JOURNAL ARTICLE CRITIQUE

of

Weaver, Gilbert “The Doctrine of Revelation and Inspiration in the Old Testament” Grace Journal vol. 6 no.1 (Winter 1965): 16-27.

THEO 510 LOU (fall 2016)

Survey of Theology

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

Coral Nichols (ID# 24430947)

January 26, 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………3II. Brief Summary………………………………………………………………………...3III. Critical Interaction…………………………………………………………………….4IV. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….....5V. Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………..6

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I. Introduction

Biblical understanding rooted in a solid foundation of Biblical Theology can mean

something different to many different people that pursue knowledge and understanding from

the bible. One of the components that scholars rely on for their understanding is the concept

of Revelation. Revelation must be understood before it can be defined in the context of the

Doctrine of Revelation. The Enns text defines it from the Greek word “apokalupis, which

means disclosure or unveiling. Hence revelation signifies God unveiling Himself to

mankind”1. Weaver addresses through this article the concepts of revelation; how has God

revealed Himself to man in the old testament. Within the context of how God has revealed

himself there are two different types of this revelation. This paper critiques the authors angle

in the exploration of The Doctrine of Revelation and Inspiration in the Old Testament.

II. Brief Summary

Revelation and inspiration are used within the same context within the thesis expressed

within this particular journal article. Weaver intertwines them with the notion that “revelation

pertains to that which God makes known at a particular time, inspiration refers to the divine

process of recording that revelation.”2 The reader of the article gains the knowledge that this

inspiration and revelation happen by the means of the Spirit of God. Weaver examines

revelation has two division defined as “general and special.”3 These two types of revelation

take place within the context of the writers of the Old Testament text. There is a further break

down of these books into periods and how God spoke, interacted and revealed Himself to

1 Enns, Paul P. The Moody Handbook of Theology. 25th ed. Chicago: Moody, 1989.

2 Weaver, Gilbert. "The Doctrine of Revelation and Inspiration in the Old Testament.” Grace Journal 6, no. 1 (Winter 1965): 16.3 Ibid., 16.

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man within the context of the periods. These periods are also related to how man was

interacting with God and the nature of the relationship between God and man.

III. Critical Interactions

The writer of the article approaches the topic with a matter of fact presentation of the

information. He does not assume nor presume that he can provide all the documentation

necessary to back up this perspective. The documentation, scriptures and reference would

need more than the journal article could allow. Revelation happens by means of relationship

between God and man, the stature of the man is not the significant fact; relationship is where

revelation dwells. Relationship brings the supernatural enlightenment that is necessary for

revelation and inspiration to take place. Weaver supports this by the prophet quote of “the

word of the Lord came unto me, it is the O.T.’s teaching concerning this supernatural divine

communication which is the study.”4 There is a considerable amount of information given by

the writer to help the reader understand how the relationship between God and man evolved

from the book of Genesis through the writings of the major and minor prophets. There is a

direction reference to the “person to person basis”5 between God and man as referenced in

Genesis in the garden of Eden. When the relationship changed after the fall and through the

area of Moses there became a time of a prophetic revelation that continues through the rest of

the Old Testament. According the materials in this article, the voice of God was removed and

revelation began by ways of inspiration.

Weaver begins his explanation of the O.T. theology of inspiration by provided the proof

that there is no much mention of inspiration in the doctrine of the O.T. Weaver calls into the

article scriptures from the New Testament. This creates within the context of the article and

4 Weaver, 17. 5 Ibid, 19.

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the focus on the O.T. revelation and inspiration questions of origin of the doctrine. This is

related back to the authority of a prophet and how they received the revelation from God to

speak His words to the people. This is understood by the mention of “thus said the Lord

occurring over 3500 times on the O.T.”6 The concluding factor for this doctrine is understood

that all through the Old Testament with scripture to support God spoke to man and man

recorded the words and it produced the Word of God that we have today.

IV. Conclusion

There was a great deal of materials presented for the argument that the author of the

article presents to his case for the doctrine. The article did not present any facts that would

lead one to believe contrary to what he presented for his case for this doctrine. It did seem

that he leads off on more detail regards prophets, inspiration to prophets and prophetic

revelation. The article completely supported his perspective on the ideals of inspiration and

revelation and God’s relationship and desire to communicate with man. The coverage begins

from the beginning of creation when man walked with God and into some New Testament

scriptures that related to the O.T. relationship foundational pieces. There is more studying

into this doctrine required for further evaluation.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Enns, Paul P. The Moody Handbook of Theology. 25th ed. Chicago: Moody, 1989.

6 Weaver, 22.

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Weaver, Gilbert. "The Doctrine of Revelation and Inspiration in the Old Testament.” Grace Journal 6, no. 1 (Winter 1965): 16-27.

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