Session 6: WCF Chapter I Of the Holy Scripture, Section 8

CHAPTER I - Of the Holy Scripture 2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these, The Old Testament …[the 39 books we use] The New Testament …[the 27 books we use], All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.

Psalm 119:89 Matthew 5:18

Jots and Tittles

Jots and Tittles A jot is the ninth letter in the Hebrew alphabet and the smallest. It looks like an apostrophe: A tittle is even smaller than a jot. A tittle is a pen stroke that can differentiate one Hebrew letter from another. resh daleth

John 5:39   Revelation 1:3

CHAPTER I - Of the Holy Scripture 8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as, in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them. But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner; and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.

Hebrew – the native language of the people of God of old (except Aramaic in Genesis 31:47; Ezra 4:8-6:18, 7:12-26; portions of Daniel 2-7; and Jeremiah 10:11 koine Greek – at the time of the writing, the language most generally known to the nations) Romans 1:16: “…to the Jew first and also to the Greek”

http://lordsave.weebly.com/bible-translation-history.html Greek Masoretic Text WCF Septuagint Modern Translations http://lordsave.weebly.com/bible-translation-history.html

Four Views on Inspiration 1. The Neo-orthodox View – God is so transcendent that words are inadequate; only direct revelation is possible. The Bible only serves as a witness of God, a human account. 2. The Dictation View – God directly wrote the Bible, verbatim. Humans merely took dictation. Jeremiah 30:2, Luke 1:1–4 3. The Limited Inspiration View – God gave general, doctrinal guidance, but human authors expressed themselves. Thus the Bible contains non-doctrinal human errors, e.g., history. 4. The Plenary Verbal Inspiration View – God inspired the entire Bible, down to every word. theopneustos – “God-breathed.” 2 Peter 1:21 The Chicago Statement on Bible Inerrancy (1978)

The Implication of the Plenary, Verbal View God’s immediate (direct) inspiration ceased with the original, untranslated books of the Bible. Therefore, no translations are immediately (directly) inspired. Human translation error exists.

http://www.christianuniversitiesonline.org/the-bible/

How do you incorporate Hebrew and Greek studies into your Bible study? What are the best resources and techniques you’ve found?