[OBW]

First, there is at least one non-Jew in the writers . . . Luke. But at least part of his writing is repeating of accounts he did not personally observe (accounts provided by Jewish men . . . and maybe Jewish women).

As for asking how the Bible is inspired, there are many who have given much ink to the subject. But too many of them are in the camp that suggests that God somehow moved their hands (or made them speak — in the days when it was oral retelling rather than writing) without altering the general nature of their normal speech. (In other words, he didn't force a farmer to speak with a Harvard-like grasp of language.)

But I think it is not so simple. I realize that Paul's statement was that all scripture was inspired by God. Sometimes that might be little more than a sense to write down what just happened. Or to begin to tell the story of how the family came to be where they are "today." (Abraham, for example, as well as his offspring.) Unless we are to deny the accounts, there are also times when God spoke directly to the "writers." Such as on Mt. Sinai. And to some of the prophets.

It might be that the inspiration was merely the sense to include one of the observations of what Jesus said or did, and how much detail to include. And the lack of consideration for telling another story. (Luke said there was too much to write.)

And the result is something "profitable." For teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Not for finding answers to every question ever asked.

It is mostly accounts of events (some exceptions). Every word in the account is not necessarily meaningful in the way that those who speak of inerrancy think. It is mostly narrative. The choice of word used was the writer's. A different writer might have recorded it differently. But as narrative, that would be OK.

The Bible does not make statements about science. It speaks in the manner (and within the knowledge) of the people who wrote it. If they misunderstood the place of Earth within the universe, it did not correct them. It told of creation in movements, using the terminology of days to separate the movements. The point was God. And that He created. Not that it happened in 6 days (or 6,000 years). Note that in at least one place, God spoke and the earth "brought forth" vegetation. And he said "let the land produce living creatures . . . ." An interesting statement for the One who is said to have created it all.

It provided the teaching in righteousness to change the thinking of the people from slaveholders to outlawing slavery, but did not force the issue. Same for many other issues, including the equality of Jews and Gentiles, men and women, and others we have not yet realized.

It is the continuing story of God and his people. And we consider the official story now closed. I believe that there is still much story being written. But with no link to God. The ones who wrote the 66 are almost entirely those who had very specific encounters with God in some form — covenant/visitation, burning bush, provision of strength, spoken to by God, spent time with Jesus. . . . Those since can make no such claim. That may not make their "story" any less true. But we have less assurance of the faithfulness to be considered "the Word of God."