Martin

Tyler Martin
Dr. Bobby Kelly
Biblical Hermeneutics
10 February, 2014
Scripture and the Authority of God and the Authority of God
Is the Bible authoritative? If so, how are we to interpret what it says? And what does this
interpretation have anything to do with Bible-believing Christians today? These three questions,
which every Christian should ask at some point in his or her life, are the basis for N. T. Wrights
book, Scripture and the Authority of God. Within this book, as with many of Wrights writings,
he takes a look at something very familiar in Christian culturenamely, the Bibleand brings it
into a slightly new light. Although the statements made by Wright are by no means new
statements, he presents them in a new and fresh way, inviting each reader to reexamine his or her
own beliefs. But more than that, he guides the reader in taking those beliefs and applying them to
the role he or she plays in the overarching narrative of Gods kingdom.
Nicholas Thomas Wright, born in Northumberland, England in 1948, is one of the most
renowned New Testament scholars today. He became a follower of Christ at a very young age,
and has ever since devoted himself to Gods Kingdom, through being a student of the Bible, a
teacher of the Bible, and an Anglican minister. He has studied at Oxford and Cambridge; he has
taught at Oxford, Cambridge, McGill, and St. Andrews (where he is currently the Research
Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity); he has served as a theologian for the
Westminster Abbey, as the Dean of Lichfield, and as the Bishop of Durham. He has published
numerous articles, essays, books, and commentaries, for both the Christian scholar and layperson
alike. Described as the C. S. Lewis of this generation, N. T. Wrights publications have

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strongly influenced and inspired Christians around the world. Scripture and the Authority of God
is no less influential and inspiring. This is a man who has spent his entire life studying and
teaching the Bible explaining just what it is that makes this book, or rather collection of books,
so different from anything else ever written.
Wright cuts right to the point on the first page of the first chapter, with what he describes
as the central claim of the entire book: that the phrase authority of scripture can make
Christian sense only if it is a shorthand for the authority of the triune God, exercised somehow
through scripture (Wright 21). Wright unpacks this statement in the rest of the first chapter,
with a compelling discussion of the term authority and what we mean when we say God has
authority. In this discussion, he introduces two key themes which will reappear throughout the
First, in this discussion he points out the fact that Gods authority is tied with Gods kingdom.
That God possesses all authority because of his eternal reign. In Wrights terms, Gods authority
can be defined as his sovereign power accomplishing this renewal of all creation (27).
Second, he introduces the theme of the overarching narrative of the Bible and of Gods
people, beginning with ancient Israel and ending with the glorious age to come. While the Bible
is a collection of sixty-six different books with multiple different genres, authors, and cultural
contexts, Wright points out that the Bible tells one story: the story of Gods people, which began
in ancient Israel, continues with us today, and will be complete in the age to come. A story, then,
can exercise authority, in this way:
A story told with pathos, humor, or drama opens the imagination and invites
readers and hearers to imagine themselves in similar situations, offering new
insights about God and human beings which enable them then to order their own
lives more wisely. (25)

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Thus, more can be accomplished through a story than through a list of commands or an
important memo. This is because the Bible, according to Wright, is about so much more than
relaying important information to Christians. While we do obtain important historical, cultural,
and ethical information from scripture, we should not stop there. The overarching narrative
found within scripture does not only tell us about Gods kingdom (and thus, Gods authority over
all creation), but also invites us into that kingdom and to join our own individual stories with
Gods ultimate story.
After establishing this foundation, Wright follows the historical development of the term
authorityand thus, the themes of Gods kingdom and its narrativethroughout history.
Beginning with the ancient Israelites, Wright introduces the term Word of God, and briefly
discusses the doctrine of the inspiration of scripture. In his treatment of Gods word, Wright
makes it clear that in Hebrew thought, scripture reveals the elusive but powerful idea of Gods
word, not as a synonym for the written scriptures, but as a strange personal presence, creating,
judging, healing, recreating (36). Thus, the Israelites did not see their scriptures in and of
themselves as the Word of God, but as a way to connect with that Word. It was through this
Word that the ancient Jews were able to tap into an enormous reservoir, full of creative divine
wisdom and power (36). It was through this Word that they were able to experience the
authority of Gods kingdom bringing restoration to creation. And it was through this Word that
they were able to understand their story in terms of Gods story.
This Word became flesh in the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Wright discusses
Jesus fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures. This does not mean that he completed a few
scattered and random acts which corresponded to various distant and detached prophetic
sayings, but rather it should be thought of in terms of the entire storyline at last coming to

