Studies in ethics and religion

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The Relation of God to Nature : A Review .... 23

Introduction

I. Reasons for this Study at the present time.

A CORRECT view of the effect of divine inspiration on the teaching of those under its influence is extremely desirable: (1) in order that proper confidence may be placed in their teaching; (2) in order that definite views of Christian truth may be gained from it ; and (3) in order that plausible objections to this truth may be answered.

This statement could have been made at any time since the Christian religion was first promulgated. But it may be made with special emphasis at the present time : (1) because the deniers of the authority of inspired teaching are now uncommonly numerous and active ; and (2) because believers in the authority of inspired teaching are divided in judgment as to the range and nature of its authority, some thinking that this authority belongs to all such teaching, and others, that it belongs to such teaching when approved by the Christian consciousness.

II. Reasons for limiting this Study to the Inspiration of the Prophets and Apostles.

1. We have not time enough at our disposal for a thorough study of the inspiration of all the sacred writers ; (2) a study of the subject chosen may naturally be added to our more general treatment of the larger subject; (3) a study of this particular subject will be quite as likely to reveal the characteristics of divine inspiration as a study of the larger subject, and it is these characteristics which we especially desire to ascertain ; and (4) the conclusions reached in a study of the inspiration of the prophets and apostles will determine in a great measure what view should be taken of the inspiration of the other sacred writers.

III. Order of Topics in this Study.

The subject of this course of study may be conveniently treated under three heads or parts : —

First. The Object sought by the Lord in giving inspiration to the apostles and prophets.

Second. The Characteristics of this inspiration in earlier and later times.

Third, The Fruits, both direct and indirect, of this inspiration.

IV. Literature pertaining to the Subject.

Davidson (S.), " Discourses on Prophecy ; " Fairbairn (P.), " Prophecy : its distinctive Nature, special Function, and proper Interpretation ; " Smith (R Payne), " Prophecy a Preparation for Christ ; " Leathes (S.), " Old Testament Prophecy, its Witness of divine Foreknowledge ; " Gifford (E. H.), "Voices of the Prophets;" Smith (F. Kobertson), "The Prophets in Israel and their Place in History;" Orelli (Von C), " Old Testament Prophecy of the Completion of the Kingdom of God ; " Kuenen (A.), " The Prophets and Prophecy in Israel ; " Eiehm (E.), " Messianic

Prophecy;" Gloag (P. J.), " Messianic Prophecy ; " Edersheim (A.), "Prophecy and History in relation to the Messiah ; " Knobel (A.), " Der Prophetismns der Hebraer ; " Hofmann (J. C. K), "Weissagung und Erfiillung;" Elliott (C), "Old Testament Prophecy;" De Rothschild (C. & A), " History and Literature of the Ancient Israelites "(vol. ii.) ; Ewald (H.), " Old Testament Prophets " (vol. ii.) ; Savile (B. W.), "Fulfilled Prophecy;" Adeney (W. F.), "The Hebrew Utopia ; a Study of Messianic Prophecy."

Part First

The Object sought by the Lord in giving Inspiration to the Prophets and Apostles.

According to the testimony of the Scriptures this object was the salvation of men, or, in other words, to lead them to oecome true servants of God, delighting in his character and doing his will. For nothing short of this will insure their highest welfare. To know the triune God as infinitely holy and merciful is their true blessedness. In the words of Jesus Christ, this knowledge is life eternal (John xvii. 3).

To establish this view of the object of inspiration we appeal (1), to the testimony of Jesus Christ concerning the object of his coming into the world ; for it is safe to assume that the same object was sought in both cases. Jesus said to the Pharisees, " They who jare well need not a physician, but they who are sick," and " I came not to call righteous men, but sinners" (Matt, ix. 12, 13); also to the people, " Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest " (Matt. xi. 28) ; and again, " The Son of man came not to be ministered

INSPIRATION OF PROPHETS AND APOSTLES. Ill

to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matt. xx. 28). "Ye are not willing to come to me, that ye may have life " (John v. 40). " I am the living bread that came clown out of heaven. If any one eat of this bread, he will live forever ; yea, and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world " (John vi. 51). "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou didst send " (John xvii. 3).

