The Perfection of the Holy Scriptures.
Modern theology also denies the perfection or sufficiency of Holy Scriptures. Zöckler, for example, asserts1062) with regard to "the handling of the Bible as a normative and judicial authority in doctrinal controversies" that "the possibility of only a partial and incomplete settlement of the dispute in question by the Scriptural authority must not infrequently be conceded." This is consistent from the standpoint of modern theology. For if Scripture is a book in which the boundaries, between truth and error cannot be clearly shown,1063) it must necessarily also fail as an arbiter between truth and error. The perfection of Scripture, according to its own description, consists in the fact that it teaches everything.
1062) Handbook 2 III, 151 L. u. W. 32, p. 4 f.
1063) Cf. the section "The Relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Writers of the Holy Scriptures," p. 275.
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that is necessary for us men to know in order to attain salvation. In more detail it is to be said:
1. The scripture does not contain everything that a man can know in general, e.g. also of the things that belong to the area of the earthly and civil life. However, it is not an "encyclopedia of general human knowledge", as it has been expressed. Nor is it a textbook of the art of agriculture, or architecture, or medical science, etc. Nor is it "a manual of history and geography." These things can be taught, as Luther often reminds us, from natural doctrine, if one will only use reason. It should be noted, however, that: If Scripture teaches incidentally such things as belong to the natural domain, even in this it is always right against all contrary assertions of human "science"; for πάσα γραφή ϑεόπνευστος [all Scripture is inspired]. As Luther, for example, says of the historical data of Scripture, that Scripture is the only book in which no historical errors can occur.1064) And where enthusiasts of old and especially of recent times claim that wine is "poison" under all circumstances, we know from Scripture that this is not true.1065) Nevertheless, it should be noted that the Bible is not a textbook of "general human knowledge." There is a large field of human knowledge based on natural reason and human experience.1066)
2. The Scripture also does not reveal all divine things. It says of the knowledge we have in this life of divine things: άρτι γινώσκω ίκ μέρους1067) and: άρτι γινώσκω ίκ μέρους [namely God's] καί ανεξιχνίαστοι άί οδοί αυτοϋ' τις γάρ εγνω νοϋν κυρίου; 1068) If recent theologians wish to prove the perfection or absoluteness of the Christian religion from the fact that it forms "a logically perfect whole" in the sense of human reason, this is an error and
1064) St. L. XIV, 491. <w:t>1065) Jn. 2:1-11; 1 Tim. 5:23 etc.
1066) L. u. W. 1901, p. 289 ff. [F. Pieper], "On the Limits of Human Science."
1067) 1 Cor. 13:12.
1068) Rom. 11:33-34. Quenstedt: Dicitur Sacra Scriptura perfecta, non perfectione absoluta, omne scibile divinum et supernaturale comprehendente; haec enim ecclesiae in his terris militanti, cui Scriptura destinata est, non competit. (Systema I, 147.) [“The Holy Scripture is said to be perfect, not absolute perfection, including all divine and supernatural knowledge; for these things do not belong to the church in these lands, to whom the Scripture is intended.”]
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a false principle which, consistently carried out, dismisses the whole Christian religion.1069)
The Scriptures teach perfectly all things of divine things, which are necessary for us men to know for the attainment of salvation.1070) Of the ιερά γράμματα it is said 2 Tim. 3:15: τα δυνάμενά σε αοφίσαι εις σωτηρίαν διά πίστεως τής εν Χριστφ Ίησοϋ. But not only for Christians in general is the Scripture a sufficient source of knowledge, but also the teacher of the Church is perfect (άρτιος) through the Scriptures, for every work incumbent upon him, προς διδασκαλίαν, προς ελεγχον, etc., fully equipped (έξηρτισμένος), and so perfectly equipped that he is harshly commanded to stick to the word of Christ which we have in the word of his apostles (John 17:20), and not to allow himself any change or addition.1071) It stands, then, that the Holy Scriptures, in order to achieve their ultimate purpose, namely, to make men wise unto salvation (σοψίσαι εις σωτηρίαν), require no addition whatsoever from anything outside of them, be this called tradition, church word, pope, experience of the theologizing subject, science, or otherwise.1072)
It is self-evident that with the statement of the perfectio or sufficientia of Scripture the Scripture Principle is abandoned. If Scripture needs to be supplemented by something outside of it, then eo ipso the Christian church is moved away from its foundation, the word of the apostles and prophets, and then stands on the ego of the alleged supplements. Rome has always spoken of a perfectio implicita Scripturae Sacrae in the sense that Scripture is perfect when it is supplemented by the "Church", that is, from Rome, by the Pope. In the same sense, Roman theologians have called Scripture a norma remissiva: Scripture is perfect insofar as it directs us to its completion to the Church, that is, to the Pope.
1069) Cf. the section "Christianity as an Absolute Religion," pp. 36 ff, and "Theology and System," pp. 158 ff.
1070) Quenstedt I, 147 sq.: Dicitur Sacra Scriptura perfecta … perfectione restricta, sive in ordine ad ea, quae homini Christiano ad recte credendum et sancte et pie vivendum in hac vita cognitu sunt necessaria. [“The Holy Scripture is said to be perfect ... restricted to perfection, or in order to those things which are necessary for a Christian to believe correctly and to live holy and godly in this life.”]
1071) Jn. 8:31-32; 1 Tim. 6:3 f.; 2 Tim. 1:13; Rom. 16:17; Gal. 1:6-9.
1072) The whole section "Holy Scriptures are the only source and norm of Christian doctrine for the Church of our time", pp. 233-256, belongs here.
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Our theologians have replied to this:1073) "A norma remissiva not a norm at all, but norm is then what is referred to. According to this opinion, it would have been sufficient if Scripture had only stood, 'Hear the Church!' or rather, according to Roman analysis, 'Hear the Roman Pontiff!' But the pope is not the man of whom Scripture says, 'Him you shall hear,' Matt. 17:5." And regarding Roman perfectio implicita, our ancient theologians note: "Thus every poor man would be rich implicite, because he can indicate where the riches are, and every unlearned man would be considered learned, because he can point out where there is a school of learning where learned men teach, and he would be abundantly supplied with food who can point others to a rich table set with delicacies of all kinds." 1074) It amounts to a similar mockery and elimination of Scripture when, in the modern-theological camp, Scripture is placed under the control of the "experience" of the theologizing individual. Again, to recall Luther's address, "They speak such things only to lead us out of Scripture and to raise themselves to be masters over us, that we should believe their dream sermons." 1075)