The Bible consists of two sections. Let’s consider the relationship of one to the other. How does the New Testament view the Old Testament:
·
The New grants impressive attributes to the Old:
o
Rom 1:2: it is holy (set-apart).
o
2 Tim 3:15: it is sacred (as the priests and
temple were sacred).
o
2 Tim 3:16: it is God-breathed.
o
Rom. 3:2: it is the oracle (the very words) of
God.
o
John 10:35: it is unbreakable.
"The
Bible is not God, but it is God speaking.
He has spoken, and the Bible is the result. The entire Bible is God speaking...He has
spoken through the Holy Spirit through men to men" (Miller).
o
Heb. 2:2: it is binding.
·
The New cites the Old, often using the words,
"it is written."
·
The New claims to fulfill the Old. One special passage, I Cor. 15:3-4,
illustrates. Paul says here that his
message (the NT) of the death and resurrection of Christ came from the OT.
·
The New credits the creation of the Old to the
Holy Spirit
o
Matt. 22:43: David spoke "in the
Spirit."
o Acts 1:16: Scripture spoken before by the Holy Spirit by David.
o Acts 28:25; HS spoke through Isaiah.
Another critical
question is this: is special revelation continuing today? What about the Roman Catholic Church? Does their doctrine allow for God speaking
additionally beyond the revelation of God “by His Son?” Again, consider:
·
Concerning the 'ex cathedra' infallibility expressed
by the Pope, "By this power the pope does not give new revelation, but
rather serves and protects the revelation Christ has given us" but then
adds, "Though the Church's basic teachings are unalterable and can never
be negated, their formulation can change, grow, develop to express the truth
more fully." (CAU p.145)
· Concerning the tradition of the Church: "Tradition, then, is the way in which the teachings of the bible are understood and put into living application in the Church." But then..."While the Bible contains God's original revelation, the Bible cannot be understood alone. The Church's living tradition is necessary to understand it...So we cannot arbitrarily use biblical texts to 'prove' a teaching apart from the Church's tradition."
· Further, the Constitution on Divine Revelation, #9 states: "Sacred tradition and sacred scripture form one sacred deposit of the Word of God committed to the Church."
This comment from Bernard Ramm indicates the
problem with the Catholic view on continuing revelation: "Catholicism thus
stands today at the same place the Jews were in the days of Christ: (a)a vast
body of venerated tradition gluts the word of God so it cannot be heard; and
(b)the tradition is the lord of the original revelation." Catholic doctrine makes the Bible much less
of a “special” revelation.
We plan to continue this in our next post.
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