Does the Bible Really Say That? | Levels of Authority

Have you ever wondered if the Bible really says what people claim that it does?

Have you wondered how to evaluate statements according to Scripture?

Have you ever wondered how to think through and evaluate a statement when it is not directly addressed in Scripture?

If so, then this article is for you. Come on this journey with me for a moment.

After hearing someone make a statement, you may wonder whether it is biblical. So, you begin flipping through the Bible. As you can imagine, the statement is easier to evaluate if it is directly addressed in Scripture. But what do you do when it's not directly addressed in Scripture? What if it's implied in Scripture? What if you need to combine various passages to make a decision? What if you simply cannot find Scriptures that apply? That is quite a dilemma.

And that is precisely why in this article we will explore the concept of levels of authority. As a Protestant, I fully subscribe to the statement that Scripture is the highest authority. Since it was inspired by God, and we submit to and worship him, then we submit to his words as authoritative. This differs from the Catholic view of authority (which is beyond the scope of this article).

(The doctrine of Scripture has many aspects to it. For more on the doctrine of Scripture click here for inspiration, click here for models of interpretation, click here for the importance of the original languages, and click here for some thoughts about taking the Scriptures out of context.)

However, the issue here isn't merely with Scripture and its authority. Instead, the issue is often thinking biblically about issues that are not directly addressed in Scripture. Unfortunately, we don't have a running commentary in Scripture that addresses every issue and topic that we could ever encounter (which would produce an impossibly long book anyway).

Thankfully though, we can take comfort in the fact that God has ordained precisely the words that we do need. In Scripture, God has inspired every letter, word, sentence, and paragraph that we need to thrive spiritually. Thus, if anything has not been addressed, then we can trust that God did not deem it spiritually necessary.

We will run into statements and issues in life that are not directly addressed in Scripture. How are we to think through these situations?

Nevertheless, we will run into statements and issues in life that are not directly addressed in Scripture. How are we to think through these situations? Rick Cornish has pointed this out in his excellent book 5 Minute Theologian:

"All theologies, including our own, make statements of fact. But those assertions don't all carry the same authority. Theological statements originate in God's revelation, or human reasoning, or a combination of the two."[1]

Thus, statements of fact are either from God, humans, or some combination of the two. Now, I would also submit that a statement may originate in the spiritual realm: angels, Satan, or demons. I'm sure that Rick would agree with me on that fact. Typically, however, even statements from the spiritual realm will come through a human agent. But here's the bottom line: statements come from a source. The source who holds the highest authority (by far) is God. Therefore, statements from God will carry the highest authority.

Here's the bottom line: statements come from a source. The source who holds the highest authority (by far) is God. Therefore, statements from God will carry the highest authority.

So, how do we sift through these statements? Theologian Millard Erickson has provided six levels of authority when evaluating theological statements.[2]

(1) It is directly and explicitly found in Scripture.

(2) It is directly implied in Scripture.

(3) It is a likely implication in Scripture.

(4) It is the summary of combining multiple sections of Scripture.

(5) It is a conclusion from creation (i.e., general revelation).

(6) It is a guess or an opinion.

Here is what this means for you and me: We must determine the source of the statement to determine the authority. Is it in Scripture? Does it come from science and research into creation? Or is it a guess? And notice how Erickson helpfully moves from the highest authority (direct statements in Scripture) to the lowest authority (a human guess).

Now, here are a few concluding observations on Erickson's insightful levels of authority.

First, we need to be astute critical thinkers and Bible readers to be able to measure what we hear according to the direct statements of Scripture. It is difficult to assess whether a statement is biblical on the fly if Scripture is not deeply within us. As Charles Spurgeon famously said when describing John Bunyan, if he was pricked then he would bleed Bibline. In other words, the Bible flowed out of him like blood. Let this be true of us as well!

Second, we should be humble in our theological efforts. If something is not directly mentioned in the Scriptures, then let's not approach it as if it were (and vice versa).

Third, we must be careful listeners and readers in order to discern when statements are really human opinions rather than biblical facts. Our world is filled with messages. Our lives and social media feeds are filled with messages. Even our churches are filled with many messages. Not all of them are biblical. Many theological statements can have a surprising combination and intertwining of solid biblical information and human opinions and ideas. I've even noticed this with some sermons I've heard. A preacher may provide commentary on a text but occasionally mix it with giving his own opinion. The best preachers will preach God's word authoritatively when it's clear and proceed cautiously letting you know when they are providing an opinion. Surprisingly though, other preachers may not tell you when they have ventured into the land of speculation. Consequently, it can be easy to miss. It may even be presented as if their statements were grounded in the text. Others may use the phrase, "God told me." Regardless, we must be discerning so we can notice when this is taking place.

Fourth, we can appreciate science and the results from rigorous research in various disciplines, but our highest level of authority is Scripture. When the Scriptures disagree with the research, then we always prioritize the Bible.

Finally, we can consult Scripture itself on how to utilize Scripture to evaluate messages. Numerous Scriptures highlight the importance of reading, knowing, teaching, and measuring according to the Scriptures. Here are just three.

1. We must properly understand the Scriptures to have accurate theology. Notice what Jesus says here: "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God" (Matt. 22:29 ESV; emphasis mine). It is important to know the Scriptures and have our theology built from and tethered to Scripture.

2. We must examine the messages we hear according to the Scriptures. The Bereans are praised by the apostle Paul even though they tested his message according to the Scriptures. "Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men" (Acts 17:11-12 ESV; emphasis mine). They tested what they heard by the Scriptures (and if they tested the apostle Paul surely that means we should test preachers and teachers today). They believed when they validated it according to the Scriptures. Note, also, that it is possible to both receive the teaching with eagerness and still be a discerning listener who tests according to the Scriptures.

3. And last, we must avoid being listeners with itching ears and teachers who scratch itching ears by valuing, learning, teaching, and obeying the Scriptures. Paul gives a sobering charge to Timothy before God to preach the word knowing that itching ears will come along with teachers who are willing to scratch the itch. Here is how Paul said it:

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Tim. 4:1-4 ESV). 

In sum, test what you hear according to the Scriptures. Sometimes you'll find direct statements. Other times you'll find implications. And still others you may not find anything at all.

Let's use this as a guide to distinguish between man's ideas, Satan's ideas, and God's ideas. You may just find yourself in a situation where you need to confront lies with the powerful words of Scripture, like Jesus did, saying, "It is written . . ." (see Matthew 4:1-11).

End Notes:

[1] Rick Cornish, 5 Minute Theologian: Maximum Truth in Minimum Time (NavPress, 2004), 39.

[2] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1983), 79-80.