Inspiration and Interpretation: Seven Sermons Preached Before the University of Oxford: With Preliminary Remarks: Being an Answer to a Volume Enti

II.Growth of irreligious Opinion.

III. Essayists and Reviewers’ to be ‘freely-handled’ as the Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles of Christ.

In what sense Mr. Jowett’s fundamental principle, (that “Scripture is to be interpreted like any other book,”) may be cheerfully accepted

Mr. Jowett’s main assertion that “Scripture has one and only one true meaning,” shewn to be founded on his assumption that the Bible is uninspired,—“like any other book”

1. Eight Characteristics of the Bible enumerated, which shew that it is unlike “any other book”

But the distinctive characteristic of the Bible, is, that it professes to be the work of the Holy Ghost

Mr. Jowett’s syllogism corrected, in consequence

2. Mr. Jowett’s proposal accepted, that we should “Interpret Scripture from itself.” Notion of Interpretation obtained from the volume of Inspiration

3. In addition to the testimony of Scripture, we have to consider the testimony of Antiquity

Remarks on primitive Tradition.—The Creeds, the records of Primitive Christianity

This part of the subject also misunderstood by Mr. Jowett

4. Examination of some of Mr. Jowett’s reasons for rejecting that method of Interpretation which has been (α) Established by our Lord; (β) Employed by His Apostles; (γ) Universally adopted by the primitive Church; and (δ) Accepted by the most learned and judicious of modern Commentators

The peroration. of Mr. Jowett’s Essay examined and commented on

Retrospect of the entire subject

Conclusion

The Gospel, as a written message, meets with the same reception at the hands of the World now, as in the days of the Son of Man

Some points of analogy between the Written and the Incarnate Word

Difficulties and seeming contradictions in the Gospel

Unattractive aspect.—Union of the Human and Divine

The Bible is generally little read.—Its preciousness

The age unlearned as well as unfaithful

Want of preparation for the Ministry.—The question of preparation narrowed to the duty of studying the Bible

Conditions of successful Study:—a fixed time for reading the Bible, and a fixed quantity to be read

Vigilance, and independent inquiry

Consecutive reading.—The first chapter of Genesis

Nothing to be skipped.—Result of such a method

The Bible is to be read, not in the same manner, but with at least the same attention, as a merely human work

A caution

Men not competent to make their own Religion out of the Bible 16 The advantages of such a study of the Bible as has been here recommended, explained

Special act of Faith assigned to ourselves in Hebrews xi. 23

The first Chapter of Genesis considered: Verse 1

Province of Geology

The Work of the First Day

Second and the Third Day

Fourth and the Fifth Day

Sixth Day

The Mosaic History of the Creation true

Objections considered

Speech ascribed to God

Adam’s knowledge

The first pair.—The days of Creation real days

Objections of pretenders to Natural Science

The plea that the Bible is not a scientific book

The historical truth of the Bible insisted upon

Natural Science not undervalued

The term “Science” not to be opposed to “Theology”

Theology the Queen of Sciences

INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE.—GOSPEL DIFFICULTIES.—THE WORD OF God INFALLIBLE.—OTHER SCIENCES SUBORDINATE TO THEOLOGICAL SCIENCE.

The meaning of 2 Tim. iii. 16.

St. Paul nowhere disclaims Inspiration

Holy Scripture is attributed in Scripture to the Holy Ghost

Forms of unbelief concerning Inspiration

Impertinence of the modern way of speaking of the Evangelists

Supposed inaccuracies, slips of memory, misstatements

The Gospels not four but One

A principle laid down for the reconcilement of all Gospel difficulties

XXXIVIllustration from a supposed case of testimony

Computation of the hours in St. John’s Gospel

The accounts of the blind man restored to sight at Jericho, harmonized

Characteristics of an Inspired narrative

The mention of “Jeremy the prophet,” and of Cyrenius, considered

Faultlessness of the Gospel

Absurdity of the common allegations against it

The absolute Infallibility of Scripture maintained

Every syllable of Holy Scripture inspired

The nature of Inspiration illustrated

Theology, the noblest of the Sciences

Insubordination in these last days of Physical Science

The infidel spirit of the Age, protested against

Theological Science can never be called upon to give way before Physical Science

Relations of Morals to Theology

Conscience and the Moral Sense have been informed afresh by Revelation

THE PLENARY INSPIRATION OF EVERY PART OF THE BIBLE, VINDICATED AND EXPLAINED.—NATURE OF INSPIRATION.—THE TEXT OF SCRIPTURE.

