Text of a sermon preached at Christchurch Methodist Fellowship Marlborough on 20th October 2025
Which Bible verse is the
most dangerous? We could discuss it for some while. But one that would
certainly be a contender in my opinion is this one
16 All
Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16) or "All
scripture is inspired by God," depending on which version or
translation you use.
Very often people who quote
this verse as justification for some stance or other may well also subscribe to
the view summed on a bumper sticker I saw once "The Bible says it; I believe it; that
settles it."
Just what did God's
breathing or inspiring entail? Some people say that God dictated the words
themselves. And the authors of the various books were nothing more than
recording secretaries who faithfully reproduced what they had been instructed by
God to write it down. That is the position Muslims take regarding the Qu'ran,
and that is why Muslims insist that it be studied in Arabic, because
translations cannot accurately render the original exactly. Those who claim
that this is the way we got our Bible will add that it is only exact in what
are called the original "autographs." Subsequent copies and
translations are possibly slightly flawed. Which begs the question Shouldn’t
Christians who take this viewpoint only read the Bible in Hebrew, Aramaic and
Greek?
Another way of explaining
God's breathing or inspiring is to say that rather God dictating the
Bible, God "inspired" human authors to use their own words to
convey God’s eternal truth. This is the position that most reputable Bible
scholars hold today. It certainly explains why there are such vast stylistic
and literary differences from one book of the Bible to another.
But this leads to another "danger"
when considering in this verse. If all scripture is God-breathed or inspired,
can there be any errors of any kind in it? The traditional response through the
centuries was absolutely not.
About 150 years ago,
scholars began to question that hard-and-fast position. They began to point out
that there are indeed contradictions and factual errors here and there — minor
ones, to be sure, but there nonetheless. As might be expected, traditionalists
went ballistic and the result was huge controversy within the Church, and even splits
in some mainline denominations. Why all the passion? Because some people took
the view that "All scripture is God-breathed ... inspired" (2
Timothy 3:16). The Bible says it; I believe it; that settles it. In my
opinion this is dangerous.
I confess that until he was
murdered about two months ago I’d not heard of American Charlie Kirk. Let me
say his murder was appalling. But equally appalling in my opinion is the way he
is now becoming some kind of martyr for those of his followers who claim to be
Christians, followers of Jesus in other words.
From all I’ve read since
about him, Charlie Kirk was one of The Bible says it; I believe it; that
settles it tribe.
This stance enabled him to
find justification in the Bible for his views on all manner of things from
race, on feminism, immigration. I’m purposely not quoting some of these views
as I feel they are offensive. It is attitudes like Charlie Kirk’s that are
dangerous.
Christians who use selected verses of the Bible to
justify a view point are dangerous.
As Presbyterian minister William
Sloane Coffin once bemoaned "Some Christians use the Bible much as a
drunk does a lamppost — more for support than for illumination."
Staying with America for a
moment. Around 20 years ago there was an excellent American TV series called
The West Wing. Some of you may have seen it. It was a drama based on the
fictional American President Josiah “Jed” Bartlett played by Martin Sheen. Bartlett
was portrayed as an intelligent, well read man. He was also a devote, liberal, Roman
Catholic.
Bartlett says to her:
“Dr Jenna I like your show.
I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.”
“I don’t say homosexuality
is an abomination, Mr. President,” she replied haughtily. “The
Bible does.”
“Yes, it does!” he
shouted. “Leviticus 18:22.” The president was just warming up. “I
wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here. I’m interested in
selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s attending
Georgetown University, speaks fluent
Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price
for her be?”
Bartlett continued: “While
you’re thinking about that, can I ask another? My chief of staff, Leo McGarry,
insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to
death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it OK to call the
police?”
Now on a roll, the president
steamed on triumphantly. “Here’s one that’s really important, ‘cause we’ve
got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes
one unclean, Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington
Redskins still play American football?”
Then he says answer me this
“Can I burn my mother in a small family
gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? The Bible tells
me I can.
He concludes “Think about those questions, would you?”
(You can watch the clip here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIHjoT19XpE)
The Bible says it; I believe it; that settles it. Does it?
