Philosophy of Inspiration in the Writings of Ellen G. White part 1

Philosophy of Inspiration in the Writings of Ellen G. White (Part 1)

AMONG Adventist teachers and preachers eager discussion is going on at the present time on the nature of inspiration. This makes the need for a careful and continuing study of this topic most important. . .

-Department of Religion, Pacific Union College at the time this article was written

AMONG Adventist teachers and preachers eager discussion is going on at the present time on the nature of inspiration. This makes the need for a careful and continuing study of this topic most important.1

Ellen G. White's position among Adventists is unique. Her contribution to the establishment of the denomination is primary. Her help in clarifying the doctrines held by the believers is second to none. We who study the theory of inspiration have no experiential knowledge of God's techniques of guiding the mind of one inspired. Mrs. White, however, alone among Adventists, experienced the power of full inspiration hundreds of times during the seventy years of her writing and speaking ministry. Her insights are therefore absolutely vital. They should be investigated with sober and reverent concern. "Sharp contentions over the Bible," she noted, "have led to investigation and revealed the precious jewels of truth." 2

With the discovery of more and more manuscripts of parts of the Scriptures, variants are eagerly seized upon by a certain type of scholar and their significance greatly exaggerated. From this critical approach these questions naturally arise: Can we Christians be certain that the statements of the Scriptures are definitely the word of God? Upon what manuscript reading can we found our faith? What actually is inspiration in a Biblical sense?

The method followed in this paper is simple. Relevant statements on the topic of Biblical inspiration by Ellen G. White are cited. After analysis an attempt is made to synthesize her views. Periodically there are summaries. The paper ends with a statement of the elements she considered as constituting inspiration.

It is the prayer of this investigator that the Spirit, whose gracious ministry granted unique insights into divine truth to holy men and women in many ages, and to a chosen instrument in these last days, will bless the teachers of God's Word with a grasp of the results and values of inspiration today. With this purpose in mind, let us turn to our task.

Miracle of Preservation

How did Ellen White understand the Bible to have been transmitted? She had on this, as in other matters, most decided views:

God had faithful witnesses, to whom He committed the truth, and who preserved the Word of God. The manuscripts of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures have been preserved through the ages by a miracle of God.3

She entertained no disquiet regarding what was valid in the Bible. The God who miraculously caused His Word to be writ ten saw to it that it would be preserved in a form that would leave His meaning inviolate. In fact, she was given a vision clarifying the issues involved in this amazing preservation of the Sacred Writings.

Then I saw that God knew that Satan would try every art to destroy man; therefore He had caused His word to be written out, and had made His purposes in regard to the human race so plain that the weakest need not err. After having given His word to man, He had carefully preserved it from destruction by Satan or his angels, or by any of his agents or representatives. While other books might be destroyed, this was to be immortal. And near the close of time, when the delusions of Satan should increase, it was to be so multiplied that all who desired might have a copy, and i£ they would, might arm themselves against the deceptions and lying wonders of Satan.

I saw that God had especially guarded the Bible, yet when copies of it were few, learned men had in some instances changed the words, thinking that they were making it more plain, when in reality they were mystifying that which was plain, by causing it to lean to their established views, which were governed by tradition. But I saw that the Word of God, as a whole, is a perfect chain, one portion linking into and explaining another. True seekers for truth need not err; for not only is the Word of God plain and simple in declaring the way of life, but the Holy Spirit is given as a guide in understanding the way to life therein revealed.4

Ellen White was confident that the Lord had "especially guarded" and "carefully preserved" His Book so that it might be "immortal." Its intent might be discovered in spite of the fact that "in some instances" "learned men" "changed the words." The significance of what God intended in His Word may be understood, not from any manuscript studies, but from a careful consideration of other relevant passages in the Bible, which "is a perfect chain, one portion linking into and explaining another." Man is not left alone to pursue these studies. The Holy Spirit, who inspired the Scriptures, "is given as a guide in understanding the way to life."

