Authority of the Bible

• The Bible- Key notes:

  • Collection of 66 books
  • 44 authors
  • Written over 2000 years
  • A.D 400 the first widespread edition of the bible was assembled by S.T Jerome
  • He was the first to translate all elements into Latin and compile it into a single volume.
  • Old Testament is Jewish scripture originally written in Hebrew
  • Old Testament is 39 books
  • New Testament is 27
• What are Epistles?


  Letters that circulated through congregations in different regions written by church leaders such as Peter and Paul in order to provide direction for the churches.
• Council of Constantinople and Council Of Nicaea declared a book should be included if:

  1. Written by one of Jesus’ disciples, someone who was a witness to Jesus’ ministry (such as Peter), or someone who interviewed witnesses (such as Luke) HOWEVER, Johns gospel was not actually written by John himself
  2. Written in the first century A.D
  3. Consistent with other portions of the Bible known to be valid

  The church went on to leave out books and other Gospels they thought to be inferior.
• Option 1(Bible interpretation):

  God gave the writer’s the word to write; the teachings as they came from Jesus was perfect and infallible.

  Any faults found in the Bible area a result of human interference
• Option 2(Bible interpretation):

  God inspired the writers to write, but only the church can correctly interpret the teachings.

  The style/intention of the writers is not always cLear and there are some errors from humans
• Option 3(Bible interpretation):

  The Bible is a human interpretation of the way God expressed himself through Jesus’ life. The personal experience of the presence of God, stimulated by reading scripture, makes the Bible authoritative for the reader
• Catholic view on the authority of the Bible

  • The Bible and the church have equal authority, since they are inextricably linked through the work of the Holy Spirit
  • Tradition and scripture are closely connected through the work of the Holy spirit, who remains active within the church.
  • The rule of faith fir Catholicism is to therefore embrace both scripture and tradition, because the church has the authority to interpret scripture correctly
• What is Apostolic Tradition?

  The tradition that stems from Jesus’ apostles. Jesus commanded his apostles to spread the Gospel to all men. This was done orally from the teachings the apostles received from Jesus and The Holy Spirit as well as from writing by the apostles and those associated with them, again under the inspiration from the Holy Spirit
• Quote referencing Apostolic tradition:

  ‘I command you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as i have delivered them to you‘ [1 Corinthians] paul
• what is meant by Apostolic succession?

  Jesus‘ apostles appointed bishops to be their successors and the bishops were given teaching authority, and this established a continuous line of succession that would last until the end of time.

  The passing down of religious authority.
• Protestant view of Bible’s authority(1)

  • doctrine of sola scriptura
  • developed by Martin Luther during the Protestant reformation
  • Martin Luther claimed that all Christian’s needed was ’the sure rule of God’s word.’
  • Luther was concerned that humans should not pass judgement on God’s word: ‘let us not change the word of god; we ourselves should be changed through the word.
• Protestant view on Bible’s authority(2)

  • We must adhere solely to the word of God ‘it is not who speaks that matters in church, but what is spoken’
  • Church must be in line with the Bible, and if not, then it is false.
  • without scripture there would be ni church so the church cannot be the judge of scripture.
  • Christianity stands or falls by the authority of scripture
• Martin Luther on access to God:

  • Taught that all believers are priests, and all stand equally before god
  • ’But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood..’ 1 Peter 2:9
  • All believers have equal access to God through their prayers, without the need for an ordained priest as an intermediary
• Arguments in support of the bible having better authority:

  • Word of God- directly from him. ‘God-breathed’
  • Tells us things humans can’t know through reason and conscience such as the doctrine of the trinity and the story of creation
  • Need the Bible to be a Christian however you do not need the church
• Arguments for the Bible being a better source of authority than the Church:

  • The Bible is what gives authority to the Church; no church without the Bible
  • The Bible contains all of God’s teachings and accounts of Jesus’ life; it guides us by telling us what God commands
  • Church must be in line with the Bible, otherwise it is false