“Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval” (2 Timothy 3:16 GW).
When it comes to the God-inspired nature of the Bible, there is another important question to consider: what did Jesus believe about the Bible?
For instance, most sporting contests feature an official who serves as a final authority. Typical examples might include an umpire, referee, judge, linesman, official scorer, or other individual who oversees each contest. These officials are responsible to make judgments throughout the competition and ensure that every competitor adheres to the rules.
In a similar manner, Jesus is the ultimate authority on any question, including those related to the God-inspired nature of the Biblical Scriptures. So with this in mind, let’s consider Jesus’ view of the Bible.
We can begin by observing that Jesus held some positions on the Biblical Scriptures that are not shared by many today. For example, Jesus identified the Scriptures as both the Word of God (John 10:35) and the command of God (Matthew 15:3-4). Jesus also taught that the Bible was truth (see John 17:17). He also held another position that conflicts with a view held by many today; Jesus believed that the Scriptures were error-free and infallible…
“But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail” (Luke 16:17 NAS).
“… the Scripture cannot be broken…” (John 10:35b NIV).
Jesus certainly would have known if the Bible contained erroneous statements and these passages reveal His belief that the Scriptures were God’s infallible message to humanity. So if Jesus taught that the Bible was true and mistake free, it seems reasonable to expect that those who identify as Christians should accept it that way as well.
Jesus also accepted the factual nature of several Biblical passages that many find controversial today, including…
- The Biblical account of creation (Matthew 19:4-5).
- The prophet Jonah and his encounter with a large fish (Matthew 12:39-41).
- Noah and the ark (Matthew 24:37-39).
Finally, we can say that Jesus “pre-authenticated” the New Testament in the following message to His disciples: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). This promise anticipates the future body of work concerning Jesus’ teachings that we know today as the New Testament.