Podcast Summary: Simply Put – "The Inspiration of Scripture"

Host: Barry Cooper (Ligonier Ministries)
Episode Date: December 30, 2025

Overview

This episode of "Simply Put" explores the theological concept of the inspiration of Scripture. Host Barry Cooper unpacks what Christians mean when they say the Bible is "inspired by God," distinguishing this from everyday uses of the word "inspiration." The episode delves into the biblical foundation, the depth and scope of inspiration, and why it matters for the authority and reliability of the entire Bible.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Does "Inspiration" Mean?

• Common vs. Theological Usage
  • In common speech, inspiration means being highly motivated or animated (00:13).

    “I might say, for example, that I felt inspired as I wrote a book or composed a piece of music...I felt particularly animated or motivated or fired up as I worked.” (Barry Cooper, 00:13)

  • Theologically, Scripture's inspiration is much deeper than human motivation.

    “But when we say that the writers of Scripture were inspired, we’re saying much more than that.” (Barry Cooper, 00:34)

2. Biblical Basis: 2 Timothy 3:16

• The King James Version says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Other translations, like ESV, render it as “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” (00:39)
• The Greek word for spirit, pneuma, means "breath".

  “God breathed into the biblical writers. He did this by His Spirit. Spirit being the Greek word pneuma, meaning breath.” (Barry Cooper, 00:52)

• This ensures that what the writers recorded is exactly what God intended.

  “God was ensuring that what they wrote was what he wanted to say and nothing else.” (Barry Cooper, 01:01)

3. Authority and Trustworthiness of All Scripture

• Plenary Inspiration: "Plenary" means full or complete; all parts of Scripture are equally God-breathed (01:30).

  “There are no particular bits of scripture that are more or less God breathed than the other bits...All scripture is God breathed.” (Barry Cooper, 01:34)

• The use of red-letter Bibles may imply that Jesus' own words carry more authority, but all Scripture holds equal weight.

  “Red letter Bibles...can imply that Christ’s words are more authoritative than the surrounding ones...But that is not the case at all.” (Barry Cooper, 01:47)

4. Old and New Testament Authorship by the Spirit

• 2 Peter 1:21: Prophecy came not by human will, but from men "carried along by the Holy Spirit" (02:06).

  “No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man. But men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (Barry Cooper, 02:12)

• This applies equally to the New Testament.

5. Human Writers and the Work of the Spirit

• Inspiration doesn’t mean mechanical dictation; the writers’ personalities and styles are evident (02:31).

  “The inspiration of Scripture needn’t imply some kind of mechanical dictation...the varying personalities and writing styles of the biblical authors do come through in Scripture.” (Barry Cooper, 02:34)

6. Verbal Inspiration: The Specificity of God's Word

• Inspiration extends to individual words chosen, not just concepts (02:45).

  “It’s not that God gave the biblical writers a general impression...God’s inspiration actually extends to the very words they chose.” (Barry Cooper, 02:53)

• Jesus' teachings often hinge on a single word or tense. Paul’s argument in Galatians depends on a singular versus plural (03:07).

  “Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.” (Barry Cooper, 03:39)

7. Why This Matters: Confidence in God’s Word

• The inspiration of Scripture means we can be confident that every word is God’s.

  “When we open God’s Word, we can be sure that what we’re reading was breathed out by God, not just in general, but right down to the specifics.” (Barry Cooper, 04:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If we really wanted to hear God speaking, we should open our Bibles.” (Barry Cooper, 01:12)
• “All of it has the authority of God and of his Christ. That’s because every word was inspired by the spirit.” (Barry Cooper, 01:51)
• Explaining Galatians, “If the Holy Spirit had not inspired the biblical writers to the extent of ensuring the use of a singular word rather than a plural, then Paul’s argument...would be meaningless.” (Barry Cooper, 03:51)
• “You see the principle of verbal inspiration again, when the Apostle Paul argues in Galatians...Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.” (Barry Cooper, 03:33)

Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:00–01:30: Meaning of "inspiration" and 2 Timothy 3:16's significance
• 01:30–02:13: Plenary inspiration & equal authority of all Scripture
• 02:13–02:40: The process—writers “carried along by the Holy Spirit,” not mere dictation
• 02:41–03:52: Verbal inspiration—importance of words and tenses with examples from Jesus and Paul
• 04:04–End: Implications for Christians—confidence in the reliability of every word

Conclusion

Barry Cooper concisely and clearly explains the doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture, emphasizing that every word of the Bible comes from God, not just in general themes but down to the very language used. This doctrine underpins the authority, trustworthiness, and relevance of Scripture for every believer.