Rule - Self-contained
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Since we are to let every man be a liar and God be true [1]; outside references are not required to solve the riddles and see the shadows. This keeps us devoted.
- Not only are we not going to bring in extra-biblical books to determine the meaning of scripture, but we will not make apostles out of historians, document critics or scholars by elevating their writings concerning the meaning of scripture.
- Historian
- We miss the meaning that Jesus intended as he confronted the rich man who asked how to get into the kingdom, if we accept a historian's report that here was a gate in Jerusalem called "the eye of the needle" [2]. Do we really believe that people were incapable of understanding the word of God until this little gem was 'discovered' by a 'professor' who needed to publish or perish?
- Document critics
- We will not make apostles out of document critics. The mystery, written in the same words used for the literal history, act like security paper. If one were to change the words of the literal history, the mystery would be scrambled. If there are errors to documents that have been received, they will be plain when the hidden narrative is discerned. God said he would protect every jot and tittle of his word [3], so we know that one of the variant documents is true.
- Scholars
- We will not make apostles out of scholars. Scholars present opinions. They get no credit for presenting old truth, they must perpetually come up with something novel to get their name cited in other papers. You pastor has more motivation to teach truth than scholars.
If we reference historians, document critics, or scholars, it will be to add color to the discussion, and more often than not, to refute popular myths they perpetuate.
Consequence of using outside resources: You make the historian, the document critic, or the scholar into an apostle, giving him power over the interpretation of scripture.
- ↑ Ro 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
- ↑ Mt 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
- ↑ Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
