Sola Scriptura (Part 2)
These weekly theological tidbits are designed to expand the mind on the Triune God and provoke a moment of worship in the heart. T.T.O.W. (theological term of the week) is not exhaustive, rather it is a leaflet of information that hopefully leads to deeper investigation.
Term: Sola Scriptura
In Part 1 on this doctrine, Sola Scriptura was identified by its central claim: the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. This claim was parsed into three main aspects: clarity, sufficiency, and authority. With a clear understanding of what Sola Scriptura is and is not claiming, we can look for its basis in Scripture itself. In this article the concept of Sola Scriptura will be examined in an Old Testament context while two future articles will investigate Jesus’ words and New Testament evidence. I hope to provide a brief survey focusing on three main passages that speak to this doctrine; In no way are these the only texts that speak to this issue, but each one is critical to examine for all who wish to affirm or deny “Scripture alone.”
The Word Rules
Deuteronomy 31:9-13:
9 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, 13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
Moses was in his last stages of life; He knew his time leading Israel was up and in his death the people of Israel would still need to be led by the word of God. Deuteronomy 31-32 recounts some of Moses’ final actions as head of the Israelites. Before establishing Joshua as the next leader, the Lord cements a surer authority. Moses’ “wrote the law” (31:9) and gave it to all the priests and elders, and commanded them to “read this law before all Israel in their hearing” every seven years (31:9-11). All were to be in attendance: “the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns” (31:12). The purpose of this reading of God’s word written down by Moses was, “that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law” (31:12). Finally, this recurring reading of the law was to educate each generation of future children “who have not known it” to “hear and learn to fear the LORD your God” (31:13).
Deuteronomy 32:45-47:
45 And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. 47 For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
At the end of Moses’ dispensing of the written law, reciting of his “song,” and before his final blessing, he exhorts the people this way: “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess” (32:46-47). From the least to the greatest all those who heard the now written law were under its authority. Submission to the written word was by itself life to the people.
Let’s draw some conclusions from this series of events and commands to the Israelites:
The word was preserved by writing it down.
The people were required to hear it read and obey it.
Children were expected to comprehend and follow the word.
An interpreter of the word was not required.
The simple reading of the word was sufficient to teach and hold those who heard it accountable.
In the word alone was life to the people.
It seems clear that the word of God alone was enough to nourish, instruct, and hold the people of Israel accountable. The Lord clearly communicated to his people through the written word what he required. Throughout the Old Testament, the adherence to the word is the major challenge of those who follow God. Most of Israel’s wrongdoing stemmed from the violation of this principle: the word of God is the sole infallible source of authority for faith and practice. The reason why the Lord holds his people to this standard is because he has preserved his word in writing (Deut. 31:9), and written it clearly for all people (Deut. 31:10-11). God has chosen the Scriptures as the means by which he imparts the knowledge that leads to life (Deut. 32:46-47).
Even the Old Testament prophets, who were inspired in their writings, mainly functioned not as bearers of new revelation, but rather as voices pointing the people back to the previous revelation of God’s law. Those men were constantly calling their brethren to return to the commands of Scripture because: “He has told you, O man, what is good” (Mic. 6:8). The prophets did not focus on interpreting the law for the people; they assumed the people knew the law and were rejecting it. Prophetic judgments, blessings, and messages from the Lord through the prophets were responses to the people obeying or disobeying this command: “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess” (Deut. 32:46-47).
Reflective Worship
Moses’ command is such a simple one: read and obey God’s word, yet it is failed day after day. At times the problem is a lack of reading; to obey the word it must first be known. On the other hand, the Scripture is read over and over, but the reader refuses to obey. As noted above, lack of clarity or interpretation is no excuse, so why do we and our ancient forefathers fall time and time again?
There is a sense in which we can never follow this command perfectly. Our DNA has been altered to produce a natural inclination toward disobedience (Rom. 1,5). Jesus Christ is the only human who has walked this line, and his obedience led to restoration for all those who trust in his name (Rom. 10:13). But we cannot simply write off our disobedience to our nature; Especially if we have been given a new nature in Christ himself (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:22-24). No, we should want to obey the word of God. Why? Because the promise of obeying God is a positive, an ultimate positive. “It is no empty word for you, but your very life” (Deut. 32:47). We should not begrudgingly submit to the Scriptures solely because of the fear of negative effects (though that is certainly a factor), rather because our good Creator knows what is best for our flourishing and has delivered to us the gift of his clear, sufficient, and authoritative word for our benefit.
Further Study
Books
Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible ed. by Don Kistler
Scripture Alone: Exploring the Bible's Accuracy, Authority and Authenticity by James R. White
God’s Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture—What the Reformers Taught...and Why It Still Matters by Matthew Barrett