This article is a brief overview of the Christian Scriptures, so far as they speak with reference to themselves. This includes (1) the source of Scripture, (2) the authority of Scripture, and (3) the nature of Scripture.
The specific occasion for this article is the error of those who build up human authorities by denying or compromising divine authority in Scripture. Groups that deny or compromise the authority of Scripture include Roman catholicism (“RC”), liberal Protestantism (“LP”), eastern orthodoxy (“EO”), and many supposed conservative evangelical scholars (“SCES”).
(1) The Source of Scripture:
Where does Scripture come from? What is its source? Some will answer that the institutional church is the source of Scripture, such as certain apologists for the partial or full infallibility of the institutional church (some RC or EO). Some will argue that Scripture originates from the human authors (LP), or a mixture of divine and human sources (LP and SCES, and possibly some among EO and RC).
Scripture affirms that it is from God Himself, and no other source:
Romans 1:1-3 “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh”.
Note: God is the one who promised, the prophets were His instruments by which God delivered His promises, and the location where we can find God’s promises is “in the holy Scriptures.”
2 Timothy 3:15-17 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
The holy Scriptures are “given by inspiration of God.” The Greek term is theo-neustos, or breathed out by God. In other words, every single part of the Holy Scriptures has God for its source; not merely the promises (identified in Romans 1:1-3), but also the law, the prophecies, the threats, the prayers, the songs, and every other part of Scripture is breathed out by God.
1 Peter 1:10-11 “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”
The prophets are here identified as having the “Spirit of Christ” dwelling in them (elsewhere called “the Spirit of God,” because Christ is God, and the Spirit proceeds from Christ as well as the Father), and that what the prophets recorded for us was directly from the Spirit testifying beforehand by means of the prophets. This means that Scripture is the same thing as the Spirit of God speaking directly to the reader or hearer of Scripture.
2 Peter 1:20-21 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
The prophecies spoken by the prophets in old time were derived from the Holy Ghost, not from the choice or thoughts of the prophets themselves. The holy men of God were passive and moved by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost moved them to write what they wrote.
Related to these passages are the hundreds of passages within the Scripture that refer to the message about to be relayed as “the Word of the LORD” coming to such and such a man, or “Thus saith the LORD”. Though passages could be multiplied, a few samples include:
Jeremiah 1:1-2 “The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 2 To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign,” (cf. Jeremiah 2:1, 13:3, 16:1, 18:5, 24:4, etc.).
Though the book of Jeremiah, in a human sense, can be called “the words of Jeremiah,” yet the source of his words was the LORD, Who revealed the things written by Jeremiah. Jeremiah was carried along by the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit of Christ spoke in him.
Exodus 4:21-22 “And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn,” (cf. Exodus 5:1, 7:17, 8:1, 9:1, 10:3, 11:4, etc.).
Note again that though the human messenger was to be Aaron for Moses, yet the words spoken were the LORD’s words, spoken by men. Of notable interest in this regard is the description God gave to Moses of the chain of dictated revelation that was to be given to Pharaoh:
Exodus 4:14-16 “And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.”
The precise relationship between God and the prophets is illustrated by the relationship between Moses and Aaron: Moses would be like God, putting his words into the mouth of Aaron, who would then act as Moses’ “spokesman unto the people.” And all of this has God as a source for the words Moses would put into Aaron’s mouth, being with Moses’ mouth and Aaron’s mouth and promising to “teach you what ye shall do.” Thus, the Scriptures are referred to as “the oracles of God,” “the Word of God,” etc. God is the source, the prophets are the spokesmen or amanuensis; God’s “spokesmen.”
Also of note in this regard is the parallel phrases in quoting the Scriptures by prophets or Apostles that the quotations they make are God’s Word, such that “as it is written” is the same as “God said,” “the LORD commanded,” or “thus saith the LORD”:
2 Chronicles 25:4 “But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.”
Note, a written Scripture statute is the same thing as God directly issuing a command (cf. Nehemiah 8:14-15, Daniel 9:8-15).
Mark 1:1-2 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.”
Here sacred Scripture is quoted as “I send,” Jehovah Himself being the speaker in the written text.
Mark 7:6 “He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”
Here note, as in 2 Peter 1:21, though the holy man Isaiah prophesied, yet he was a mere amanuensis or spokesman, but it was actually God Himself Who uttered these words through Isaiah’s pen and preaching.
In summary, when Scripture refers to itself, it refers to itself as derived from God personally. In other words, the words of Scripture are God’s Words; He is the Source, He is the Speaker, He is the Author, and the prophets and Apostles are merely conduits through which He promised, commanded, threatened, consoled, etc. via their written oracles from God.
