Bibliology: The Doctine of the Word of God

THE SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE

The sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contained all the words of God he
intended his people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now
contains everything we need God to tell us for salvation, for trusting him perfectly,
and for obeying him perfectly. The Scriptures alone are enough to function as the
sole infallible rule of faith for the Church. All that one must believe to be a Christian
is found only in Scripture, and in no other source. What isn’t found in Scripture
(what is directly stated or implied) is not binding on the Christian. It reveals that
which is necessary to be saved, and all traditions are to be subject to the higher
authority of Scripture.

I. Scripture, being God-breathed, forms the basis for its sufficiency.

A. Since God is the author of Scripture, whatever Scripture speaks comes

directly from God and has His authority, and His Word has no standard
above itself without calling God under examination.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17
that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

1. Notice what is breathed out by God: “All Scripture,” not “all writers of
Scripture.” This means the product of what was written by the authors
is inspired, and not the authors.

2. ‘All Scripture’ could also be translated ‘Every Scripture,’ however, the

focus could be more on the whole than on every part.

3. The meaning of “breathed out by God” (Greek θεόπνευστος,

theopnuestos) focuses more on the origin of Scripture (where it came
from) than on the nature of Scripture (what it is), but it covers both.
The Bible comes from God, which makes it divine in nature, not
primarily human.

4. What Timothy was raised learning was the Old Testament Scriptures
(v. 15). However, at the time of this writing (A.D. 64-67) both Paul and
Timothy knew they were in a special time and the issue of the canon
(the means of recognizing authoritative Scripture for the church), but
its origin; also, at the same time, Peter writes 2 Peter 3:15-16, which
says:
 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our
beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom
given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them
of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to
understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own
destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. (This means Paul’s
letters were already seen as part of the writings of Scripture)

5. Because of what Scripture is, it is as a result profitable (useful,

valuable, beneficial) for:

(1) Teaching (doctrine; sound, good, right, proper, honorable, fitting)

(2) Reproof (refute -> false teaching; rebuke -> sinful attitudes/actions)
(3) Correction (rebuke -> false living of believers)
(4) Training in righteousness (discipline/instruction in ethical/moral
action)

1. Based on Scripture’s origin and usefulness, this leads the man of God
in the context of ministry in the church to be competent (fully
qualified, proficient, fully ready, complete, and capable), and on top of
that, to be completely equipped for every good work. So that which is
God-breathed is Scripture, and that which is Scripture is profitable for
the work of ministry.

A. Peter’s testimony to the origin of Scripture.

2 Peter 1:19-21 – And we have something more sure, the prophetic word,
to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark
place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20
knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from
someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by
the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by
the Holy Spirit.

1. In context, Peter is writing as one who is encouraging brothers and

sisters to not be deceived in following the myths of the day, separating
Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, from what the pagans believed,
and what false teachers will soon bring. Yet, even from Peter’s
eyewitness testimony of the majesty of Jesus at the Mount of
Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36a), he places
the ‘prophetic word’ above that amazing experience!
 2. The prophecy of Scripture has its source not coming from man, but
from the Holy Spirit who moves men to write what He wants written.
Scripture isn’t man’s opinions, but God’s Word!

3. To know “this first of all,” (v.20a), it is of primary importance to

understand what follows: Scripture is not by the will of man, but from
men who, with their style of writing and personality, write exactly what
the Holy Spirit guides them to write.

I. Scripture is sufficient to bring one to salvation.

2 Timothy 3:15-16 – [A]nd how from childhood you have been acquainted
with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness.

James 1:18 – Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that
we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

1 Peter 1:23 – [S]ince you have been born again, not of perishable seed
but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.

II. Scripture is sufficient for one to live out the Christian life.

Psalm 119:2 – Blessed are those who seek his testimonies, who seek him
with their whole heart.

Psalm 119:99-100 – I have more understanding than all my teachers, for

your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the aged,
for I keep your precepts.

John 17:17 – Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (Also 2 Timothy
3:16)

III. Whatever the people of God had in their time was enough, during
every period of redemption.

Deuteronomy 29:29 – The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but
the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that
we may do all the words of this law.
 1. This emphasizes the point that Scripture doesn’t need to have every
bit of knowledge in it to be considered sufficient for its purposes. We
have limited divine and human knowledge in the Bible.

