The word Bible is from the Greek and Latin meaning “book” or “books”. The Christian Bible as we know it is made up of two Testaments or Covenants (Old and New) that together might also be referred to as the Holy Writ, Holy Scriptures or Word of God.
It is a collection of sixty-six books written by at least twenty-eight different men (some books don’t have a clear author). These writers lived over 1,500 years. Getting twenty-eight different men to write a cohesive story when they never knew each other or even lived during the same period in history is pretty remarkable…some would even say impossible.
Wikipedia records, “The Bible has had a massive influence on literature and history, especially in the Western world, where the Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed using movable type. According to the March 2007 edition of Time, the Bible ‘has done more to shape literature, history, entertainment, and culture than any book ever written. Its influence on world history is unparalleled, and shows no signs of abating.’ With estimated total sales of over 5 billion copies, it is widely considered to be the best-selling book of all time. As of the 2000s, it sells approximately 100 million copies annually.”
With that backdrop, it’s worth considering what the Bible may say about its source and authority. Does it even claim to be the word of God? Admittedly, there are extra-Biblical aspects to answering this question, but establishing what the Bible even claims to be is an important starting point.
How Scripture answers "Is the Bible the word of God?"
The Bible’s own claim is that it is from and of God123456. It’s what the Bereans used (at least the Old Testament) to confirm the claims of God’s messenger3. It also claims that all Scripture (Old Testament and New Testament) is inspired and from God1. The gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) testify to Jesus, the Son of God, the very personification of God’s word — in effect, the “living word”2. He, in turn, gave that word to the apostles6 who wrote it down457.
Answer built on scripture-blocks below
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
All Scripture is spoken by God and necessary for teaching, for rebuke, for correction and training in righteousness so that a man of God would be spiritually equipped and ready for any good work.
Paul is writing to the younger Timothy and giving general advice about his work in preaching the Gospel. Paul has repeatedly contrasted those teaching false doctrine and their motives for doing so against how Timothy should conduct himself.
Applying 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to this question...
Scripture, at least the Old Testament at this point, is from God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
The Word [the Son] existed in the beginning with God and was, in fact, God. He was in the beginning with God.
John’s gospel was “written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (20:31) In the introduction, he establishes the authority of the word and later (vs 14) equates the Word to Jesus himself who “became flesh.”
Applying John 1:1-2 to this question...
It doesn’t directly answer the question but establishes the authority of scripture and its source.
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
The brothers sent Paul and Silas by night to Berea, where they entered the Jewish synagogue. The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica: they received the word eagerly and examined the Scriptures daily to determine whether what they heard was true.
Paul is on his second missionary journey with Silas. They had to flee Thessalonica for fear of being killed by those jealous (vs 5) of them preaching the gospel. These same Jews actually followed them there to disrupt their cause (vs 13).
Applying Acts 17:10-11 to this question...
The Bereans went to Scripture1 to confirm that the things the Apostle Paul was teaching were indeed from God.
For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
You brethern became just like the other churches of God in Christ Jesus that are around Judea by suffering the same things from your countrymen men that they did from the Jews.
In Paul’s extended introduction to the “church of the Thessalonians” (1:1), he is recalling the events around their first hearing Paul bring them the gospel (Acts 17 during his second missionary journey).
Applying 1 Thessalonians 2:14 to this question...
The apostles (specifically Peter, Paul, James, and John – authors of New Testament epistles) spoke the word of God.
And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
Consider also the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our brother Paul wrote to you in all his letters based on the wisdom given to him. Some of his writings are hard to understand – the things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own demise – just as they do with rest of all scripture.
Peter’s final exhortation to hold a “firm grasp on the truth” (vs 17) and to “continue to grow in the grace and knowledge” of Christ (vs 18).
Applying 2 Peter 3:15-16 to this question...
Peter believed Paul’s writings were Scripture (e.g. “the word of God”).
I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Jesus gave them (apostles) God’s word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as Jesus is not of the world.
Jesus’ prayer before His crucifixion and ascension to Heaven. The “words” are clarified earlier when Jesus prays, “I have revealed your name to the men you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word. Now they understand that everything you have given me comes from you, because I have given them the words you have given me. They accepted them and really understand that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.” (vss 6-8)
Applying John 17:14 to this question...
Jesus gave the apostles God’s word, which they spoke/wrote.
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
When I [Paul] came to you [Corinthians brethern/Christians], I plainly spoke the word of God – that Jesus Christ was crucified.
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth dealing with several serious issues throughout the letter, but here dealing with divisions among them and reminding them of the uniting nature of the Gospel. In this chapter, and really including the first four chapters of this letter, he emphasizes the need for them to rely upon the word of God that he had shared with them as the foundation to solve these issues.
Applying 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 to this question...
Paul preached only the word of God, not the wisdom of men, which summed up was Jesus Christ crucified.
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