I need scarcely say that many persons, and some of them most excellent
men, have entertained the idea of a graduated scale of inspiration, and
hence the great importance of the question. Is it equal throughout? Or
is it variable?
In attempting an answer to this question, it is essential that we observe
the wide distinction between the authorship and the subject-matter of the
book, for, if not, we shall soon get into confusion.
Now Christian brethren must not be startled by my stating that in the
subject-matter there are the widest possible distinctions. It appears
indeed to consist of three distinct classes of subjects, or rather three
distinct kinds of matter.
In the first place, there are direct communications, communicated from
heaven without the use of the mind of man. Of this class are the ten
commandments, the words, ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I am well
pleased,’ and the discourses of our Lord. Such words were not given by
inspiration, for they did not pass through the medium of the human mind,
but came direct from heaven. In them there was no inspiration, but
communication.
There is a second large class of passages which were given by
inspiration. The human mind was employed as the medium for conveying
God’s will and purpose. This was the case with the prophets, the Psalms,
and other similar passages. Here was inspiration, and the words so
uttered were divine words, though given through the human medium, and not
in direct communication.
But there is a third large class of passages in which there is neither
inspiration nor communication. There are various sayings and doings of
uninspired men, good actions and bad actions, good words and bad words,
interspersed with miracles and other wonders of God’s hand. Now no one
supposes that all these persons spoke by inspiration, and it is utterly
unfair to quote such passages as inconsistent with the inspiration of
Scripture, for no one asserts that they are inspired. It is utterly
unfair, for example, of Mr. Coleridge to quote the language of Job’s
friends, and to attack the inspiration of the book by the assertion that
it is impossible to believe them to be inspired. Of course it is, for,
if we believed them to be inspired, we should be flying in the face of
the inspired book itself which records the divine communication, ‘Ye have
not spoken of me the thing that is right’ (Job, xlii. 7.) We do not
claim inspiration for those words, but for the authorship of the book
which declares that the speakers spoke those words, and that in doing so
they were wrong.
In the subject-matter then we have three divisions, direct
communications, inspired writings, and the miscellaneous sayings and
doings of uninspired men. But in addition to this there is the question
of authorship, which is clearly totally distinct from the matter, and it
is the inspiration of the author which makes the book the word of God.
Whatever the matter be if the author is inspired the book becomes
inspired scripture. The sayings of uninspired men may be put on record
by an inspired author, and our Heavenly Father may have shown just as
much mercy in directing His prophets to record the sins of bad men for
our warning, as the actions of His chosen servants for our guidance and
encouragement. Now, so far as the authorship is concerned, we find no
distinction whatever. All alike is called ‘Scripture;’ all ‘the word of
God;’ all is included in the statement, ‘Whatsoever things were written
aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and
comfort of the scripture might have hope;’ and all is stamped by divine
authority in the words, ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God.’
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