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fruition (42). Through Jesus, the Word revealed to the ancient Israelites was revealed to the rest
of the world. His coming inaugurated the Kingdom of God, and was thus the climax of the
overarching narrative of Gods people.
The early church recognized this Word, revealed in Hebrew Scriptures and in the life of
Jesus, as the heart of the churchs mission and life (48). It is within this discussion of the Word
in the early church that Wright makes a statement that he had alluded to previously:
The word was not just information about the Kingdom and its effects, important
though that was and is. It was the way Gods Kingdom, accomplished in Jesus,
was making its way in the world. (49)
This retelling of an old story in light of Jesus is so much more than a story. This story is not
about God reconciling creation to himself; this story is God reconciling creation to himself. That
is to say it is the story (more specifically, the Word of God and the authority he holds as king of
creation which is revealed within the story) that is at work changing minds, hearts, and lives
(49). It is this story that created the church, or the transformed people of God, as the community
created by Gods call and promise (50). Wright goes on to comment on the fact that the writers
of the New Testament recognized that Word and wrote it down. Once again, he stresses that
these writings were not simply about the coming of Gods Kingdom into all the world; they
were, and were designed to be, part of the means whereby that happened (51). Thus, the New
Testament, like the Old Testament, served as a means for the early church to experience this
Word of God, to find their place in Gods Kingdom, and to understand their story in light of its
climax: Jesus Christ.
Many years have passed since the two testaments were written and compiled, and in the
next two chapters of his book, Wright describes the authority of scripture from early Christians

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through the Enlightenment. We see within these two chapters multiple factors which has
challenged the authority of the Word of God as revealed through scripture. Wright notes that
with a rise in new exegetical methods, such as the allegorical exegesis and four senses, there
has been a diminish in the authority of scripture. One reason is that there has been a diminish of
recognizing the overarching narrative of the Bible, which, as he established as his foundation, is
essential to understanding how Gods kingdom authority controls our own stories. Another
reason is that these methods of understanding scripture tend to lead to using scripture to affirm a
belief, rather than allowing scripture to form the belief at first. In other words, if you can make
scripture stand on its hind legs and dance a jig, it becomes a tame pet rather than a roaring lion
(71). Reading the Bible in this way is reading with ones own authority in mind. Thus, one is
unable to recognize the authority of God and his Word within those scriptures. Wright continues
to trace the diminish of the authority of God found in scriptures throughout the reformation, the
enlightenment, and even into the postmodern period.
After highlighting several challenges over the centuries, Wright takes a chapter to further
emphasize the misreadings of scripture which many people hold today or have held in the past as
a result of these challenges. These misreadings are divided into two groups, those from the
right-wing and those from the left wing. These are very practical examples of some of the
more abstract ideas mentioned in the previous chapters. After this, Wright sums everything by
providing a solution for interpreting and understanding scripture today. The solution is that we
need an integrated view of the dense and complex phrase the authority of scripture (115). In
other words, we need to understand scriptures authority in terms of everything that has been said
thus far. We must take into account Gods authority as king of all creation and as our stories
lining up with his overarching narrative. If the Word of God is not the scriptures themselves, but

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the spirit revealed within these scriptures, and if that Spirit is at work changing lives and
transforming people into citizens of Gods kingdom through this story, the gospel, then it follows
that the authority of scripture is most truly put into operation as the church goes to work in the
world on behalf of the gospel (116). Therefore, simply reading these scriptures is not enough to
recognize Gods authority which can be found within them. Rather, we must act.
Wright finishes his book with one method of studying scripture which will help one to
understand ones role in Gods story, which he has stressed throughout the book. What he calls
his five act hermeneutical method involves understanding each part of scripture and how it
relates to our own lives in terms of the overarching narrative of Gods story. The five acts as he
explains are creation, the fall, Israel, the life of Jesus, and the church. We are currently living the
fifth act of Gods play, and should understand scriptures role in our lives accordingly. After
explaining the theory behind this hermeneutical method, Wright examines two theological topics
(the Sabbath and monogamy) in which he demonstrates in detail how everything hes talked
about within this book comes together in order to help one understand not only what the literal
sense of scripture is, but also how to interpret the literal sense, and what that interpretation means
for us today.
Scripture and the Authority of God is compelling, enlightening, and thought provoking. It
is a great book for anyone seeking to better understand the place the Bible should have in ones
life. It is a book I think anyone can benefit from, especially in our culture today. In todays
Christian culture, the terms Bible and Word of God are synonymous. This is dangerous,
because with this view, one could argue for any reading of scripture to be authoritative. What
Wright makes clear is that the Word of God is found within the scriptures, but the Word of God
cannot be manipulated. The authority of that Word only shines through when one reads the Bible

