Skip to main content
Daily Devotions

The Origin of Scripture

By December 24, 2014No Comments

Read 2 Peter 1 – 3

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:20-21 KJV

Peter says the most important thing we need to know about Scripture is that it is not of private interpretation. Interpretation is used here in the sense of origination. Scripture did not originate with men; it is not the personal interpretation of life by any of the Old Testament prophets like Moses, Isaiah, or Daniel. Neither did it originate with any of the New Testament writers like Peter, Paul, or John. Instead, holy men, men set apart by God, wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. This idea of being moved can be illustrated by a ship whose sails are filled and driven by the wind. The ship is not moving under self originated power but that of the wind. In the same way the writers which were used by God in writing the Scriptures, wrote not by their own power but were empowered and directed by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is the originator of Scripture not any man.

Lord, how wonderful it is to have words in our possession that did not originate with man but originated with you. Because they have their origin in you I can trust them, depend on them, and live my life by them knowing I will not be led astray but in the way both pleasing to you and beneficial to me.

A question to ponder: Since the Scriptures originated with God rather than men, what does that mean for my life personally?