Mrs. White was often asked, "Don't you think there might have been some mistake by the copyist or by the translators?" Her reply is simple:

This is all probable, and the mind that is so narrow that it will hesitate and stumble over this possibility or probability would be just as ready to stumble over the mysteries of the Inspired Word.5

Her answer almost seems to convey the idea that she considered this question trivial. She categorically affirmed, "I take the Bible just as it is, as the Inspired Word. I believe its utterances in an entire Bible." 6 During her seventy years of ministry Mrs. White pointed out no Scriptures in which discrepancies or contradictions exist.

Miracle of Accuracy

But let us pursue the question: Does the Bible contain errors or contradictions or historical or scientific misstatements? Apparently Mrs. White did not make any point of these. Here are statements that indicate her inspired viewpoint:

She considered the Bible the finest history we possess:

The Bible is the most ancient and the most comprehensive history that men possess. It came fresh from the fountain of eternal truth, and throughout the ages a divine hand has preserved its purity. It lights up the far-distant past, where human re search in vain seeks to penetrate. In God's word only do we behold the power that laid the foundations of the earth and that stretched out the heavens. Here only do we find an authentic account of the origin of nations. Here only is given a history of our race unsullied by human pride or prejudice.7

Science, she affirmed, without divine revelation as a guide to interpret its findings might mislead:

Science is ever discovering new wonders; but she brings from her divine research nothing that, rightly understood, conflicts with divine revelation. The book of nature and the written word shed light upon each other. They make us acquainted with God by teaching us something of the laws through which He works. 8

But to man's unaided reason, nature's teaching cannot but be contradictory and disappointing. Only in the light of revelation can it be read aright.9

According to Ellen White, the seeming contradictions or errors pointed out by critics of God's Word are generally the result of prejudice or a lack of thorough study.

She declares that— those who take only a surface view of the Scriptures will, with their superficial knowledge, which they think is very deep, talk of the contradictions of the Bible, and question the authority of the Scriptures.10

She considered that the Bible should be regarded as occupying a position above question. Its authority is divine and absolute. She used a vigorous illustration of the predicament of anyone who attempts to amend the text of the Scriptures:

There are men who strive to be original, who are wise above what is written; therefore, their wisdom is foolishness. They discover wonderful things in advance, ideas which reveal that they are far behind in the comprehension of the divine will and purposes of God. In seeking to make plain or to unravel mysteries hid for ages from mortal man, they are like a man floundering about in the mud, unable to extricate himself and yet telling others how to get out of the muddy sea they themselves are in. This is a fit representation of the men who set themselves to correct the errors of the Bible. No man can improve the Bible by suggesting what the Lord meant to say or ought to have said.11

Foolishness, according to one definition of the Scriptures, is the ignoring of the existence of God.12 The rich "fool" planned his future without considering God's purpose for his life. "Foolish questions" 13 in theology or science spring from the same blunder. They arise from the attitude of the questioner which ignores the Lord's wisdom and power in the solution of the problems under study. Mrs. White's statements indicate that she considered it the essence of foolishness to try to clarify any supposed Biblical textual difficulties with out an abiding belief in a benign and omnipotent Providence who is well able to superintend the recording and transmission of His messages in the satisfactory form in which it has reached us.

(To be continued}


REFERENCES

1. An attack on inspiration is one of Satan's final efforts. Selected Messages, book 1. pp. 15. 18, 20.

2. Ibid., p. 20.

3. Ellen G. White letter 32, 1899, quoted in Problems in Bible Translation, p. 70.

4. Early Writings, pp. 220, 221; cf. Selected Messages, book 1, p. 15; Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 25.

5. Selected Messages, book 1, p. 16.

6. Ibid., p. 17; cf. p. 16.

7. Education, p. 173.

8. Ibid., p. 128.

9. Ibid., p. 134.

10. Selected Messages, book 1, p. 20.

11. Ibid., p. 16.

12. Ps. 14:1:53:1.

13. Tim. 2:23; Titus 3:9.

-Department of Religion, Pacific Union College at the time this article was written

January 1969

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