The Doctrine of Revelation, Pt. 3

REVELATION: Definition “Revelation [from Latin revelatio, an unveiling, revealing, derivative of revelare, unveil; re-, back + velare, to veil, derivative of velum, a veil]: in its active meaning, the act of God by which he communicates to man the truth concerning himself- his nature, works, will, or purposes; in the passive meaning, the knowledge resultant upon such activity of God.” Warfield, Revelation and Inspiration, 37. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATION: General Revelation There are other titles for General Revelation: Natural Revelation Cosmological Revelation Non-Salvific Revelation General Revelation is adapted to human beings in their humanity, Warfield, Revelation & Inspiration, 6. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATION: General Revelation General Revelation is revelation in “things” (Res), not in “words” (Verba) It is not the same as natural theology. Natural theology is dependent upon reason, and the Christian axiom is not reason but revelation Extremes: Liberal theology emphasizes the sufficiency of natural theology (e.g., romanticism, deism, pantheism). Neo-orthodoxy (Barth) denies any revelation that is not special. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATION: General Revelation There is a limited value to General Revelation The unbeliever suppresses revelation in nature, so the practical import is that it has no value. Calvin, ICR, I,v,11 “But although the Lord represents both himself and his everlasting Kingdom in the mirror of his works with very great clarity, such is our stupidity that we grow increasingly dull toward so manifest testimonies, and they flow away without profit.” Believers who have their eyes opened can see God in his works. Calvin, ICR, I,v,14 “the invisible divinity is made manifest in such spectacles, but [that] we have not the eyes to see this unless they be illumined by the inner revelation of God through faith.” 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATION: General Revelation The Limitations of General Revelation It does not acquaint us with the way of salvation It does not furnish an adequate basis for religion  The Problem with General Revelation It was never intended to be complete in and of itself It was not intended for humanity in a sinful condition 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATION: General Revelation Key texts for General Revelation Psalm 8, 19:1-6, 94:8-10 Acts 14:15-17, 17:24-29 Romans 1:19-21, “what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen being understood from what has been made SO THAT MEN ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE.” I Cor. 2:14, “foolishness to him . . . Cannot understand them . . . they are spiritually discerned.” 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATI0N: Special Revelation Other titles for Special Revelation Supernatural Revelation Soteriological Revelation Salvific Revelation  It is adapted to humanity in sin. Warfield, Revelation &Inspiration, 6 Revelation occurs in both facts (deeds) and words. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATI0N: Special Revelation There is a relation of Special Revelation to General Revelation Special Revelation is not the result of Natural Theology. Natural Theology is the result of scholastic speculation and predicated upon a nature/grace dualism. The attempt to develop a natural theology, based on reason apart from special revelation, reaches its high point in Deism and Rationalism. Special Revelation is not viewed in isolation from General Revelation Together they form one unitary whole 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATI0N: Special Revelation The contents of Special Revelation Preeminently, Special Revelation is the self-revelation of God Special Revelation is, generally, redemptive revelation Special Revelation is the history of the Covenant People Special Revelation is the revelation of God in word and deed 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

REVELATI0N: Special Revelation The Limitations of Special Revelation It is not available to all (this is a problem of logistics) It is not understandable by sinners (this is a problem of sin) It is not equally understandable in all its parts, WCF, 1:7 (this is a problem of human finitude) 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3 REVELATI0N: Modes Modes of Revelation Cf. 39 Articles, 7; WCF, 1:1. Revelation occurs in and through Nature (Creation and Providence) Human Beings History External manifestations (theophanies), Warfield, R&I, 15 Internal manifestations (prophecies) Concursive operations (Inspiration- cooperation with Holy Spirit) 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

IINSPIRATION: Definition “Inspiration is, therefore, usually defined as a supernatural influence exerted on the sacred writers by the Spirit of God, by virtue of which their writings are given divine trustworthiness.” Warfield, “Inspiration” in R&I, 77-8. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3 INSPIRATION: Nature Dynamic Inspiration Terminates on the writers, not on the written production Differs only in degree from spiritual illumination Mechanical Inspiration “God dictated what the auctores secondarii wrote” No contribution on the part of the secondary (human) authors was permitted Organic Inspiration A necessary interaction between God & writer Demands utilization of talents, abilities, style, etc. Writers were prepared uniquely by God. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3 INSPIRATION: Extent Partial Vs. Plenary Inspiration PARTIAL: There is a distinction made between revealed, essential truths of doctrine (inspired) and matters of history or fact (not inspired, subject to error) PLENARY: All Scripture is written by inspiration of same Holy Spirit; all portions of the OT are ascribed authority by Christ; thus, PLENARY (full, all) inspiration of Scripture Thought Vs. Verbal Inspiration Only thoughts were divinely inspired HOWEVER, thoughts are couched in words!! 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

IINSPIRATION: Autographa and Inerrancy “This term (divine inspiration) is used for the mysterious power which the Divine Spirit put forth on the authors of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, in order to their composing these as they have been received by the Church of God at their hands.” Gaussen, Divine Inspiration, 23. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

