How did the Bible authors get some info?

I was thinking about something this morning I hadn't really thought of before.

When it comes to documenting private conversations, how did the authors get their info? Particularly in regard to Jesus. For example, Jesus had a private conversation with Nicodemus yet John documents the conversation specifics. Did Jesus afterwards totally recap his conversation with Nicodemus to the disciples? Did the Holy Spirit simply reveal to John's mind what was said?

There are other examples but you can get the gist of what I am talking about.

John 3:1-2

"There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, the same came to Jesus by night,..."

Perhaps, John actually heard the conversation.

Greetings TMK

I believe the BIBLE is GOD words given to the disciples word for word through the HOLY SPIRIT. This is why we know we can trust what is said as accurate and completely from HIM. Even when JESUS was in the garden praying alone while the disciples slept I believe the HOLY SPIRIT later gave these words to the disciples to put done in writing and to be shared with the body. GOD WORD is infallible because it comes directly from HIM. This is my understanding and what I know to be true. :)

God bless
maryjane

Hi MJ-

I am not questioning inspiration but I might question the idea that the Biblical writers "took dictation" from the HS.

In regard to Nicodemus I always had the impression it was a private conversation; even if not the text about the Samaritan woman says Jesus was alone with her.

Hi TMK, Interesting question.

It is my understanding that everything the apostles recorded in the gospels were things they saw and heard. They were eye witnesses to the Lord Jesus and this is their testimony. The exception being Luke who was not there, but he tells us he got first hand accounts from those who were there (Luke 1). When they had to choose a replacement for Judas the criteria was that he had to be one who had been with them from the beginning and was a witness of the resurrection.

I don't think that they were given information by the Holy Spirit that was unknown to them. The Holy Spirit brought to their remembrance what was said and what took place, He inspired the words they used to record those things and He gave them spiritual insight into the meaning and interpretation of all the things they heard and saw.

Regarding the Nicodemus incident, it does not say no one else was there, so it could have bee that John or other disciples heard the conversation, otherwise Jesus told them, or maybe even Nicodemus told them later. He probably became one of the believing Pharisees we read about in Acts.

Greeting TMK

I did not mean to imply that the disciples were sitting around taking dictation. I do believe they wrote down the things they saw and heard but that the LORD led them and revealed to them all things in the HIS WORD so that it could be written down and shared with us. For example JESUS being alone in the garden when he prayed, in Luke 22:41-45 this has to have been revealed by the HOLY SPIRIT. That is how I would understand it.

God bless
maryjane

2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Peter 1:12-21

I John 1:1-3

Luke 1:1-4

In John 16:4, Jesus tells the disciples that they are to remember the things He told them. I expect that as the writers sat to put down these remembrances, the Holy Spirit released their minds to recall with near miraculous accuracy the things spoken. Just enough discrepancy in the synoptic gospels however to enhance the credibility of their human witness.

They were not God in a trance, but men in obedience.

Which brings me to the mysterious connection I perceive between the conversation Jesus had with Cleopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus and the book of Hebrews. Jesus filled them with information but withheld His own identity. Could it be that He wanted this information included in the Bible and ensured that by revealing the details of how He spanned the whole of God's covenant with men?

There are interesting details to this story, how Jesus acted as if He were going further, indicating that He was not actually going to Emmaus; how there were two men hearing everything, nothing could be admitted without two witnesses, how Jesus restrained their ability to recognize Him because if they had known Who it was that was speaking to them, they wouldn't have been able to process and retain the information!

Dunno, but my vote, unimportant as it probably is, goes to Cleopas as the mysterious author of the book of Hebrews. Or maybe the other guy, un-named in the text.

No real proof, just a suspicion based on the time I lamented in prayer that I would have loved to hear that conversation.

"Maybe you have," came a soft response in my spirit.

One of my ponders to be answered some sweet day as I snuggle at His bosom!

TMK: What leads you to believe the conversation was private? We only know that Nicodemus came at night so that the rest of the Pharisees would not see him. But Jesus had 12 disciples that were with him almost continually. My guess is that there were multiple witnesses to the conversation.

Yes but the text in John 4 (Samaritan woman) specifically says he was alone with her.

I can't see Jesus taking the time to recap all his private discussions to the disciples so I suppose the likeliest source are those persons he had the private discussions with.

When he had the discussion with Pilate regarding truth, it does not seem that any disciples were present. Not sure who would have passed on that info.

I want to stress I am not trying to cast any doubts about the authenticity or accuracy of the scriptures, etc.

I am just curious about things like this and I think it is a fair question.

Look at the last several verses of this account in John 4. The woman herself published this account widely. We also have no reason to believe that Jesus did not tell the disciples after the fact what had happened. If you lived closely with a group of men, you would no doubt have conversations about events that were significant. Perhaps the disciples said, "Jesus, we heard about this event with the woman. What happened?" We do not know how the conversation went, but we cannot draw a conclusion from what we do not find recorded.

sidewalk: It might warrant another thread, but I personally lean to Apollos as the author of Hebrews. Hal Lindsey gave a great argument for his authorship and it is the most plausible argument I have ever heard.