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Commentary on "The Authority of the Prophets"
Day 4: Tuesday, February 17, 2009
In this lesson there are two examples presented in order to highlight two attitudes toward the written word: King Joshia who received with gladness the discovery of the law in the temple even if it condemned his current practice, and Jehoiakim, his son who burned Jeremiah’s message which was also displeasing for him. Rejecting the message may not bring immediate consequences but nevertheless will result in eternal loss.
Problems
“He [Christ] pointed to the Scriptures as of unquestionable authority, and we should do the same. The Bible is to be presented as the word of the infinite God, as the end of all controversy and the foundation of all faith.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons
At first sight this is one of the clear statements which establish the Bible as the supreme authority, endorsing the Sola Scriptura (Bible Alone) principle of reformation. However the context of the statement is decisive in establishing it’s true meaning, which is not as plain as it may seems.
There are two other premises or assumptions on the basis of which Adventists read this statement.
- God’s later revelation doesn’t contradict earlier revelation, since God cannot contradict Himself, consequently the messages of later prophets are in perfect harmony with the earlier messages. There are no contradictions between inspired messages, either spoken or written.
- Ellen White’s messages are no less inspired than the messages of the Bible (see Friday’s lesson of this week)
It is true that God cannot contradict Himself, and if Ellen White’s writings are no less inspired, then there is no contradiction between her messages and those found in the Bible. Since a great part of her writings interpret and apply the biblical writings, it is assumed that her interpretations of the Bible, as inspired commentaries, are in perfect harmony with the Bible itself. Consequently, any interpretation of the Bible which contradicts the inspired interpretation of Ellen White is assumed to be incorrect, precisely because her interpretation is by default the true one.
This specific context qualifies the alleged affirmation about the Bible as being the ”end of all controversy”. The underlying assumption presents the Bible as the final court of appeal ONLY when it is correctly interpreted, and since Ellen White’s writings are offering the correct interpretation, the inevitable result is that the Bible constitute a final court of appeal ONLY if it is interpreted in harmony with Ellen White’s words. If somebody interprets differently the Bible, he cannot appeal to the Bible as the final court because he’s obviously twisting the Bible in the Adventist understanding.
The following quotation shows that for all practical reasons, the Bible is not the final court of appeal but Ellen White’s visions, which establishes the correct interpretation of the Bible.
"The truths given us after the passing of the time in 1844 are just as certain and unchangeable as when the Lord gave them to us in answer to our urgent prayers. The visions that the Lord has given me are so remarkable that we know that what we have accepted is the truth. This was demonstrated by the Holy Spirit." Ellen White, MR 760, p. 22, (Letter 50, 1906, to W. W. Simpson, January 30, 1906).
In conclusion, the claim of having the Bible as the final court of appeal is contradicted by the qualified premise of the necessity of interpreting the Bible in harmony with the inspired commentaries of Ellen White. The Mormons and Jehovahs Witnesses would gladly agree that the Bible needs to be interpreted in harmony with the interpretations given by their own leaders. To their credit, they are not claiming to be believers in Sola Scriptura.
Summary
- Adventists claim that the Bible is their final authority, but this claim is based upon their implicit requirement that the Bible is the final authority only when it is interpreted correctly. To the Adventist, correct interpretation requires Ellen White’s commentary to explain the Scripture.
- Adventists’ claim, therefore, that the Bible is their final authority is disingenuous because ultimately Ellen White is required in order to arrive at the authoritative understanding of Scripture.
Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised February 14, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.
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