question: Didn't I already say that the Reformers believed that Scripture was transparent
                and that it's message can be clearly seen?  Then why do we have passages in Scripture that we have a hard time
                understanding or interpreting?

 -Yes, I said that. But the Reformers were referring to the Gospel message of Christ. How one gets saved. This message they believed was as clear as day. But the Reformers did not claim that everything in Scriptures were equally plain and clear.  How could they when Scripture itself says some parts are more difficult to understand than others.

Read: 2 Peter 3:15-16

Question: If there are some passages more difficult than others, what do we need to do?

Read:
    Acts 8:30-31
         Someone to teach them to others

1 Tim. 4:13
         Be devoted to the public reading, preaching and teaching of Scripture

C. Those things necessary to be known and believed for salvation are clear
Question: What are some texts that are very clear as to God's Plan of Salvation?

By salvation we are made
    Accepted: Eph 1:6
    Righteous: 2 Cor. 5:21
    Sons of God: Jn 1:12
    A new creature: 2 Cor. 5:17
    Complete in Him: Col. 2:10
    Redeemed: Rom. 3:24-25
    Forgiven: Rom 4:7
    Heirs: Rom. 8:17
                                                                                                     Salvation Past
                                                                                                         Acts 16:30-31
                                                                                                           1 Cor. 1:18
                                                                                                           2 Cor. 2:15
                                                                                                            Eph. 2:5,8
                                                                                                            2 Tim. 1:9

                                                                                                 Salvation Present
                                                                                                          1 Jn 2:1-2
                                                                                                          2 Peter 1:4
                                                                                                            1 Jn 3:9
                                                                                                           Rom. 7:18
                                                                                                          1 Jn 1:8,10

                                                                                                 Salvation Future
                                                                                                      Rom. 8:18-25
                                                                                                      Rom. 8:29-30
                                                                                             &nbs