"John 5:39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
Then why does the New Testament exist, if the OT is such a great and easily understood source????? I note that the Jews got it wrong right up to and past Jesus' crucifixion, INCLUDING most the Apostles (Emaus road narrative).
The simple fact is that both Jesus and the Apostles taught MOSTLY by the spoken and NOT the written word (Paul and John being notable exceptions). And they both taught from Jewish oral tradition, as well. So the existence of Christian tradition is a perfectly valid continuation.
The whole idea of "sola scriptura" is simply ridiculous on its face. We have God's WORD all around us (the physical universe) all the time, written in His Own Language and by His Own Hand, a few words and sentences of which we are beginning to understand.
I note that the Jews got it wrong right up to and past Jesus' crucifixion, INCLUDING most the Apostles (Emaus road narrative).
Indeed, this is true.
But let's ask this: does their getting it wrong
invalidate their salvation? or is Jesus greater than our misconceptions and falsely held beliefs?
The simple fact is that both Jesus and the Apostles taught MOSTLY by the spoken and NOT the written word (Paul and John being notable exceptions). And they both taught from Jewish oral tradition, as well. So the existence of Christian tradition is a perfectly valid continuation.
I don't think anyone is saying that there are no traditions; but the sola scriptura proponents [of which I am a member] claim that all that is essential is already covered in the scripture — moreover, the role of the Holy Spirit (his work and purpose) fits nicely with this idea... for our God is not dead, but lives and works in the world even now.
The whole idea of "sola scriptura" is simply ridiculous on its face.
I disagree; as someone upthread mentioned: Jesus used scripture as his reply to Satan.
He would certainly be in the right to reply on his own authority [being the Creator] but he did not — instead he quoted/cited scripture.
Does this not imply we ought to have greatest respect for the scripture?
We have God's WORD all around us (the physical universe) all the time, written in His Own Language and by His Own Hand, a few words and sentences of which we are beginning to understand.
His own language? I don't believe that for a second: from nearly the beginning of its inception the New Testament was translated into other languages, and on Pentecost men heard "in their own language" not were suddenly able to understand Hebrew. (And prior to this the Old Testament had been translated into at least Greek.)