June 19, 2003
One Better than Another? bible thoughts  


Please don’t let someone give you the impression that because Paul wrote
the majority of the New Testament that somehow his writings are better or more
important than other books of the New Testament.

I’ve actually heard this before. I don’t think it was done on purpose,
but it does come from not “handling accurately the word of truth”
(2 Timothy 2:15 NASB). That’s why that same verse says, “Be diligent”!


The Bible teaches that the Scriptures are “God breathed” (theopneustos)
or “inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16), not the authors of Scripture.
The authors were “borne along” or “carried along” by
the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). The Spirit of God used them as instruments to
give us His Word. The Bible says:



(2 Peter 1:20-21 NASB) But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture
is a matter of one's own interpretation, {21} for no prophecy was ever made
by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.



We do not follow “cleverly devised tales” (2 Peter 1:16), because
no human ever made up any part of the Bible. It wasn’t “an act of
human will.” It is easy to see, therefore, that all of the Bible is God’s
Word, and one book is not better than any other book.


So we don’t ever have to pit one book of the Bible against another or
one Apostle against another. Paul wasn’t a better Apostle because he had
to confront Peter (and therefore his books are better than Peter's). What we
know is that we have “the prophetic word made more sure” (2 Peter
1:19) because it is by the Spirit of God that we have the Scriptures.


jmb


Posted by micah at 02:23 PM