Cavils against the Bible

Absolute infallibility of every ‘jot’ and every ‘tittle’ of Holy Scripture

The popular view of Inspiration stated

No middle state between Inspiration and non-inspiration

The popular theory applied and tested

A different view of the nature and office of Inspiration stated 100 Inspiration still the same, however diverse the subject-matter

What is meant by ‘a Prophet’

The message still God’s, whatever its nature may be

Note of Inspiration in the Historical Books of the Bible

The Title on the Cross

Remonstrance

Theories of Inspiration to be rejected

Remarks on the nature of Inspiration

Proof that men generally hold that the words of Scripture are inspired

Absolute irrelevancy of objections drawn from the state of the Text of Scripture

The Substance of Scripture inseparable from the Form

Antichristian spirit of the age

The Study of Scripture in a childlike spirit recommended

A favourite view of Inspiration stated

Vagueness of this theory

The theory practically tested, and found unmanageable

Further examination of the theory

Our Saviour’s reasoning as difficult as that of St. Paul

Interpretation described

Three sources of Interpretation compared

Eusebius on “the Captain of the Lord’s Host”

The principle must be ascertained, on which Inspiration is to be conducted

How this is to be done

This question may not be needlessly encumbered with difficulties

The Holy Spirit’s method of Interpretation must be the true method

Specimens of Inspired Interpretation

The very narrative of Scripture mysterious

Divine exposition of the history of Melchizedek

Further proofs of the mysterious texture of Holy Scripture

Moses wrote concerning Christ

Two propositions established by the foregoing inquiry: (1) That the Bible is not to be interpreted like any other book: (2) That the meaning of Scripture is not always only one

Scripture to be interpreted literally

The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife remarked upon

The Bible is the Word of God

Bishop Butler on Inspiration

Unbelief remonstrated with from the analogy of Nature and of Providence

How the inspired writers may be supposed to have understood what they delivered

The question of Interpretation not be argued on à priori grounds

Interpretation would be hopeless, but that the fountain of Inspiration is one

An apology for these Sermons

Exhortation to transmit the Faith

Romans x. 6-9. But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise,—‘Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) or, Who shall descend into the deep (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? ‘The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thine heart:’ that is, the word of Faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

THE DOCTRINE OF ARBITRARY SCRIPTURAL ACCOMMODATION CONSIDERED.

Many insidious methods of denying the Inspiration of Scripture

The most subtle method of all, characterized

The term “Accommodation” not in itself objectionable

Arbitrary Accommodation explained

Reasons for rejecting this theory

Learned research proves that the theory is gratuitous

St. Paul’s exposition of a passage in Deuteronomy xxx, (Rom. x. 6 to 9,) proposed for examination

License of Inspired quotation

How the phenomenon is to be regarded

St. Paul’s exposition examined by the light of unassisted Reason

Shown not to be an instance of arbitrary Accommodation, but of genuine Interpretation

The success or failure of such inquiries, unimportant

No “Accommodation” when an inspired writer quotes Scripture

Remarks on Inspired Reasoning

St. Mark xii. 24. Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures; neither the power of God.

THE MARVELS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE,—MORAL AND PHYSICAL.—JAEL‘S DEED DEFENDED.—MIRACLES VINDICATED.

Sadduceeism of the day

The Moral and Physical Marvels of Scripture proposed for consideration

Moral Marvels:—Jael.—How her story is to be read

History of Jael. Her conduct explained and defended

Jacob,—the Canaanites,—Abraham,—David

Physical Marvels:—The greatest of those in the Old Testament are witnessed to In the New

Design of the quotations in Holy Scripture

Dr. Arnold and the Book of Daniel

Miracles are not to be called violations, &c. of Nature

Law in relation to God

An objectionable Theory of Miracles exposed

Bishop Butler on Miracles

Miracles may be pared down, but cannot be explained away

“Ideology” applied to the explanation of Miracles

Ideology explained and exposed

The Resurrection of Christ the foundation-truth of Christianity

False and true Charity

A parting Exhortation

A Bishop Horsley on the double sense of Prophecy

B Bishop Pearson on Theological Science

C The Bible an instrument of Man’s probation

D St. Stephen’s statement in Acts vii. 15, 16, explained

E The simplest view of Inspiration the truest and the best

F The written and the Incarnate Word

G The volume of the Old Testament Scriptures, indivisible

I Remarks on Theories of Inspiration.—The Human Element’

J How the Inspired Authors of the New Testament handle the writings of the Inspired Authors of the Old

K Bishop Bull on Deuteronomy xxx

L Opinions of commentators concerning Accommodation