The work of the Holy Spirit in the Bible is two-fold, and yet as two facets of one, two ends of the one operation: inspiration and illumination. Theological Significance Theologically, inspiration has to do with supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21) on the human writers of the Bible, whereby their writings are given divine authority as the Word of God, and are thus truth and revelation from God. The product of such a process is the writings which faithfully record the message which God wished to communicate. Enlightenment, on the other hand, is the Spirit’s continued operation upon believers to understand, accept, and apply the truths of the inspired Scriptures. It is how the Holy Spirit “flips the light switch” of comprehension concerning God’s Word.
We will see it involved in books of Scripture in the mechanical process of suggesting the very words the human author used to convey divine content, and we will also see the Holy Spirit acting into the history of the church to “open our eyes” to the meaning of the Holy Scriptures. It will investigate the operation of the Holy Sprit in conveying truth to the biblical writers and inscripturating the truth in infallible and authoritative writing, and how the Holy Spirit works into the hearts and minds of the readers, to make them to understand the truth, and to convince their heart of the truth in the Scriptures. The difference between these two indispensable works of the Spirit will be explained and illustrated from the 10 scriptures to give a total perspective of the indispensable role of the Holy Spirit, not only in the mouths of those who give the Bible but also the minds of those who receive the Bible.
What does the Holy Spirit do comprehensively in Inspiration and in Illumination?
The full function of the Holy Spirit in inspiration and illumination of Scripture is an essential component of the Christian understanding of Scripture as divinely originate and newly relevant and comprehensible. The Spirit was the author of Scripture (inspiration), and he is the author of its proper receiving and understanding (illumination).
How the Holy Spirit Worked to Inspire the Bible
God the Holy Spirit superintended the inspiration of the biblical text by a process that was dynamic and multi-faceted and guaranteed that the writers made no mistakes when writing all that God wanted, so that the words are God’s words in the words of the biblical writers and that the human authors wrote according to their unique personality, style, vocabulary, and experience. This controlling activity is commonly referred to as concursive operation – God was authoring through the human authorship.
A main part of the Spirit’s role in this facilitation was to guide the choice of facts which would be set down. The Bible claims that its authors were “borne along by the Holy Spirit” of God (2 Pet 1:21): The Spirit was the one directing and guiding them. This inspiration wasn’t some sort of mechanical dictation which overran the faculties of the authors, however, but a process which was organic by which the Spirit communicated in and through them. The product is a text that is at the same time the creation of human authors and the Word of God himself (“God-breathed” or theopneustos, 2 Tim 3:16).
The work of the Holy Spirit went even into the choice of the very words that the authors of Scripture used–the doctrine of verbal inspiration. This implies that the Divine influence was not restricted to the general thoughts or ideas conveyed in the original manuscript but also to the very words utilized. Jesus himself upheld the significance of the smallest part of the Law (Matthew 5:18), implying a divine attention to detail. This oral direction provided for the accuracy and trustworthiness of the written word of God. This is true, for example, of the theological importance some read into one word rather than another or one grammatical form rather than another (e.g., the appeal to the singular ‘seed’ as distinct from ‘seeds’ in Gal.
Now, the human writers were prepared for this work by the Holy Spirit, usually in the course of many years, in their lives, in their experience, in their understanding. The Spirit also sovereignly presided over the circumstances, timing, and the even the cultural milieu of the very writing of the Scriptures so as to achieve the 66 books that form the Bible. E.g. the roman emperors or the greek culture in which the action of gospel happens, it was all “set up” (by insprituation) in a divenly curriculum. The writers did research, as Luke, the recorder of the most append from Ma ‘we safely inferred) that “T have carefully investigated everything” (Luke 1:3), and that human diligence itself was under superintended by the Spirit.
Inspiration guaranteed the human writers, though in themselves fragile, against the possibility of error in their writings. By this divine operation their words became infallible as a rule of faith and practice.” The Holy Spirit’s active role ensured that what they wrote was precisely what God wanted and needed written, and the Bible is indeed a reliable and authoritative revelation of God.
