Who wrote the Bible?
The Bible has one divine Author and many human writers. Commentators hold that God the Holy Spirit is the real Author. He used between thirty and forty men over fifteen hundred years to write its sixty-six books. Among them were Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Matthew, Luke, Paul and John — kings, a farm worker, fishermen and a doctor.
Who is the author of the Bible?
A. J. Pollock says the Bible belongs to the whole world because of who stands behind the Jewish pens that wrote it:
A J PollockThat is why it is a universal book. He may use Jewish pens—He may use a Moses, an Isaiah, a Paul, a John, but GOD is the Author of the book.
Who were the human writers of the Bible?
Walter Scott lists the human writers by trade and rank, from throne to farm:
Walter ScottAmong the writers we count the most famous kings of Israel, David and Solomon... Moses, the adopted Hebrew, brought up among the splendours of the Egyptian court and educated in the wisdom and learning of that remarkable people; the learned and godly scribe, Ezra... a farm worker, Amos, whose charming simplicity fits his humble job so well; the prophet and judge, Samuel; prophets as grand as Isaiah, as moving as Jeremiah, as forceful as Ezekiel... illiterate Galilean fishermen; a despised and degraded tax collector working for the Romans, Matthew; the tentmaker with a mighty mind, Paul; the highly educated Gentile doctor, Luke.
What does "moved by the Holy Spirit" mean?
F. B. Hole reads authorship out of one line, 2 Peter 1:21: "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (ESV).
F. B. Hole"Holy men of God" spoke and wrote "moved by" or "borne along by" the Holy Spirit. They put their pens to paper under His power, so He is the real Author of what they wrote.
Leslie M. Grant adds a striking detail: the writers later searched their own books to learn what they meant.
Leslie M. GrantBut God laid hold of men, holy men set apart as those who loved good and hated evil. By the Holy Spirit He moved them to speak far above the measure of their understanding. They claimed no place of authority. In humble faith they searched their own writings, wanting to find God's interpretation of them. God used the many different God-given abilities and capacities of men, while guarding and guiding all they wrote in perfect agreement with His will.
Were the writers just machines taking dictation?
W. W. Fereday says the writers were not blank instruments, and that the Holy Spirit gave the very words they used:
W. W. FeredayThe fact is, nothing was left to the vessel — the Holy Spirit gave the words, not merely the truths or doctrines. If it were otherwise, we could have no divine certainty. Where should we draw the line between the human and divine?... 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; yet every word so written was from Himself.
Why does the Bible read as one book?
H. H. Snell argues from the finished book backwards. Sixty-six books by thirty to forty writers should clash, he says, and they do not:
H H SnellSuppose a friend handed us a large volume of sixty-six books, written by between thirty and forty people, at different times, over fifteen hundred years, and said, "Despite all their differences there is a remarkable unity throughout." Should we not be astonished? In fact, there is no other book like the Bible in this respect; nor could there be, unless One mind had guided all the writings it contained, and the One Spirit had given everything it says.
What about books whose human writer is unknown?
Walter Scott separates two questions: who held the pen, and whether God gave the book. The first, he says, is sometimes unanswerable:
Walter ScottWho wrote the various books of Scripture, where, and when, are questions apart from their inspiration. The Divine character of the Bible remains untouched, although in some cases we cannot answer these questions with any degree of certainty. God, by His Spirit, wrote the Bible.
Summary
- One Author — Pollock's answer is that God may use a Moses, an Isaiah, a Paul, a John, but God is the Author of the book.
- Many pens — Walter Scott counts kings, a scribe, a farm worker, fishermen, a tax collector, a tentmaker and a doctor among the writers.
- Carried along — Hole reads "moved" in 2 Peter 1:21 as "borne along," and so calls the Holy Spirit the real Author of what the men wrote.
- Not machines — Fereday holds both sides: Paul has his style and Peter his, yet every word written was from the Holy Spirit.
- One book — Snell's test is the result: sixty-six books over fifteen hundred years could not read as one unless One mind guided them all.