INSPIRATION: Inerrancy Inerrancy is affirmed only of the autographa Inerrancy is a necessary correlate of inspiration: at stake is the issue of divine veracity and truthtelling However, Scriptures are not trustworthy and reliable because they are inerrant, but because they are the Word of God INERRANCY IS NOT NECESSARY FOR THE EXISTENCE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH “Christianity would be true and divine- and being so would stand- even if God had not been pleased to give us, in addition to his revelation of saving truth, an infallible record of that revelation absolutely errorless by means of inspiration.” Hodge and Warfield, Inspiration, 9. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

INSPIRATION: Inerrancy Why hold to the doctrine of inerrancy? Because it is the teaching of Scripture ”If the testimony of Scripture on the doctrine of Scripture is not authentic and trustworthy, then the finality of Scripture is irretrievably undermined. . . . And we must not think that the finality of Christ remains unimpaired even if the finality of Scripture is sacrificed. The rejection of the inerrancy of Scripture means the rejection of Christ’s own witness to Scripture. Finally and most pointedly, then, the integrity of our Lord’s witness is the crucial issue in this battle of faith.” -John Murray in The Infallible Word, 41,42. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

INSPIRATION: Autographa Objection: “If inspiration extends to the autographa only, and the autographa are lost, what value is such a doctrine?” The distinction between autographa and copies: Is a NECESSARY distinction. Scripture itself makes this distinction: Deut. 17:18 No compelling reason to view the copies as inspired The authors, as organs of the Holy Spirit, were under inspiration, not the copyists Inspiration is not necessary to receive what we already have; Providential control/preservation due to the necessity of Scripture 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3 INSPIRATION: Copies and the Word of God Do not speak of “copies of the Word of God”; rather, the copy is the Word of God Copies may err; the Word of God never errs. Thus, it is legitimate to seek for the most accurate copy of the Scripture Translations and the Word of God Cf. WCF, 1:8 In Acts 2 the people heard the Word of God in their own tongue NT quotes the OT in the LXX (Septuagint) translation We may affirm: translation of the Word of God is the Word of God. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

INSPIRATION: Translations Word of God =Translation Translation=Can Err Word of God= Never Errs 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

INSPIRATION: Misunderstandings “Inerrancy means that when all facts are known, the Scriptures in their original autographs and properly interpreted will be shown to be wholly true in everything that they affirm, whether that has to do with doctrine of morality or with social, physical, or life sciences.” Feinberg, “The Meaning of Inerrancy,” in Inerrancy, ed. Norman Geisler, 294 FEINBERG LISTS COMMON “MISUNDERSTANDINGS” Inerrancy does not demand strict adherence to the rules of grammar. “The rules of grammar are merely statements of normal usage of the language.” Inerrancy does not exclude the use of either figures of speech or of a given literary genre. “The literary style or form has nothing to do with the truth or falsity of the content conveyed in that style.” 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

INSPIRATION: Misunderstandings Inerrancy does not demand historical or semantic precision. “The crucial point for inerrancy is this: Is a sentence as stated true?” Inerrancy does not demand the technical language of modern science. “Popular or observational language is used even today by the common man.” Inerrancy does not demand verbal exactness in the citation of the Old Testament by the New. “When we recall a statement or event, we often give only the gist or general idea of what was exactly said or done.” Inerrancy does not demand that the Logia Jesu contain the ipsissima verba of Jesus, only the ipssisima vox. “The writers of the New Testament did not have available to them the linguistic conventions that we have today.” Inerrancy does not guarantee the exhaustive comprehensiveness of any single account or of combined accounts where those are involved. “That is, there are many things we might like to know but which God has not seen fit to reveal.” 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

INSPIRATION: Perfections of Scripture Necessity Authority Clarity Sufficiency 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3 ILLUMINATION: What it is not: It is not new revelation (contra Montanists, Spiritualists, etc), nor is it a mystical view It is not identical with the testimony from experience; this confuses the motives for faith with efficient cause of faith It is not the ground of faith; rather, that is the authority of God revealed objectively in the Scriptures. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3 ILLUMINATION: What it is: The one testimony which convinces us of the truth of Scripture, Calvin, ICR, I,vii,5 The work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the sinner by which he removes the blindness of sin, so that one who was blind and had no eyes for the sublime character of the Word of God receives immediate certainty respecting the divine origin of Scripture A focused point of the illuminating work of the Spirit of God Subjective Special Revelation, but not as defined by Neo-Orthodoxy. The Bible is God’s Word, regardless of whether it is read or believed. See Erickson, CT, 252-3. 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3 ILLUMINATION: Why it is important: “The written word, correctly interpreted, is the objective basis of authority. The inward illuminating and persuading work of the Holy Spirit is the subjective dimension. . . . Together, the two yield a maturity that is necessary in the Christian life. . . .” Erickson, CT, 252. Essentially, there are two elements necessary for the communication of divine truth. One, Scripture is God’s definitive revelation for the Church. Two, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, regenerating, illuminating, and convincing the hearts of God’s elect, they will not have certainty that the Scriptures are indeed God’s Word and will not exercise faith. Cf. WCF, 1,4 2/24/2019 Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

The Doctrine of Revelation, Pt. 3