Old Testament writers often depended on oral reports or earlier documents in preparing their messages. Moses did not need visions to describe the story of his birth or to recount the historical narratives he placed in Genesis. The books of Joshua and Judges were probably compiled during David’s monarchy, according to internal evidence. The authors of Kings and Chronicles obviously used sources that they often referenced. In fact, the authors at times quoted from other Old Testament books without crediting their sources: compare 2 Kings 19:1, 2 with Isaiah 37:1, 2, and 1 Chronicles 10:1-3 with l Sam. 31:1-3. ^{50For a careful review of extra-Biblical sources, see Delmer A. Johnson, “The Sources of Inspired Writings,” Adventist Review, Dec. 30, 1982.}MOL 378.7

The New Testament presents many instances of borrowing from non-Biblical sources, such as the Wisdom of Solomon, ^{51Compare Romans 1:20-31; 9:20-22 and Wisdom of Solomon—C. H. Dodd, “The Epistle of Paul to the Romans,” in Moffatt’s New Testament Commentary. James Moffatt, ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1932), VI, p. 27; Bruce M. Metzger, An Introduction to the Apocrypha (New York: Oxford University Press, 1957), p. 160.} 1 Enoch, ^{52Compare many references in Romans 2 Cor., Eph., Colossians 1 and 2 Thessalonians 1 Tim., Heb., Jude, and Rev. with 1 Enoch—Leonard Rost, Judaism Outside the Hebrew Canon (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 1976), p. 200; R. H. Charles, The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), II, p. 180.} Testimonies of the Twelve Patriarchs, ^{53R. H. Charles, The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, (London: SPCK, 1925), p. 39.} and the Palestinian Targums. ^{54William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), p. 88; Martin McNamara, The New Testament and the Palestinian Targum to the Pentateuch (Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1966), pp. 83, 85. Sylvester Q. Case provided a useful review of some of these extra-Biblical sources in an unpublished paper, “When a Prophet Borrows From Extra-Biblical Sources: A Brief Survey of Biblical Evidence,” Andrews University, 1982.}MOL 379.1

Ellen White forthrightly explained why she used various historians as she traced “the history of the controversy in past ages.” She wrote: “In pursuance of this purpose, I have endeavored to select and group together events in the history of the church in such a manner as to trace the unfolding of the great testing truths that at different periods have been given to the world.” ^{55The Great Controversy, xi.}MOL 379.2

How did she use these historians? She noted: “In some cases where a historian has so grouped together events as to afford, in brief, a comprehensive view of the subject, or has summarized details in a convenient manner, his words have been quoted; but in some instances no specific credit has been given, since the quotations are not given for the purpose of citing that writer as authority, but because his statement affords a ready and forcible presentation of the subject. In narrating the experience and views of those carrying forward the work of reform in our own time, similar use has been made of their published works.” ^{56The Great Controversy, xi, xii. References to those “in our own time” would include such works as those of J. N. Andrews and Uriah Smith.}MOL 379.3

As all prophets did, Ellen White had to supply the human language to convey the grand thoughts and arching panoramas that she either saw in vision or sensed in other times of divine communication. Her capacity to supply appropriate language and style matured as the years went by—as any study of her personal manuscripts and published writings will indicate. At times she recognized that others had written with beauty and precision on certain subjects that she wanted to make clearer in her writings. To better clothe those divinely revealed truths she utilized borrowed expressions. Speed truth along with as much human grace as possible was her compelling motivation.MOL 379.4

Some have raised two questions regarding both Biblical writers and Ellen White: How does borrowing affect the authority of the writer? Does the borrowed material become inspired? The questions arise because inspiration is misunderstood as mechanical dictation (verbal inspiration).MOL 379.5

Probably the two questions would not be asked if it were understood that prophets are permitted to find the best methods at their disposal to convey the thoughts God has given them. ^{57See pp. 16, 120, 173, 375, 376, 421. Harold Lindsell wrote: “When we say the Bible is the Word of God, it makes no difference whether the writers of Scripture gained their information by direct revelation from God as in the case of the Book of Revelation, or whether they researched matters as Luke did, or whether they got their knowledge from extant sources, court records, or even by word of mouth. The question we must ask is whether what they wrote, wherever they may have secured their knowledge, can be trusted.” The Battle for the Bible (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976), p. 20. Robert Nicole stated: “If God did not guide the sacred writers in the choice of the material that they decided to incorporate into their own text, then it will be forever impossible to distinguish between what is truly God’s Word and what may be simply an accurate record of a fallible source. To the extent that any material appears endorsed by the sacred writer, it must be viewed as endorsed by God as well.” Inerrancy and Common Sense, (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1980), p. 89.}MOL 379.6

What, then, is the value of the borrowed material? It seems logical that if God revealed His message to prophets, He would also assist them in conveying the message in human language. Ellen White noted that God “guided the mind in the selection of what to speak and what to write. The treasure was entrusted to earthen vessels, yet it is, nonetheless, from Heaven.” ^{58The Great Controversy, vi, vii.}MOL 379.7

In a way, God did not expect the Biblical writer to “reinvent the wheel.” He led Paul to borrow from the apocrypha in developing a substantial part of Romans 1. He led him to find useful material, at least to hearers in his day, in the Jewish Targums (Aramaic translation or paraphrase of a portion of the Old Testament) in developing 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 and 2 Timothy 3:8. He led John to find generous help from contemporary sources such as the Targums and 1 Enoch. If the language already available seemed to help the Biblical author to speed his message preparation along, he prudently borrowed for his purpose. No doubt many of his contemporaries recognized quickly from where the writer had borrowed his material. To the receivers of the prophet’s message, such borrowing was no problem: they saw the big picture of the writer’s message.MOL 379.8

Likely many in Christ’s day recognized His references to extra-Biblical sources that He used to develop His messages—messages that were truly original. But His use of sources had nothing to do with the authority or originality of His messages. ^{59For a study of the relationship between Jewish rabbinic parables and Christ’s parables, see Harvey K. McArthur & Robert M. Johnston, They Also Taught in Parables, (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1990). “The originality of Christ’s teaching, which is abundantly clear from the Gospel records, did not prevent Him from incorporating into His teaching much that was good in what earlier teachers had taught.” W. D. E. Oesterley, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs (London: SPCK, 1925), p. xxi.}MOL 379.9

Does borrowed material become inspired? Only in the sense that it assists the writer to state his message more clearly. This may lead to another question: Why did not Paul and John give credit to the authors of the borrowed material? Perhaps they believed, as did Ellen White, that “every gleam of thought, every flash of intellect, is from the Light of the world.” ^{60Education, 14.} This conviction that God is the Author of all truth may have been one reason for not feeling the need to reference their frequent borrowings.MOL 380.1

Sola Scriptura (Bible only)

Distinguishing Between the Sacred and the Common