A clear account of how the Bible is presented as an authentic message from God, delivered through revelation to prophets and apostles and preserved as inspired writing. It centers on the distinction between divine communication and the written form that transmits it.

Concerns and Purpose
- Claims that the Bible has been mistranslated, corrupted, or endlessly reinterpreted
- Focus on origins and how the Bible came to us
- Question of why these 66 books belong in the Bible
- Emphasis on the Bible’s unmatched influence and life-changing impact
- Plan to define key terms before technical discussions

Key Definitions
- Revelation as a message God directly communicates to a prophet
- Prophet as a person who receives revelation from God
- Inspiration as the written product recorded by a prophet or apostle
- Distinction between revelation as the message and inspiration as the written form
- Apostles as a special category with a unique role beyond general prophecy

Prophets and Their Role
- Prophets sometimes speak of the future, but primarily deliver God’s message
- A prophet becomes a prophet by personally receiving revelation from God
- A prophet’s responsibility is accurate communication of God’s message
- Prophets function as spokesmen and intermediaries between God and people
- Faithfulness involves not adding to or subtracting from the message

Old and New Testament Patterns of God Speaking
- In earlier times God spoke through prophets in many ways
- In later times God speaks through his Son
- Prophetic ministry includes both men and women across biblical history

Accountability and Seriousness of Prophetic Claims
- God puts his words into the prophet’s mouth for commanded speech
- Rejecting God’s prophetic word brings accountability before God
- False prophecy includes speaking without God’s command or for other gods
- Misrepresenting God’s message is treated as a grave offense

Illustration of the Prophetic “Middleman” Function
- Moses receives God’s message and gives it to Aaron
- Aaron speaks the message to Pharaoh as Moses’ spokesman
- Clear picture of mediated communication from God to the hearers
- Prophetic work is simple in concept but difficult in practice

Prophet and Seer Terminology
- Prophet understood as a spokesman who delivers God’s message
- Seer understood as one who perceives what others cannot
- Both terms relate to receiving knowledge given by God
- The seer concept highlights divine access to hidden information

Ways God Gives Revelation
- Audible speech from God to a person
- Visions where prophets perceive scenes others cannot
- Dreams with divine meaning and purpose
- Angels delivering God’s message
- Unusual means used by God to gain attention and communicate his will
- Revelation defined by God’s initiative, not by a single method

The Bible’s Claim to Be God’s Message
- Frequent prophetic formula indicating direct divine speech
- Major teachings are presented as originating with God’s voice
- New Testament writers present earlier prophetic messages as God speaking through them
- Jesus frames true life as dependent on God’s spoken word
- The Holy Spirit is presented as active in Old Testament revelation as well

Chain of Authority for New Testament Revelation
- Flow described as Father to Son to Holy Spirit to apostles
- Apostles deliver and record what they receive as divine instruction
- Apostolic teaching is treated as authoritative because of its origin

Paul’s Claims About His Message
- The gospel message not received from human instruction
- Knowledge given directly through revelation from Jesus Christ
- Hidden truths made known to him by revelation
- Consistency of his message with other apostles when compared

Jesus’ Teaching on His Own Authority
- Jesus speaks what the Father commands him to say
- Jesus acts and teaches in alignment with the Father’s instruction
- Jesus gives the apostles the words the Father gave him

The Holy Spirit’s Role With the Apostles
- The Spirit sent by the Father in Jesus’ name
- The Spirit teaches the apostles and reminds them of Jesus’ words
- The Spirit guides them into truths they could not yet bear
- The Spirit communicates what he receives, not independent messages
- The Spirit conveys what belongs to Jesus, which comes from the Father

Why the Early Church Centered on Apostolic Teaching
- Devotion to apostolic instruction because it carried divine authority
- Signs confirmed that apostles were receiving revelation
- Commands of Jesus presented as delivered through the apostles
- Apostolic writings and teachings treated as God’s word, not human opinion

Promise of Revelation in Times of Trial
- Apostles assured of divine help in what to say under pressure
- The Spirit of the Father speaks through them when needed
- This supports the claim of reliable, God-given apostolic testimony

Receiving the Word as God’s Word
- People commended for accepting apostolic teaching as divine rather than human
- God’s word understood as active and effective in believers
- The Bible’s origin summarized as revelation received and then written as inspiration

Direction for Further Study
- Current focus on prophets and revelation
- Next focus on the nature and process of inspiration as the written product