Let The Bible Speak



Infallible Interpretation?

A Roman Catholic friend asks: are you infallible in your interpretation of the Bible? If so, what is your proof? How do you resolve the issue when two Christians, each asking the Holy Spirit to guide, come up with contradictory interpretations of a passage? How do you determine who is correct?

Is it possible that the Holy Spirit is guiding some Christians into beliefs that contradict the beliefs He is guiding other Christians into? If not, how do we tell which Christians are really guided by the Holy Spirit and which ones are not? How do we tell which Christians are really interpreting the Bible correctly and which ones are not?

It is true that SOME Scriptures are difficult to understand. The Apostle Peter writes “...our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:15-16). 

First of all, notice that the New Testament writings as well as the Old Testament are referred to as Scripture. Many casual and some more serious Bible students miss this. Apostle Peter here speaks of the Apostle Paul’s writings as Scripture. Then, the Apostle Paul refers to Luke’s writings as Scripture in 1 Timothy 5:18. The Apostle Paul writes 14 of the New Testament books while the two larger books Luke wrote--Luke and Acts--actually contain 50,000 words. Together, these 16 books written by the Apostle Paul and Luke the evangelist account for 100,000 of the 180,000 words of Scripture in the New Testament.

Consider, in addition, that the Apostle Peter mentions that these epistles of Paul written between 50-67 AD had been copied and circulated to Peter and the audience of 2 Peter which is written between 67-68 AD. Charles Bigg points out in the International Critical Commentary that “It is not only possible, but probable, that St. Peter received every one of St. Paul’s Epistles within a month or two of its publication.” This rapid distribution in ancient times is remarkable. 

Peter, remember, directed this general epistle to Christians in general, and yet indicated that all of Paul’s epistles were also written to them as well. He did NOT say that the laity, as opposed to the clergy, twisted these difficult Scriptures but rather that the twisting was done by ignorant and unstable people. While this caution would certainly include Christians, notice the Apostle Peter did not say that “some of you” twist or even that some brethren twist, but that “some untaught and unstable PEOPLE twist…” Clearly, the people were given access to Scripture, but then as now some untaught (or deficient in knowledge) and unstable (in character or emotion) pervert the hard to understand Scriptures, but notice he adds, “as they do the rest of the Scriptures”  

The child of God who builds a solid knowledge of the Scriptures recognizes when someone forces a meaning on Scripture. We answer the question today, “Is the Catholic Church an infallible interpreter of Scripture?” 

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My Catholic friend suggests that we need the Pope and the Catholic Church to be infallible interpreters of God’s word for us. What about that? Some Catholics reject what independent individuals write on religious topics. Only Catholic materials friendly or slanted towards Catholicism are tolerable. Obviously, Catholic sources present “interpretations” most favorable to their history and practices.

Let’s read again what the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle to write in 2 Peter 3:15-16, “...our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures”

I like how Albert Barnes refutes the Catholic arguments raised against reading the Bible:

(1.) Peter does not say that all the doctrines of the Bible, or even all the doctrines of Paul, are hard to be understood, or that nothing is plain.

(2.) He says nothing about withholding the Bible, or even the writings of Paul, from the mass of Christians, on the ground of the difficulty of understanding the Scriptures; nor does he intimate that that was the design of the Author of the Bible.

(3.) It is perfectly manifest, from this very passage, that the writings of Paul were in fact in the hands of the people, else how could they wrest and pervert them?

(4.) Peter says nothing about an infallible interpreter of any kind, nor does he intimate that either he or his "successors" were authorized to interpret them for the church.

(5.) With what propriety can the pretended successor of Peter--the pope--undertake to expound those difficult doctrines in the writings of Paul, when even Peter himself did not undertake it, and when he did not profess to be able to comprehend them? Is the pope more skilled in the knowledge of Divine things than the apostle Peter? Is he better qualified to interpret the sacred writings than an inspired apostle was?

