By: Rev. David Wilson Rogers
The Bible is understandably one of the most influential books in the history of humanity. Regardless of one’s own personal religious beliefs, there is no escaping the fact that our culture, history, nation, and overall way of life has been influenced by the way that sacred book is read and interpreted. Yet, for such a profoundly influential book, it is also striking how poorly the overall contents of this ancient text are really understood.
The Bible is not a nice, clean, and perfect little manuscript that fell from heaven one day with clear, concise, and absolute instructions for human life. It is tempting to believe otherwise. In fact, for much of Christian history, believers want to conceive that the Bible is without error and exists as an unaltered document that came directly from God.
In reality, the Bible was written by people—a lot of people. Scholars disagree on exactly how many individual women and men actually wrote down verses that are in the Bible, but it is arguably a very large number. As these people wrote down words that would one day become enshrined in the sacred text we know of as the Bible, they were also writing largely from their own limited experience, understanding, language, culture, and perception.
Not only did people write the original words of scripture, other people also copied, translated, and transmitted those words across time. Today, no single original copy of any part of scripture is known to exist. There are several copies of copies that are very old, but no originals. Scholars also note that among the ancient copies of these sacred texts, there are occasional differences, alterations, and changes. It is believed that some people copying the words made honest mistakes, some made editorial changes, and some actually attempted to change, or at least clarify, the meaning in order to update the presumed intent of the original author.
Scripture has also been transmitted across many years, languages, and cultures. Assumptions, word meanings, and cultural perceptions have changed dramatically across time. This means that the way Scripture is read, heard, understood, and applied, also changes in tremendous ways over the course of time.
Yet, in spite of all the errors, mistakes, corrections, changes, and lost meanings that permeate the pages of the Bible, it rightfully remains a powerful testimony to God and God’s relationship with humanity—even if God is not the actual author and editor. For one thing, as the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, all scripture is inspired by God. Truly, the very breath or Spirit of God fueled the creative genius of all who wrote and transmitted the sacred Word.
When God’s loving Spirit breathed into the hearts and minds of the Bible’s authors, they were inspired to write great works of theology that reflected their understandings, struggles, triumphs, and experiences with God and what it means to take our Creator seriously in this world—a world often hostile to God and the life God would have us live.
This is why the Bible remains relevant. It is real people reflecting and recording real experiences with God. The inspiration comes from connecting with those who have gone before and prayerfully touching their lives through the sacred gift of the recorded Word in the Sacred Pages. The Bible’s beauty and power comes from the authenticity with which it is written and transmitted across time, language, and culture. It may not be perfect and is certainly not without error, but it remains a powerful expression of God’s Spirit working in and through humanity. Most important, the same breath that first inspired it, breathes through those who seek to read, interpret, and live out its inspiration in and for the modern world.
