I have found, when trying to help people come to a deeper understanding of Sacred Scripture, that the most difficult idea a person has to deal with is Biblical Inspiration. What confuses most people is that there are various religions that say their sacred books are inspired by God. It is obvious, however, that what this means varies greatly. So what is our understanding of Biblical Inspiration.

Artists, philosophers and even scientists speak of inspiration, which is the urge to create a work of beauty (artists), a constructive new outlook on reality (philosophers) or a real solution to a problem (scientists). How to explain this inspiration?

First of all, inspiration is related to a certain sensitivity which exists in a society at a given time. This sensitivity inspires gifted individuals in that society. These persons in turn heighten that sensitivity in their fellow citizens. For example, we would never have produced our Jazz music, which has captured the whole world, without our Black communities that are so sensitive to music and rhythm.

It was more or less by this same process of mutual influence Hebrew literature came into being. We see in the Hebrew people a highly developed sensitivity for God’s presence in their lives. From these pious Hebrew communities we see arise prophets, preachers, writers, who offered their (first spoken) reflections on that shared experience of God’s presence with His people. In turn these prophets, preachers and writers heightened that religious sensitivity in their people.

There is a similarity between this Hebrew spiritual literature and all art. Both are inspired. But Hebrew literature is more than just that. It is inspired (breathed upon) in a very special way by Almighty God. This does not mean that God dictated His message as a businessman dictates a letter to a secretary. God takes the author as he is and leaves him free to choose his own way of communication. Isaiah was a great poet and composed beautiful poems to convey his message. Ezekiel was not well-versed in letters and his language is rather poor. Some authors chose existing folktales and even fables to bring out their point. Inspiration is guidance.

Since our Christian literature grew out of the Hebrew tradition, we first think about how the Hebrew understood this inspiration.