The Authority of the Bible
A Sermon on Acts 17:1-3
Originally preached Sept. 30, 1956
Scripture
1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3Opening and alleging, that Christ must …
Sermon Description
This is a time when all kinds of teachings are propagated. How can Christians safeguard themselves from the ever-present danger of being carried away into error or heresy? In this sermon on Acts 17:1–3, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones presents the answer: Christians must be clear on the authority of Scripture. The tendency in modern times is to divorce Jesus Christ from the Scriptures, choosing to accept Him and some of His teachings while rejecting the historicity and validity of the rest of the Bible. The problem with this thinking is two-fold: Jesus Himself accepted the whole of the Old Testament and appointed His apostles to write the New Testament; and one can’t be sure that knowledge of Jesus is true and accurate if there is not belief in the Scriptures. Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages the listener to: 1) start with the whole of Scripture and not simply the particulars; 2) realize that acceptance of Scripture’s authority is not a matter of argument, but rather a matter of faith given by the Holy Spirit; and 3) focus on asserting the authority of Scripture more than defending it. The listener is encouraged to be certain of the authority of Scripture, so as not to be carried away by every wind of doctrine.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon text is Acts 17:1-3 which describes Paul reasoning with Jews from the Scriptures.
- The sermon topic is the authority of the Scriptures. This is an important issue today with many false teachings.
- Our ultimate authority is Jesus Christ. But we know Christ through the Scriptures. We cannot separate Christ from the Scriptures.
- Acceptance of the authority of Scripture is a matter of faith, not just logical arguments. The natural man cannot accept the things of God. We need the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
- We should assert the authority of Scripture, not just defend it. The Scriptures speak for themselves.
- We should start with the whole of Scripture, not just parts. We can then deal with particular difficulties and questions. Don't miss the whole message by focusing on details.
- The whole Bible is the Word of God, not just parts of it. There is no distinction between divine and human parts.
- God's revelation comes through real historical events, not just teachings. We can't separate the doctrine from the history.
- Vital doctrines like the atonement depend on historical facts like the Fall. If we reject the history, we undermine the doctrine.
- The apostles and Jesus accepted the whole of the Old Testament as God's Word. So should we.
- The authority of the New Testament is based on the authority of the apostles, who were commissioned by Jesus.
- The apostles claimed to preach and write the infallible Word of God. They had authority from Jesus, not themselves.
- The apostles recognized each other's authority and inspiration. Peter called Paul's writings "Scripture."
- The early church accepted the apostles' authority and the New Testament as God's Word.
- We must accept the authority of Scripture or rely on human knowledge and science. We must trust Christ or men.
Sermon Q&A
Questions from Dr. Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Biblical Authority
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as one of the most urgent questions for Christians today?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the question of authority is one of the most urgent questions for Christians today. He states early in his sermon: "I call your attention to these words this morning in order that again we may consider together this great and all important question at the present time, namely the question of authority." He emphasizes that this is important both for personal assurance and for having a foundation from which to address the world.
How did the apostles typically present Jesus in their preaching according to this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the apostles preached Jesus Christ in a specific context, not in isolation. They consistently presented Him as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and Scriptures. As he states: "The case of the apostles was that the Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies and admirations." He notes how Paul in Thessalonica "reasoned with them out of the Scriptures" and how Peter's Pentecost sermon consisted mainly of exposition of Old Testament texts to show how Jesus fulfilled them.
What modern approach to Scripture does Dr. Lloyd-Jones critique in his sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones critiques the modern approach that tries to separate doctrine from history in Scripture. He explains: "We are told today that the only thing that matters in the Bible is the doctrine and that the history doesn't matter at all, that there's a great deal of error in the Scriptures." He criticizes those who say they accept the teaching of Scripture but reject its historical claims as "myth," arguing that this approach makes human reason the ultimate authority rather than Scripture itself.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest starting with "the whole" rather than with parts when approaching Scripture?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones advises starting with the whole of Scripture rather than getting bogged down in particular difficulties because this provides proper context for understanding individual parts. He explains: "It is vitally important in these matters that we should start with the whole and not simply with certain parts." He uses the illustration of missing "the wood because of the trees" and argues that by first seeing the overall case for Scripture's authority, particular difficulties can then be addressed from a position of greater understanding.
What role does the Holy Spirit play in one's acceptance of Scripture's authority according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, ultimately one's acceptance of Scripture's authority is not primarily a matter of arguments but of faith given by the Holy Spirit. He states: "A man believes in the Scriptures not as the result of arguments, but as the result of the illumination of the Holy Spirit." He refers to the "testimonium Spiritus" (testimony of the Spirit) that the Protestant fathers taught was necessary for anyone to truly see that the Bible is God's Word. He emphasizes that "no man can believe that the Scriptures are the word of God unless he is a Christian."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect the authority of Christ with the authority of Scripture?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that one cannot separate Christ's authority from Scripture's authority because Christ Himself fully accepted the Old Testament as authoritative. He points out: "The Lord Jesus Christ patently accepted the whole of the Old Testament. He says it is written. He quotes Scripture to Satan. He quotes it to the people." Lloyd-Jones argues that those who claim to accept Christ's authority while rejecting parts of Scripture are contradicting themselves, since Jesus Himself endorsed Scripture as God's Word.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the connection between historical facts and Christian doctrine?
Lloyd-Jones insists that many vital Christian doctrines are absolutely dependent upon historical facts. He uses the example of Romans 5 where Paul's doctrine of union with Christ depends on the historical reality of Adam. He states: "If I reject the biblical teaching concerning sin and the fall of men as given in the first chapters of Genesis, I cannot see how I can possibly accept the biblical teaching with regard to the doctrine of the atonement." He argues that one cannot separate doctrine from the historical events through which God revealed Himself.
What specific claim does Dr. Lloyd-Jones make about the nature of biblical inspiration?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones claims that "the entire Bible is the word of God" rather than merely containing God's word. He rejects the view that the Bible can be divided into divine and human sections. He quotes 2 Timothy 3:16 ("All Scripture is given by inspiration of God") and 2 Peter 1:20-21 where "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" to support his view of full biblical inspiration and authority throughout the entire Scripture.
What did the early church use as the test for including books in the New Testament canon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the early church had one primary test for including books in the New Testament canon: apostolicity. He explains: "When the early Church came to decide on the canon of the New Testament what to put in and what to put out, they'd only got one test. And the test was the test of apostolicity. Was the book written by an apostle or directly under the influence of the apostle? If it was, it could go in. If it wasn't, it stayed out."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones caution against basing one's position on modern scientific claims?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones cautions against basing one's position on modern scientific claims because scientific understanding is constantly changing. He gives historical examples where scientific consensus was later proven wrong, such as claims about Belshazzar's non-existence (later disproven by archaeology) and beliefs about the thyroid and pituitary glands being vestigial organs (now known to be vital). He warns: "Beware of basing your position upon the supposed certainties of modern knowledge or of science. It's constantly changing."
Sermons on Authority
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.