What are the theological implications of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration of the Bible?
Theological implications Theological implications of the inspiration of Scripture by the Holy Spirit are extensive and broad and set the Bible apart in its unique quality and place in the Christian doctrine and its everyday life. It is the authority of scripture. As the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4) and the Bible is His word (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21), we have God’s authority in the Scriptures. That is to say, that what Scripture says, God says. It is this divine authority which renders the Bible the only ultimate rule of faith and practice, to which all human traditions, reason, and experiences must be subordinated.
Another important implication is the infallibility of the Bible. Its inerrancy means that the Bible — in the original manuscripts — is completely true and entirely free from error in everything it discusses (including matters of faith, history, science and geography). The Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13), would not lead the authors down paths of falsehood. This inerrancy is not simply absent of error but is totally truthful revelation from God. Scripture’s trustworthiness as a whole depends on the factual trustworthiness of Scripture. It is a fact-claiming faith, for even our doctrine of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection is presented as historical event.1 These events are not real only in terms of their value to us (which would mean they are not real at all but rather tools for their desired end), but are real out there in time and space. And if they did not happen, the Bible teaches, our faith is null and void (1 Cor 15:14-17).
Akin to inerrancy is the infallibility of the Bible. Where inerrancy refers to the truthfulness of the Bible’s statements, infallibility is the assertion that the Bible will not fail in its purposes. And it will not mislead people, but will lead them safely to salvation and a life approved by God. Through the Holy Spirit the Scriptures were made a complete and sufficient guide.
The third implication is the sufficiency of Scripture. This is to say that the Bible includes all of the words of God that He intended His people to have for their salvation, for trusting Him, and for obeying Him. Nothing more needs to be added to what the Bible has provided. The work of the Holy Spirit in inspiration was finished when the canon of Scripture was complete. This also protects against adding or taking away from God’s Word and confirms that the Bible is the full and final revelation for the church.
A fourth is the perspicuity (or clarity) of the Scriptures (at least in its central teaching about salvation). Though some parts of the Bible are harder to understand than others, the main thrust of God’s redemptive purposes in Jesus Christ is clear enough that anyone who is genuinely seeking to understand it will, with the help of the Holy Spirit’s illumination, get it. That doesn’t obviate the necessity of serious study or teachers, but it does suggest that the core content is available to anybody who seeks.
A fifth implication is the unity and coherence of the Bible. Although it was composed by as many as 40 writers spanning 1500 years, from differing social strata and cultures and in three different languages and genres, the Bible has been remarkably coherent. This unity is due to the one divine mind of the Holy Spirit who mediated the whole operation. The grand story of creation and fall and redemption and new creation is woven seamlessly through the Old and the New Testaments.
This, finally, leads us to the inspiration of Scripture as transformation. It is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and, as the Word of God, it is the instrument by which the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, regenerates, sanctifies, and brings spiritual growth (John 17:17; Romans 10:17). The inspired Word is the chief means the Spirit employs to make believers like Christ.
How Does the Holy Spirit Effect the Illumination of Scripture in the Believer?
The Holy Spirit illuminates Scripture for believers in that he works internal to the hearts and minds of those who believe so that they may come to understand, accept, and apply the truths of the Bible that God inspired. This is a continual ministry, different from inspiration, which was the work of the Spirit of God in the textual composition. Light is necessary because the uninstructed human mind, burdened as it is by sin, is blinded and cannot understand spiritual things without assistance (1 Cor. 2:10).
One primary means by which the Spirit enlightens is by giving the eyes of the heart to believers. Ephesians 1:17-19 refers to God giving a “spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened. This is an enlightenment that enables believers to see the spiritual meaning and to sense the sacredness of what they read. It is not the giving of new revelation appended to Scripture, but the capacity to see and to understand the revelation already given.
