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The Ultimate Authority

by | Feb 14, 2024 | Authority, Word of God

Looking to satisfy a little intellectual curiosity, I was researching to see if the Disciples were with Jesus for His entire ministry or if they came later. I knew there were some events before He began to call them – He was baptized by John the Baptist and spent forty days in the desert – so I wasn’t sure of the amount of time between the beginning of His public ministry and the disciples joining Him. FYI, I did find enough info on the timeline of His ministry to see that He called them soon after He came out of the desert, meaning they were with Him for the majority of His ministry here on Earth.

During my Googling, I found this tucked into an article I was reading:

“There may be a hint in the parable of the fig tree, to the length of Jesus’ ministry. ‘And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”’ (Luke 13:6)

• The owner of the fig tree represents God.
• The vinedresser represents Jesus.
• The fig tree represents Israel.” (bibleq.net)

(Bibleq.net)

I thought this was a good opportunity to give a word of caution. Be careful when reading a text that is not the Bible – commentaries are a good example. No matter how educated that person might be, a commentary, aside from exact quotes taken from the Holy Bible, is human opinion, their personal interpretation of what God is saying in a verse or a passage, etc. This applies to sermons, Bible studies, anything that is not taken directly, word-for-word from the inerrant, inspired Word of God.

I am not saying any of these things are inherently bad; they can be valuable resources when used in concert with the Bible for greater understanding, for inspiration, and helping you grow spiritually. All I am saying is, if it does not line up with the Word of God, reject it. Sometimes you will know without a doubt that what you are reading/hearing is way off base, or sometimes the Holy Spirit will nudge you. If in doubt, compare it with the Bible or ask God for clarity; He will gladly give it. 

In the example above, the writer is using allegory. Allegory is interpreting something (in this case a Bible passage) as having a hidden meaning. In fact, there are people who believe the entire Bible is an allegory and carries a hidden meaning throughout, often about Jesus, the Jews, Israel, or the second coming of Christ, to name a few. Obviously, we know that there are allegories in the Bible, such as the parables. In fact, the word parable is a synonym for allegory. 

There are other types of absolute interpretations, such as literal, which says we should take everything in the Bible at face value – no message or lesson behind the words (as in the parables or prophesies). My personal opinion is that they are both extreme views and completely wrong, but guess what? My personal opinion falls in the same category as commentaries and the like; it’s my opinion based on my understanding of the Bible through reading it. And that’s what you should do: read it! 

God’s Word is the ultimate authority. How do I know? Because the Bible tells me so! “the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV)

Sonya Richards

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