SCRIPTURE ALONE (Sola Scriptura)

Some say, "Everything one needs to believe in order to be saved is in the Bible," or "God has revealed everything in the Bible alone."

Let us take a look at some scripture passages which some use to make this point. Then we will comment on the passages.

1. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16)

   Comment: It says, "All scripture... is profitable." It does NOT say "All scripture is sufficient." If we take Paul's statement to mean that the scriptures were all that were needed, then we would have to reject the New Testament, since the scriptures Paul referred to were Old Testament (probably Septuagint) only. He was writing about A.D. 67. Most of the New Testament was not written yet, and the final decision as to what books make up the New Testament was not made until 300 years later.

2. "And consider that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation - as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures." (2 Peter 3:15-16)

   Comment: Peter is indicating that Paul's writings are part of the Scriptures. But the scriptures of the New Testament were not decided upon for another 300 years.

3. "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31)

   Comment: It does NOT say that we need ONLY what is written. It says that these are written that we might believe.

4. "He answered and said to them, 'Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?' " (Matthew 15:3)

   Comment: Jesus condemns human traditions or customs which undermine Christian truths. He is not referring to truths handed down by Tradition in the Church.

5. "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39)

   Comment: Jesus was referring to the Old Testament only, since the writing of the New Testament was not even started yet. Jesus was saying that He fulfilled the Old Testament.

What does the Bible say? Does the Bible say that Tradition is needed?

1. "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25)

   Scripture does not record everything that Jesus did. So, Tradition was also necessary.

2. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20)

   Jesus told His disciples to BAPTIZE AND TEACH - He does not command that anything is to be WRITTEN.

3. "He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." (Luke 10:16)

   "Hears" implies that the message of Jesus was to be proclaimed by word of mouth - Oral Tradition.

4. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

   The Gospel was preached and heard.

5. "But the word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you." (1 Peter 1:25)

   Again, the gospel was preached orally.

6. "And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: 'Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.' " (Acts 15:7)

   Peter preached the gospel, and the Gentiles heard and believed. There is no mention of something being written down and Peter giving it to them.

7. "And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " (Acts 20:35)

   This quotation of Jesus is not in the Gospels, and must have been told to Paul - Tradition.

8. "Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 1:13)

9. "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2)

10. "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle." (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

11. "Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you." (1 Corinthians 11:2)

But how do we know that the interpretation of the Scriptures and Tradition we are taught is the TRUTH?

Jesus has taken care of that too. He has given us a Church, and the Church is the guardian and interpreter of the Scriptures and Tradition.

"... it has now been revealed by the Spirit, to His holy apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 3:5)

"having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20)

"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17)

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13)

"... the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)

The truth has been revealed by the Spirit principally to the leaders in the Church. They, with Christ, are the foundation of the Church. The Church is guided in the truth by the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth. The Church is the pillar and ground of the truth. The leaders of the Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, guide us in the truth. Scripture and Tradition need each other, and both need the Church to protect, preserve and interpret them. Consequently, Scripture alone is not enough. Scripture can be misinterpreted. The Bible itself does NOT say that it is the ONLY source of revelation. It says that BOTH Scripture and Tradition are the sources of revelation. Scripture says that Jesus Christ founded a Church. He promised to be with His Church until the end of the world. He promised that the Holy Spirit - Spirit of Truth - would be with His Church. The idea of Scripture alone was introduced in the 1500's. The idea had never surfaced during the previous 1500 years.

We must remember:

1. Paul never uses the phrase "Scripture alone"
2. Paul does not tell Timothy to write anything down.
3. Paul does not say that he himself wrote everything down.
4. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
5. The Christians, for the first approximately 400 years had NO New Testament to study. These people learned from oral instructions. Besides, very few could read.
6. Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, ... teaching them..." (Matthew 28:19)