Seeing how Scripture openly bears marks of editorial activity, cultural context, and literary artistry, such as the shift from first to third person in Ezekiel, initially felt unsettling. But it ultimately strengthened my faith. It helped me realize that God’s sovereignty is not threatened by human involvement; instead, it is displayed through it. The idea that God prepared writers, scribes, and editors across their entire lives to faithfully produce Scripture reframed inspiration for me as something deeply intentional and relational, not magical or fragile.

The second insight that impacted me deeply was the role of ancient Near Eastern parallels as theological polemic rather than plagiarism. I have often encountered claims, especially online that similarities between biblical texts and pagan literature prove the Bible is unoriginal or uninspired. Learning how biblical writers intentionally reused familiar cultural material to subvert pagan theology was eye-opening. The examples of the flood narratives and Daniel 7 made this especially clear. Rather than borrowing ideas uncritically, the biblical authors were making bold claims about who truly rules chaos, history, and the nations. This shifted how I read Scripture from defensively explaining away similarities to confidently engaging them as part of God’s communicative strategy.