Many times professing Christians pass comments as to some Biblical account being of a dubious nature,the following article is from creation.com,it is posted in full with the permission of Dr Livingston.

by Dr David Livingston

Published: 6 April 2004 (GMT+10)
There is considerable debate these days concerning the inerrancy (infallibility) of Scripture. The authority of God’s Word is the main issue. But, if one yields to the authority of Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach), he must, in turn, yield to Christ’s view of the Scripture itself. Anyone and everyone who claims to be a Christian (a believer under the authority of Christ) must hold to the same view He did! What was it?

I. Negative aspects (an argument from silence—but a loud silence!)
Jesus never belittled Scripture (as some modern critics do), or set it aside (as the Jewish leaders of His day had done with their Oral Traditions), or criticized it (although He criticized those who misused it), or contradicted it (although He rejected many interpretations of it), or opposed it (although He sometimes was free or interpretive with it), nor spoke in any way as ‘higher’ critics do of the Old Testament (Tanakh).

II. Christ’s use of Scripture
As Louis Gaussen has asserted, ‘We are not afraid to say it: when we hear the Son of God quote the Scriptures, every thing is said, in our view, on their divine inspiration—we need no further testimony. All the declarations of the Bible are, no doubt, equally divine; but this example of the Savior of the world has settled the question for us at once. This proof requires neither long nor learned researches; it is grasped by the hand of a child as powerfully as by that of a doctor. Should any doubt, then, assail your soul let it behold Him in the presence of the Scriptures!’1

1.He knew the Scriptures thoroughly, even to words and verb tenses. He obviously had either memorized vast portions or knew it instinctively: John 7:15.2

2.He believed every word of Scripture. All the prophecies concerning Himself were fulfilled,3 and He believed beforehand they would be.4

3.He believed the Old Testament was historical fact. This is very clear, even though from the Creation (cf. Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:4, 5) onward, much of what He believed has long been under fire by critics, as being mere fiction. Some examples of historical facts:

Luke 11:51—Abel was a real individual
Matthew 24:37–39—Noah and the flood (Luke 17:26, 27)
John 8:56–58—Abraham
Matthew 10:15; 11:23, 24 (Luke 10:12)—Sodom and Gomorrah
Luke 17:28–32—Lot (and wife!)
Matthew 8:11—Isaac and Jacob (Luke 13:28)
John 6:31, 49, 58—Manna
John 3:14—Serpent
Matthew 12:39–41—Jonah (vs. 42—Sheba)
Matthew 24:15—Daniel and Isaiah
4.He believed the books were written by the men whose names they bear:

Moses wrote the Pentateuch (Torah): Matthew 19:7, 8; Mark 7:10, 12:26 (‘Book of Moses’—the Torah); Luke 5:14; 16:29,31; 24:27, 44 (‘Christ’s Canon’); John 1:17; 5:45, 46; 7:19; (‘The Law [Torah] was given by Moses; Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ.’)5
Isaiah wrote ‘both’ Isaiah’s: Mark 7:6–13; John 12:37–41 [Ed. note: Liberals claim that Isaiah 40-66 was composed after the fall of Jerusalem by another writer they call ‘Deutero-Isaiah’. The only real ‘reason’ for their claim is that a straightforward dating would mean that predictive prophecy was possible, and liberals have decreed a priori that knowledge of the future is impossible (like miracles in general). Thus these portions must have been written after the events. However, there is nothing in the text itself to hint of a different author. See The Unity of Isaiah. In fact, even the Dead Sea Isaiah Scroll was a seamless unity. But as Dr Livingston said, since Jesus affirmed the unity of Isaiah, the deutero-Isaiah theory is just not an option for anyone calling himself a follower of Christ.]
Jonah wrote Jonah: Matthew 12:39–41
Daniel wrote Daniel: Matthew 24:15
5.He believed the Old Testament was spoken by God Himself, or written by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, even though the pen was held by men: Matthew 19:4, 5; 22:31, 32, 43; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37.

6.He believed Scripture was more powerful than His miracles: Luke 16:29, 31.

7.He actually quoted it in overthrowing Satan! The O.T. Scriptures were the arbiter in every dispute: Matthew 4; Luke 16:29, 31.

8.He quoted Scripture as the basis for his own teaching. His ethics were the same as what we find already written in Scripture: Matthew 7:12; 19:18, 19; 22:40; Mark 7:9, 13; 10:19; 12:24, 29–31; Luke 18:20.

9.He warned against replacing it with something else, or adding or subtracting from it. The Jewish leaders in His day had added to it with their Oral Traditions: Matthew 5:17; 15:1–9; 22:29; (cf. 5:43, 44); Mark. 7:1–12. (Destroying faith in the Bible as God’s Word will open the door today to a ‘new’ Tradition.)

10.He will judge all men in the last day, as Messiah and King, on the basis of His infallible Word committed to writing by fallible men, guided by the infallible Holy Spirit: Matthew 25:31; John 5:22, 27; 12:48; Romans 2:16.

11.He made provision for the New Testament (B’rit Hadashah) by sending the Holy Spirit (the Ruach HaKodesh). We must note that He Himself never wrote one word of Scripture although He is the Word of God Himself (the living Torah in flesh and blood, see John, chapter 1). He committed the task of all writing of the Word of God to fallible men—guided by the infallible Holy Spirit. The apostles’ words had the same authority as Christ’s: Matthew 10:14, 15; Luke 10:16; John 13:20; 14:22; 15:26, 27; 16:12–14.

