Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Text: 2 Timothy 3:14–17
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Introduction:
In the early 1500’s, a storm was brewing in Europe’s churches. After several hundred years of dominance by the Roman Catholic church, the clergy had become corrupt and embroiled in political intrigues. Popes had led led crusades all throughout the Middle-east in a vain attempt to forcibly convert Muslims and Jews and to grab land and power. While clerical celibacy was the law of the church, there were many who broke it openly; and bishops and local priests alike—and even some popes—flaunted their illegitimate children. The ancient monastic discipline was increasingly relaxed as convents and monasteries became centers of leisurely living. Monarchs and the high nobility often provided for their illegitimate offspring by having them named abbots and abbesses, with no regard for their monastic vocation or lack of it. The commitment to learning for which monastic houses had been famous also declined, and the educational requirements for the local clergy fell to practically nil.
(picture of an indulgence with “Albertus” named on top)
In the midst of this context, Pope Leo X authorized Albert of Brandenburg to sell indulgences. Albert already had two important church positions in Europe, but he wanted to purchase the most important archbisop seat in Germany. At the time, church positions were probably more often purchased or bribed than earned through knowledge and godliness. So, Leo X agreed to sell him the position for a substantial amount of money. Albert couldn’t quite afford it, so Leo X gave him permission to sell indulgences—forgiveness of sins which could be purchased—so long as half the proceeds would be donated to Leo X to help fund the completion of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
The Story of Christianity: Volume 2: The Reformation to the Present Day 2. Martin Luther: Pilgrimage to Reformation
The man put in charge of the sale of indulgences in Germany was the Dominican John Tetzel, an unscrupulous man who was willing to make scandalous claims about his wares as long as such claims would help sales. Thus, for instance, Tetzel and his preachers were heard announcing that the indulgences that they sold made the sinner “cleaner than when coming out of baptism,” and “cleaner than Adam before the Fall,” and that “the cross of the seller of indulgences has as much power as the cross of Christ.” Those who wished to buy an indulgence for a loved one who was deceased were promised that, “as soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.”
“As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.”
—John Tetzel, (ca. 1500’s)
It was in the midst of this nonsense, on October 31, 1517, that a Catholic monk named Martin Luther finally had enough. Luther famously nailed his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. It was a scathing rebuke of the excesses, corruption, and false teachings of the Catholic Church, and a call for reform.
Well, the pope was not interested in reformation, and so the Protestant movement began. There were many points of contention between Protestants and Catholics, but at its root the most fundamental difference was between their views on Scripture.
And while it’s been over 500 years since Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door and started the Reformation, the things that made it necessary are still relevant to us today. So, as we approach Reformation Day (Oct. 31), we’re going to take a look at five of the most essential doctrines that we have as Protestants—the “Five Solas.” These often go by their Latin names, Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone).
Today, we’re going to look at the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, Scripture Alone.
We’ll spend most of our time in two separate passages this morning: 2 Timothy 3 and 2 Peter 1.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Scripture is God-breathed.
Scripture is God-breathed.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
Now, if you use the KJV, the verse will read a little differently:
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
What you need to understand is that the meaning of words has shifted over time in the English language. Sometimes, it’s pretty easy to pick up on that shift, like when the KJV uses the word “gay” to describe the type of clothes a rich man wears in James 2.3...
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
But in other cases, the shift hasn’t been so dramatic. So, for example, when we read in the KJV that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God...”, we use the modern definition of “inspire” without even realizing it:
in·spire in-ˈspī(-ə)r
1) fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
2) (archaic) to breathe or blow into or upon
If you don’t realize this, you could easily read the KJV here and come to the wrong conclusion: that God provided the inspiration, the impetus, the idea for scripture, but then the human authors took over. You could envision scripture as being inspired by God in the same way that a beautiful scenic vista inspires an artist or a poet. But that’s not the meaning intended here by the Greek, and it wasn’t the meaning intended by the translators of the KJV, either.
theopneustos— “God-breathed”
2 Timothy Theopneustos, “God-Breathed”
The term theopneustos is built from the words theos (“God” or”god”) and pneō (“to blow,” “to breathe out”) and is not a common word in Greek literature.
2 Timothy Theopneustos, “God-Breathed”
Theopneustos was first used regarding wisdom in general and then later in reference to dreams. The sense was that the gods inspired wisdom and dreams for people to provide them with guidance or insight. Within the NT, theopneustos occurs only in 2 Tim 3:16a (“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for …”; ESV). When Paul applies theopneustos to Scripture (graphē), he is introducing an unusual category for texts, which were not usually thought of as having religious authority in the Hellenistic world.
So, when Paul uses this word to describe Scripture, he’s using a word that most people in the ancient world would not have used of religious texts. He’s elevating the status of the Bible as having been breathed out by God, saying that while human authors wrote it down, its source is ultimately God himself.
