Posted on 06/18/2003 11:12:10 AM PDT by tridentine
NPR just reported on the fake ossuary of St. James in Toronto--but with a spin that it had been purported to the ossuary "of a brother of Jesus"--thus putting their rather non-orthodox spin on things (i.e., questioning the Virgin Birth, etc.) Nice work again from our government's radio network. NPR--an affront not only to all Christians but to all Americans.
There is no Scriptural support for this! The Apochryphal books may heve this, but there is a reason why they are not accepted universally (within the church) as being canonical.
An historical summary of the canon of sacred scripture and the church's determination of what is canonical can be boiled to down to two sources or representatives.
For the new testament, the source (or representative source) is apostolic authority. How does one know the NT is inspired? There is a presupposition that the apostles were chosen by Christ, who is God, so the apostles, as eyewitnesses of everything dealing with Christ, had a unique position and personal authority because they were so chosen. The authority of the apostles assures the truth or the canonicity of the NT books.
The same can be said of the OT and prophetic authority. That is, prophetic authority assures the truth and canonicity of the OT books because they were believed to have been written by the prophets themselves (or their representatives). Again, tradition held that the first five books of the Bible were written by Moses, the prophetic works by the prophets, the psalms by David, etc.
Lends support to what I said...if it isn't scriptural, it has NO authority. Sorry!
Incorrect. Scripture does not support your claim that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to any children other than Jesus Christ. Linguistic literalists and poor students of Scripture may make that claim but it is in fact not supported by Scripture. Calvin, Luther, Zwingli and many other Protestant leaders firmly believed in, wrote about and preached to their followers about the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Mother. Disputation of these facts are a relatively recent occurrence finding their genesis in the latter stages of the second modern millenium.
Yet Joseph was told not to hesitate to take her as his wife...he was going to quietly put her away. Doesn't it seem odd that God would tell him to go ahead and marry her, and then to keep her a virgin. Kind of cruel...
Who gave you the Scripture? We agree that Scripture is the inspired Word of God. But *who* decided what books were to be included in the Bible? There WAS no Bible until the third century! Were the first 300 years of Christianity irrelevent because there was no written Word? Jesus Himself commanded the apostles to make disciples of all nations and spread the Word as He commanded. No where did Jesus tell the apostles to write anything down and put it into a book and say this is the definitive Word of God. If anything, it could be implied that he suggested the opposite, because he told the apostles to "preach" the Good News, i.e. verbally tell people about Jesus, the risen Savior.
Many Protestants think that the Catholic Church doesn't not use the Bible or believe in the Bible; on the contrary, the entire litury, both the Word and the Eucharist, is take from Scripture. Apostolic Succession (i.e. the Pope, the Chair of St. Peter) is from Scripture. Likewise, apostolic authority is important: if the apostles believed it, i.e. the perpetual virginity of Mary, it must be true because they had the Holy Spirit with them. (I many not be explaining this right, but basically, the early works of the Church Fathers are important because they were disciples of the Apostles and like the game of telephone, Tradition was new and less likely to be broken down back then.)
Anyway, I'm not arguing with you. We have more in common than not. But sola scriptura is not in the Bible, so I have a difficult time understanding this concept as well.
God bless.
Matt.21
[42] Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Matt.22
[29] Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Matt.26
[54] But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? [56] But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
Mark.12
[10] And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: [24] And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
Mark.14
[49] I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.
Mark.15
[28] And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
Luke.4
[21] And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Luke.24
[27] And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. [32] And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? [45] Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
John.2
[22] When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
John.5
[39] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
John.7
[38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [42] Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
John.10
[35] If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
John.13
[18] I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
John.17
[12] While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
John.19
[24] They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. [28] After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. [36] For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. [37] And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
John.20
[9] For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Acts.1
[16] Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
Acts.8
[32] The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: [35] Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Acts.17
[2] And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, [11] 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.
Acts.18
[24] And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. [28] For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Rom.1
[2] (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
Rom.4
[3] For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom.9
[17] For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Rom.10
[11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom.11
[2] God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Rom.15
[4] For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom.16
[26] But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
1Cor.15
[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Gal.3
[8] And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. [22] But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal.4
[30] Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
1Tim.5
[18] For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
2Tim.3
[15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Jas.2
[8] If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: [23] And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas.4
[5] Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
1Pet.2
[6] Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
2Pet.1
[20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pet.3
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
And here is what the NT says about tradition.
Matt.15
[2] Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. [3] But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? [6] And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Mark.7
[3] For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. [5] Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? [8] For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. [9] And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. [13] Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Gal.1
[14] And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Col.2
[8] Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
2Thes.2
[15] Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
2Thes.3
[6] Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
1Pet.1
[18] Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
I will take the word of God over man's tradition.
2Tim.3
[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
My faith is such that I believe the Bible is the word of God.
I do not believe any other books, or traditions if they make a similar claim.
Do you know of some other book that I can use that proves the Bible is the inspired word of God?
Also, I would never tell someone who quotes the inspired word of God that it is needless repetition.
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