12.He not only was not jealous of the attention men paid to the Bible (denounced as ‘bibliolatry’ by some), He reviled them for their ignorance of it: Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:24.

13.Nor did Jesus worship Scripture. He honored it—even though written by men.

The above leaves no room but to conclude that our Lord Jesus Christ considered the canon of Scripture as God’s Word, written by the hand of men.

Although some religious leaders profess to accept Scripture as ‘God’s Word,’ their low view of ‘inspiration’ belies the fact. They believe and teach that Scripture is, to a very significant degree, man’s word. Many of their statements are in essential disagreement with those of Jesus Christ. From the evidence of their books, we conclude that some Christian leaders are opposite to Christ in His regard for the authority, the inspiration, and the inerrancy of Scripture.

And now, the most important point.

III. Jesus Christ was subject to Scripture
Jesus obeyed the Word of God, not man. He was subject to it. If some leaders’ view of inspiration were true, Jesus was subject to an errant, rather casually thrown-together ‘Word of Man.’ Jesus would have been subject, then, to the will of man, not the will of God.

However, in all the details of His acts of redemption, Jesus was subject to Scripture as God’s Word. He obeyed it. It was His authority, the rule by which He lived. He came to do God’s will, not His own, and not man’s. Note how all of His life He did things because they were written—as if God had directly commanded. He fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about Himself. The passages are found all over the Old Testament. We cite here only a very few quoted in the New Testament: Matthew 11:10; 26:24, 53–56; Mark 9:12, 13; Luke 4:17–21; 18:31–33; 22:37; 24:44–47.

He Himself is the Word of God. All the words from His lips were the Word of God. (John 3:34). If He had desired, He could have written a new set of rules and they would have been the Word of God. But, He did not. He followed without question the Bible already penned by men.

This is the sensible thing for every believer to do. May all who read this adopt Jesus’ attitude and become subject both to Him as Living Word (living Torah) and to the Bible as the infallible, written Word of God

Instructive article. I can think of no instance of where Jesus engaged in the higher or literary criticisms of modern Christians. If anyone had the right, it would have been him.

Today, many Christians, especially those who rarely if ever search their bibles, assert their competency to downgrade the scriptures to a mere supplementary text to their own spiritual insights. Indeed, some assert this right to downgrade scripture by virtue of the Holy Spirit living in them! No wonder many of us are blown about by every wind of influence.

MC

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Mike Compton

I think I am getting what you are saying there MC, but I was curious if you could expound on that a bit more, maybe give an example of what you are talking about.

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Jeremiah Dusenberry

Several years ago, the American Presbyterian church with other denominations careening into New Age liberalism, had to deal with the Bible inerrancy dilemma. Oh the delicate dance between the fires of the old believers and the young liberals steeped in mocking sarcasm. I can't remember the full text, but it began: "We believe the Bible to be a significant historical witness..."

And so they went, bumping down the road to irrelevancy. The major thrust of their ministry is to get elderly widows to bequeath their fortunes to the church. And what comes next?

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Tom Cameron

amen exelent amen

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Mike Compton

"Being born again by the Word of God", Logos, "Word"="devine expression".

He, Jesus Christ is the Living Word, who is born again in us. 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again <anagennao>, not <ou> of <ek> corruptible <phthartos> seed <spora>, but <alla> of incorruptible <aphthartos>, by <dia> the word <logos> of God <theos>, which liveth <zao> and <kai> abideth <meno> for <eis> ever <aion>.

John 1:1 In <en> the beginning <arche> was <en> the Word <logos>, and <kai> the Word <logos> was <en> with <pros> God <theos>, and <kai> the Word <logos> was <en> God <theos>.

Logos, Logos, Logos, Theos. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, God.

In His incarnation, we see through the Living Word, that if man could see God, it would be Jesus Christ, Who is all the fulness and Image we see.

Colossians 1:12-16 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

What is the inheritance of Christ, You and me. What is our inheritance with the saints? The express Image of God in us, translated into the Kingdom of His dear Son.

There can never be the fulness of Who Jesus Christ is and His relationship to His Word, without the Holy Spirit making Him and the Word, which are One, the Fulness of God in us, man is so petty in making his own words higher than the Living Word of The Bible.

It will take all eternity and then some for us to grasp the fulness of Who the Word of God is, praise God for the Holy Spirit who just keeps revealing and revealing The Son of God in us by the fullness of the Holy Scriptures "The Bible", who He Himself is.

In Christ: Phillip

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Phillip

Hi Mike,

I believe in all of the Solas including Sola Scriptura. The "word of God" can be understood as the message of the gospel, but what is the message of the gospel, but Jesus Christ, so don't 'you think it is best to recognize the ontological reality of Jesus Christ whenever the "word of God" is referred to, and to thereby retain a Christocentric emphasis? It is not a reference to the book called the "Bible" but rather the person of Jesus Christ. This does not undermine Sola Scriptura, but raises our consciousness level a bit higher from the book to the Person. It doesn't make the book secondary, it just keeps Jesus Christ as primary.

Mike Compton:

{quote} ... retain a Christocentric emphasis {/quote}

I think this is the great aim of scripture.

{quote} It is not a reference to the book called the "Bible" but rather the person of Jesus Christ. {/quote}

Amen.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

MC

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Mike Compton