Pieper, Francis. Christian Dogmatics: Volume 1. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1968.
Chapter B2, “Holy Scripture Identical with the Word of God”
Modern theology objects to the Early Church and the Reformation because of its dependence on Scripture. Identifying the “Word of God” with the writings of the Bible is seen in modern theology as an attempt on the part of theologians to grasp power by a claim of divine mandate. This position on Scriptural authority is taken unapologetically by the Apostles, by the Reformers, and by the Scripture itself.
Pieper discusses and illustrates how the Old Testament is used extensively within the New Testament and is considered God’s Word. He also illustrates New Testament statements which equate other parts of the New Testament with God’s authoritative word. The Reformers, especially Luther, took a very high view of the Bible, affirming that their writings were true only insofar as they agreed with the Bible. Pieper’s conclusion is that just as the apostles were considered mere men by their critics since they appeared perfectly normal, so the Bible is considered by its critics to be a normal, human book. Yet he will defend the Scriptures as the very Word of God.
Chapter B3, “The Verbal Inspiration of Holy Scripture”
Pieper appeals to the biblical text for documentation of verbal inspiration of Scripture. Based on 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:21 he establishes a biblical claim to divine inspiration. He then discusses additional ideas which he ties to the Scriptural view of inspiration.
1) Inspiration is not that of topics or people but of words, since the Scripture consists of words. Pieper concludes that this inspiration of words extends to the specific words used.
2) Inspiration is not merely guidance or protection from error. If that is the extent of inspiration the Scripture is left a merely human word.
3) Inspiration extends to all of Scripture, including those things commonly known to “everybody” at the time.
4) Inspiration requires inerrancy. In a quotation of Quenstedt, Pieper offers inerrancy in the original text as that which the Bible claims.
5) Inspiration includes God giving authors the desire to write.