Inspiration

My thoughts keep returning to the same subject, and so I realize it's time to blog again. Last week I attended a bible study led by my father. The two scriptures we focused on were 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20-21. It's been on my mind on and off ever since.

I think I've been able to isolate the issue to this: what does inspiration mean? Is it something natural or is it something supernatural? But no, it is even more nuanced than that. The first sense given in Merriam-Webster for inspiration starts off describing it as a divine influence. So the inspiration itself is supernatural. But does that mean that which is produced under divine influence is also supernatural?

Protestants (and probably Catholics too) believe that it is, at least in this instance. What was written as a result of the inspiration was of God. This is not what is meant by inspiration today. Protestants must also believe that God supernaturally protected these words from being changed or lost. But I guess what I'm wondering right now is what did Paul mean when he wrote it? Did he mean what Protestants believe or did he mean more along the lines of what inspiration means today.

Of course, Paul didn't actually use the word inspiration. From this article on Lexham Press, I learned that the word Paul did use, the Greek word theopneustos, was not a common word. That doesn't make deciphering Paul's intent any easier.