(2) The Authority of Scripture:
What authority does the Scripture hold? This question is determined by the first question concerning the source of Scripture. If the church is the source of Scripture (some in RC and EO), then the church will have the authority to tell us what the text truly means; Scripture authority will then be, at best, a secondary authority in practice, if not in theory. If the culture surrounding the writing of Scripture is at least partially (many SCES), or completely the source of Scripture (as LP), then its authority is weakened or destroyed.
In the Scriptures themselves, the source of Scripture determines the level of authority the Scriptures possess. In other words, the attributes of the source determine the attributes of the text. Is God infinite? Then His Word is not bounded by sources outside of God. Is God infallible? Then His Word is infallible. Is God unerring? Then His Word is inerrant. Is God the supreme judge and authority over man? Then His Word is the supreme judge and authority over man. Is God Truth? Then His Word in Scripture is Truth.
For some among the EO and RC, since the source of Scripture is the church, then the attributes of the church adhere (ironically) to their perverted treatment of Scripture. Is the church finite? Then the Scriptures are limited by sources outside of God. Is the church fallible? Then the Scriptures are fallible, and require external ecclesiastical sources, as councils or doctors of the church, to supplement. Is the church riddled with error? Then the Scriptures are riddled with error. Does the church contradict itself through its public teachers? Then the Scriptures contradict themselves.
Historically, the notion that the text of Scripture was corrupt first came to prominence via Counter-reformation apologists among RC. The notion that Scripture is so difficult that the average priest, let alone pew-squatter can’t understand its teaching was required in order to bolster the Roman church’s allegedly infallible authority.
More to the point, as a leftist movement, the meaning of Scripture was, in time, made entirely arbitrary and subjective. Hints of this exist among the church fathers, but in time, their discrete and occasional errors became the pretext for a system of arbitrary and fanciful interpretations of Scripture, with some scholastic theologians often providing far-fetched interpretations of texts of Scripture based upon pure fancy, or even well-intended mis-interpretations to reaffirm doctrinal truths. But the meaning of the text was almost entirely made subject to the interpreter.
Progressivism has historically held that objective reality is either suspect or elusive. For leftism, the personal authority replaces or becomes the “objective reality.” In terms of Scripture, this has meant that RC, EO, and LP all need some kind of mediatorial institution (pope, tradition, fathers, scholars) to determine the meaning of the plain words of Scripture, because an objective world of grammar, syntax, understandable propositions in Scripture is virtually unattainable. The “authority” of some person, group, or institution then supersedes the plain meaning of words as an unerring judge of its meaning.
Such notions lead to an increasingly “reasonable” conclusion that an authoritarian figure (RC) or figures (conciliar RC and EO) had to put an end to the chaos by providing HIS or THEIR personal subjective interpretation of Scripture as “authoritative” for all the faithful. Leftism lacks an objective reality outside of the thinking/feeling subject. The popes have pretended to represent the “reasonable solution” to the problem of authority, since their version of reality is made to supplant the objective meaning of the text of Scripture. This provides a parallel between the modern totalitarian state, which demands that because an objective world does not exist, you must trust them to tell you what reality is. So Fauci, mask mandates, clot-shot mandates, lockdowns, etc. So the left’s “right to keep and bear arms” meaning you MIGHT be able to hunt occasionally, rather than the plain meaning of the statute rule (a logical conclusion of Reformed Protestant Theology, as below) that keep and bear arms means keep and bear arms. So Rome’s “bread is converted to a real human body and divinity of Christ,” rather than the ordinary Scripture and general linguistic usage that gives the name of the things signified to the sign.
Scripture’s doctrine of Scripture authority is very different from something that is virtually unknowable, and therefore requiring supplemental authoritative tradition, etc.
John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
Deuteronomy 27:26 “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.”
Psalm 119 (throughout) [demonstrating that God’s attributes are Scripture’s attributes]:
89-96 “LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven… 93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me… 96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.”
Note: God’s Word, precepts, and commandment (various terms for the Bible) has eternity, resurrection power, and perfection ascribed to it.
(3) The Nature of Scripture:
Having considered the source of Scripture, which is God Himself, and the subsequent and necessary authority of Scripture, the final question we will handle concerns the nature of Scripture. There is a good deal of overlap with the previous points, and much that flows from what has preceded, but we will examine the Scripture’s teaching concerning its own nature.
Psalm 119:97-100, 104-105 “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. 98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts… 104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
The written revelation of God, referred to by the Psalmist as law, commandments, testimonies, precepts, and word (a hearty slew of terms all referring to the written Scriptures) are light-giving, or productive of understanding, rather than virtually impossible to understand without the authoritative guidance of human instructors (RC and EO).
Deuteronomy 30:10-16 “If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.”
