What is Truth? – 4

The Guidance of the Holy Spirit

From the beginning the gospel of salvation was passed on by both word of mouth and by a living oral tradition of teaching.  Eventually the written Word came to be collected together into what we know as the New Testament, but that didn’t mean the dynamic, infilling Holy Spirit ceased to function in the Church. We know that the Spirit of Pentecost is still poured out on the Church—guiding and protecting and teaching. In John 16.13 Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit—who guides the Church—would lead his apostles into all truth, and in John 14.16 Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit would be with the apostles forever.

Second Peter states: “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.”  So if we are not to interpret the Scripture on our own, who is to interpret it for us? Jesus said the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth, so the Holy Spirit plays a part. But Peter himself answers the question in the same epistle. In verse 16-18 of chapter one Peter claimed teaching authority because he was an eyewitness of Jesus’ life and glory and got the truth direct from Jesus. He then said in verse 2 of chapter three that the truth was spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commands are now given by Jesus Christ through the apostles.

What is important to see here is that Peter compares the role of the New Testament apostles to the Old Testament prophets.  The prophets were directly inspired by God. Their preaching was considered to be a direct word from God to the people of God. We have already seen that Peter considered his preaching to be ‘the Word of God which stands forever.’ As such the apostles are the prophets—the God-inspired teachers of the New Testament people of God. When Peter says “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation” he also means that only the prophet—that is—the apostle is entitled and empowered by the Holy spirit to give the right interpretation.

Paul agrees with him. In Ephesians 3.5 he says the mystery of God has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. And it is the same Spirit-led group of men who are the foundation of the church—so Paul says in chapter 2 verse 20 that the Ephesians are members of the Church—the household of God which is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus as the chief corner stone. Jesus is the corner stone of this Church, but it is the apostles and the prophets—inspired by God’s Holy Spirit—who provide the foundation for the Church. (Cf. Rev. 21.14)

This verse fits together with Paul’s other teaching that the Church is the ‘pillar and foundation of truth’? (I Tim 3.15) So the Church—based on the teaching of the apostles—is the source for Scripture, and who can rightly interpret the Scripture? The same apostolic Church continues to be the faithful interpreter of the Scripture. The Church which was inspired to write the Scripture and inspired to choose which books went into the Bible is also the chosen, Spirit-filled interpreter of Scripture.

Where does one find this apostolic Church today? Continue Reading