“The human authors of Scripture were inspired to write by God’s Holy Spirit, but they wrote with careful attention to organization and structure; in other words, they did not write haphazardly, randomly, or chaotically.”
“Because real human authors wrote the Bible, even as they were inspired by God’s Holy Spirit, we should expect that they wrote in logical and organized ways.”
I recently read “The Key to Finding the Author’s Emphasis When You Read the Bible,” by Jon Nielson. The above quotes are from that essay. It had some helpful information, but those particular statements struck me as odd, even trending toward wrong. Maybe the author thought he was addressing a problem in people’s thinking about the Bible. On the other hand, I wondered if he also has a problem in his thinking. Nielson mentions the Holy Spirit twice in the article. Both times he correctly says the human writers of the Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Yet, both times, there seems to an underlying implication that we should remember that Scripture is structured, logical, and organized because humans wrote it. Now, I don’t know about you, but I recognize that the divine authorship is a much better guarantee that Scripture is structured, logical, and organized (rather than the human element). I would never begin to imagine that the Holy Spirit would write “haphazardly, randomly, or chaotically.” Nielson may not have intended to imply that, but it came across that way to me.
I find it more reassuring that the Holy Spirit is the original and ultimate author of Scripture.
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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