Many of us assume that the books of the Bible were written by the person whose name is associated with that particular book. We might also assume that the books of the New Testament were accounts written by eyewitnesses to Jesus’ ministry.

Bible scholars may have a different view.

Bible scholars analyze the writings in various ways to determine who wrote them and when they were written. They will study the vocabulary, the style, and references within the text. They will compare the Bible texts to other writings of the time.

The books of Luke and Acts are believed to have been written by a companion of Paul, Luke the physician.  Luke was not an eyewitness to the events he describes. He was recording the eyewitness accounts that were described to him.

If we take a step back and look at the first books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, which are attributed to Moses, we encounter another logical speed bump. If God created the heavens and earth as described in Genesis, it is a pretty good bet that Moses could not have been an eyewitness. Also, the span of time described in those books is clearly not compatible with the lifespan of Moses.

So, what does this say to the credibility of the Bible?

While our logic filter might suggest that these factors cast doubt on the Bible as the foundation of our journey of faith, quite the opposite is true.

If we take a page from the Bible scholar’s playbook, we will understand that in antiquity, the ability and tools required to create a written record were rare. Consequently, much of the Bible began as oral records passed down from one generation to the next.

If you have ever participated in the game where a whispered message is passed from one person to the next along a string of people, you know how that message can become distorted.

Does this mean that the Bible is not factual?

Perhaps not entirely in the traditional sense. But this is also where we need to step back and acknowledge the distinction between what is “true” and what is “truth.”

In our logical exploration of faith, we have come to realize that there is a higher calling than simply what is true. The concept of “truth” is a larger, more important concept that can be served by any number of views. Truth can be accomplished by fiction. Truth can be accomplished by exaggeration.

When Jesus used parables to illustrate a moral or ethical principle, that parable may or may not have been an actual occurrence. Either way, the larger truth was revealed in the message.

When it comes to the question of who wrote the Bible, the truth contained in the overall message is the important element.  In reality, many hands and many voices contributed to the text we refer to as the Holy Bible. Some of those voices spoke out centuries before the written word. Some spoke centuries later as the debate occurred over what to include in the official version.

If you take pen in hand to sign an important document, no one will later challenge your signature based on the brand of pen you used.

If we look at and accept the ultimate truth of the Bible message, we might conclude that all the contributors to the Bible text were inspired.

If that is the case, then we must consider that God is the author and the characters of the Bible were his writing tools.