A question about inspiration

[Surfer Joe]

I thought this would be the correct forum but I'm not sure.

I have a question about biblical inspiration. I am completely convinced that Scripture is inspired by God but I am wondering if the actual ORDER of the books are inspired as well. A friend of mine believes that and I've never heard that before. What do you all think?

 

[Brandon C. Jones]

I don't think I've heard that before either. What does your friend think about the formation of the OT and NT canons? I believe the Spirit had a hand working in the church in the formation of the canon, and perhaps that could extend to the order of books. The order is different for the Hebrew Bible though, and I'm inclined to think it's not that big of a deal that there's different orders of books. What does your friend think is the upshot for his claim on this?

 

[Surfer Joe]

I don't think I've heard that before either. What does your friend think about the formation of the OT and NT canons? I believe the Spirit had a hand working in the church in the formation of the canon, and perhaps that could extend to the order of books. The order is different for the Hebrew Bible though, and I'm inclined to think it's not that big of a deal that there's different orders of books. What does your friend think is the upshot for his claim on this?

I don't know. We just were talking the other day and he said that he believes every book is in the order it is for a reason. That God inspired it. I asked him why he believed that and he said, "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." I don't remember God saying that though. lol

He agrees the formation of the OT and NT canon was inspired but I believe Hebrews could just as easily have come before Romans or after Jude. lol

 

[Deacon]

The book order of the Hebrew Bible is different than ours and is attested to by Jesus when he uses the phrase, "the Law, the prophets and the writings" (Luke 24:44).

Rob

 

[Zenas]

If the order of the books is inspired, what about the chapter divisions? If you completely ignore the chapter divisions, of if you arbitrarily rearrange them, you will often see things you may have missed before. That being the case, could the chapter divisions be part of the inspiration of scripture?

 

[Jkdbuck76]

I thought this would be the correct forum but I'm not sure.

I have a question about biblical inspiration. I am completely convinced that Scripture is inspired by God but I am wondering if the actual ORDER of the books are inspired as well. A friend of mine believes that and I've never heard that before. What do you all think?

To me, it seems as though the books in the Bible are arranged by type.

In the NT, they are grouped as The Gospels. Acts. The Pauline Epistles. The General Epistles. Revelation.

 

[Marcia]

There is nothing in the text of the Bible to indicate which order the books should be in. I think it would be hard for your friend to give evidence of inspiration for the order the books are in. Plus, as someone pointed out, the order in the Jewish bible differs.

 

[Surfer Joe]

The book order of the Hebrew Bible is different than ours and is attested to by Jesus when he uses the phrase, "the Law, the prophets and the writings" (Luke 24:44).

Rob

Thanks. I'll try to tell him that.

 

[Surfer Joe]

If the order of the books is inspired, what about the chapter divisions? If you completely ignore the chapter divisions, of if you arbitrarily rearrange them, you will often see things you may have missed before. That being the case, could the chapter divisions be part of the inspiration of scripture?

Good points, thank you. It's my understanding that the chapter divisions and verse numbers were only put in a few hundred years ago. That would hardly qualify as inspired eh?

 

[Surfer Joe]

To me, it seems as though the books in the Bible are arranged by type.

In the NT, they are grouped as The Gospels. Acts. The Pauline Epistles. The General Epistles. Revelation.

That's what I'm thinking. And then there's a version of the Bible out there called the Chronological Bible which has the books in a completely different order.

 

[Surfer Joe]

There is nothing in the text of the Bible to indicate which order the books should be in. I think it would be hard for your friend to give evidence of inspiration for the order the books are in. Plus, as someone pointed out, the order in the Jewish bible differs.

I agree. Thank you. I love my friend but he can be a little goofy. Hopefully I can enlighten him on this issue.

 

[Dale-c]

Surfer Joe, I am just curious but does your friend also believe in only the KJV?

Tonight I am going to a debate with a Christian scholar who is an expert on these topics so I may ask him if I get the chance.