Expert: Brenton Hepburn - 11/3/2005

Question
Jehovah's witnesses believe the Bible is a book written by God but penned by men much the same as a secretary writes a letter for an executive.  The Bible is frought with praises to Jehovah.  Thus, logically, God has written a book that praises himself a multitude of times.  Should men want to worship a Creator this ego-maniacal?  I would think not.

Answer
Hello Kenny,

You have asked an interesting question, one that I had never encountered before or thought about.

To be honest, reading your question, and, the way you wrote it, made me wonder if something bad had happened in your life that you wanted to blame God for.  Also after pondering about  your question, I could start to see why someone might view God as an ego-maniacal Creator, especially if they had some problem with the idea of us having a creator.  So I hope that I am able to formulate an answer that will help.

I did some research on the idea that the Bible writers were like secretaries writing down what an executive had told them.  I found only one reference to this in our publications.  That was from book "You can live forever in paradise earth"  page 49 The quote is ......

"This means that the Bible has only one author, Jehovah God. He used men to write the information down, much as a businessman uses a secretary to write a letter. The secretary writes the letter, but the letter contains the thoughts and ideas of the businessman. So it is his letter, not the secretary's, even as the Bible is God's Book, not the book of the men who were used to write it."

The use of a businessman and a secretary was as a brief illustration to show that the originator of the Bible is God.  The paragraph says that the "the letter contains the thoughts and ideas of the businessman".  

As a tax accountant, I will at times get the secretary to write letters.  I never dictate to her what to write, but give the general idea and she formulate the letters on my behalf.  I mention that to show that the writers at times, had the freedom to use their own words.

Below I have cut and pasted some information form one of our publications.
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How Writers Received Divine Direction.

As the apostle states, God spoke "in many ways" to his servants in pre-Christian times. (Heb 1:1, 2) In at least one case, that of the Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, the information was divinely supplied in written form, merely requiring copying into the scrolls or other material used by Moses. (Ex 31:18; De 10:1-5) In other cases, information was transmitted by verbal dictation, word for word. When presenting the large body of laws and statutes of God's covenant with Israel, Jehovah instructed Moses: "Write down for yourself these words." (Ex 34:27) The prophets also were often given specific messages to deliver, and these were then recorded, forming part of the Scriptures....1Ki 22:14; Jer 1:7; 2:1; 11:1-5; Eze 3:4; 11:5.

Among still other methods used for conveying information to the Bible writers were dreams and visions. Dreams, or night visions as they were sometimes called, evidently superimposed a picture of God's message or purpose on the mind of the sleeping person. (Da 2:19; 7:1) Visions given while the person was conscious were an even more frequently used vehicle of communication of God's thoughts to the mind of the writer, the revelation being impressed pictorially upon the conscious mind. (Eze 1:1; Da 8:1; Re 9:17) Some visions were received when the person had fallen into a trance. Though conscious, the person apparently was so absorbed by the vision received during the trance as to be oblivious to all else around him......Ac 10:9-17; 11:5-10; 22:17-21;

Angelic messengers were used on many occasions to transmit the divine messages. (Heb 2:2) Such messengers played a larger part in the transmission of information than is at times apparent. Thus, whereas the Law given to Moses is presented as spoken by God, both Stephen and Paul show that God used his angels in transmitting that legal code. (Ac 7:53; Ga 3:19) Since the angels spoke in Jehovah's name, the message they presented could therefore properly be called "Å“the word of Jehovah."...Ge 22:11, 12, 15-18; Zec 1:7, 9.

No matter what the particular means employed for the transmission of the messages, all parts of the Scriptures would be of the same quality, all of them being inspired, or "God-breathed."

Is the fact that Bible writers showed individuality in expression consistent with the Bible's being inspired by God?

The evidence indicates, however, that the men used by God to record the Scriptures were not merely automatons, simply recording dictated material. We read concerning the apostle John that the "God-breathed" Revelation was presented to him through God's angel "in signs" and that John then "bore witness to the word God gave and to the witness Jesus Christ gave, even to all the things he saw." (Re 1:1, 2) It was "by inspiration [literally, "in spirit"]" that John "came to be in the Lord's day" and he was told: "What you see write in a scroll." (Re 1:10, 11) So, God apparently saw good to allow Bible writers to use their mental faculties in selecting words and expressions to describe the visions they saw (Hab 2:2), while always exercising sufficient control and guidance over them so that the end product would be not only accurate and true but also such as suited Jehovah's purpose. (Pr 30:5, 6) That personal effort on the part of the writer was involved is shown by the statement at Ecclesiastes 12:9, 10, there being a pondering, searching, and arranging in order to present properly "delightful words and the writing of correct words of truth." ...�Compare Lu 1:1-4.

