Subtitle: What did God inspire and what did man add?

Excerpt: What did God inspire and what did man add?

Author: Jeff Hilles

Most Biblical Christians, such as myself, are not studied theologians and are forced to rely on those we trust to offer the best understanding of the original Greek and Hebrew, resulting in translations into our native languages as a source of the Biblical knowledge. This is a small part of the reason one should have a core set of beliefs that does not hinge on one or two verses.

Candidly, regarding the value of human understanding of God, there are many “Seminaries” that promote views of Scripture through the wisdom of their human professors who are actually anti-Biblical Christians. This shows forth, regardless of their credentials and career-based study of Scripture (details here).

1 Corinthians 3:19 – For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness.”

As Jesus did not get distracted from His desire to share deep truths with the woman at the well when she asked about where to worship (John 4:10-15), we should not be thrown off as we try to share the gospel of eternity to anyone who will listen by a suggestion that our source for all truth is not found in an inerrant Bible. We need to have an answer for our faith and hope….

1 Peter 3:15 – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

In reference to the passage in question (Mark 16:9-20), it is true that multiple “generally accepted translations” of the Bible question the authenticity of these verses being part of the divinely inspired “original autographs.” However, it is also true that much of what was written is supported in Matthew’s account and elsewhere throughout Scripture.

Sources like GotQuestions.org and many others suggest these verses were added by Scribes at a future point since recent discoveries of older manuscripts do not include them. So, because of this potential reality, are we to throw the baby out with the bathwater?

Conclusion

When one offers the term “inerrancy” of the Bible, it typically references “in the original autographs” as a qualifier, which is why we believe what we have in our hands today is 99% (not 100%) of the original, divinely inspired writings of God, penned by man.

However, we also need to recognize that a group of inspired theologians divinely “decided” in and around 395 AD what would ultimately be included in the final Canon of Scripture. As we uncover more and more evidence of what was truly part of God’s original work, there is nothing wrong with improving on the 99% we hold today.

Further we contend, similar to the passage in Mark, that the inclusion of the remaining 1% would have no bearing on our core beliefs.

Why can we say that … because God did not offer His instruction manual for life JUST to the readers of His Word during the formation of the early church. He has offered them as guidance through the maze of our lives down through the ages to today and forward, until His Son’s return.

Matthew 5:18 – For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Psalm 119:89 – Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.

1 Peter 1:25 – But the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

As Biblical Christians we need to keep the main thing the main thing as we love our neighbors, expressing … Christ and Him crucified for our sins, in hopes that they might believe and spend eternity in Heaven.