Scripture Alone "Sola Scriptura”

NOTES: October 31,1517 a 33 year-old monk in Wittenberg Germany and nailed 95 theses to the door. Over indulgences and purgatory.

"Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason. . .I am bound to the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me. Amen."

The Five Solas of the Reformation:

1. Sola Scriptura “Scripture alone” is our highest authority.

2. Sola Fide “Faith alone” Saved through faith alone in Christ.

3. Sola Gratia “Grace alone” Saved by the grace of God alone.

4. Solus Christus “Christ alone” Jesus alone is our Lord, Savior.

5. Soli Deo Gloria “Glory of God alone” We live for the glory of God alone.

2 Tim. 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I. Scripture is our ultimate authority.

- The only way to prove the Bible is with the Bible.

- We can affirm the claims of Scripture: Manuscript evidence

Author Written Earliest MMS Time Span MMS

Secular Manuscripts:

Herodotus (History) 425 BC 900 AD 1,300 years 8

Thucydides (History) 400 BC 900 AD 1,300 years ?

Aristotle (Philosopher) 322 BC 1,100 AD 1,400 years 5

Caesar (History) 44 BC 900 AD 1,000 years 10

Pliny (History) 113 AD 850 AD 750 years 7

Suetonius (Rom. Hist.) 140 AD 950 AD 800 years ?

Tacitus (Greek History) 100 AD 1,100 AD 1,000 years 20

Biblical Manuscripts: (note: these are individual manuscripts)

Magdalene Ms (Matt. 26) 1st century 50-60 AD co-existant (?)

John Rylands (John) 90 AD 130 AD 40 years

Bodmer Pap. II (John) 90 AD 150-200 AD 60-110 years

Chester Beatty (N.T.) 1st century 200 AD 150 years

Diatessaron (Gospels) 1st century 200 AD 150 years

Codex Vaticanus 1st century 325-350 AD 275-300

Codex Sinaiticus 1st century 350 AD 300 years

Codex Alexandrinus 1st century 400 AD 350 years

(New Testament manuscripts = 5,300 Greek MSS, 10,000 Latin Vulgate, 9,300 others = 24,000 copies) (Total MSS before 600AD = 230) http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/historical/the-bible-and-the-quran/the-bibles-manuscript-evidence/

II. Scripture is Sufficient

A. God has not “left out needed information”

B. Be care saying, “God spoke to me, I was inspired, etc.”

C. What God “says” today is subservient to what He has already said.

D. Scripture tells us how to LIVE not just what to believe.

Deuteronomy 18:20 But if a prophet says something I did not tell him to say as though he were speaking for me, or if a prophet speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must be killed.”

III. Scripture is inerrant (means without errors).

Inspirations means “Breathed from God”

Infallible, Inerrant, Sole Authority (not soul authority)

Matthew 5:18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Matthew 22:43 He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord”…

A. The Bible is called a sword, hammer, & fire

Jeremiah 23:29 Does not my word burn like fire?" says the LORD. "Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

1. It can be dangerous

2. It must be handled with care

B. Ask the right Questions.

1. So what did it mean then? (Context) Learn it

2. So what does it mean now? (Explanation) Link it

3. So what am I going to do about it? (Application) Live it

How or where do we find the context of a passage?

Grammatical Context – Grammatical structure

Historical Context – Understand based on time, customs, events.

Literary Context – Genre, Idioms, Style

Theological Context – Overall Biblical truth

See http://www.BibleStudyTools.com