The Inspiration of the Holy Spirit Writing the New Testament
By: Frank Tunstall, D. Min.
Jesus made a sweeping claim that explains how the Holy Spirit made it possible for the New Testament to be written: “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,” Jesus said, “will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).
A student of the Bible can easily understand that the disciples, highly intelligent men though they all were, would not have been able to remember word for word everything Jesus said during His ministry, exactly as Jesus said it. This is all-the-more-true considering that all the New Testament books, except the Apostle John’s, were written between the late-40s and the early-60s of the first century after Jesus’ death and resurrection about A.D. 30. The Apostle John wrote his three letters and the Revelation probably in the late 80s or the early 90s, some sixty years after Jesus conquered death and the grave.
This reality opens a whole new window of understanding regarding the inspiration of Scripture. The disciples were gifted men with very sharp memories, but not that smart. We know the words attributed to Jesus in the Bible are His exact words because the Holy Spirit brought to the writers’ memories precisely what Jesus said, reminding them “of everything” the Lord spoke (John 14:26).
One result of how the Bible came to be written is it gives Jesus’ followers peace and comfort in the authority of Scripture. In addition, the Holy Spirit routinely communicates with the Lord’s followers, bringing to their memory just the right word of Scripture to meet a need. “The Spirit searches all things,” the Apostle Paul said, “even the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). The image of a computer search is appropriate; in a split second the Holy Spirit pulls up just the right word for the moment.
The inspiration of the Holy Spirit also extended to the historical facts that are recorded. This is so true that today, two thousand years later, no Bible history has been proven inaccurate, even though detractors time and again have tried their best to impeach the integrity of the Scriptures (see 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Peter 1:10-11; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
How important that the Bible be studied carefully, with the goal of getting to know both the Lord of the Book, and the Spirit who empowered writing the Book, and continues to this day to illuminate our understanding of the book. In fact, the closer we get to Jesus the more we will cherish the Holy Scriptures.
Without any conflict or contradiction, but in full unity:
- The Father reveals the message of the Bible.
- The Son reveals the same message of the Bible.
- The Holy Spirit reveals the same message of the Bible.
Now that the Bible is written, the Scriptures alone must be the final arbiter for all matters of truth, with no effort to add to, or to take away from the Word of God.
The written Word, the Bible, shows the Holy Spirit had other forms of communicating as the canon was being formed, such as dreams, visions or trances, and one-on-one personal instructions (Matthew 2:19-21; Acts 8:29; 9:10-12). After the New Testament Canon was formed, the Holy Spirit has continued to use these tools of communication throughout church history. However, because people write them, they must always be judged for truthfulness and Biblical accuracy. They can never contradict the Bible or claim a new space in the sacred canon.
It is strange that some will avidly study how God talked with Moses so often they were described as “friends,” and Jesus talked with His disciples and to small and even large crowds. But then they teach that our Lord and the Holy Spirit do not communicate personally with people today. Strange.
The God who is sovereign so that He acts as He chooses and no one can stop Him, always acts according to His character as revealed in the Bible. The sacred Scriptures, therefore, show in written form the great love of God that is the standard for faith and practice.
The Holy Spirit’s job description includes convincing Jesus’ followers to believe the Bible. This embraces Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and knowing Jesus is alive and with them. The Holy Spirit is just that committed to making Jesus known worldwide, our risen, living Savior.
The Spirit also communicates with non-believers showing the convicting grace that leads to repentance and God’s forgiveness. In addition, the Holy Spirit visits believers, making known the grace that matures in Christ and moves God’s children from milk to meat (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12-13; 1 Peter 2:2).
Isaiah said the Holy Spirit led God’s people through Moses in those long forty years in the wilderness even though the Israelites grieved the Spirit (Psalm 143:10; Isaiah 63:10). King David experienced the same anointing that enabled him to see the Lord who was always before his face and on his right hand (Hebrews 11:27; Acts 2:25; Psalm 16:8-11).
Moses and King David lived as seeing the invisible; you can see the invisible too, dear reader, with the eyes of your soul (Hebrews 11:27; Acts 2:25).
Yes, the Heavenly Father’s priceless blueprint came to fulfillment in Jesus Christ. It has now been handed down to us by the Holy Spirit in written form in two testaments, identified as the Old and the New Testaments. The Bible, therefore, is a marvelous treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7).
It is worthy of repeating that the Holy Spirit chose writers whose vocabularies would communicate the Spirit’s message. This means the Bible is inspired verbally or in the choice of words. It is also inspired plenarily, or in the whole of the 66 books. This makes the sacred canon history’s most valuable book (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Divine genius is the only way to describe the awesome plan of salvation that is recorded in the Bible.
