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The Authority of Scripture |
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“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” -- Isaiah 8:20.
The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of spirits of darkness. ... By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested.
To every soul will come the searching test: Shall I obey God rather than men? ... Are our feet planted on the rock of God's immutable word? Are we prepared to stand firm in defense of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus? ...
The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord” in its support.
-- The Great Controversy, "The Scriptures a Safeguard"
These verses are in no particular order; they are merely here to reveal the authority and importance of scripture from the Bible. In many respects, I have saved the strongest and most often quoted scriptures for last. Commentary is limited, and intended only to help draw out the principle from the text.
But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
The angel Gabriel refers to the scripture as the scripture of truth.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Jesus refers to the word as truth.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Jesus rebuked them for not knowing the scripture, and not knowing the scripture leads to error. [Mk 12:24. A similar rebuke appears in Matthew 21:42.]
…the scripture cannot be broken.
Jesus says that the scripture cannot be broken, meaning that the scripture is infallible.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Jesus taught from the scripture.
See also John 7:42, 13:18, 17:12.
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
The disciples had faith in the scripture, and the resurrection strengthened their faith in it.
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
There are too many texts like this one to list them all; but they point to the fact that the scripture is prophetic and authoritative.
See also John 19:24, 28, 36, 37; John 20:9; Acts 1:16; James 2:23; James 4:5; Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:17; Matthew 2:23; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 21:4; Matthew 26:54; Matthew 26:56; Matthew 27:35; Mark 14:49; Luke 4:21
For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
All things which are written, leaving nothing out. The scripture then is true; all of it.
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Jesus pointed to the scripture for truth.
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God…
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God…
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
When facing the devil in the wilderness, Christ met him with an “it is written” in every case.
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself…
Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures
Jesus' identity was confirmed through scripture. It was the test by which He could be identified. Also, He opened His disciples understanding to know the scriptures, meaning that knowledge of them personally is what is important.
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
When the Jews wouldn’t believe on Christ, He commands, “search the scriptures!” So today we should heed His command.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
The scriptures contain the truth, and we are expected to believe them.
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Without the foundation of Moses' writings, there is no reason to believe Jesus. If we believe the writings of Moses, we shall also believe Jesus.
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men… .
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
In Christ’s day, the oral traditions were regarded above the scriptures by the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus called these “traditions of men,” and rebuked them for rejecting the commandment of God (written in the law) for these oral traditions.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
We shall be judged by the word. How important, then, that we heed the word and conform our lives to it!
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.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
The scripture is sufficient for our salvation. It is given by inspiration of God, that is, God wrote through the prophets, and is authoritative in matters of doctrine, lifestyle, and righteousness. Through them, we may be made perfect and equipped for all service.
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 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.
God was speaking through the prophets when the scripture was given, and therefore, the scripture does not have private interpretation; meaning that there is one truth, and one right understanding, and we are to seek that truth. When we read the scripture, we are reading a message from God to us.
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.
A wrong interpretation, or twisting of scripture, leads to destruction. We do well then to seek the truth of what they mean. It is life and death whether or not we understand and heed them.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John
This is a demonstration of how scripture is passed down to us. The Father gives the message to the Son, and the Son then gives it to His messenger, who gives it in turn to the prophet, who then passes it along to us. The message we have on paper from the prophets is direct from God to us.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
The Bereans are commended for testing all things against the scriptures to see whether or not they are true.
For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
The apostles and brethren are found teaching from the scripture. See also 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 and Acts 17:2.
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Paul is continually teaching from the scripture as truth. See also Romans 9:17; 10:11; 11:2; Galatians 3:8, 22; 4:30; 1 Timothy 5:18.
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
Paul himself points out that the things he writes are not his own words, but the testimony of the Lord.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
There is no blemish in the law, or the testimony (the prophets). We may rely on them for truth above all things.
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Again, things are to be tested against the law (the books of Moses) and the testimony (the writings of the Prophets). See Revelation 19:10 for a definition of what the testimony of Jesus is.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path… .
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
One cannot read Psalm 119 and not walk away with an appreciation of the scriptures. The entire Psalm should be read.
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?
Those who reject the word of the Lord and receive something else in its place have no wisdom.
He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.
Regarding the word of God is life or death. We have already seen that the writings of scripture are given to us from God, and are the words of God.
Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
Pretty serious stuff. There are many admonitions of this kind in scripture.
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
For an example of this; see Numbers 22:18,20,35,38.
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
God has magnified His word even above His name. Wow.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
God’s word is pure. We are not to add to it with oral traditions, but think as it is written; for if we go beyond, and think it the command of the Lord, we shall be found as liars.
Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.
Paul wrote to affirm that we should not think beyond what is written in the scripture, that we don’t become divided from one another.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The word searches our hearts. It has power. When God said, “Let there be light,” there was light; and so, His words given to us through the Prophets carry the same power and authority.
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
And as such, the scriptures have the power to re-create us as we take them in. They have the power to redeem our souls as they are written upon our hearts. The words of scripture are the words of truth and life. We are called to conform our lives to these words above all traditions of men; no matter who these men may be, or how high their professed holiness and authority.
The words of God, given through the prophets, have more weight than any man can ever claim.