(6.) Those portions of the writings of Paul, for anything that appears to the contrary, are just as "hard to be understood" now, as they were before the "infallible" church undertook to explain them. The world is little indebted to any claims of infallibility in explaining the meaning of the oracles of God. It remains yet to be seen that any portion of the Bible has been made clearer by any mere authoritative explanation. And

(7.) it should be added, that without any such exposition, the humble inquirer after truth may find enough in the Bible to guide his feet in the paths of salvation. No one ever approached the sacred Scriptures with a teachable heart, who did not find them "able to make him wise unto salvation." --"2 Timothy 3:15".

I’m alarmed at the writings of major players in Catholic history. The following quotes come from Nicholas P. Wiseman, Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Westminster in The Catholic Doctrine on the Use of the Bible Church: a review of his Grace [Catholic] Archbishop Joseph Dixon’s “Catholic Introduction to Scripture,” (1853) a “work long in use in Catholic seminaries.”

“The doctrine and practice of the Church must not be allowed to be impugned by those who have no claim at all to Scripture… . We must deny to Protestantism any right to use the Bible, much more to interpret it.... The cry of 'The Bible! [T]he Bible! [N]othing but the Bible!' is as perilous to man's salvation as the Jews' senseless cry, 'The Temple of the Lord! [T]he Temple of the Lord!... (Jeremiah 7:4)"[Archbishop Wiseman, The Catholic Doctrine on the Use of the Bible, 11] 232-233]

“...God, who could have given us a Bible as easy to read as a child's primer... has on the contrary chosen to give us a work, more difficult to understand than any other perhaps in existence.... [The Bible] becomes a thousand times more difficult, not to say dangerous…”

While the archbishop insists that a believer reading the Bible is dangerous, Jesus teaches that a LACK of Bible knowledge leads to religious error. Matthew 22:29, “Jesus answered…‘You are mistaken, NOT knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.’”

The archbishop's argument suggests that men and women in general are too simple-minded to understand the Scriptures. The Catholic Church insists, therefore, that believers look to the pope for infallible interpretations.

Bertrand Conway writes in the Question Box--a book with the imprimatur of the late Catholic archbishop of New York John Farley-- “Historically, we are certain that the Bible has never been the way to find out Christ… .[T]here is not the slightest evidence to show the substitution...of a dead book for the living voice of Christ’s church.” The Question Box, 70. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit tells us in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and powerful…” Who will you trust?

Strangely, while telling us we need the Catholic church to accurately interpret the Scriptures, Catholic authorities admit being unable to understand and interpret some Scriptures. Bertrand Conway writes in The Question Box… referring to 1 Corinthians 15:29, “NO ONE knows with certainty what is meant by this obscure text of St. Paul” (emphasis BH).

Archbishop Wiseman commends what Joseph Dixon writes in “Catholic Introduction to Scripture,” (1853) as a “work long in use in Catholic seminaries.” Archbishop Dixon writes: “[T]he indiscriminate reading of the Bible will make a...mild and promising race, into a pack of lazy, immoral infidels.  … .[P]erils to belief in the Bible arise...from the... universal reading recommended by modern Protestantism."

These words are not of a young parish priest, but an archbishop quoting another archbishop! Listen to the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:4, “when you read, you MAY understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets…”

The archbishop again: “If...asked, why we do not give the Bible indifferently to all; and the shutting up (as it is called) of God’s word, be disdainfully thrown in our face...We answer... boldly, that we give not the Word of God indiscriminately to all, because God Himself has not so given it.” 

The archbishop would rob Christians of the blessing Paul promoted in Romans 15:4, “For whatever things were written before were written for OUR learning, that WE through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” And what about the blessing from Scripture offered in 1 John 5:13, “These things I have WRITTEN to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” These words were not written on a whim of the Apostle John but by the will of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and preserved for thousands of years by the Providence of God! Why would one posing as a Christian leader, deprive other believers of such a wonderful blessing? Why?! 

