What is the intellectual justification for considering the Bible to be the inspired word of God...?

Question

What is the intellectual justification for considering the Bible to be the inspired word of God, given how much bad stuff (like slavery) is in there, and how much good stuff (like all of science) isn't? Do you really think that no mere mortals could have written Mark, Matthew, John and Luke? Not even the combined talent of a first-century Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, and Tolstoy? It seems to me that this textual claim really lies at the core of the matter: either the Bible is a book like any other great work of literature, or it's a magic book. Once one accepts it to be a magic book, I agree that a wide range of religious implications follow; but if one doesn't accept this claim, it seems to me that the basis for being a Christian (as a opposed to anything else) evaporates. Would it really surprise you if God told you that the Bible was a product of fallible, human minds? And if this wouldn't truly astound you (in the way that finding out that George Washington never existed presumably would), how can you claim to be so certain of the doctrine of Christianity?

Answer 1

I can only answer by saying something that you will not be able to understand but I will say it never the less.

Christians search their "heart" for the truth rather than simply searching their mind. Minds can be made to believe or disbelieve anything but the heart always knows what is true. That is the reason Christians are not swayed by the intellectual reasons for not believing. Our hearts know the truth because the Holy Spirit lives there.

Answer 2

The word of God is a spiritual matter, not an intellectual matter. Consider that any academic professor, or any mortal man, does not simply utter the Word of God. The Word of God is not an intellectual matter because it is not attainable only within the 120-200 IQ range. It is universally understood, in a spiritual sense, to all who obtain that spirit. That is why people like John and Peter, mere fishermen, could be the authors of what is called "the word of God". And for your info, there was an incredibly smart and crafty writer of the New Testament - Paul. His knowledge exceeded, I would say, anyone in the entire Bible, including David and Solomon. Try reading Paul's words in Greek and you will see how deep his thoughts were and how diverse his knowledge was, everything from plays-on-words in foreign languages, Roman sports, etc etc etc. The guy was incredibly smart. What makes a Virgil or Shakespeare though? Is it intelligence or skill at keeping an audience captivated? If so, then the Gospels are very captivating. If it is wit, then Paul is very captivating.

The fallibility of the Bible is like the falliblity of a minister. Both may be servants of God, and preach on the things of God, but they may make spelling mistakes, gramatical errors, or their message could be written better, but if they are led by the Spirit of God it will not in itself contradict. People have different perspectives, certainly, but one person does not see Christ resurrected while the other sees him eternally dead. One person does not see Christ crucified while another sees him taking over Persia.

Answer 3

Intelectual justification -- i like this word. i ought to apply it sometime. there is sufficient data for concept. Time and area won't enable an entire disclosure. i visit although handle your 2 specifics. Slavery -- while people extremely learn Christ and comprehend God as provided interior the Bible they oppose slavery. those interior the previous and cutting-edge who misused scripture to assist their archaic and bigotted violation of human rights have been and are incorrect. God isn't professional-slavery. technology -- In actuallity the Bible does incorporate medical data. There are statements interior the textual content textile of the Bible that would have long previous against the hassle-free concept of the circumstances it became written. One working occasion is the water cycle that many pointed out and defined scientifically interior the seventeenth Cent (i think of). interest 26:8 and Eccl 11:3 hint at this medical know-how. yet another case could be in Psalm 8:8. The psalmist mentions the trails of the sea that creatures swim in. Matthew Maury who's credited as being between the fathers of cutting-side oceanography based his seek for navigatable waters interior the oceans in this verse. Others had yet to locate them.

Answer 4

If we only took the bible by it's intellectual value it would probably be just another good book to read like the rest of all the other books.
This book was written by 40 authors over a span of over 1600 years in three different continents.
Amazingly every author gave credit to God for their inpsiration. Man would give credit to himself. This book is truly written by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God's inspired Word.

Answer 5

Hi Skeptic, it's nice to see you still attack the fundamentalist view of scripture and not the Orthodox/Catholic view.

For the Catholic understanding of the process of revelation (yes... it was a process) see the Vatican II Council's Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation "Dei Verbum":

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html

From our previous conversations, I'm not expecting you to read it and believe. I just think it would explain a better understanding of divine inspiration. See especially chapter III numbers 11-13 and pay attention to the phrase "that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings for the sake of salvation." Take a look also at the 11 points made for a proper understanding of scripture.

Enjoy.

Sorry, I still haven't had time to read your article. I'll get to it eventually.

Best wishes.

Answer 6

HA HA HA HA HA!!! You said "intellectual justification" and "Bible as inspired word of God" in the same sentence!! HA HA HA!!! Thats friggin hilarious!!!!

those two phrase dont belong in a sentence together.

(try tnot to tell the person above me that the Indian Vedas have been around for about 9000 years...far longer than the Bible. I guess that means they are that much MORE accurate, due to their age?)

Answer 7

Christians need the bible to be inspired by god because if it was written by man then it is open to all the problems that come from that. Including errors, contradictions, and lies.

Answer 8

I can be certain that the bible is truth because of the fact it's the only book that has been around as long as it has, because I believe in our country's very foundation being of In God we trust and all of the historians and prophets from time being that there is a GOD or a superior being that has brought us from the dust and made us in his image.
I believe the saving Grace of God to which he wouldn't have made it an intellectual (arrogant) way to get saved. I believe he made it as easy as believing in the tools and resources that he gave each of us in our own free will and in our own conscience. It is our choice to believe or not to believe. It is very simple, it is not supposed to be ONLY for intellectuals.
It is for everyone.

Answer 9

It is true that it takes faith to believe in the Bible just as it takes faith to believe in a chance delivery of all the chemicals, protiens, and spark to create life. What is the intellectual proof of that happening?
But if you believe in thee God of Creation then you can believe that he can easily have a book created that tells us what our purpose in life is. It isn't about magic but love.

Answer 10

i don't think there's any reason.This is the anthropological theories for the origin of religion. I don't know why you are saying that Dante or Shakespear couldn't have written the gospels. They wrote some very intense things.