God's Inspiration - Words or Teachings?

[DeSales111]

Protestants say the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God, a Catholic agrees. Now I ask, was it the written words that were inspired or the teaching of those written words that was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Written words are subject to interpretation, interpretations are subject to literacy, literacy is subject to many factors such as intelligence, education, age, experience, tradition, physical traits…etc.

Not every interpretation of Holy Scriptures can be true, as interpretations are subject to each person’s literacy.

Conclusion: Bible Alone can not produce unity, nor can it produce God’s Truth with all certainty if Truth is subject to individual interpretations.

 

[Benadam]

Both.

But the teaching was known to be Divine Revelation. The Word of God entire. Spoken and heard

The written form started as letters and stories . The authors probably didn’t consider them anything more than letters. That they would become part of written tradition wasn’t planned

You are right in thinking the written form is subject to faulty thinking uninspired minds. We see the results

 

[Benadam]

The written form is inspired because the authors knew the teaching. if that is what you mean

 

[DeSales111]

My point exactly! No one could claim the Scriptures were inspired without the teaching source that knew the meaning of the Scriptures…the Church.

My question to Protestants is it the inspired Word of God because the words or because what those words mean. Truth can not be subject to varible interpretations.

 

[Benadam]

Yeah, you are making the point the scriptures need a teaching authority ,we got that
I am going to keep an eye on this oughta be fun

 

[Reuben_J]

BY virtue of the fact that the Church derives her belief from the three legged stool of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium (Teaching Office), it has to be both.

In other word, Scripture must be read and understood from the Sacred Tradition of what it meant, which is elucidated in the Magisterium.

 

[DeSales111]

Yes Reuben, so true. Why would God give His Word without a living teaching office? Would He not want EVERYONE to understand the TRUE meaning of those Words regardless of their literacy or what future generation would read them? There is no guarantee that even God’s written Word is safe from misinterpretation without a teacher.

If written words alone were safe from different meanings then I should be able to gather a hundred Protestant preachers in one room and each and every one would be 100% in agreement on important matters such as salvation, baptism, communion, clergy, marriage, etc. WHO in that room speaks for God? WHO is conveying the TRUE meaning of God’s Word? WHO settles the disparity between their fallacies? God’s TRUTH becomes a matter of opinion if written words alone are the guide.

Back to my original thought, it isn’t what is written that is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is the TRUE meaning of what is written that is the inspired eternal message from God.

To my dear Protestant brothers and sisters, ALL Scripture is from God and inspired by the Holy Spirit, but NOT ALL interpretations are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Yes, or Yes?

 

[MT1926]

Would He not want EVERYONE to understand the TRUE meaning of those Words regardless of their literacy or what future generation would read them?

The statement is so true from a historical perspective. The problem is so many ignore history to a point they believe all Christians in the first centuries where able to pick up a copy of the Apostles writings to study on their own. Until you can get someone to take an honest look at the early Church your statement is falling on deaf ears.

If written words alone were safe from different meanings then I should be able to gather a hundred Protestant preachers in one room and each and every one would be 100% in agreement on important matters such as salvation, baptism, communion, clergy, marriage, etc. WHO in that room speaks for God? WHO is conveying the TRUE meaning of God’s Word?

True statement, can’t imagine this scenario ever happening.

Back to my original thought, it isn’t what is written that is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is the TRUE meaning of what is written that is the inspired eternal message from God.

You’re on shaking ground here with this statement. I do agree with you that the TRUE meaning of what is written is inspired however, the Gospels are written from the perspective of “this is what Jesus said”. To proclaim that the written words from Jesus mouth, the 4 Gospels, aren’t inspired is going a little to far to get your point across.

Just my thoughts,

God Bless

 

[DeSales111]

Ahh, i think myself as an example of how my words can be misinterpreted Believe me, I 1000% believe the 4 Gospels are inspired by the Holy Spirit, as the other entirety of Scripture. I used poor words to explain myself, for that I apologize. I think what I’m trying to say is the meaning is what is inspired, not the language, the style, or other factors that effect how a person understands written words. The only way to understand the original writings thru so many language changes, changes in cultures and thru thousands of past generations is by Tradition.

To further explain myself…are all translations of the Bible inspired? Maybe that question will put what I’m trying to convey into perspective. I would never say God did not inspire them to pen His Words, but I will say the Holy Spirit would not have wanted those written Words to have opposite meanings.

My favorite example… John Chapter 6. Inspired, very much so. But watch a Catholic and Protestant butt heads over the stern words from the mouth of Christ. The written words from that event are inspired, but, can the the Holy Spirit be inspiring two completely opposite messages? What is the TRUE inspiration of the Holy Spirit?

And thanks for your thoughts, may the peace of Christ be with you.

 

[MT1926]

To further explain myself…are all translations of the Bible inspired?

AMEN. I often mention this when I am speaking with others. I think this is a great point to make and is the best explanation of what you are saying. In a nut shell yes we all agree that the writers of the NT were inspired by the Holy Spirit. However, I’m sure we would all agree that the translators were not given this gift of inspiration from the Holy Spirit. After all what you are saying here is the definition of a translation. The translator is giving his own “personal interpretation” of what he thinks that Greek word means in English. We already agree that the translator himself was not inspired so why should we believe his translation could still be the “Inspired Word of God”. Unless he did his translation by using an oral teaching which was already inspired.

Without the Oral Teaching handed down from generation to generation there is no way we can know if the translators got it right.

This always make me think of Stark Trek 4 when Scotty is sitting in front of a 1986 computer and starts talking. When the engineer tells him to use the mouse he is clueless as to what he is suppose to do with it.

Words change as well as there meanings as time goes by, we need to read scripture in light of how things were taught in Jesus time not in our own time.

Great topic,

God Bless

 

[DeSales111]

The Star Trek example is funny but so true!

The Scriptures are truly inspired, and I will always believe the Holy Spirit inspired them as a compliment to the already existing Faith. The fact that the churches pre-existed written NT Scripture proves that the oral Tradition was the primary means of holding onto and handing on the deposit of faith from Christ.

Is it a fair question to ask what good is inspired Scripture if the Truth behind the inspiration is not understood or gets misinterpreted? Written words can be true, but if taken out of context or misconstrued the truth can be deminished or completely destroyed. And if someone convinces others of his version of the truth then millions can be misled.

Interesting for sure.

God bless.