Click to activate interactive biblical references:

Scripture References Lookup Bookmarklet

For Information on this bookmarklet, click:

     External Links   and then   Bible Bookmarklet

Jesus on the Inspiration of the Scriptures

by Bryan Gibson

July 23, 2009

My view of the Scriptures was settled a long time ago—when I came to believe in Jesus. I knew then that I had to follow His example in everything, including His attitude toward the Scriptures. So how does Jesus view the Scriptures? To be more specific, does He express full confidence in their inspiration?

When Satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3, which says, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). According to Jesus then, Scripture comes from the mouth of God. But did He believe this was the case with ALL Scripture?

He certainly believed this to be the case with the Old Testament Scriptures, and He demonstrated this confidence in several different ways. 1) He talked about how these Scriptures must be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 24:44). He could speak with certainty about their fulfillment because He knew they came from the mouth of God. 2) He settled arguments with O.T. Scripture. Three of His favorite words were, “it is written,” followed by a quotation from Scripture (see Matthew 4:1-11). On other occasions, when there was a misunderstanding or a question, Jesus would ask, “Have you not read?” and again He would quote Scripture. In fact, Jesus quoted from at least thirteen different Old Testament books. Whenever a Scripture was quoted, that was the end of the matter, as far as Jesus was concerned. 3) He spoke of Old Testament Scripture as that which “cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

But what about the New Testament Scriptures? The first four books (Matthew-John) contain many words spoken directly by Jesus, and so the source is still the same—the mouth of God. Listen to Jesus: “...I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say...whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak” (John 12:49-50). To make sure His words were faithfully preserved, Jesus made this promise to His apostles: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26).

What about the remainder of the New Testament? When the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles (Acts 2), He did more than just remind them of what Jesus had already taught. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:13-15). I believe Jesus fulfilled this promise. I believe He did send the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles into all truth, that they in turn wrote all truth down in the Scriptures (Ephesians 3:1-5), and that every word came ultimately from the mouth of God. That’s what Jesus said would happen, and I believe Him.

I have full confidence in the inspiration of the Scriptures, and my confidence in them is based on my confidence in Him.