Don't the different styles of the Bible prove that God didn't write it?
Full Question
If the Holy Spirit inspired the whole Bible, why
don't the books all possess the same style of writing? If God never
changes, why would his writing styles change so radically? Doesn't this
prove the Holy Spirit wasn't the "principle author" of each book in
Scripture?
Answer
No,
it proves that the Holy Spirit, although the principle author of each
book in Scripture, worked through human authors, preserving and making
use of each one's particular style of writing. Catholic theologians and
Scripture scholars in the early Church used a particularly apt musical
analogy. They explained that, when a piece of music is played on various
instruments, it will obtain a different sound and aural texture from
each one, yet each rendition will be the same melody coming from the
hand of the same composer.
The Star Spangled Banner, when played on a
harmonica, piano, clarinet, guitar, tuba, or a kazoo, will sound
markedly distinct on each different instrument, yet it's the same song
being played in each rendition.
The same is true for the books of the Bible. The
Holy Spirit, like a composer, selected different men to be the inspired
"instruments" through which the melody of Scripture would be "played."
That's why the style and elegance of the Greek composition of Luke's
Gospel contrasts with the terse style found in Mark's Gospel, and the
Old Testament books differ widely in their choice of vocabulary and
literary style.
In each case the Holy Spirit inspired the biblical
writer to write what he wanted written, all the while preserving, in an
admittedly mysterious way, their free will and personal style of
expression. To learn more, read the encyclicals Providentissimus Deus
(Leo XIII, 1893), Spiritus Paraclitus (Benedict XV, 1920), Divino
Aflante Spiritu (Pius XII, 1943), and Humani Generis (Pius XII, 1950),
and don't omit Vatican II's Dei Verbum.
Answered by: Catholic Answers Staff
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