Second, the Holy Spirit instructs believers, leading them into all the truth as Jesus had promised (John 14:26; John 16:13). This pedagogical ministry is actionable in that it enables the reader to learn what the divine and human authors meant by their words. The Spirit draws lines from one part of Scripture to another, which together converge on Christ. For instance, the Spirit can guide a reader to understand how an Old Testament prophecy finds fulfillment in Jesus or how a doctrinal statement in an epistle applies to their life.
Thirdly, the Spirit produces conviction and persuasion about the truthfulness and authority of the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are reading Scripture (Rom 8:16). This inward witness is more than an intellectual consent, but is the heartfelt conviction which results in faith and obedience. The Spirit makes the Word “leap off the page” to the reader.
Fourth, the Holy Spirit helps us apply the word personally. The purpose of revelation is not only information but transformation. The Spirit reveals to believers how the eternal truths of the Bible connect to their particular situation, decisions, and heart’s yearnings. He convicts us of sin, comforts us in trouble, guides us in uncertainty and enables us in service through the truth he gives us in his word. For example, the Spirit may enlighten a person to forgive a person who has cursed them, when that person reads something about forgiveness.
The Spirit also works along the lines of the believer’s intense concentration of study. That does not mean that the text can live without close reading, exegesis or the aid of study tools. Instead, the Spirit blesses and fertilizes the introspective work of those who come to Scripture in humility and teachability, in quest of the wisdom of God. We must pray for understanding as a part of seeking the enlightenment of the Spirit (Ps. 119:18).
The illumination of the Holy Spirit is indispensable if anyone is to continue to increase in the knowledge of God and order their life in harmony with biblical principles. It is an ongoing process one’s whole life, of growing in understanding and appreciation of the Word of God. Without this supernatural help other than the Bible would be a sealed book in respect of it’s spiritual value although it would be divinely inspired.
What is the difference between INSPIRATION and ILLUMINATION in the work of the Spirit?
This distinction between the Holy Spirit’s work in inspiration and illumination is essential for a correct comprehension of both the origin of Scripture and the continuation of its understanding by the saints. Although both constitutegreat ministries of the Spirit regarding the Word, they are in nature, timing, scope,and object quite diverse.
Inspiration Inspiration was the Spirit’s direct, supernatural influence on the minds of the human writers of the Bible, resulting in Scripture that is God’s words, precisely written. It was a work of revelation and recording that guarded the divine veracity and authority of the original biblical message. The Spirit “exhaled” the Scriptures out of these human instruments (2 Timothy 3:16). Illumination is the continual ministry of the Spirit in the hearts and minds of believers, by which they are enabled to comprehend, interpret, and apply the previously inspired Scriptures. It is not a matter of receiving new revelation but rather recognizing revelation that has already been received. It is the Spirit “lighting” it for the reader.
Time of Composition: Inspiration was a finished product, limited to the time the Bible books were penned and the canon was established. Inspiration, in the sense of the production of new Scripture, came to an end with the writing of the Book of Revelation by the last of the apostles. This is a process of the Holy Spirit that is taking place whenever a true believer reads or hears the Word of God with an open heart. It’s cropped up through the history of the church, and still does, today.
Recipients of the Work: Inspiration ceased with the original human writers of the books of the Bible – the prophets, apostles, and other specially selected people of God. Not all of the beleivers penned Scripture. Light is a ministry for all true believers in Jesus Christ. All who are indwelt with the Holy Spirit can be assisted by him to a better knowledge of the word of God. Some suggest that an unbeliever could through rare occasions speak a message which is inspired of God but is not even understood by him (as with Caiaphas in John 11:49-52), however, illumination for understanding and use is for the believer.
Product of the Work The product of inspiration is the word divinely authoritative, inerrant and infallible: the Scriptures. The fruit of illumination is the believer’s own apprehension, conviction of, and application to his life of biblical truth resulting in spiritual growth and change. It produces a changed life, not new Scripture.