Note: Again, Scripture equates the written revelation of God with “the voice of the LORD thy God” (v.10). The source of Scripture determines the authority of Scripture, which is coupled with the INTELLIGIBILITY or clarity of Scripture. God assumes that the whole body of the people of Israel, an ancient nomadic people, redeemed from slavery in Egypt about 40 years earlier, on the cusp of inheriting the promised land (as v.16 states) could hear, understand, and therefore be held liable to practically do and apply (“walk in” and “keep”) the teaching of God’s written revelation. Furthermore, God takes all lame excuses away from this ancient nomadic people by demonstrating that the teaching of Scripture does not require some recondite explanations, some authoritative guru to travel to far-off lands, or ascend up to heaven to “bring the word from on high,” but rather requires embracing the present and clearly understandable truth, which was present both to their understanding (“in thy heart”) and could even be articulated by them (“in thy mouth”). Rather than being far off and recondite, it was very close to them, easily understood, and therefore accessible to do and obey.
Therefore, the nature of Scripture, assumed by Scripture itself, is that the voice of God is clear, and therefore man is accountable to obedience. Further, due to its clarity, man does not need an authoritative guru to ascend to heaven to clarify its “oh-so obscure” teaching with authoritative, ecclesiastical deliberations and traditions from ancient times.
Romans 10:6-10, 14-15 “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Note: not only is the law of Moses clear and intelligible, but the gospel of Christ is also clear and intelligible. Those things necessary to be known and believed for salvation are so plain that the Apostle says that they are present, easily understood, without recondite meaning, and may be delivered through authoritative preaching, understood, believed, and confessed unto salvation in the ordinary use of the means of grace.
Scripture assumes, in both the Old and New Testaments that its basic and necessary teachings, whether of law or gospel, are clear, easily understood, and therefore attainable by the bulk of an ancient nomadic people, or the “not many wise, not many noble” of the New Testament churches of Christ.
2 Peter 3:15-16 “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
Here Peter identifies Paul’s epistles as Scripture. And within the Apostle Paul’s Epistles, there are many plain and easily understood statements, but some things that are “hard to be understood.” Louw-Nida’s Lexicon says that this word translated “hard to be understood” refers to “pertaining to being understandable, but only with great effort.” It is a fact that the Bible was not given with uniform clarity, but those things necessary for salvation do not require much in the way of exposition, except for the hardness of heart of men, the depravity and ill-will of the unstable, and the unlearned status of certain who profess themselves to be teachers, but are fools.
Peter recognizes that the problem in such cases is not with the clear or less clear parts of Scripture, because such men will perform the same hack-jobs against “the other Scriptures.” The plain passages, easily understood, clear as a bell, will be obscured, twisted, and tortured by the wicked. This gives no warrant to class all Scriptures, let alone even Paul’s Epistles, as “hard to be understood,” and therefore requiring an infallible guide to ascend up to heaven for answers, or descend into the deep the clarify the message of Christ.
This passage does, however, demonstrate the need for both godliness of character, and learning to qualify and equip a man to preach and teach the Word of God publicly, so that he will not twist and torture clear or less clear passages of Scripture to his own destruction, and the destruction of such as follow him. But that this warrants an infallible guide due to the assumed lack of clarity in words, grammar, sentences, or paragraphs is a leftist invention to draw disciples away from the pure fount of salvation, Scripture, to the muddied and impure streams handed down from ancient days by the doctrines and commandments of men is the ancient and modern error of Pharisees whether Jewish, Roman, Eastern, or “Protestant.”
2 Timothy 3:15-17 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
In conclusion, the Bible refers to itself as the “truth,” the “Word of God,” the “oracles of God,” and “God-breathed.” Because Scripture is breathed out by God through the prophets and Apostles, it carries the attributes of God, such as wisdom, truth, infallibility, eternity, power to save, sanctity, etc.
The words of church councils, church fathers, teachers, scholars, pastors, popes all reflect their authors. The attributes of these authors adhere to their own products. Were they infallible, omniscient, truth itself, eternal, holy, and had power to save, then their words could be trusted to be reliable in all their assertions, wise in every part, unable to err, save us from damnation, and utterly holy. In such cases, they would be our gods. And to such as trust in such sources as a necessary supplement to the revelation already given by God in Scripture, their worship human gods. But God will not share His glory with another, whether a graven image, a scholar, a pope or a council.
Further, to assume that the words of the fathers, councils, or popes are MORE CLEAR than Scripture, is to assume folly in the Author of Scripture and wisdom in the author of human decrees.
But the opposite is the case: Scripture is the infallible rule by which all other authorities are ruled and judged, NOT vice verse. If a father, a council, a pope, or a Scholar speaks according to the Scripture, he is to be reverently heard. If he speaks according to other revelations, pretended to be divine traditions, but lacking authority of the written Word of God, such a speaker is anti-Christian, and must be set aside for pure words of God, rather than the corrupt and depraved words of men.
