God's Hand In The Bible

[Wynd]

I have a question about how God's influence played a part in the Bible being written. Did He explicitly commission these people to write the Bible, or did some people just decide to write the books and God kept them free from error? Or is there something else I'm overlooking?

[Apotheoun]

The Catholic doctrine of inspiration was beautifully and concisely stated by the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council in the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, here is the pertinent section of that document:

[quote name='Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum' date=' art. 11']Those divinely revealed realities which are contained and presented in Sacred Scripture [i]have been committed to writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit[/i]. For holy mother Church, relying on the belief of the Apostles (see John 20:31; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-20, 3:15-16), holds that the books of both the Old and New Testaments [i]in their entirety, with all their parts, are sacred and canonical because written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author and have been handed on as such to the Church herself[/i]. [1]  In composing the sacred books, God chose men [i]and while employed by Him[/i] [2] [i]they made use of their powers and abilities, so that with Him acting in them and through them,[/i] [3] [i]they, as true authors, consigned to writing everything and only those things which He wanted[/i]. [4]

Therefore, since everything asserted by the inspired authors or sacred writers must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit, [i]it follows that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings[/i] [5] [i]for the sake of salvation[/i]. Therefore "all Scripture is divinely inspired and has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, for reformation of manners and discipline in right living, so that the man who belongs to God may be efficient and equipped for good work of every kind" (2 Tim. 3:16-17, Greek text).


END NOTES:

[1]  cf. First Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith, Chap. 2 "On Revelation:" Denzinger 1787 (3006); Biblical Commission, Decree of June 18,1915: Denzinger 2180 (3629): EB 420; Holy Office, Epistle of Dec. 22, 1923: EB 499.

[2]  cf. Pius XII, encyclical "Divino Afflante Spiritu," Sept. 30, 1943: A.A.S. 35 (1943) p. 314; Enchiridion Bible. (EB) 556.

[3]  "In" and "for" man: cf. Heb. 1, and 4, 7; ("in"): 2 Sm. 23,2; Matt.1:22 and various places; ("for"): First Vatican Council, Schema on Catholic Doctrine, note 9: Coll. Lac. VII, 522.

[4]  Leo XIII, encyclical "Providentissimus Deus," Nov. 18, 1893: Denzinger 1952 (3293); EB 125.

[5]  cf. St. Augustine, "Gen. ad Litt." 2, 9, 20:PL 34, 270-271; Epistle 82, 3: PL 33, 277: CSEL 34, 2, p. 354. St. Thomas, "On Truth," Q. 12, A. 2, C.Council of Trent, session IV, Scriptural Canons: Denzinger 783 (1501). Leo XIII, encyclical "Providentissimus Deus:" EB 121, 124, 126-127. Pius XII, encyclical "Divino Afflante Spiritu:" EB 539.[/quote]

Thus, in answer to your questions:

[quote name='Wynd' date=' Oct 12 2004, 08:18 PM']Did He explicitly commission these people to write the Bible, or did some people just decide to write the books and God kept them free from error?  Or is there something else I'm overlooking?[/quote]
God is the principle author of sacred scripture, for He inspired the human authors to write; and so, the men who wrote the books of scripture did not begin their task under their own initiative, but wrote under the power of God's grace. Scripture is free from error because God is the primary author, and as Fathers of the First Vatican Council taught, we believe in what has been revealed ". . . because of the authority of God himself, who makes the revelation and can neither deceive nor be deceived." [Vatican 1, Dogmatic Constitution [u]Dei Filius[/u], chap. 3, art. 2]