Authority: Inspiration is as authoritative as the Word of God. The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are God’s revelation of himself to man; they are the record of God’s acts in history and his purpose for mankind; and they are the final authority for Christian faith and life. Enlightenment is not the authority of our believers comprehension, over and above scripture. ) Although the Spirit aids in interpreter, a person’s interpretation is errant and needs to be compared always with the indelible truth of the Word. The Spirit will not have us understanding differently than the inspired books. Some discussions concede that although the Spirit’s work in illumination is authority-diven, it is not the same unique authority as the inspired text.
Keeping distinctions like these in mind are crucial. When one identifies illumination with inspiration, one may easily elevate his own subjective understanding to the level of a divine revelation, or suppose that the Spirit has brought some new truth to light beyond what he has revealed in the Bible. On the other hand, a denial of illumination may result in an academic or sterile treatment of the Bible and fail to recognize its spiritual dynamic and individual relevance. Inspiration and illumination Both are necessary for the Word of God to be properly communicated and understood. To learn more on related issues, see The Doctrine of Biblical Inerrancy.
So Can We Find Instances in the Bible of the Holy Spirit’s Work in Inspiration?
Yes, there are several key texts in Scripture that specifically show the role the Holy Spirit played in the inspiration of Scripture. They express that the Bible is not simply the invention of men, but is penned by divine authorship by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- 2) [ Timothy 3:16-17: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God (theopneustos), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” This is probably the most explicit claim that the Bible is from God. Theopnuestos is a Greek word that translates literally as “God-breathed.” It shows that Scripture comes from God out of His very being. Though the verse never specifically mentions the Holy Spirit, the Spirit is recognized in Christian theology as the member of the Trinity who performs the work of God’s revealing and its inspiration. The divine “breathing out” suggests to us the active participation of the Spirit of God in the creation of Scripture.
- 2 Peter 1:20-21: “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” This verse is of paramount importance, as it specifically identifies the Holy Spirit as the One who “bore” (in both senses of that word) along the human writers. The Greek word “carried along” (pheromenoi) implies being taken, vanquished or led along by an outside force — in this case the Holy Spirit. It clearly indicates that these prophets and other writers of the bible did not express their independent opinions when transmitting their messages but were led supernaturally by God s Spirit and voice to convey His revelation.
- Acts 1:16: “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas…” In this passage Peter directly attributes David’s prophetic words in Psalm to the Holy Spirit speaking “by the mouth of David.” This illustrates the conviction of the early church that the Holy Spirit was the real author of the prophecies in the Old Testament, and that He utilized men as His agents.
- Acts 4:24-25: “And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? ” It is very similar to Acts 1:16, the early followers of Christ believe that Psalm 2 is Davidic in it’s writing, but is the Holy Spirit speaking through David. All this, of course, once more establishes that the direct agent in the authorship of Scripture is the Spirit.
- Hebrews 3:7-11: “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years…'” (quoting Psalm 95:7-11). The words of Psalm 95 are said to have come from the Holy Spirit by the author of Hebrews. This pattern of quoting Old Testament texts and presenting them as the words of the Holy Spirit himself is typical of the New Testament and indicates the conviction the Spirit was the final author of those inspired words.
- 1 Corinthians 2:12-13: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.” Although these lines also refer to enlightening, Paul has in mind the communication of the truth “in words…taught by the Spirit” refers to the divine activity in the communication of revelation itself, a common mark of inspiration. It implies that the teaching of the apostles, and so the base of the N.T. scripture, was of a Spirit-taught character in its matter and its form.
- Jeremiah 1:9: “Then the LORD put his hand and touched my mouth. and the LORD told me, ‘Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. ” * While the above example is from the Old Testament, it seems to demonstrate God putting the very literal words directly into the mouths of his spokesmen. The Holy Spirit is the intermediary of divine impartation. This is consistent with the doctrine of verbal inspiration, by which the Spirit influenced the very word-forms used.
These examples, and others, give us strong warrant for the doctrine of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration of Scripture, that the writers of the Bible were guided by Him to write words that we can rightly call the Word of God.
