I’ve been thinking a lot about Scripture lately, well I guess I’m always thinking about Scripture. But this time I’ve been doing so in conversation with Origen from the 2nd century, and a bit with Martin Luther of the 16th century. I’m writing my Historical Theology paper on Origen’s view of Biblical Inspiration. (Which actually I should be writing now, but I’m procrastinating as all good grad students do.) Its made me further refine my view. Although I emphatically do not think the Bible is in anyway, shape, or form the Word (Logos) of God. That position belongs to Christ alone, and to give it to anything else including scripture, is I think, to make it God. I’m able to say this not because of a low view of Scripture but because of my High view of Christ.
Nevertheless, and this may surprise you, I do think we can encounter The Word of God in Scripture. I use the word can very intentionally as we can open the Bible a million times and never encounter Christ the Word. The pharisees we’re all about their Bibles so much so that they when The Word of God actually showed up they couldn’t see him. The Bible which was suppose to be an means to an end became for them a end in and of itself and therefore did not encounter the Word of God. The Bible was actually their stumbling block, and prevented them from encounter Jesus (The Word). So lets not deceive ourselves into thinking that every time we or someone else opens the Bible they are going to encounter Christ. Its only when the Bible is “read in the right spirit” (C.S Lewis) that we are carried to Christ. In other words its only when we are actually desiring Christ in humility that we will encounter Christ in Scripture. If we desire Scripture more that we desire Christ, we will never encounter The Word in and through Scripture.
When we come to the words of scripture and are truly seeking Jesus above all else we will be met by Jesus (who is the Word of God if I haven’t made myself clear) and our experiences of Christ in those moments will slowly transform us more and more into full humans. Below is a quote from myself (how conceded can I get) regarding this discussion.
“Scripture, as well as an infinite number of other sources, serves as the vehicle for the Word (Jesus) not because there is something magical or special about them, and not even because the Holy Spirit is its composer. (I do not think the author of Scripture is in any way the Spirit of God, but a plethora of human beings.)
No, it is not because of any of these reasons that scripture (among other sources) serves as the vehicle for the Word. Rather it is because the very nature of our God is Incarnational, and the very fabric of reality is modeled after its creators nature.
It is therefore not only natural but to be expected that creation itself as a whole as well as among its particularities and details, all serve as the vehicle for the Divine Logos. Scripture is no exception to God’s all-inclusive grace weaved throughout the fabric of reality. And as the church has chosen scripture particularly, Christ the Word is incarnated to us especially in scripture.
Among those of the Protestants who think Scripture is itself God’s voice they especially hear God’s voice through Scripture not because Scripture is actually God’s voice, but because Christ as the incarnational God is meeting them in their understanding, and is allowing, the only source that they will allow, to serve as His Vehicle for His Divine Self, the Logos so that He Himself is not barred from teaching His People Himself. Is it any surprise that our very savior and God appeared to us as the Incarnated Son of God in Jesus Christ of Nazareth?”
In conclusion Scripture is not the Word of God, but in and through Scripture, when we truly desire Christ we can and will encounter The Word of God who is Jesus The Christ.