Expert: Dr Don Howe - 10/26/2010

Question
I am curious...where in scripture is the doctrine of Sola Scriptura taught? I have been searching and cannot find it. Help?!

Answer
Roberto, Sola Scriptura has been around ever since creation. It is a doctrine which means that Scriptures is sufficient. And what God or Jesus says is also sufficient since they are ones of the authority of Scriptures. The authority of written Scriptures is more sufficient than oral tradition, as has been the practice of the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Greek church, and Jehovah Witness. Sola Scripture really came to the forefront as part of the Reformation.

  Gen. 1:3 shows the sufficiency of what God Himself says “Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.” Who said? God said “Let there be light” which shows the sufficiency of His word.

  Gen. 1:6 states “Then God said, "Let there be  an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." God said “let there be” (with sufficiency of His word alone) and there was expanse of the water.
  You can go through the Genesis 1 and Gen. 2 and see that sufficiency of God’s command (bingo Sola Scriptura i.e. sufficiency of Scripture and the Word of God or Jesus Himself).

  In Matthew 4:1-11, Three times Jesus was tempted by the Devil and each time Jesus replied exactly the same three dangerous words that defeated the Devil: "IT IS WRITTEN."  If any one could have used oral tradition, it was Jesus, yet he chose the only safe and sure way to defeat Satan: Authority of Scripture (Sola Scriptura).

  Look at Mark 7:5-13. Verse 5 states “The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?" These washings were commanded by tradition, not by Scripture. The religious leaders knew this, yet they still criticized the disciples for not obeying these traditions. This is what the Catholic church does all the time in which they equate traditions of men (Catholic church) equal to Scripture, but still ignore the sufficiency of Scripture as God has dictated to us. This is what the Pharisees were doing also.
  Verse 6 states “And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.” Jesus is telling the Pharisees they are hypocrites as they were giving honor to God with their lips and their hearts are on their traditions and looking good in front of the Jewish people. Roberto notice how Jesus refers to the sufficiency of Scriptures by saying “as it is written.”
  Jesus was saying the leaders were far too concerned with trivial matters like ritual washing. When they focused on these trivial traditions, they excluded everyone who didn’t keep the traditions, and so they discouraged them from coming to God.
  Verses 7-8 states 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." Jesus is saying they are neglecting the commandment of God (sufficiency of God’s word) to hold to their traditions of men. This is legalism. Taking a commandment or opinion of men, and teaching or promoting it as a doctrine from God is what supports legalism. It gives man’s word the same weight as God’s word.




  In verse 9 Jesus really nails them. “He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.” This is another pillar of legalism. It would be bad enough to add the commandments of men to the word of God. But almost without fail, the legalist or religious hypocrite goes the next step - to reject the commandment of God and to keep your tradition. In doing this, they subtract the real essence and focus of God’s word.

  Luke 1:3-4 states “it seemed fitting for me as well, having  investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;  so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been  taught.” Luke is saying that writing it down (God’s precepts) in consecutive order helps Theophilus and us to know the exact truth.

  Luke 10:26 states “And He said to him, "What is written in the Law?  How does it read to you?" Jesus expected even his enemies to correctly interpret the Bible by simply reading and studying it. Unlike Jesus, Catholics and Orthodox don’t ask you what you think scripture says, they just tell you how their church interprets it and you have no choice but to accept what they tell you.

  Acts 17:11-12 states “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” They searched the scriptures daily as the source of authority. Scriptures is sufficient. Even though the apostles were inspired with genuine oral revelation, they always directed people to the scriptures for the final determination of truth.

  2 Tim. 3:16-17 states “All Scripture is  inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for  training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” All scriptures is god-breathed (inspired) and sufficient for all good work. Clarke states “False doctrine cannot prevail long where the sacred Scriptures are read and studied. Error prevails only where the book of God is withheld from the people. The religion that fears the Bible is not the religion of God.”
   Sola Scriptura is always superior than oral tradition.

  Sola Scriptura is not an easy doctrine to teach on, but I hope this helps.

Blessings,

Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD