Inerrancy, it is said, is a ridiculous and outdated notion of Scriptural truth. Often critiques attack the subject by suggesting that the Bible is full of “mistakes,” “errors,” and “contradictions.” But the failure of so many critics lies in their view of Biblical truth. They impose a view of how truth ought to be communicated onto the Bible. We will address if further detail how truth is communicated in the Scriptures, and the expectations people have of that communication, but for now it’s important to consider the concept of “truth” in the Biblical worldview. The Bible communicates truth in a common form, by means of contrast, variation, and distribution.
A look at each of these three concepts should help us better understand the Biblical worldview on truth. First, distribution. Vern Poythress writes that distribution “indicates that words, sentences, and speeches occur in regular ways within larger contexts. They are distributed within contexts” (Inerrancy and the Gospels, 54).So, for example, if I tell my friend, “My car broke down this morning,” he is able to discern what I mean by context. By “my car” he knows that the vehicle is the one I drive. By “this morning” he understands that it happened on the day in which I am speaking to him. Context allows him to understand my words. Distribution is an important, indeed key, part of communication of truth.
Contrast adds further understanding to our communication of truth. What is said is always in contrast to something else that could have been said. That is to say, something that is said is definite. If I say “My car broke down this morning,” then I am clearly not saying “My house burned down yesterday.” Linguists use the principle of contrast often to speak about distinctives in the text of the New Testament. This is particularly helpful when we look at differences in the Gospel accounts. What is sometimes viewed as a contradiction between Matthew, Mark, and Luke can actually be understood more accurately by considering the principle of contrast. We will look at some examples of this in the near future.
Finally, the principle of variation must be understood to properly grasp the communication of truth in the Biblical worldview. Poythress states plainly that “variation indicates that words and sentences cover a range of instances…each use of a word or a sentence is a variation on the range of its possibilities” (54). Words and sentences do not communicate with infinite sharpness. That is to say if there were a word or a sentence that was so specific it could only reference one very specific thing or situation then that word or sentence would essentially be worthless. Since no two things are alike, no two things stay the same infinitely, then any infinitely sharp language would eventually fall out of usefulness (if not immediately). Words have variation because that’s what makes language useful. Vern Poythress also adds that variation points us to the character of God. He writes:
Is variation then a “concession” to human finiteness? Analysis of the origin of language in God and in God’s speech’s indicates that variation in human discourse reflects an aspect in God’s own Trinitarian character. How is this so? God’s character does not change (Mal. 3:6). He does not “vary” in that sense. So what do we mean? God is three persons. The word God has a range of application. It applies to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. These three applications of the word show its variation. In addition, contrast variation, and distribution in communicating truth reflect the application of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Human beings are finite and God is infinite; but human beings made in the image of God reflect in their finiteness God in his infinitude. (55)
These three concepts of human language, as designed by God, point to the Trinitarian unity and diversity of God.
The reason that this matters is because it relates to how we view difficulties within the pages of Scripture. In many ways the communication of truth in the Biblical worldview functions like the communication of truth in our world. We will discuss the expectations that people have of the Bible in the future, but for now we need to see that truth is communicated by God the same way it is communicated by us. Inerrancy does not need to be dismissed because of unrealistic expectations then. We will see it fleshed out in the coming weeks, but truth is communicated in the Bible through the basic principles of contrast, variation, and distribution.
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