Are there biblical examples and indications regarding the work of the Holy Spirit in illumination?
Yes, there are several instances and teachings in Scripture that show Holy Spirit works in hearts and minds to make them understand the Word of God. Illumination describes the Spirit’s work of helping us understand and apply the inspired text.
- Luke 24:45-46: ”Then opened he [Jesus] their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” Jesus also Himself, after His resurrection, supernaturally empowered His disciples to understand how the Old Testament Scriptures bore witness to Him. To the degree that this is Jesus in action is also the direction in which the activity of the Holy Spirit (whom Jesus would send to lead his followers into all truth [John 16:13]) anticipates. This “opening” of the minds is by all measures divine enablement for understanding the scriptures.
- 1 Corinthians 2:9-14: “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God… Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God… The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. This connection is fundament to the doctrine of illumination. This verse clearly says that spiritual things or truth, “things of the Spirit of God,” are unknowable except by the Holy Spirit Himself. The unregenerate person does not possess this spiritual ability. It is not what the Spirit gives, but what God, through the Spirit, has given.
- John 16:13-14 And when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit to lead His disciples into all truth. Among these is the knowledge of what Jesus taught and what the Scriptures mean. The Spirit’s work is to take what is Christ’s (His words, the truth of the Gospel) and reveal it to us.
- John 14:26: “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 that I have said to you.” He refers to the Holy Spirit as a “Helper” or “Counselor” (Paraclete) who would teach the disciples. This teaching ministry is crucial for explaining and applying the words of Christ which form the heart of Scripture.
- Ephesians 1:17-18:…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..” Paul prays that believers would receive “a spirit of wisdom and of revelation” (the work of the Holy Spirit as a genitive) resulting in the enlightening of the eyes of their hearts. The result of this knowledge is to know such spiritual truths as the hope of their calling and the riches of their inheritance. This is a direct image of the enlightening operations of the Spirit.
- Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” This is a prayer from an Old Testament saint that reveals a universal need for the help of God to truly “see” and humbly embrace the wonders of God’s Word. This longing for opened eyes to see the Scriptures is consistent with the New Testament teaching that the Holy Spirit gives light. The “opening” of God’s words is light and understanding (Psalm 119:130).
- Acts 16:14: “A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God, listened. Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” Here, the apostolic message is a phrase employed to describe those who accepted the message of the gospel. In this verse, the Lord refers to lifting the veil from the reader’s eyes so that they might understand his message. OPENED THE HEART OF LYDIA How was Lydia’s heart opened? New Testament Christians reveal that the heart is opened by the Holy Spirit. This opening of the heart is the act of enlightenment which results in faith, response to the Word.
These texts demonstrate that grasping Scripture savingly and unto spiritual betterment is not an intellectual feat alone, but a work of the Holy Spirit in opening up the reader.
What Overarching Divine Work Is the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures?
The Holy Spirit and the Scriptures: Divine Revelation and Divine Activity The activity of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures as inspiration and illumination represents the complex divine activity of God as He reveals Himself and wishes to communicate to mankind. This work can be described revelatory, communicative, relational and redemptive.
It is most of all an act of revelation. It was by inspiration that the Holy Spirit also revealed God’s character, His doings, His will, His truth, and His plan of salvation beyond the bounds of human knowledge, for “What man knows the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him? Scripture is God revealing Himself.
Secondly it is an action of communication. God had inherited not this truth alone, but He wanted to convey it right and He wanted to convey it with authority. Inspiration – the Holy Spirit saw to it that this divine message was accurately recorded in human language. Illumination follows with this act of communication to make sure the message can be comprehended and received by those intended to – by believers. The Holy Spirit is that which makes the divine text for the human apprehension.
Third, it is an activity of relationship. God’s revelation through the Bible is not about to be informed but to relate with men. The Word inspired, it uncovers God’s covenant love and His invitations to commune with us. It is the Spirit’s work of illumination that enables us to personally know God through His Word and to grow in intimacy and trust.
