2. The two modes of inspiration. — We have seen that there are two distinct modes of revela- tion, which may be called primary and secondary, or objective and subjective : the one a series of facts, the other embodying the interpretation of those facts. Insjjiration corresponds to the second of these modes ; it has to do with interpretation ; it is the process by which God has made known His nature, His will, and His purpose in regard to man. But there is some difference in the way in which inspiration works, according as it is (a) intermediate between the series of facts and the interpretation, dependent upon the facts and co- extensive with them, or (5) as it were, a new begin- ning in itself — what might be called a direct com- mimication from God. Speaking broadly, it may be said that the prophetic inspiration of the OT was mainly of this latter type, while the Christian or apostolic inspiration of the NT was mainly of the former. Such distinctions are indeed only relative. The prophets also frequently presuppose those objective revelations through Nature and history of which we have spoken. And yet the great difference between the prophets and the apostles is just this, that the outstanding Christian facts — the Incarnation or Lite, the Death, and the Resurrection of Chi'ist — have intervened between them. In the one case a preparation had to be made, the first advances had to be taken and the foundation laid ; in the other case the foundation was already laid, and the chief task which re- mained for the Christian teacher was one of inter- pretation. We shall return to this distinction presently, when we try to map out the course which the Christian revelation as a whole has taken. But in the meantime we must go back to our fundamental passage, and seek with its help to acquire a better understanding of the nature of inspiration.
3. The psychology of inspiration. — We begin by observing that the passage is descriptive speci- ally of the Christian or apostolic inspiration. It is, indeed, possible to generalize from it and to treat it as applying to the inspiration of the OT as well as of the NT. Yet the passage implies throughout what we have called the Christian facts — the whole historical series of revelations culminating in Jesus Christ. The preaching which the Apostle has in his mind has for its object that those to whom it is addressed might know — i.e.
intelligently know, grasp, and understand — the things that were freely given to them by God, the whole bountiful purpose of God in Christ, the Incarnation with all that led up to it and that followed from it — its consequences nearer and more remote.
And now we must try to analyze the passage and see what it contains. There are two trains of thought.
(a) The knowledge which inspiration imparts is wholly exceptional and sui generis. It is not possessed by the worldly-wise or by the most powerful of secular rulers. It was their ignorance of it which led to the terrible mistake of not recognizing but crucifying the Messiah when He came. It is a knowledge — chiefly of values, of values in the spiritual sphere, of the spiritual forces at work in the world. The knowledge of these values is hidden from the mass of mankind. Any criticism of those who possess it by those who do not possess it is futile. It is as if the critics were devoid of a natural sense — like the varied hues of Nature to the colour-bhnd, or the world of musical sound to those who have no ear. The expert in this new knowledge stands apart by himself : he can judge, but he cannot be judged ; he is superior to the world around him.
{b) If it is asked how he came by this know- ledge, the answer is that it was imparted to him by the Holy Spirit acting upon his own spirit. It is a well-known pecuharity of the psychology of St. Paul that he often mentions the Divine Spirit and the human spirit together in such a way that they seem to run into each other. It is often hard to tell whether 'spirit' should be spelt with a capital or not ; the thought passes backwards and forwards with the finest shades of transition. A good example may be seen in several passages of Ro 8 : e.g. v.®^- : 'But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin ; but the spirit is life because of righteousness'; and again, v.^^^- : 'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear ; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.' In the former passage, the domination of the spiritual part or higher self of man is brought about by the operation of the Spirit of God (or of Chi'ist) which is described as 'dwelling in him,' and the result is that the human spirit is instinct with hfe and immortality, and triumphs over death. In the latter passage, a hke operation of the Divine Spirit results in an attitude of the human spirit ; without any Une of demarcation between to indicate where the one ends and the other begins. The reason for these subtle transi- tions would seem to be that, while the subject of them is conscious of Divine influence within him, that influence is felt in a part of his being which is beyond the reach of conscious analysis ; it is one of those sub-conscious and unconscious motions which are known only by then' effects and do not come within the cognizance of the reflective reason. There is something more than an affinity between the human spirit and the Divine ; when the one is in contact with the other, it is bej'ond our power to distinguish the point of junction or to say with dogmatic precision, ' Thus far and no further.'