The archbishop, however, adds: “He has not made reading an essential part of man’s constitution...nor a term of salvation, nor a condition of Christianity. But hearing.... “Faith cometh from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God….” “...Scripture...given...to the multitude ...is as ‘a nose of wax’ that may be twisted... and tortured into any shape…recklessly, distorted...by the ignorant...driven to and fro by every wind of doctrine… ‘to their own destruction.’” (Wiseman, 238)

Shocking words about Scripture, but note the archbishop's audacious argument: “He did not give His apostles a precept to write.... .One would.... naturally expect that if our Savior had intended to direct us to a knowledge of our duties by some written code of faith or morality, he would have expressly said to his apostles: ‘All the things that you hear from me, or... see me perform,... register carefully, and preserve their records from all danger and risk by multiplying them and diffusing them among the faithful, for their future guidance…’” 

Does it sound like the archbishop loves Scripture? After God provided 600,000 words of Scripture in the Old Testament to guide God’s people, should we be surprised that the New Testament brings Christians another 180,000 words? Jesus told the apostles that the Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13). He issued the great commission “teaching them to observe ALL things that I have commanded you..." (Matthew 28:19). 

In an important contract or agreement, we know how important it is to get the details in writing lest there be any misunderstanding. Never did man ever receive a more important agreement than the new covenant, so we should be extremely thankful that the Lord saw fit for the apostles to put “all things He commanded” and “all truth” from the Holy Spirit into writing so we could KNOW for certain the terms of the agreement. 

How far more trustworthy than the words of mere uninspired men! The Apostle John closes his gospel with these words, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these are WRITTEN that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

The archbishop continues: “We... do not permit the indiscriminate and undirected use of the Bible, because God has not given to His Church the instinct to do so.” (Wiseman, 248) 

Christians would not want to read the inspired word of God?? Wow! And the alternative: trust the pope, bishop, or priest. Surely, the archbishop knew Jesus said of the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees, “They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch" (Matthew 15:14). Surely, they knew of Jesus’ warning: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15). Given the high stakes, I won’t place the eternal destiny of my soul in the hands of another when I can see the truth myself!

Surely, the archbishops knew the Apostle Paul wrote: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…” (1 Timothy 4:1). Surely, the archbishops knew the Apostle Peter wrote: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you…” (2 Peter 2:1). Surely, the archbishops knew the Apostle John wrote: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1) How am I to recognize a departure from the faith? With what am I to test prophets, preachers, pastors, and priests, if not the Scriptures? 

When I read what the archbishops write and hear what my Catholic friends suggest, do they “interpret” the apostle John’s words “test the spirits” to mean “DON’T test the spirits?!” That interpretation is fallible. Listen to the Catholic archbishop:

“But though the Scriptures may [in Catholic countries] be permitted, we do not urge them on our people; we do not encourage them to read them...Certainly not…” (Wiseman, 254) 

The archbishops words are certainly NOT an infallible interpretation of Acts 17:11, “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Why did the Holy Spirit commend the Bereans? Because they tested the spirits, even of Paul and Silas, with the Scriptures. 

The archbishop writes further: “But [the Catholic church] would be departing from her duty, and from the truth, were she to hold out the Scriptures to man, as the appointed channels of salvation” (Wiseman, 261). 

What the archbishop labels as a dereliction of duty, the Holy Spirit commends in the Apostle Paul. 2 Timothy 3:15-17, “from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which ARE able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and IS profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Holy Spirit teaches that the Scriptures make the man of God complete. The Holy Spirit teaches that the Scriptures thoroughly equip the man of God for EVERY good work. Would you place your eternal destination in the hands of men who contradict the inspired apostles?

Why would a religious leader in an organization that claims allegiance to Jesus speak so uncharitably about the general reading of the Scriptures? Here’s the kicker: How does one even respond to the archbishop when he writes: “The Holy Scripture with the (Catholic) church is a book of life, but without her it may be a volume of death.” (Wiseman, 264)

I’m not going to look to men like this for an infallible interpretation of Scripture! I’m going to be sure to get the testimony of the Holy Spirit IN WRITING.

Thank you for joining our Bible study today. We always welcome your questions and comments. Contact us for a transcript, CD, or DVD of 1273, “Infallible Interpretation?” Visit for video, audio, and transcripts of 500 gospel sermons. Get the Let the Bible Speak app for instant access. We say with the Apostle Paul in Romans 16:16, “The churches of Christ salute you.” Until next week, good bye and may God bless you!

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