The Uniqueness of the Bible

Some people say the Koran is the truth of Allah. Others say the Book of Mormon is a latter day testimony of Jesus. Many claim that the Church Councils and official decrees of the Pope are sure guidance for God’s people. It seems very confusing when we listen to all the competing claims for our rule. How do we know what is true concerning God and religion? Ultimately this question boils down to what is considered our supreme or final authority. There are three major contenders for the position of ultimate authority in the realm of religion: the self, tradition or revelation. Postmodern skepticism has challenged religious thought by suggesting there is no absolute authority, but this claim does not actually get rid of authority but simply reduces it to the level of self or tradition. Everyone has an ultimate source of leadership to direct his or her understanding of religious truth. Most people opt for a form of self-governing where they decide what is right and wrong and what is true about God. There is a problem with this option. If my ability to discern or feel what is correct about God and His ways is the definitive source, then I will never really be able to be sure about my decision because of the limitations inherent to my finite and corrupt nature (Isaiah 55:8-9; Jeremiah 17:9). If the self is the supreme authority then we are destined to relativism and have no real hope for discovering what is true about God or His plan for our lives.

Judaism, Islam and Christianity have recognized the inherent weakness in the option of self as ultimate decider of truth and therefore have chosen either tradition, revelation, or a combination of the two to be the final arbiter of truth. Modern Judaism, Islam and Roman Catholicism use an arrangement of tradition and revelation for evaluating the veracity of theological and ethical matters. Roman Catholicism embraces the decisions made by official councils and papal decrees alongside the Bible’s statements on any particular matter needing addressed. Modern Judaism considers the written and oral law, that is the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Talmud (the oral law written down), when deliberating on religious truth. Islam appeals to the Koran and the Hadith for a full orbed understanding of truth. Mormons advocate the Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price along with the continuous updates of the Latter Day Prophets. Protestantism began with the battle cry of sola scriptura, which referred to the supreme authority of the Bible over tradition or self. Martin Luther’s famous response at the Diet of Worms reflects the Protestant view:

Since then your majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.

Martin Luther embraced the supremacy of Scripture because he believed both councils and popes were prone to error. The doctrine of sola Scriptura upholds the Bible as “the only infallible authority in the church.” Many Protestants today have selected a combination of tradition and revelation for their authority concerning religious matters. Methodism, following John Wesley’s quadrilateral, sees an equality of Scripture, reason, tradition and experience. Neoorthodoxy supports the experience of the Word, rather than the propositional truths found in the Bible, as the ultimate source available for religious thinking.

Protestant liberalism has elevated reason and thus the self as the supreme authority.

The question of supreme authority is of monumental importance. Much of the disagreement between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism is based on truths elevated to the status of dogma stemming from papal decrees and decisions of official councils. Liberalism’s rejection of doctrines such as substitutionary atonement or the virgin birth of Christ could have been embraced only by denying the authority of the New Testament in favor of modern rationalism.

The concern of this book will be how modern Judaism’s elevation of oral law to equal status with the written law has affected its followers’ interpretation of Scripture, how Islam has attacked the Bible and replaced it with the Koran and the traditions found in the Hadith and therefore sanctioned its followers to pick and choose the parts of the Bible they want to adhere to, and how Catholicism and the cultists have added either new books or traditions to supplement the Bible owing to its supposed insufficiency. I will be arguing for the supremacy of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament over all other sources of authority, which was the original position of Judaism concerning the Hebrew Scriptures and the earliest stance of Christianity. It is my hope that once the Jew returns to the ancient belief in the supreme authority of Scripture over tradition, he or she will be open to reevaluate the possibility of Jesus being the Messiah predicted in the Hebrew Scriptures. When Scripture is read through Talmudic lenses, any hope of a nonbiased appraisal concerning Jesus is lost. If the Jew was willing to set aside the additions of the oral law, using a phenomenological approach, he or she will at least be better able to appreciate the Christian claims, and perhaps reevaluate his or her position. If the oral law is equal to Scripture then there is no reason for the Jew to set it aside in its evaluation; this is why this question is so critical. It is my desire that Muslims will recognize the trustworthiness of the Bible and its supremacy over the Koran and the Hadith and therefore place their faith in Jesus as Lord. It is my heartfelt aspiration that Cultists and Catholics will embrace the doctrine of sola scriptura, abandoning other inferior sources of truth which have led so many to a pseudo relationship with God, “holding to the form of religion but denying its power.” But if self and tradition are not completely trustworthy, how do we know which (if any) revelation is from God? I believe God has not left us to doubt. There is incredible evidence for the miraculous nature of the Bible!

First we will deal with the Hebrew Scriptures, what Christians call the Old Testament, and see how reliable and extraordinary (miraculous) they are. This first section will primarily be addressed to the Jews to reveal the incredible jewel they have received from God. In this first section it might seem a little technical at times concerning dates and use of the Hebrew language, but it is necessary to reveal the miraculous nature of the Hebrew Bible. In the second section we will compare the Bible to the Koran, especially focusing on the New Testament and its amazing supernatural nature. This section will build on the foundation of the Old Testament testimony discussed in the first section; here we will also witness the inferiority of tradition compared to revelation. Finally we will examine Roman Catholicism’s exaltation of tradition to equality with Scripture and the Mormon addition of the Book of Mormon. Jesus Christ is God’s final revelation to humans and the New Testament is the only revelation that is necessary to comprehend this Living Word. When the evidence is examined I believe people will see the superiority of the Bible to all other means of discovering spiritual truth. (from the Introduction)