The Bible is NOT Self-Interpretive
2 Peter 1:20: First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation.
2 Peter 3:16: . . . speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. (regarding Paul's letters)
Acts 8:30-31: So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless some one guides me?" And he invited Philip to come and sit with him.
These three passages make it evident that the bible cannot explain itself. It is the inspired book of the Church and the Church is its authorized interpreter. The Holy Spirit inspired the bible and it is that same Spirit which safeguards the teaching of the Church regarding the truths of faith and morals. Private interpretation is not absolutely dependable and must be supported by the interpretation given by the Church. Peter argued such about the Old Testament as well as Paul's letters. Philip explains the Christian understanding of the messiah in Isaiah as referring to our Lord. As representatives of the Church, ministers of the Gospel appointed by Christ, they were authorized to fulfill this role.
posted by Father Joe Jenkins | 4:53 PM
1 Comments:
2 Peter 1:20: First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation.
2 Peter 3:16: . . . speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. (regarding Paul's letters)
Again, the Bible says, "no prophecy of the scriptures is of any private interpretation." (2 Peter 1:20). That means NO one, that includes you, me, your next door neighbor, any living human being, and even the pope himself cannot interpret anything. According to Genesis 40:8, 41:16; Daniel 2:27-30; John 16:13; Luke 24:45, the interpreter is the Holy Spirit (read 1 Cor. 2:9-12 very carefully). Simply put, The Author of the Book is the interpreter.
Acts 8:30-31: So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless some one guides me?"
I can't believe you are using this verse to prove the Roman Catholic hierarchy are the only ones who can guide into understanding Scripture. The passage says,
"And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him." Acts 8:26-32
The Ethiopian was a Gentile. And Philip "...preached unto him JESUS." I can sit down with any Jew and Gentile and do the same. It's a prophecy that was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The great enemy of the Roman Catholic Church is JUSTIFICATION by IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS, and that is exactly what Philip preached to this Ethiopian! Read Isaiah 53:11, 12.
"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
Your first pope even says,
"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Peter 2:24
Philip showed him that these Scriptures talked about the Lord Jesus Christ! What happened? The Ethiopian believed it! Of course the entire verse is missing from the ed NIV, The American Standard, The American Revised, The New English Bible, the Common Bibles, and Lord knows what else.
In the NIV, verse 37 is completely missing. It goes from verse 36 to 38, and leaves verse 37 in the foot notes under question!
Here is what the missing verse. And note that baptism in water did not come before believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
"And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." -Acts 8:37
THEN he was baptized. He had to make a profession of faith first!
Reposted for SANDY HOOPER
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