Some years ago I was selling Christian books door-to-door and happened to call on the local Anglican clergywoman. She dressed me down emphatically for selling expensive books to parents who, according to her social analysis, could barely afford to feed their children. Being the impertinent youngster that I was, I responded by quoting Matthew 4 to her -- scripture from this week's study.
Visualize it: young Alister standing on the vicarage doorstep, quoting "It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." She was quite unimpressed, and said "That's the problem with you fundamentalists; always quoting scripture." Well, she was only 21% right, as last week's entry attests.
Jesus was, of course, quoting from Deuteronomy, where God fed the Israelites with manna from heaven. It's fascinating to go back and read Deuteronomy and realize that we typically use this scripture out of context. God is reminding his people of his care and leading over the last 40 years and then says:
'I gave you manna so that you would know that you are sustained not by your own efforts, but by my word. I covenanted with you, and I will not forget my word.'
What word? Well, we have to go back 40 years to the Exodus, with the Egyptians hot on their trail. The prophetic word from God through Moses was
'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. ... The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.' (Ex 14:13,14).
Manna follows in the next chapter.
Two thousand years later, Jesus was not so much making a statement about scriptural authority as he was declaring His reliance on His Father, even in circumstances of extreme hunger far beyond anything the Israelites experienced in their 40-year wilderness safari.
This week's study is a case for the 'authority' of scripture, with Jesus' reliance on scripture as Exhibit A. The 'authority' of scripture has always been of more interest to the supposed custodians of God's word than it has been to God's people. If the Bible is the 'final authority', then clergy entrusted with expositing and ruling on scripture also have 'final authority'. Fortunately, most of us meet within a community of faith that rejects such views. But Jesus had to deal with that view head on. In the Sermon on the Mount, he repeatedly rebuts Biblical interpretation that is inconsistent with His character with "You have heard it said, ... but I say ..." (Matt 5). Nothing is 'final' while God continues to more fully reveal His character to us.
Read the Bible passages for yourself and prayerfully consider what they say about scriptural authority.
BTW, the 'further study' reading, pp. 15-23 Selected Messages, Book I, is excellent. I have included an excerpt below (which I find personally challenging).
Visualize it: young Alister standing on the vicarage doorstep, quoting "It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." She was quite unimpressed, and said "That's the problem with you fundamentalists; always quoting scripture." Well, she was only 21% right, as last week's entry attests.
Jesus was, of course, quoting from Deuteronomy, where God fed the Israelites with manna from heaven. It's fascinating to go back and read Deuteronomy and realize that we typically use this scripture out of context. God is reminding his people of his care and leading over the last 40 years and then says:
'I gave you manna so that you would know that you are sustained not by your own efforts, but by my word. I covenanted with you, and I will not forget my word.'
What word? Well, we have to go back 40 years to the Exodus, with the Egyptians hot on their trail. The prophetic word from God through Moses was
'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. ... The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.' (Ex 14:13,14).
Manna follows in the next chapter.
Two thousand years later, Jesus was not so much making a statement about scriptural authority as he was declaring His reliance on His Father, even in circumstances of extreme hunger far beyond anything the Israelites experienced in their 40-year wilderness safari.
This week's study is a case for the 'authority' of scripture, with Jesus' reliance on scripture as Exhibit A. The 'authority' of scripture has always been of more interest to the supposed custodians of God's word than it has been to God's people. If the Bible is the 'final authority', then clergy entrusted with expositing and ruling on scripture also have 'final authority'. Fortunately, most of us meet within a community of faith that rejects such views. But Jesus had to deal with that view head on. In the Sermon on the Mount, he repeatedly rebuts Biblical interpretation that is inconsistent with His character with "You have heard it said, ... but I say ..." (Matt 5). Nothing is 'final' while God continues to more fully reveal His character to us.
Read the Bible passages for yourself and prayerfully consider what they say about scriptural authority.
BTW, the 'further study' reading, pp. 15-23 Selected Messages, Book I, is excellent. I have included an excerpt below (which I find personally challenging).
"But the oracles of God have been so manifestly neglected that there are but few in our world, even of those who profess to explain it to others, who have the divine knowledge of the scriptures. There are learned men who have a college education, but these shepherds do not feed the flock of God. They do not consider that the excellencies of the Scriptures will be continually unfolding their hidden treasures as precious jewels are discovered by digging for them."
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