Does the Bible Teach Sola Scriptura

Sola Scriptura IS taught in the Scriptures. Again, to define this term, Sola Scriptura is the idea that the Bible (Scriptura) is the sole (Sola) authority for Christian teaching. The following is an outline for this round: I. Paul proves Sola Scriptura II. Jewish Converts prove Sola Scriptura III. Jewish Dissenters " " " IV. Jesus Christ " " " V. Moses and the People of Israel " " " VI. Ezra the Priest " " " VII. Disclaimer I. Paul proves Sola Scriptura We know that Paul went into Jewish synagogues and spent several days "reason[ing] with them out of the Scriptures." Acts 17.2 "Reasoning out of the Scriptures" could be effective ONLY if Paul AND his audience believed in Sola Scriptura. To effectively reason and persuade each other, they must have had a common supreme authority to which they could appeal. Persuasion would be impossible otherwise. We are also told this was "his manner." He did this in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Antioch, Salamis, and elsewhere. Acts 17.2; Acts 17.13; Acts 17.15.; Acts 13.14-15; Acts 15.35; Acts 13.5. From this, we can conclude that Paul AND his audiences "Reasoned out of the Scriptures" continually. This was their manner. We, then, have our first proof of a sole scriptural authority, aka Sola Scriptura. II. Jewish Converts prove Sola Scriptura Akin to Paul's reasoning with his audiences out of the Scriptures, we also know that Paul's Jewish hearers "searched the Scriptures daily" to see if Paul's claims were true. Acts 17.11. The ONLY way to VERIFY Paul's arguments was for his hearers to search the highest authorities: their Scriptures. Why did they search the Scriptures? Again, because they were the highest authority a believer could appeal to in the hopes of verifying Paul's assertions. This fact that the Jewish converts searched the Scriptures daily emphasized that they trusted and relied upon the Scriptures as the primary authority to resolve debates. Thus we have a second instance of Sola Scriptura. III. Jewish Dissenters prove Sola Scriptura It logically follows that if these men searched the Scriptures to discover truth about Paul's sayings they also searched them to discover Paul's error. If they were convinced that Paul spoke contrary to the Scriptures they felt justified (and authorized) to persecute him. Acts 17.2-5; Acts 13.14-52; Acts 14.1-7. Thus, the Jewish people listened AND searched the Scriptures to determine if Paul erred; if they determined he was did, they felt authorized to harm him because he violated their Scriptures. In other words, he violated the sole authority for their faith and practice. This is Sola Scriptura. IV. Jesus Christ proves Sola Scriptura Christ's quoted the Scriptures and we understand He did this to appeal to a common highest authority. Here are numerous examples: 1. Matthew 4.4 (also Luke 4.4) quoting Deuteronomy 8.3 2. Matthew 4.7 (also Luke 4.8) quoting Deuteronomy 6.13 3. Luke 4.17-19 quoting Isaiah 61.1-2 4. Matthew 5.21 quoting Exodus 20.13 5. Matthew 5.27 quoting Exodus 20.14 (also Deuteronomy 5.18) 6. Matthew 5.31 quoting Deuteronomy 24.1-4 7. Matthew 5.33 quoting Leviticus 19.12 with Numbers 30.2 and Deut. 23.21 8. Matthew 5.38 quoting Exodus 21.23-25, Leviticus 24.19-20, and Deut 19.21 9. Matthew 9.13; 12.7 quoting Hosea 6.6 10. Matthew 10.35, 36 and Luke 12.52,53 quoting Micah 7.6 11. Matthew 11.10 and Luke 7.27 quoting Malachi 3.1 12. Matthew 13.14, 15; Mark 4.11-13 and LK 8.10 quoting Isaiah 6.9-10 13. Matthew 15.3,4 and Mark 7.10 quoting Exodus 20.12 and Exodus 21.17 14. Mathew 15.7-9, Mark 7.6,7 quoting Isaiah 29.13 15. Matthew 19.4-6, Mark 10.6-8 quoting Genesis 1.27; 2.24 16. John 15.25 quoting Psalm 35.19 17. John 13.18 quoting Psalm 41.9 18. John 10.34 quoting Psalm 82.6 That is half the list; another 20 or so can be found here: http://www.jewsforjesus.org... Christ would quote and preach from the Scriptures only if they had authority. When we see Christ quoting numerously like this it is BECAUSE He adheres to AND believes in the Scriptures' sole authority to teach about Christianity and G-d. This is another proof of Sola Scriptura. V. Moses and the People of Israel prove Sola Scriptura Very early on the People of Israel devoted themselves to one text: the book of the covenant. We read: "Moses took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people...they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." Exodus 24.7 This quote proves 1) that there existed a "book of the covenant," i.e. a Scripture and 2) that the People of Israel endeavored to do "ALL" that was written therein. The book of the covenant is comprised of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19) plus various laws found in Exodus 21, 22, and 23. In Exodus 1.1, G-d spoke of "judgments" which Moses was to "set before" the people. Moses then "wrote all the words of the LORD" in his book and then read that book to the people. Exodus 24.1-7. The reaction of the people of Israel exemplified the principle of Sola Scriptura: one single book was lauded by the people; they endeavored to obey ALL laws found therein. This is more proof of the idea of Sola Scriptura. VI. Ezra proves Sola Scriptura Ezra the priest "brought the law before the congregation" and "he read therein...from the morning until midday." Nehemiah 8.2,3. "[T]he ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law...and when [Ezra] opened [the law], all the people stood up." Nehemiah 8.3-6. Why did the people stand? Why were they attentive to the reading of the law? Why did they bow their heads? The answer: Sola Scriptura. They honored this book and when Ezra the Priest read it they revered it. This reverential reaction and attitude towards the reading of the law is further proof that Sola Scriptura is taught over and over again in the Scriptures. VII. Disclaimer Opponents of Sola Scriptura rely heavily upon a few verses: II Thessalonians 2.15 being one. They make a big deal about the mentioning of "traditions" in that verse. To burst their bubble, these are not "traditions" as we typically think of them. Paul expounds on these in II Thessalonians 3.6-15. He alludes several times to various Christian behaviors that he taught them: circumspection (3.6), diligence (3.8), sobermindedness (3.12), etc. These are his "traditions." Paul further expounds "traditions" in I & II Timothy where he teaches throughout about proper Christian responses and behaviors: "rebuke not an elder"; "honor widows"; "count elders worthy of double honor," etc. These "traditions" are but allusions towards proper Christian behaviors. On an aside, an absurdity remains: this debate is almost over and we STILL do not agree upon a definition for Sola Scriptura. This is called the ERROR of "elevated scholarship." Both sides will hem and haw about this woebegon Latin term just as "This-And-That Scholar" have been doing long before us. We will not agree. Who here is a fluent in Latin? (And fluent is NOT a mere 4 years of classics studies at university.) None of us are. Why are we then stumbling over this anachronistic phrase? Answer: because this bantering is of sinful man, not of G-d; "God is not the author of confusion." I Corinthians 14.33. Debating this term is like speaking into the air. I Corinthians 14.9. It is unbiblical and fruitless. I Timothy 1.4-7. We should speak to men's hearts rather than flatter their heads with elevated scholarship, and we should do so with "words easy to be understood," otherwise "how shall it be known what is spoken?" I Corinthians 14.9. This debate will prove that if nothing else. If you believe G-d spoke the world into existence (Genesis) then it will not tax you to believe that he preserved His word. Either G-d preserved it or He needed help. And we all know that He bore that responsibility Himself. Psalm 12.6, 7. The Bible is His preserved "Scriptura" and is therefore your "Sola" source for living a Christian life. -MSP