From Scripture to Jesus and Back

I. How Do We Use the Bible?
Many churches treat the Bible 'top-down,' as the Word of (meaning from) God, in the words of its human authors. ("Love letters from God?" Newbigin, on Gen 3:9?) This makes it the faith's foundation to stand and build our 'ground floor' on.
The academy tends to investigate its meaning 'then-and-now,' as the Word of (meaning about) God in original cultural and historical contexts.

(Newbigin also, on Gen 1–11's originating context?)
This stance can assist faith, informing disciples building on the Bible's foundation. But it doesn't demand that kind of devotion.

Jesus read devotionally and critically (Matt 19:3–9).

With practice, we can read in '3-D' perspective too.

Christian history shaped perceptions of the Bible's character, work, and power (so second-story 'bibliology,' or doctrine of scripture).

Different camps have foregrounded its relationship with ...

Catholics: ... the church (so Holy Tradition).
Lutherans: ... the Law and (especially) the gospel (so biblical criticism).
'Ana'baptists and disciple-making movements: ... disciples (so faithful, fruitful obedience).
Calvinists: ... the Holy Spirit (so authority, covenant, and internal witness).
Liberals and fundamentalists: the truth (so theological, historical, scientific [un]reliability).

Note how historical moments and contexts foster each insight,

and how a given insight can 'capture scripture' and constrict its use.

The Bible not only contains a grand story, but has a story: the process of its formation.
Central to that process is scripture's specific relationships with Jesus Christ.
These relationships are often overlooked, but they're clarifying.

They move not just down or forward, but 'every which way' in the richness of God's relationships and work:
'the love letters of God's whole family.'

These need not threaten those 'second story' insights, and can help refresh them and release the Bible from their captivity.

II. Israel's Scripture: The Word from the Father
Israel generated and kept the writings of the Old Testament or 'Tanakh':

Torah: the 'gospel' of Israel's creation and freedom and its rules for enjoying them.
Prophets: the tragic story of Israel leaving God, along with warnings of the consequences and assurances that God would restore Israel nevertheless.
Writings: Israel's worship and contemplation of the God it was coming to know in this life, death, and bright distant future.

Israel's holy scriptures form Jesus as a Jew inheriting their promises.
They define his mission as Israel's Messiah.
Obeying Jesus' canon (rule) is obeying his Father (Matt 5:18).

III. Jesus' Scripture: The Word in the Son
Jesus never criticizes nor sets aside Israel's scriptures, but teaches, confirms, fulfills, and wields them as his instrument.

His life, death, and resurrection are their content and goal
(Ps 2, Deut 8, Ps 22, Deut 32, Ps 110, Isa 53, and on and on).

His coming transforms Israel's scriptures into what the church calls "Old Testament."

Jesus' new words and deeds are also the Word of God (1 Cor 7:25).

His historically decisive ministry warrants and authorizes 'new testament.'

Obeying both testaments is obeying him.

In sum, Jesus 'institutes' scripture as a powerful sign of his grace (John 20:30-31):

Scripture points us to Jesus as Lord and Messiah (1 Pet 1:10-12).

IV. The Church's Scripture: The Word by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit accomplishes scripture's work in Jesus (Isa 61:1 in Luke 4:18).
Obeying God's Word, now written on our hearts, obeys the Spirit breathing them (2 Tim 3:16).
His Spirit authorizes witnesses to spread the good news of his Kingdom, life, and traditions (Acts 1:8).

Disciples speak Jesus' delegated words (John 16:12-15, Matt 18:18-20; also John 20:22-23, Matt 10:19-20).

His followers generate fresh canonical writings out of their God-gifted relationships:

Gospels: Four biographies of our Jesus that center on his life, death, and resurrection, each with its own flavor and insight.
Acts and 'prophets': In Acts, Luke keeps telling Jesus' story through the activities of his Spirit's church. Revelation tells the story of the church's continuing struggles to stay faithful under pressure, and God's determination to see it through its trials in our world.
'Writings': Church correspondence, from letters of Paul and other leaders to a sermon (Hebrews) and , is 'inside information' on our community.

In sum, disciples use scripture to worship and serve Jesus as Lord (Acts 2:14-39, Phil 2:5-11).

Our mission parameters remain until the end of the age (Matt 24:14), so the canon (standard, measure) is closed:
it norms all traditions, including itself, so that the church remains Christ's church (Rev 2:3-5).

V. The Living and Active Word of God
So scripture reflects the Father's character and will,

shares in the Son's ministry and truth, and
works in the Holy Spirit's power,
through Israel's and the church's voices
in the world God longs to be reconciled.

In these ways, the churches' claims listed above are appropriate:

The Bible is true as God is true, in ways that make us holy and fruitful.