What is verbal plenary inspiration?

The exact meaning is: Inspiration of such fulness that it extends to the control of the very words of the utterance or writing. Verbal is an adjective derived from the Latin verbum = a word. There are those who will allow a modified inspiration, extending as far as the thoughts are concerned; an inspiration differing in degree but hardly in kind from that state of mental exaltation and rapture which produced the finest passages from Shakespeare, Milton, or Dante.

We have to observe, however, first, that Scripture definitely makes its inspiration a matter of its words (1 Cor. 2:13; Rev. 1:3, Rev. 22:18-19), and, second, that an inspiration such as suggested extending only to the thoughts would be useless, as far as giving us authoritative Scriptures is concerned. To assure us that Paul and Peter and John had wonderful ideas given of God, but that they were, left without any divine guidance when it came to be a question of expressing those ideas for the benefit of others, is to take away with the left hand what is offered by the right.

When we speak of Inspiration we refer to that second work of the Spirit of God by, which those men were enabled to set forth the revealed truth in words divinely chosen and therefore of divine fulness and precision, whether they spoke or whether they wrote them.

Inspiration is concerned with the transference of the same truth from the minds of the apostles and prophets to all the saints, and for this not merely thoughts but words were needed. But if human words are to be the proper expression of divine truth they must be chosen and used with perfect fitness and accuracy, and this was secured by the action of the Holy Ghost. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1:21).

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" is a comprehensive statement, embracing all then penned, as also those then unwritten. Nor must the reader for an instant suppose that the Holy Spirit influenced the minds of the writers merely, leaving thereby the Divine truths of revelation to be communicated in words of man's choice. The Scriptures, not the thoughts or truths of Scripture, are inspired. Scripture means writing, and writings are composed of words and letters; hence these are inspired. But we are not left to reason it out, however logically this may be done. Let this Divine oracle suffice for all who have ears to hear — "Which things also we speak … in the words … which the Holy Ghost teacheth" (1 Cor. 2:13).

The divine revelations which were to be passed on to the saints of God were first given to His servants, and they have left them on record for us in the Holy Scriptures. To write these things, the servants of the Lord were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The things they wrote about were not their own, nor were the words in which they penned them for us; they were "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth" (1 Cor. 2:13). God took care that His thoughts would not be affected by the weakness of the human instrument, so the Spirit chose the precise words to convey the divine thought. Spiritual things were communicated by spiritual means, even by the Holy Spirit controlling His instrument. The words of the most learned of men would but have adversely affected the message of God. God's secrets were first revealed to the instrument; the Spirit of God enabled him to understand the truth revealed; then the Holy Spirit inspired the writer to give the truth in writing.

The Holy Spirit gave the very words of Scripture (‘verbal inspiration’). In particular we read that the Holy Spirit:

'moved’ holy men of God to write the books of the Bible (2 Pet. 1:21) — that is, they did so under His power; chose each and every word of the Holy Scriptures: ‘not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth’ (1 Cor. 2:13); speaks through the very words of Scripture. In Hebrews 10, before quoting from Jeremiah[3] the writer says: ‘the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before …’ (v. 15); spoke through human instruments: ‘The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue’ (2 Sam. 23:2).

The Holy Spirit used the personalities and styles of various writers but He did so in such a way that each word written was exactly what He wanted to be written (‘verbal inspiration’).

All writings are composed of words, and if these writings are inspired, the words are inspired. This is what is commonly called 'verbal inspiration.' Other passages speak of the importance of 'words:' Peter said, "To whom shall we go? thou hast the words (ῥήματα) of eternal life," John 6:68: and we find those words in the Gospels. When it was a question of Gentiles being brought into blessing without being circumcised, James in his address appealed to the 'words' of the prophets. Acts 15:15. Paul in writing to the Corinthian saints said, "Which things also we speak, not in the 'words' (λόγοι) which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." 1 Cor. 2:13. The Holy Spirit taught Paul what words to use. The whole of scripture forms the word of God, and both in the O.T. and in the N.T. we read of 'the words of God.' 1 Chr. 25:5; Ezra 9:4; Ps. 107:11; John 3:34; John 8:47; Rev. 17:17. Neither must His word be added to, or taken from. Deut. 4:2; Deut. 12:32; Rev. 22:18-19.

(V. 13). Furthermore, the things which were made known to the apostles by the revelation of the Spirit have been passed on to us by the inspiration of the Spirit. In the communication of these things the Apostle is careful to shut out any possible error of man by saying that these things are not communicated “in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth”. This is the apostolic claim for verbal inspiration. The very words used are inspired by the Holy Ghost. Spiritual things are communicated by spiritual means. The instruments were not made infallible, but were perfectly guided in their communications. This is inspiration.

We may be, since the things revealed to God's holy apostles and prophets have been communicated to us in divinely ordered words. This verse 13 tells us. The words "comparing spiritual things with spiritual," may be rendered "communicating spiritual [things] by spiritual [means]" (N. Tr.). Here the apostle definitely claims inspiration, and verbal inspiration at that, for his spoken utterances. Even more so then, if that were possible, for his written utterances. The inspiration claimed definitely relates to "words." If we have not got in the Scriptures (as originally written) God's thoughts clothed in God-chosen words, we have no inspiration of any real value at all.

Here, too, we may see how far inspiration extends; concerning which many have vague thoughts. Some have taught that the doctrines of Scripture are inspired of God, but that the writers were allowed to express them in their own language; others, as Burnet, that the reasoning so often found, particularly in the epistles, was left to the writer; and yet others, as Paley, think them to have used their own illustrations, and to have selected their own O.T. references to confirm their words.

All such thoughts are below the truth, and the Scriptures are injured thus by those who sincerely desire to be its friends. The fact is, nothing was left to the vessel — the words, not merely the truths or doctrines, were given by the Holy Ghost. Were it otherwise, we could have no divine certainty. Where should we draw the line between the human and divine? And is it likely that all would agree as to the line to be drawn? Not that a human element is altogether denied. Paul has his style, and Peter his; for the Spirit took up the men as He found them; nevertheless, every word thus written was from Himself.