(2) To the testimony of the apostles concerning the object of Christ's mission to this world. " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that every one who believes on him should not perish, but have eternal life " (John iii. 16). For this verse may, on the whole, be referred with some confidence to the apostle who wrote the fourth Gospel. " Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners " (1 Tim. i. 15). "For there is one God, one Mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ; who gave himself a ransom for all " (1 Tim. ii. 5, 6). "And there is salvation in no other; for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, in which we must be saved " (Acts iv. 12). The apostles must have known the object of Christ's coming and ministry, and as their testimony agrees with his own there is left no place for doubt. The declared object of the incarnation, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ was the restoration of mankind to spiritual union with God.

(3) To the testimony of prophets and apostles as to the purpose of their own ministry (See e. g. Deut. x. 12, 13; xi. 13, 14; xviii. 18, 19; 1 Saml. xii. 1-25 ; xv. 22; 2 Saml. xii. 1-7, 13; 1 Kings xviii. 21, 39; Isa. i. 2, 3,

11-20 ; lv. 1-3 3). The words of Isaiah lv. 6, 7, may be quoted as an example : " Seek ye the Lord while he is to be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (See also Acts v. 20, 30-32 ; Eom. i. 16 ; 2 Cor. v. 20, 21 ; iv. 5, 6 ; Col. i. 22, 23). Thus an angel of the Lord said to the apostles, " Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life ; " and the apostles said to the Sanhedrim, " We ought to obey God rather than man. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. Him did God exalt as a Prince and a Savior, with his right hand, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins."

(4) To the testimony of prophets and apostles concerning the object of holy Scripture itself. Thus we read of the godly man, that " his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night " (Ps. i. 2), and "The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul " (Ps. xix. 7 f.). And again in the New Testament: "But do thou abide in the things which thou learnedst and wast assured of, knowing from what persons thou didst learn; and that from a babe thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise to salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus " (2 Tim. iii. 14, 15), with which should be compared the words of Christ in John xvi. 7-15 ; for it is clear that sacred writings are one part of the fruit of inspiration, and that we may safely infer the object of inspiration in general from the object sought by Scripture.

From the passages cited under these four heads we conclude, negatively (1), that the principal object of inspiration was not the communication of religious knowledge to men, though this was often involved in accomplishing that object, and was sometimes indispensable to it. (2) That the principal object of inspiration was, still less, the instruction of men in history, natural science, or mental philosophy. For such instruction is but remotely connected with spiritual renovation. It may be turned to good account in impressing religious truth on the mind, but it is scarcely necessary for that purpose.

And, positively, that the principal object of inspiration was to increase the moral and religious influence of prophets and apostles, in order through them to save men. Hence, if we may infer anything as to the nature of inspiration in prophets and apostles from the effect which it was meant to produce through them on other men, it must have been fitted —

1. To augment their religious knowledge by enabling them to apprehend truth adapted to them and to the people addressed by them. " As certainly as prophecy is a divine word, it always contains divine truth, in so far as truth can and ought to be comprehended at the given standpoint. All genuine pedagogy takes this course. It does not indeed teach the truth from the beginning in adequate form, but it never inculcates error as the initial stage of higher knowledge " (Orelli, p. 36). Knowledge of truth is always a primary source of impression. To clarify the spiritual vision of prophets and apostles, and at the same time place before their minds some pertinent truth, must have been to increase their religious influence over men.

2. To deepen their religious feeling. The action of the Spirit of God in their souls must Jiave given impulse to conscience, to devout affection, to moral courage, to the will, in order that persuasion might flow from lip and pen. This appears to be self-evident.

3. To secure a popular and impressive style. For no other style would have been adapted to move and persuade those who were addressed by prophets and apostles. Yet a popular and impressive style is the result of natural endowments and of suitable training, as well as of deep feeling. It is therefore to be presumed that the Spirit of God, when selecting men to be prophets or apostles, took account of their natural endowments and early training, at least in so far as these were needed for a timely and forcible expression of divine truth.

We are not, then, to be surprised at the boldest figures of speech in the language of inspired men. The object of their mission would lead us rather to expect every variety of style fitted to impress and move the moral and religious nature. If there is any difference between the language of intellect and the language of feeling, we should look for the latter rather than the former in a considerable part of the Bible. Both however would be in place, according to the special needs of the people in their changing conditions.