Going back to the passage
from 2 Timothy. Before coming to the infamous verse 16, the writer of the letter
to Timothy – possibly Paul - says to Timothy
14But as for you,
continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you
learned it, 15and how from childhood you have known the sacred
writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus.
This is really important. Paul
recognises the importance of the teaching Timothy has received. And the quality
of the teachers. At the start of the second letter Paul opens by thanking God
for Timothy and Timothy’s family. Paul specifically mentions Timothy’s
grandmother Lois, and Timothy’s mother, Eunice. Both of these women had
immersed the young Timothy in the story of the Hebrew Scriptures and instilled
in him a deep faith in the Messiah, Jesus.
Oh, the irony. Many of those
who belong to the school of The Bible says it; I believe it; that settles it
and quote 2 Timothy 3:16 give no credence to the teaching of women. Yet the
very same Book of the Bible they cite for Biblical authority, shows how
important good female teachers are.
Paul isn’t concerned about
the gender of those who taught Timothy. The key for Paul is that Timothy received proper teaching.
Authority in matters of
truth and doctrine does not come from charismatic speakers who might charm an
audience, or from propositions that might ease ones way of living. But from
sound doctrine. Paul warned Timothy
3For
the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having
itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own
desires, 4and will turn away from listening to the truth and
wander away to myths.
Instead, authentic authority
comes from the experience and insights of those who have lived their faith and
shared it with the church. Not just through scripture.
The United Church of Christ
denomination in the USA has as its slogan “God
is still speaking.”
I really like that. “God is still speaking.” In other words,
God is still leading us on to understand more of him and of his truth. Our
understanding of God doesn’t depend wholly on scripture.
In John’s Gospel (John 16:12-13) Jesus says:
12 ‘I still have many things to say to you, but
you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes,
the Spirit will guide you into all the truth;
In other words, we don’t
know the whole of the Gospel – the Good News. It is constantly being revealed
to us, and the Holy Spirit helps us to understand God’s further revelations. God’s
continuing revelations come to us through the Bible, through Church tradition,
through critical thinking and through experience – our own and the experience
of others. The Holy Spirit helps us hear
God speak today. For God is still speaking. We should not assume that
everything God said was in a book, parts of which were written 4,000 years ago,
and that God has since shut up! As the comedy actress Gracie Allen once
insightfully said: “Never place a full stop where God has placed a comma.”
I’ve not touched on our Gospel reading (Luke 18: 1 - 8)
There is plenty in that for a sermon. But briefly I do want us to think about a verse in the Gospel passage.
In the passage Jesus is teaching on
prayer and the persistence of prayer. But also Jesus reminds us of the
importance of justice.
In verse 7 Jesus says:
And will
not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and
night?
Jesus spoke far more about
justice, and compassion, and love for our neighbours, than he did about many of
the things the Charlie Kirks of this world keep banging on about. Wouldn’t the
world be a better place if Christians worked for justice for all people rather
than wagging the finger? Wouldn’t the world be a better place if, for example, instead
of castigating women who have abortions, because the Bible says abortion is
wrong, followers of Jesus worked to ensure women had access to better contraception
and healthcare? Wouldn’t the world be a better place if those of us who are Jesus’
followers, or claim to be, acted more like him?
In an interview a few years
ago, actor Sir Ian McKellern said “I’ve often thought the Bible should have
a disclaimer in the front saying this is a work of fiction.”
Peter Holmes quotes this in
his commentary [1]
on this passage. Holmes suggests that the Bible doesn’t need such a disclaimer.
Rather Holmes says, it needs the following warning to those who would read it
“The Bible is so true that
it will read you. Do not just read it alone. You are outmatched.”
Holmes explains that what he
means is that as we read the Bible, and study it with the help of good teachers,
we discover that above all we are outmatched by the love and grace of God. By
God who has given us his word, and given us his son, so that we might know life
in all its fullness, here and in the life to come.
God is still speaking. I
believe it; that settles it!
Amen.
[1] Feasting on the word
Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary Year C Volume 4. 2010 Westminster John
Knox Press
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