The Subjective Theory of Inspiration [pp. 192-204]

SUBJECTIVE THEOR Y OF INSPIRAT ION.
stood, as it is well expressed by Archdeacon Lee, "that actuating energy of the Holy Spirit, in whatever degree or manner it
may have been exercised, guided by which the human agents
chosen by God have officially proclaimed his will by word of
mouth, or have committed to writing the several portions of the
Bible." This view of inspiration lies between the theory of verbal
dictation and that of degrees, and is probably held by a large
majority of the evangelical church in this country and in Great
Britain. It claims objective inspiration for the whole Bible. Its
authors were "chosen by God" and "proclaimed his will officially." This notion of inspiration differs very much from that
of the common grace of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon all be
lievers.
3. Has the church understood the two as identical?
The answer must be given in the negative.
The church from the earliest times, both by its representative divines and by its general councils, has so understood the
sacred writings as to make a broad distinction between them
and those of ordinary believers, on the ground that the former
claim and furnish evidence of divine authority, while the latter
do not. The early church fathers-men full of faith and of
the Holy Ghost-never thought of putting their own writings
on a level with those of the prophets, apostles, and evangelists. The very idea would have shocked them. They called
the Scriptures the "Divine Oracles," a phrase which neither
they nor the church ever applied to the writings of any man,
however learned and holy, outside of the Bible.
4. The theory that identifies the inspiration of the sacred
writers with that grace which is common to all Christians is inconsistent with the declaration of the Saviour, that " the
Scripture cannot be broken" (John x. 35); with the words
that he puts into the mouth of Abraham (Luke xvi. 29, 3I), in
which he makes the authority of "Moses and the prophets"
equal to that of a miracle; with his command to "search the
Scriptures" (John v. 39); with the declarations of Paul (I Cor.
xvi. 22; Gal. i. 8, 9); and with the fact that God confirmed the
preaching of the apostles "with signs and wonders, and with
divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost" (Heb. ii. 4).
Throughout the whole Bible we find the claim of authority.
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