1. The Doctrine of Revelation, Pt. 3

2. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

4. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

5. 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.”
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

6. 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
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

7. 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.”
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

8. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

9. 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
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

10. 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
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

11. 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)
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

12. 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)
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

13. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

14. 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.
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15. 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!!
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

16. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

17. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

18. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

19. 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
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20. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

21. INSPIRATION: Translations
Word of God =Translation
Translation=Can Err Word of God= Never Errs
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22. 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.”
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

23. 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.”
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

24. INSPIRATION: Perfections of Scripture
Necessity
Authority
Clarity
Sufficiency
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25. 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.
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Systematic Theology: Revelation Pt. 3

26. 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,
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27. 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
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28. The Doctrine of Revelation, Pt. 3