Understanding ‘The Word of God’
Last week we saw that ‘the Word of God’ may be properly used in four ways:
- Jesus
- God’s direct speech
- God’s Word given through human beings
- God’s written Word – the Scripture
Today, I want to look a little more closely at this final meaning, the written Word. I do this, both because it is probably the most common usage today among believers, but also because some are attacking this usage today. They attack this usage as a way of saying that the Bible is not really ‘the Word of God’. Often they will say ‘it contains the Word’ but that it is not proper to refer to the Bible itself as ‘the Word of God’. But this is in error, for the Scriptures themselves often use the phrase ‘The Word of God’ or its equivalents to refer to the Bible.
This idea beings with the fact that we are told that those given ‘the Word of the Lord’ did not just receive it, nor did they simply speak it – they specifically wrote it down.
Exodus 24:4 Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said.
Jeremiah 36:4 So Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and while Jeremiah dictated all the words the LORD had spoken to him, Baruch wrote them on the scroll.
They did this so that the Word of God would be preserved for future generations. Thus, ‘the Word’ did not end with the original revelation, but actually carried forth through the written revelation. This is why we say the written Scriptures are referred to as the Word, or as God speaking. A few examples will suffice:
So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice…” Hebrews 3:7
(The writer to Hebrews is quoting from Psalm 95, and he says this is the Holy Spirit speaking. Thus, the written text of Psalm 95 is the Spirit’s Word.)
“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus — 17 he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”… 20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’ Acts 1:16–17, 20
(Once again note that the written words of the Psalms, quoted in v20, are considered to be the word of the Holy Spirit. The written words are as much the Spirit’s speech as they were when given to the writer of the Psalms. Thus, they are just as authoritative in Peter’s day as in David’s day.)
As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1–2
(Note that God’s Word through Isaiah, which Paul quotes in verse 2, is considered to be God’s current speech. God’s Word to and through Isaiah did not end when Isaiah wrote it down. Rather, through the written Word God is still speaking.)
Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6 he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. Matthew 15:3–6
(Notice that the Ten Commandments ‘honor your father and mother’ and Exodus 21:17 are referred to by Jesus as God’s command (v3) and ‘the Word of God’ (v6). Furthermore, note the contrast between the Word of God and the words of men as contained in the tradition of the Jews. The traditions are merely the words of men, but the written Scriptures are the Word of God.)
I could pile up many more examples, but the point is clear: Jesus, Peter, Paul, and the writer to Hebrews consider the written Scripture to be the Word of God, as authoritative and binding for those who read it as to those to whom the revelation was originally given.
Next week we will look more closely at the idea of inspiration.
In Christ,
Bret