It is a redemptive activity, fourthly. Scripture’s main subject is God’s plan for redemption through his son Jesus Christ. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit guaranteed a true recording of this story of redemption and its doctrinal meanings. His ministry as light causes people to recognize their need of redemption and to believe in the salvation found in Christ as proclaimed in the Scriptures. It is by the Spirit-empowered and Spirit-enlightened Word that men are called and made new.
The role of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, then, is a dynamic, purposeful, and necessary divine involvement in order that God may be revealed, His truth comprehended, relationship accomplished, and redemption realized. It emphasises God’s being the speaking God, and that also His speaking is available for it to be recorded and understood, all in the person of the Spirit of God.
What Other Questions Bearing on the Holy Spirit and the Word of God Present Themselves?
Does the Holy Spirit teach doctrines (or bring them to our remembrance) beyond what is contained in Scripture?
No, the Holy Spirit does not whisper any new doctrines not found in Scripture. The Bible is regarded as the only complete and sufficient revelation of all of God’s teachings. The Spirit’s ministry of illumination enables believers to comprehend what revelation already exists in the Bible—not to add to it.
How is the work of the Holy Spirit’s illumination affected by personal sin?
The Holy Spirit can be resisted or grieved by personal sin which may therefore limit the clarity and depth of His illuminating work as He leads believers to interpret Scripture. Undisclosed sin may serve as a break to spiritual understanding, and you can have increased blindness to the truth from God. Through humility and repentance the heart is better prepared to be led by the Spirit.
Does the light of the Holy Spirit clash with academic study of the Bible?
The illumination of the Holy Spirit does not replace studious scholarship of the Bible; it complements it. Good hermeneutic principles, historical-grammatical interpretation, and study aids go a long way. Enlightenment is not effected without human effort; it simply enlightens the mind of the diligent inquirer to the meaning and practical bearing of the text.
Is it possible for them to grasp Scripture, with the Holy Spirit’s illumination, at all?
For atheists, it has been the parts of Scripture they can understand on an intellectual or literary level, such as history and morals. But, they lack the Holy Spirit’s illumination and therefore cannot apprehend the spiritual truths of it saving (1 Cor. 2:14) nor do this ever truly regard its divine authority or so receive it as to apply and submit in order that they be saved and transformed (Prov. 9:12; Ps. 119:90).
In what way does the Holy Spirit lead the Church to read the Message of Scripture as a whole?
The Church as a whole is led by the Holy Spirit in that he illuminates the Scriptures to members of the body and leaders of the body, bringing about a common understanding of essential doctrines in corporate study of Scripture, teaching, and historical theological discernment. Statements of faith, confessions and theological consensus on fundamental beliefs, accumulated over history, are commonly held to have their roots in the collective guidance of the Spirit and ever secondary to the primary authority of the very Scripture on which they are based.
Question: What is the distinction between revelation and inspiration in regard to Scripture?
Revelation is God’s disclosure of truth that was previously unknown. Inspiration is the Holy Spirit’s work of overseeing the human authors so they recorded that revealed truth (and other truths God intended to be recorded) in the Bible without error. And so revelation is the divine revealing of the content whereas inspiration is the divine process of inscripturating that content. Nothing Inspired is Directly Unveiled Trumpet of the Lord Messages were not Everything inspired was directly disclosed at that time to the human author (e.g. historical events they shared with the Spirit’s guidance).
How does the Holy Spirit bear witness to the canon of Scripture?
The Holy Spirit testifies to the canon of Scripture pre-eminently by His inner witness in believers’ hearts and the Church’s corporate witnessing in history. What happens is as the believer reads the books of the canon the Spirit convinces him or her that they are indeed divine and that they possess a unique quality. The early church was led by the Spirit of God to discern those books that had been written under the inspiration of God and bore apostolic authority—hence the faith-and-practice test and the so-called test of canonicality according to which churches and Christians everywhere accepted these books.
