I’ve been thinking about the inspiration and interpretation of the Bible and reading a lot of patristics. So when I found this little book that combines them all I knew I had to get it. This book is a gem. At only 147 pages this carefully footnoted work packs in a wealth of information. Graves looks at what Early Church Fathers believed about the inspiration of the Bible and how those convictions influenced the way they interpreted it. One discovers how important the spiritual meaning of the text was to the Church Fathers, how they viewed the historicity and factuality of the Bible (it may surprise you), how they dealt with passages they deemed “unworthy of God,” and so on. A mosaic of characters each contributes their part to this varied masterpiece. You read of saints Athanasias and Ambrose, saints Gregory Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa, saints Jerome, Augustine, Basil the Great, Didymus the Blind, John Chrysostom and so on. You even hear from those whose reputation is in question for various reasons, like Origen and Theodore of Mopsuestia. Though there are some differences in how they interpreted and in the details of how they conceived inspiration they all agreed that the Bible is a trustworthy and useful guide to the Christian life which does not contradict itself (though it often seems to) or any other truth which may be discovered “out there.” This book is a favorite. Enjoy!