a helpful analogy

a quote from g.i. williamson:

"the fact of the matter is that the Bible cannot possibly be proved to be God's word by anything external to God Himself. this does not mean that the testimony of the church is useless. a guide who points out various masterpieces in an art gallery is of use. he does not make doubtful paintings into masterpieces. he does not even prove masterpieces to be such. but he may be the instrument by which we are brought to see the intrinsic qualities which make them to be masterpieces. so the church may point out that the Bible is the word of God. but this is possible only because it is God's word - because it already displays everywhere within itself the excellencies which belong to word-divinity. it must be there in order to be seen to be there."