By The Holy Spirit

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

II Peter 1:20-21

Who wrote the Bible?  We recognize that there are about forty different authors of works we include in the canon of Scripture.  In our text, Peter clarifies how the Scriptures came to be.  He says that the Scripture is not of private interpretation, that is, it is not the product of the individual writer’s imagination or opinion.  Rather, Peter traces the origin of the Scripture to the Holy Spirit.  He remarks that these authors, ‘spoke as they were borne along by the Holy Spirit.’  It is important that we understand this for several reasons.  It will lead us to the conclusion that if the Scripture is of such origin, then it is inspired, inerrant, and infallible.  Peter was, referring primarily to the Old Testament, which Christ said testified of Him.  Peter declares that the Holy Spirit was in operation in the Old Testament in the lives of these who were testifying of the coming Christ.  This inspiration occurred during the course of their natural, daily lives.  Therefore, we conclude that these writers of Scripture had the Holy Spirit dwelling within them and filling them to write what would become the foundation of the New Testament.  The writer of the Scripture is the Holy Spirit.

Our Glorious and Wise God,
we rejoice that You have given us the Scriptures.
We praise You that You have used people
to write the Scripture as You inspired them,
that we may have before us the very words of God.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning