Scripture
Canon of
Old Testament canon
Main topic: Old Testament canon
Mt 5:17; 7:12; 11:13; 22:40; Lk 11:51; 16:16; 24:44; Jn 1:45; Ac 24:14; 28:23; Ro 3:21
New Testament canon
2Pe 1:17 (cites Mt 17:5, Mk 9:7, Lk 9:35); 2Pe 3:15–16; 1Ti 5:18 (cites Mt 10:10; Lk 10:7); Jude 1:17–18 (cites 2Pe 3:3)
Authority of
Scripture is highest objective authority
Jos 1:8; 2Ti 3:16–17; 2Pe 1:19–21
Between resurrection and ascension, Jesus focused on teaching Scripture
Early church leaders and members treated Scripture as authoritative
Perspicuity of
Clarity of Scripture
Ps 19:7; 119:130; Eph 3:4; 2Ti 3:14–15
Responsibility to read Scripture implies perspicuity
NT authors assume OT is easy to understand
Mt 12:3 (cf. Lk 6:3); Mt 12:5, 7; 19:4; 21:42; 22:29, 31; Mk 12:10, 26; Jn 3:10; Ro 4:1–25; 15:4; 1Co 10:1–11; 2Ti 3:16–17 — cf. Mt 9:13; 15:3; 21:13
NT authors assume church will understand their writings
Jn 20:30–31; 1Co 1:2; 10:15; 2Co 1:13; Gal 1:2; Php 1:1; Col 4:16; Jas 1:1, 22–25; 1Pe 1:1; 2:2; 2Pe 1:19; 1Jn 5:13
But some things are “hard to understand”
And Scripture rightly understood only with illumination of Holy Spirit
Providential exposure, preservation of
God intended to give his word to his church
He is sovereignly able to preserve it
Main topic: Providence
Ps 135:6; Da 4:35; Ac 17:25–28; Eph 1:11; Heb 1:3
God preserves his word
Isa 40:8; 55:11; Mt 5:18; 24:35 (cf. Mk 13:31; Lk 21:33); Lk 16:17; Jn 10:35
Divine qualities of
We recognize Scripture by its beauty and excellency
Ps 19:7–8; 119:103, 129; 1Co 2:4–5
We recognize Scripture by its power and efficacy
2Ki 22:11–13; Ps 1:1–3; 119:50, 98, 105, 111, 144; Ne 8:8–12; Ac 2:34–37; 2Ti 3:16; Heb 4:12–13
We recognize Scripture by its unity and harmony
Ps 89:35; Pr 14:5; Tit 1:2; Ac 17:11; Heb 13:8
Apostolic, redemptive-historical, covenantal origin of
Prophets were given God’s word
Dt 18:18–19; Isa 30:8; Jer 1:9–10; 36:1–32
Old Testament foretells that new revelation would be given
Dt 18:18; Lk 24:46–47 (cites Isa 2:2–3; 61:1–2)
Apostles were ministers of new covenant
Lk 22:20; Jn 20:21; Ac 10:39–42; 2Co 3:6 (cf. Ex 24:7; 34:28; Dt 29:21; 2Co 3:14)
Apostles were agents of canon
Mt 16:18; Mk 3:14–15; Lk 1:1–4; 10:16 (cf. Mt 10:40; Jn 13:20); Jn 16:13; 20:21; 1Jn 4:6; Ac 10:39–42; 1Co 11:23; 15:3; Eph 2:20; 3:7–11; Heb 2:2–3; 2Pe 3:2 — see also Ro 6:17; Gal 1:9; 4:14; Php 4:9; Col 2:6–8; 1Th 2:13–15; 2Th 2:15; 1Ti 6:20; 2Ti 1:14; 2Pe 2:21; Jude 1:3
Apostles seemed aware they were writing Scripture
Mk 1:1; Jn 20:31; 21:24; 1Co 7:12; 14:37–38; Col 1:25; 1Th 2:13; 2Th 2:15; 1Jn 1:1–5; Rev 1:1–3
Allusions to bi-covenantal canon
2Co 3:6, 14; Heb 2:2–3; 2Pe 3:2
Individual, corporate reception of
For those in the Spirit, Scripture is self-authenticating
Jn 8:47; 10:5, 27; 14:26; 16:13–15; 18:37; 1Co 2:10–16; 1Th 5:21–22; 1Jn 2:20, 27; 4:1–6
The church will corporately recognize Scripture
Pr 11:14; Ro 3:2; 1Co 12:13; 1Ti 3:15; Heb 12:1; 1Pe 2:5, 9
Apostles recognized each others’ writings as Scripture
2Pe 1:17 (cites Mt 17:5, Mk 9:7, Lk 9:35); 2Pe 3:15–16; 1Ti 5:18 (cites Mt 10:10; Lk 10:7); Jude 1:17–18 (cites 2Pe 3:3)
Sufficiency of
Scripture is the only rule of faith and life (sola Scriptura)
Jos 1:8; Isa 8:20; Ac 17:11; Ro 15:4; 2Ti 3:15–16; 2Pe 1:19–21
Prohibitions against adding to, taking away from Scripture
Dt 4:2; 12:32; Pr 30:6; 1Co 4:6; Gal 1:6–9; 2Th 2:1–2; Jude 1:3; Rev 22:18–19
All Scripture is profitable (tota Scriptura)
Mt 28:19–20; Lk 24:27; Ac 20:26–27; 2Ti 3:16–17