Deuteronomy 4:2 – You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor
take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God
that I command you. (See also Deuteronomy 12:32, Proverbs 30:5-6, and
Revelation 22:18-19)

1. We cannot add anything to Scripture that will put it on the same level
of authority, but God can, and did. The question is, will He do it again?

I. There is no new revelation taking place today because of the

supreme revelation of God in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:1-4 – Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to
our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us
by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also
he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and exact
imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his
power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of
the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the
name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

1. The main theme in Hebrews deals with the fact that Jesus, in so many
ways, is supreme in everything that came before Him, which included
the way God revealed Himself through the prophets. He sent His Son,
who is the “exact imprint of his nature.” None of the prophets could
ever claim that kind of likeness.

Appendix A. Test Cases

1. Jesus’ View of the Scriptures.

Matthew 22:29-32 – But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you
know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection
they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31
And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to
you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. (Quoting Exodus 3:6)
 Jesus doesn’t say, “Have you not read what was written to you?” or “have
you not heard what was said to you?” The point being that when Scripture is
read, God is speaking! Jesus is talking to them as if God was going to hold
them accountable for what was in the Scriptures, as if God was talking to
them that day!

2. Peter’s View of Paul’s Letters

2 Peter 3:15-16 – And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our
beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16
as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There
are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and
unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the others Scriptures.

Peter sees Paul’s writings as Scripture, and that the apostles were living in a
time when God was inspiring new Scripture for them to be prepared for the
new mission of proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ alone, and to get
ready when false teachers come, and were already around.

Appendix 2. What About Traditions?

1. Jesus’ View of an External Tradition

Matthew 15:1-9 - Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem
and said, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they
do not wash their hands when they eat." 3 He answered them,"And why do
you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God
commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles
father or mother must surely die.' 5 But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or
his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God," 6 he need
not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void
the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he
said: 8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9
in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of
men.'"

Jesus didn’t accept the Pharisees’ extra-biblical tradition, even though many
of them thought their tradition came from Moses himself. He rejects their rule
of ritually washing their hands, and then goes after them with another
tradition of theirs: the corban rule. This rule stated that the Pharisees could
dedicate their own possessions to the Temple so as to not support their
 parents. Jesus puts that rule up against Scripture, and rejects it on that basis,
not on any other authority.

2. Paul’s Use of the Word “Tradition”

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 – But we ought always to give thanks to God for you,
brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be
saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he
called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord
Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that
you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

Does this fit better with the claim of the Roman Catholic Church that, from
what Paul is writing, we should look to the Scriptures as well as Tradition,
since it’s claimed we accept only one source of authority (the Scripture)?
From the context of this passage, Paul is writing in terms of the gospel that
he preached to the Thessalonians in the past which they were to continue to
stand in. The Gospel is what Paul is writing about in the two verses before v.
15. What Paul proclaimed to them first in what he later writes to them in 1
Thessalonians 2:13. The spoken word is the proclamation of the Gospel, and
then the letter of 1 Thessalonians. It’s a mistake to think what Paul taught by
spoken word was different than what he wrote. The word Paul uses that’s
translated “stand firm” is the same word used in 1 Corinthians 16:13, which
is to “stand firm in the faith.”

Application

1. You should seek to do all you can to get at the meaning of Scripture
that was intended for the original audience in its historical context,
so that you would hear God speak today.
2. You can have confidence that God has given all that we need in
order to live as Christians in the 21st century.
3. This should lead us to a passionate search to find out what all of
Scripture has to say about any given topic that it addresses (how to
deal with sin, how to find a spouse, the role of the Father, Son, and
Spirit).
4. This should give us a greater appreciation of the love of God for
sinners in need of a Savior, that He would stoop to give us a glimpse
of His majestic holiness in His own words.
5. We can be confident that any other claims that contradict the claim
of Scripture being sufficient is off the mark and dishonors God in
why He gave us His Word.
6. We would be careful to address what Scripture addresses and be
silent about what Scripture hasn’t addressed.
Resources

Holy Scripture: The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith, 3 Vol. by David T. King and
William Webster

Scripture Alone by James White

The Roman Catholic Controversy by James White

Sola Scriptura! The Protestant Position on the Bible ed. By Don Kistler

Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

Reinventing Jesus by J. Ed Komoszewski, M. James Sawyer, and Daniel B. Wallace

The Origin of the Bible ed. by Philip W. Comfort