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to truly understand what it says, instead of reading the Bible in order to confirm a belief one
already holds. When we reduce the Word of God simply to words on a page, that becomes the
only place we can experience that Spirit. We lose so much, especially when understanding Jesus
as the Word incarnate, and when understanding what it means when we say Jesus fulfilled all
scripture.
But if the Word can be found in other places, it becomes problematic. Wright claims
numerous times throughout his book that scripture is not in and of itself authoritative, but is the
mediator of Gods authority, hence the title of his book. Its not called The Authority of
Scripture for a reason. If the Old and New Testament writers were able to experience the Word
of God and then write it down, how is that different from today? Gods Spirit is still ever-present
as it was in the New Testament. And now, in the fifth act of the play, the Spirit is more present
than it was in earlier acts. So lets take N. T. Wright, for instance. Could this book be a mediator
for Gods authority in the same way that scripture is? When we reduce scripture to merely a
mediator of Gods authority, it follows that we must elevate other writings to that very same
level. Many people today would have a serious issue with this, but Im not so sure thats
problematic.
Scripture is already canonized, and that cannon is closed. The scriptures we do have
reveal the true Word of God. Which means we have a litmus test of sorts by which to understand
other writings. If Wright wrote contrary to the scripture we already have, it would be a spirit
contrary to the Word of God. Thus, we must not accept his writings as revealing the Word and
Authority of God. But if his book lines up with scripture, which I believe it does, it is revealing
the same Spirit and the same authority. Which means it is possible to experience the authority of
his Word through N. T. Wright.

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Upon first consideration, this does seem very problematic. But, when thinking about this
concept in terms of the two main themes which I have highlighted in this review, it makes sense.
If Gods authority comes from his role as king over all creation, and if God is inviting us to take
part in the story of his kingdom, and furthermore if that story is the means by which Gods
redemptive work is happening (a work which we are called to carry on as the church), then of
course Christians today should be experiencing, interacting with, and obeying the Word of God
in the same way Christians were in the first century. Yes, we should absolutely hold scripture in
high regard for many reasons, which Wright has made an excellent case for here in this book.
But scripture is not the only place where we can experience his story. Gods authority which is
found in scripture is over all of creation, and can be found anywhere.
In this book, N. T. Wright not only makes a captivating case for proper study and
application of the Bible, but he also gives very practical examples of how to put these concepts
into practice. This is to demonstrate that what he writes about throughout the book should not be
seen only as theory. Wrights methods come out of his long career of studying and teaching the
Bible. These methods arent simply ideas that he had one day and decided to write down in a
book. They have been tested and modified, and used in Wrights own study of the Bible, as well
as many of his students. With that in mind, these suggestions should not be taken lightly. It is a
powerful tool for studying scripture and understanding the authoritative story which is revealed
there. It is something that, unless put into practice, is meaningless.
In conclusion, I do not believe N. T. Wrights thoughts about scripture diminish the
integrity of the Bible or the authority of Gods Word. On the contrary, understanding scripture in
these terms is liberating. Like the image Wright paints of a tame animal, doing whatever we tell
it to do, as opposed to a roaring lion, understanding scripture this way gives us the freedom to let

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the Bible say what it really says. No longer do we have to twist the Bible around backwards to
make sense of it. No longer do we have to adamantly defend our narrow reading of scripture
against the attacks of skeptics. No longer do we have to be spiritual policemen of sorts, violently
asserting our own positions and enforcing our own limited view of Gods authority. When we let
the Bible be what it is, it might actually twist us around, making our thoughts and beliefs
conform to its truth rather than the other way around. When this happens, we can become more
aware of the story of Gods kingdom, and through truly experiencing his Word, find our place
within that story.