Are the scriptures the word of God? Can we believe the scriptures? What did Jesus believe?
Word of the Lord
What are the Scriptures? Are they the same as the word of the Lord? Writing that he understood the duration of the Babylonian captivity, Daniel refers to the Scriptures as the word of the Lord.
… I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. (Daniel 9:2 NIV; Jeremiah 25:11; 29:10)
Notice that Daniel defines “the Scriptures” as “the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah.” That which is written there is the word of the Lord, a statement denied by skeptics.
Scripture of Truth
Daniel also quotes an angel speaking of the book or Scripture of truth.
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. (Daniel 10:21 KJV)
Here we see the holy writings called the Scripture of truth, or book of truth, not myth, not fiction as some moderns claim. Why not take the testimony of these witnesses, who were there at the time, at face value?
The Scriptures Say
When Jesus was taken into the wilderness to be tested after fasting, He recognized the authority of Scripture. Even the devil tried to twist the Scriptures to his advantage. But, a right view of the Scriptures became Jesus’ defence. If Jesus did not believe the Scriptures were true, why would He have bothered using them three times as His defence?
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” … [The devil] said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” … Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” … “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” (Matthew 4:4-10 NLT)
Right Interpretation
The Sermon on the Mount was not about Jesus disagreeing with Scripture, but about a right interpretation. When Jesus said, “But I say” he was not disagreeing with the Hebrew Scriptures, but was countering a legalistic, letter-of-the-law limiting of the Scriptures, which allowed loop-holes, whereby people could claim righteousness, even with evil hearts.
Jesus expounded murder as including murder in the heart, revealing that verbal abuse differentiates between unrighteous anger and righteous anger (Matthew 5:22). He recommended reconciliation and settling matters quickly, if possible, as the right way (verses 23-26).
Jesus expounded adultery as including a lustful look and a careless touch (verses 28-30), and that easy divorce is not the way (verses 31-32).
Jesus expounded bearing false witness as including making promises and oaths that we cannot keep (verses 33-37).
Jesus corrected a misinterpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures when some believed they allowed hatred of enemies. Yet the Old Testament actually tells a different story.
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink (Proverbs 25:21 NASB)
If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. (Exodus 23:4-5 NIV)
So, no, Jesus was not correcting supposed Old Testament wrongs, but popular wrong interpretation of the Hebrews Scriptures, by those who thought they were righteous, if they just kept the letter while breaking the spirit of the law. Jesus further explained this, quoting the Hebrew Scriptures.
Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners. (Matthew 9:13 NLT; Hosea 6:6)
Some moderns declare that Jesus and the disciples broke the law, yet Jesus would disagree. The laws had a priority of rank whereby mercy was given a higher importance and so lesser laws could be bent or broken in order to show the more important attribute of mercy.
Jesus allowed his disciples to eat a meal from a grainfield. They were not harvesting a whole crop or stealing from a farmer, but just eating a meal, and farmers were obligated to set aside the corners of their fields for the poor or strangers to eat from (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22).
Some legalistic Pharisees condemned them for “breaking the Sabbath.” Jesus quickly called them innocent and explained the higher priority of mercy.
But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath! (Matthew 12:7-8 NLT)
Notice that Jesus also added that He is Lord of the Sabbath, the author of the law, and as such, the One who would rightly understand its intent. As Emmanuel, “God with us,” Jesus was not just any other man, as some moderns claim, but also the “LORD” (YHWH) of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Male and Female
How many genders was God’s original intent? Did God intend the genetic anomaly called intersex, or are such people suffering the sad consequences of ancestral sins? In the context of a question about divorce, Jesus reveals God’s original intent.
“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’”
What about other sexual arrangements or fantasy “genders” which deny our natural DNA? Did Jesus confirm God’s original design intent? Were any of us the ones through whom all things were created (Colossians 1:16)? In the same context of a question about divorce, what did Jesus say?
