All Christians affirm that Sacred Scripture (the Bible) was inspired by God(2 Timothy 3:16). Some Christians, however, claim that the Bible is all they need. This new idea in Christendom, is never taught in the Bible itself. In fact, the Bible teaches the contrary:
"There are, however, many other things that Jesus did; but if every one of these should be written, not even the world itself, I think, could hold the books that would have to be written. Amen"
--John 21:25 (Duoay-Reihms), 1560 English Translation)
"Though I have much to write to you, I do not wish to do so with paper and ink; for I hope to be with you and to speak with you and to speak face to face, that your joy may be full."
--2 John 1:12 (Duoay-Reihms)
"So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold the teachings that you have learned whether by word or by letter of ours."
--2 Thessalonians 2:15 (Duoay-Reihms
"and the things that thou hast heard from me through many witnesses, commend to trustworthy men who shall be competent in turn to teach others."
--2 Timothy 2:2 (Duoay-Reihms)
"Now I praise you, brethren, because in all things you are mindful of me and hold fast my precepts as I gave them to you."
-- 1 Corinthians 11:2 (Duoay-Reihms)
"Therefore we too give thanks to God without ceasing, because when you heard and received from us the word of God, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, who works in you who have believed."
--1 Thessalonians 2:13 (Duoay-Reihms)
"And they continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of the breaking of the bread and in the prayers."
--Acts 2:42 (Duoay-Reihms)
"as indeed he did in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things. In these epistles there are certain things difficult to understand, which the unlearned and the unstable distort, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures also, to their own destruction."
--2 Peter 3:16 (Duoay-Reihms)
Note: Sacred Scripture, like Sacred Tradition, is free from all error, but not free from all ambiguity.
"This, then, you must understand first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is made by private interpretation."
--2 Peter 1:20 (Duoay-Reihms)
"And Philip, running up, heard him reading the prophet Isaias, and he said, 'Dost thou then know understand what thou art reading?' But he said, 'Why, how can I, unless someone shows me?' And he asked Philip to get up and sit with him."
--Acts 8:31 (Duoay-Reihms)
"For whereas by this time you ought to be masters, you need to be taught again the rudiments of the words of God; and you have become such as have need of milk and not of solid food."
--Hebrews 5:12 (Duoay-Reihms)
Many modern Theologians and sects believe that the Bible is intended to be the sole rule of faith for Christians. For the first fifteen hundred years after Christ's ascension, all Christians believed in the authority of both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, which together make up ONE deposite of faith, the WORD of God. This deposit of faith was authoritatively and infallibly interpreted and taught by the Apostles chosen by Christ and their successors the bishops. This ONE deposite of faith (Scripture and Tradition) is still to this day, infallibly taught and preserved by the Church, the "pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).
The Bible only theory does not work in practice. History itself disproves it. Every week, five new "denominations" splinter off of each other, because of new and unique interpretations of Scripture.
Today there are tens of thousands of competing denominations, each insisting its interpretation of Sacred Scripture is the correct one. The resulting divisions have caused untold confusion among millions of sincere, but misled Christians.
The Holy Spirit cannot be the author of all of this confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). God cannot lead people to contradictory beliefs because his truth is one. The Bible only thery is therefore incorrect.
© 1998 jjs@catholic.org
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