This is significant, because a lot of people nowadays want to make the argument that ancient people didn’t think of their scriptures as being “without error,” or “divinely inspired.” The fact is, that even if that is true, Paul here goes out of his way to use a very uncommonly used word to insist that our scriptures, the Bible, are different.
Scripture is the word of God
Scripture is the word of God
It does not merely contain the word of God, it is the word of God.
It does not merely contain the word of God, it is the word of God.
Many scholars and skeptics today argue that the Bible contains the words of God, or points to the word of God, but is not in totality the “word of God.” Much like an artist views a scenic vista, gets inspired (in the modern sense), and then paints a beautiful painting that is reminiscent—but not a perfect reflection—of the real thing, so they say scripture points us to the word of God but isn’t the actual thing itself.
This implies that some of what is in the Bible is not, in fact, God’s word, but merely the words of men.
This is then used to dismiss difficult or unpalatable doctrines (e.g., teaching on homosexuality, divorce, gender roles in the family/church, creation, miracles, etc.).
Every word in the Bible is Scripture.
Every word in the Bible is Scripture.
The Bible = Scripture
Peter argues that both the Old Testament and the writings of the Apostles are Scripture:
Peter argues that both the Old Testament and the writings of the Apostles are Scripture:
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
Peter emphasizes the truth and authoritative nature of his and the other apostles’ eye-witness accounts.
He emphasizes that he and the other apostles were eye-witnesses, and that their account comes from their encounter with Christ and the Father. But, he doesn’t stop there...
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
He refers to the “prophetic word,” which here means the Old Testament, which foretold of the coming messiah.
Then, he argues that their eyewitness testimony corroborates these OT scriptures, and “more fully confirms” them. This is evidence that Peter saw his writings and the writings of the other apostles as authoritative, not opinions or speculations, or “cleverly devised myths.”
Then, he says “to which you will do well to pay attention”—encompassing both the OT prophecies and the apostolic writings which confirm them, thereby elevating the apostolic writings to the same level of authority as the OT— “until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts...”, which refers to the second coming of Christ.
And if it wasn’t clear enough what Peter is saying, he drives the point home even further:
20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
He argues that prophecy—here encompassing both OT and NT prophecy, as he has already established—does not find its ultimate source in man, but in God himself, through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Go quickly through these next points as supporting points to what has already been established.
Peter argues that the Pauline Epistles are Scripture:
Peter argues that the Pauline Epistles are Scripture:
15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
Refers to all of Paul’s letters as having been written “according to the wisdom given him [by God]” and lumps them in the category with the “other Scriptures.”
Paul cites Luke’s Gospel as Scripture:
Paul cites Luke’s Gospel as Scripture:
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine 1. This Is What the Bible Claims for Itself
Similarly, in 1 Timothy 5:18, Paul quotes Jesus’ words as found in Luke 10:7 and calls them “scripture.
18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
Revelation gives a warning that it should be treated solemnly as Scripture.
Revelation gives a warning that it should be treated solemnly as Scripture.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
If the Bible is the word of God, then...
The Bible carries the authority of God.
The Bible carries the authority of God.
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine B. Therefore to Disbelieve or Disobey Any Word of Scripture Is to Disbelieve or Disobey God
all the words in Scripture are God’s words. Consequently, to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God himself.
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine B. Therefore to Disbelieve or Disobey Any Word of Scripture Is to Disbelieve or Disobey God
Throughout the history of the church the greatest preachers have been those who have recognized that they have no authority in themselves and have seen their task as being to explain the words of Scripture and apply them clearly to the lives of their hearers. Their preaching has drawn its power not from the proclamation of their own Christian experiences or the experiences of others, nor from their own opinions, creative ideas, or rhetorical skills, but from God’s powerful words.
As the word of God, Scripture is our ultimate authority.
As the word of God, Scripture is our ultimate authority.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
In this verse, Jesus doesn’t use the adjective “true,” he uses the noun, “truth.” This means that Jesus is not merely saying that God’s word is true, but that it is truth itself. It is the standard by which all truth is measured.
This doesn’t mean we don’t have other authorities (i.e., government, our church and its leaders, etc.)
But, Scripture is the ultimate authority.
“Scripture alone” doesn’t mean we have to reject tradition, government, creeds, etc., it just means that if there’s a conflict, Scripture is the deciding voice.
“Scripture Alone” doesn’t mean there is no other source of truth, but that all other statements which claim truth must be evaluated against Scripture.
All traditions, beliefs, creeds, etc. are to be measured against Scripture. If they are contradictory, they should be eliminated.
There are many differences between Protestants and Catholics on matters of doctrine and practice, but most all of them boil down to this distinction.
Protestants claim the Bible is the only rule of faith, meaning that it contains all of the material one needs for theology and that this material is sufficiently clear that one does not need apostolic tradition or the Church’s magisterium (teaching authority) to help one understand it. In the Protestant view, the whole of Christian truth is found within the Bible’s pages. Anything extraneous to the Bible is simply non-authoritative, unnecessary, or wrong.
Catholics, on the other hand, recognize that the true “rule of faith”—as expressed in the Bible itself—is Scripture plus apostolic tradition, as manifested in the living teaching authority of the Catholic Church, to which were entrusted the oral teachings of Jesus and the apostles, along with the authority to interpret Scripture correctly.
In the Second Vatican Council’s document on divine revelation, Dei Verbum (Latin: “The Word of God”), the relationship between Tradition and Scripture is explained:
“Hence there exists a close connection and communication between sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture. For both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end. For sacred Scripture is the word of God inasmuch as it is consigned to writing under the inspiration of the divine Spirit. To the successors of the apostles, sacred Tradition hands on in its full purity God’s word, which was entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
“Thus, by the light of the Spirit of truth, these successors can in their preaching preserve this word of God faithfully, explain it, and make it more widely known. Consequently it is not from sacred Scripture alone that the Church draws her certainty about everything which has been revealed. Therefore both sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture are to be accepted and venerated with the same devotion and reverence.”
Scripture and Tradition | Catholic Answers Tract (catholic.com)
Overall, this is a very fair summary of the difference between Catholics and Protestants, from a Catholic perspective. Notice the language of “Scripture plus...” the author uses.
Catholics, on the other hand, recognize that the true “rule of faith”—as expressed in the Bible itself—is Scripture plus apostolic tradition, as manifested in the living teaching authority of the Catholic Church, to which were entrusted the oral teachings of Jesus and the apostles, along with the authority to interpret Scripture correctly.
One essential point of clarification, however, is that we do not believe that traditions or church authority are unnecessary or wrong, but merely that they are subject to Scripture, whereas Catholics believe they are of equal standing with Scripture.
We absolutely believe in apostolic tradition as authoritative. The question is simply, “Where is the most reliable and authoritative source of apostolic tradition contained?” Catholics say, “Scripture AND Catholic teaching.” Protestants say “Scripture alone.”
When Catholics read verses like we read in Colossians 2, which talk about “that which you received,” they are correct in saying that it refers to apostolic tradition:
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.
But again, the question is, “Where do we have access to apostolic tradition?”
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
Notice the emphasis Paul puts on the Scriptures here.
If the Catholic church were a reliable source of understanding of apostolic tradition, then the Reformation would have never been necessary, and Catholic teaching would not have changed over the past two millennia. God’s word never changes, because God never changes.
6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
This understanding them to practice and believe many things which are simply not contained in Scripture (like purgatory, penance, and the sacramental system), and to elevate them to the same level of authority as Scripture.
It’s not wrong to follow a statement of faith or creed or tradition. What is wrong is to elevate that creed or tradition to the same level of authority as Scripture itself.
Notice Paul’s attitude towards his own authority—he clearly views his own apostolic authority as conditional. And the language of “the one you received...”
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
If Paul were to preach something that was contrary to the gospel he had already preached and recorded in Scripture, he would be accursed.
This “Scripture plus” theology is where Mormons go wrong, it’s where many heretical cults end up, and many who emphasize ongoing revelation and put unhealthy and unbiblical emphasis on receiving prophecies and “words of the Lord.”
Now, it’s easy to pick on the Catholics about allowing tradition to carry equal authority as Scripture, but the fact is that many times we do this without realizing it, too. We allow voices outside of Scripture—be it politics, our own personal preferences, our way of doing things, the culture around us, the latest scientific theory, etc.—to influence us and hold as much authority over our lives as Scripture itself. Some otherwise conservative voices will advocate for “words from the Lord” and such.
We also have a tendency to talk about matters of theology more in terms of our opinions than what Scripture says. “Well, I just think...” is a common refrain.
Spurgeon reportedly said that “The word of God is the anvil upon which the opinions of men are smashed.” Well put!
God is still active and moving in his Church today, leading and guiding us. But you will never receive a “word from the Lord” that contradicts Scripture.
As our ultimate authority, Scripture is the basis for teaching, reproof, correction, and sanctification.
As our ultimate authority, Scripture is the basis for teaching, reproof, correction, and sanctification.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
As our ultimate authority, Scripture is where we go for teaching. As such, if it is not in Scripture or about Scripture, it is not worthy of our time and focus in church.
When our beliefs or practices don’t line up with Scripture, we accept reproof and correction.
And by following God’s word, we grow into Christ-likeness (sanctification)
The end goal of Scipture is that we are made complete, equipped for every good work. So, when we follow Scripture, we can be sure that it contains what we need to know to be complete, equipped for every good work.
Conclusion:
If we’re honest, we often allow other things to come in and supplant Scripture’s authority in our lives. Sometimes its personal preferences—a particular style of music, a way of doing things, etc. Sometimes its politics or our surrounding culture. Sometimes its the latest scientific theory. But God’s word is the main thing that we need to keep our focus on, because its the primary way that God has given us for growing in Christ-likeness.