“but it was not what God had originally intended.” (Matthew 19:4, 8 NLT)
Those words answer a lot of questions about creation. God intended His design to be a blessing. Yet, He grants us the freedom to choose a different path. But every choice has its consequences. Seven times in Genesis 1, God described His creation as good, the last time as “very good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). When we go against God’s intent, whatever our motive, we go against what is good for us, and learn the hard lesson of suffering for not trusting God.
Church Finances
A principle from the finances of the Old Testament was a tithe of the tithe (Numbers 18:26-28). The Levites took a tenth from the people, and in turn gave a tenth to Moses. It seems that some church administrations throughout history have not been satisfied with a tenth of the tenth, but have taken much, much more. In some cases the bishop, or other regional administration of the church, has taken 20-25% from the local church. Some churches still do.
A major impetus for the Protestant Reformation was the dominant western church’s financial scandal. Could it be, the further from biblical ideals that a church falls, the more burdensome the financial demands become? Is the modern liberal church going down the same scandalous money-making road as Tetzel? Do Jesus’ words still ring out loudly warning corrupt churches?
“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:13 NIV)
The Cornerstone
Why did Jesus speak about Noah and the flood as real history? Why did Jesus choose twelve men as apostles and not six men and six women? Why did Jesus say that not one jot or tittle would pass from the law or the prophets (the Old Testament)? It seems that modern liberals have many excuses for rejecting Jesus’ own testimony in regard to the authority of Scripture.
Could it be that builders of many modern churches may give lip service, but ultimately reject Christ just as many ancient religious leaders did. In the context of religious leaders questioning His authority, Jesus replied that they had rejected the cornerstone of the faith they professed.
Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’ (Matthew 21:42 NLT)
Many liberals are in danger of doing the same thing, rejecting the authority of Jesus.
Knowing the Scriptures
One of the great weaknesses of liberals is that they do not know the Scriptures very well. In fact if you compare a conservative theology book with a liberal one, you may notice that the conservative work is usually filled with Scripture quotes and the liberal one tends to quote other liberals and very little Scripture that has not been twisted. This lack of scriptural knowledge is a partial cause of the error that so many moderns teach. Without a good understanding of Holy Scripture, no one can know the power of God.
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. (Matthew 22:29 NIV)
Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. (Mark 12:24 NLT)
Worship God Only
One of the large problems of modernism is leaders who weakly give in to the whims of popular culture and the disinformation of the powerful, rather than serving God. Popular opinions regarding gender, sexuality, divorce, family, war, immigration, usury, the environment, the unborn, land distribution, economics, and national health are usually not gotten from the Bible, but from popular immoral opinion and the dominant propaganda which benefits the rich and powerful.
Going against such a powerful tide is for the spiritually awake, the brave, true followers of the Bible, and not for the fainthearted and unthinking. When the devil tempted Jesus with power over the nations what was His answer?
Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” (Luke 4:8 NASB)
Believing the Scriptures
One of the hallmarks of heretical modern theology is a lack of belief in the truth of the Scriptures. What do we say to Jesus, when He upheld those very writings? When some of the disciples’ companions could not find the body of Jesus, because He had risen, what did Jesus tell them? How important did Jesus treat the Scriptures when explaining things to the disciples?
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! … And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself… They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us? … Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:25-45 NIV)
What did the disciples learn from Jesus teaching them after His resurrection? Did they learn from Jesus to disregard the Old Testament as myth or did they believe the Hebrew Scriptures?
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said. (John 2:22 NLT)
Is trust in the Lord’s word just something for conservatives and fundamentalists, or is it as old as the prophets? King David sang a song of praise, including words that described the word of the Lord.
“As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. (2 Samuel 22:31 NIV)
Other translations describe the Lord’s word as “correct” (CEV), “proves true” (ESV), “tested” (NASB), and “proven” (NKJV). Who would we rather believe, David and his high view of Scripture or moderns who treat the Bible as myth?
Jesus, the apostles and the prophets testify to the inspiration of scripture.