This doubtless explains why there are different styles of writing as well as expressions that apparently reflect the background of the individual writers. The natural qualifications of the writers may have been a factor in God's selection of them for their particular assignment; he may also have prepared them prior thereto to serve his particular purpose.

As evidence of this individuality of expression, Matthew, who had been a tax collector, makes numerous particularly specific references to numbers and money values. (Mt 17:27; 26:15; 27:3) Luke, "the beloved physician" (Col 4:14), on the other hand, uses distinctive expressions that reflect his medical background...Lu 4:38; 5:12; 16:20.

Even where the writer speaks of receiving "the word of Jehovah" or a certain "pronouncement," it may be that this was transmitted, not word for word, but by giving the writer a mental picture of God's purpose, one that the writer would thereafter express in words. This is perhaps indicated by the writers speaking at times of "seeing" (rather than "hearing") "the pronouncement" or "the word of Jehovah....�Isa 13:1; Mic 1:1; Hab 1:1; 2:1, 2.

The men used to write the Scriptures therefore cooperated with the operation of Jehovah's holy spirit. They were willing and submissive to God's guidance (Isa 50:4, 5), eager to know God's will and leading. (Isa 26:9) In many cases they had certain goals in mind (Lu 1:1-4) or were responding to an evident need (1Co 1:10, 11; 5:1; 7:1), and God directed them so that what they wrote coincided with and fulfilled his purpose. (Pr 16:9) As spiritual men, their hearts and minds were attuned to God's will, they "had the mind of Christ" and so were not setting down mere human wisdom nor a "vision of their own heart," as false prophets did....1Co 2:13-16; Jer 23:16; Eze 13:2, 3, 17.

It can be seen that the holy spirit would, indeed, have "varieties of operations" toward or upon these Bible writers. (1Co 12:6) A considerable portion of the information was humanly accessible to them, sometimes already existing in written form, as in the case of genealogies and certain historical accounts. (Lu 1:3; 3:23-38; Nu 21:14, 15; 1Ki 14:19, 29; 2Ki 15:31; 24:5;) Here God's spirit would operate to prevent inaccuracy or error from intruding into the Divine Record and also to guide in the selection of material to be included. Obviously, not everything stated by other persons and thereafter included in the Bible was inspired of God, but the selection of the material to be part of the Holy Scriptures and the accurate recording of it were under the direction of holy spirit. (See Ge 3:4, 5; Job 42:3; Mt 16:21-23.) In this way God has preserved in his inspired Word a record demonstrating what happens when people listen to him and work in harmony with his purpose, as well as the outcome when they think, speak, and act in ways that show disregard for God or ignorance of his righteous ways. On the other hand, the information concerning the prehuman history of the earth (Ge 1:1-26), heavenly events and activities (Job 1:6-12 and other texts), and prophecies, as well as revelations of God's purposes and of doctrines, was not humanly obtainable and would need to be transmitted supernaturally by God's spirit. As to wise sayings and counsel, even though the writer may have learned much from his personal experience in life and even more from his own study and application of those parts of the Scriptures already recorded, the operation of God's spirit would still be required to ensure the information's qualifying as part of the Word of God that is "alive and exerts power . . . and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart." Heb 4:12.

_end quote________________________________________


So we believe that various means were used in transmitting the Bible to mankind.  Some writers had the freedom to use their own expressions.

So what about the continual praising of Jehovah.?

Using their own expressions would a Bible writer be wrong when writing about the saving acts of their God to thank him for those?  Is that not part of good manners?  When my children receive gifts we encourage them to use manners and say thank you. If someone just saved your life, would you be inclined to be grateful to them?

We feel the same as what some of the Bible writers said about our creator as recorded by John at Rev. 4:11 "You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created."

I feel an indebtedness to my creator just because I have the gift of life.  I also feel and indebtedness to him for the wonders of creation around us on this jewel in the universe we call earth.  

IN CONCLUSION

So personally even though the Bible was written by men and inspired of God I believe that some writers could and did express their gratitude to our creator for the very life we have and for his saving power, and that such expressions on their behalf written in the Bible is telling me not take the various gifts God has given us for granted, especially when I read at Romans 15:4 "For all the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope".  For me those expressions of praise are there for my instruction, not to forget that God is deserving of praise , honor and glory.  I personally do not see those words as belonging to an ego-maniac, but expressions of gratitude from some writers that could and did use their own initiutive in writting.

said in peace

Brenton