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»Skriften alene« i lyset af Det Nye Testamentes jødiske baggrund
Bibelen havde enorm betydning for Jesus og de første kristne. Sloganet »Skriften alene« (sola scriptura) fra reformationen 1.500 år senere kunne såmænd udmærket have været formuleret af Peter eller Paulus eller Jesus selv. For det var det princip, de praktiserede.
Allerede før Det Nye Testamente var blevet til, havde Jesus, apostlene og de første kristne en bibel. De brugte nemlig jødernes bibel.
På dette tidspunkt omfattede den jødiske bibel netop de 39 bøger, som de kristne senere begyndte at kalde for »Det Gamle Testamente«. Der var forskellige måder at tælle antallet af bøger i Bibelen på. Nogle rabbinere sagde, at der var 24 bøger, andre sagde 22. Forklaringen er, at mange af de bøger, vi i dag opfatter som selvstændige, blev talt som én bog. For eksempel var Samuelsbøgerne én bog, Kongebøgerne var én bog, og også de tolv små profeter blev opfattet som én bog.
Men selvom antallet kunne opgøres forskelligt, var indholdet det samme. Den jødiske bibel, Det Gamle Testamentes 39 bøger, var også de første kristnes bibel.
For apostlene og mange af de første kristne var det fuldstændig naturligt at bruge den jødiske bibel. Alt andet ville have været utænkeligt. De var jo selv jøder, og deres tro på Jesus ændrede intet ved deres forhold til den jødiske bibel. Tværtimod stod Bibelens budskab blot endnu mere fast for dem, efter at de var kommet til tro på Jesus som Messias (2 Pet 1,19).
I løbet af en årrække kom skrifterne i Det Nye Testamente til. De indeholdt budskabet fra de apostle, som Jesus havde udsendt med fuldmagt og autoritet til at repræsentere ham og tale på hans vegne (Matt 10,40).
Fordi apostlenes budskab kom fra Jesus, der var Messias og Guds søn, begyndte de første kristne at sidestille apostlenes ord med profeternes ord i den jødiske bibel, de allerede havde (2 Pet 3,2). Det nye var altså ikke, at de nu fik en bibel, men at deres bibel blev udvidet med en række nye skrifter, så den kom til at bestå af Det Nye Testamente og Det Gamle Testamente.
Bibelens store betydning
Jesus brugte Bibelen livet igennem. Når han på sabbatten deltog i synagogegudstjenesten (Luk 4,16ff). Når Satan fristede ham (Matt 4,1ff). Når han underviste disciplene (Matt 5,21ff). Når han afviste kritik fra farisæerne (Matt 9,10ff) eller fra saddukæerne (Matt 22,23ff). Når han svarede på spørgsmål (Matt 11,1ff). Når han belærte folkeskarerne (Matt 11,7ff). Når han revsede de vantro (Matt 11,20ff) eller ryddede op i templet (Matt 21,12ff). Ja, selv i smerterne på korset, lige før han udåndede (Matt 27,45ff), og i undervisningen af disciplene efter opstandelsen (Luk 24,25f).
Apostlene og de første kristne gjorde som Jesus og brugte Bibelen i alle tænkelige situationer. Da de forsøgte at forstå Judas’ forræderi (ApG 1,15ff). Da Peter skulle forklare begivenhederne på pinsedagen (ApG 2,14ff). Da han prædikede i Salomos Søjlegang (ApG 3,12ff). Når de bad (ApG 4,24ff). Da Stefanus skulle forsvare sig for Rådet (ApG 7,2ff). Da Filip vidnede for den etiopiske hofmand (ApG 8,26). Da Peter vidnede for den romerske officer Cornelius (ApG 10,1ff). Når Paulus prædikede i synagogerne (ApG 13,16ff). Når apostlene skulle afgøre et stridsspørgsmål (ApG 15,13ff). Også når Paulus, Jakob, Peter og Johannes skrev breve til menighederne, citerede de ustandseligt fra Bibelen eller henviste til den med antydninger eller sammendrag.
Jøderne i byen Berøa i det nordlige Grækenland får i Det Nye Testamente ros, fordi de ivrigt studerede Bibelen for at vurdere, om Paulus’ prædikener nu også var troværdige (ApG 17,11ff).
Bibelen var livsnerven, den røde tråd og det stadige omkvæd i de første kristnes liv. Sådan som den også var det for mange jøder, der ikke troede på Jesus.
En sammenligning af de første Jesus-troende jøders forhold til Bibelen med andre jøders forhold til Bibelen er lærerig. Der er både en meget vigtig lighed og en afgørende forskel.
Lighed: synet på Bibelen
Jesus og apostlene havde på mange måder samme forhold til Det Gamle Testamente, som mange andre jøder havde dengang. Lad os se på fire ligheder:
a) Samme benævnelser
Når Jesus og apostlene omtaler Det Gamle Testamente, sker det med de samme benævnelser, som var almindeligt brugt i antik jødedom (se blå boks nr. 1).
b) Samme citatmåder
En af de mest almindelige måder i antik jødedom at indlede et citat fra Det Gamle Testamente på er »der er sagt«. Den indledning bliver også brugt i Det Nye Testamente (Matt 5,21; Luk 4,12).
c) Samme bibelsyn
Blandt jøder på Jesu tid var der ofte uenighed om, hvordan Bibelen skulle tolkes, men der var stor enighed om, at Bibelen var Guds ord. Historieskriveren Josefus forklarer, at det hører med til jødernes bibelsyn, at profeterne i Det Gamle Testamente ikke skrev »på egen hånd«, men »efter inspiration fra Gud« (se hele citatet i blå boks nr. 2).
Apostlen Peter delte dette almindelige antik-jødiske bibelsyn og skriver: »Ingen profeti har nogen sinde lydt i kraft af et menneskes vilje, men drevet af Helligånden har mennesker sagt det, der kom fra Gud« (2 Pet ,1,21). Paulus siger tilsvarende, at »ethvert skrift er indblæst af Gud« (2 Tim 3,16).
Apostlene var ikke enige med farisæerne om, hvordan Bibelen skulle forstås og efterleves. Men de var enige om, at den var Guds ord.
Netop fordi Helligånden stod bag tilblivelsen af de bibelske skrifter, kan Helligånden i dag bruge Bibelen, når han arbejder i os. Ånden og Bibelen hører derfor nøje sammen. Det bedste, et menneske, der ønsker Helligåndens virke i sit liv, kan gøre, er at bruge Bibelen. For den er Helligåndens redskab i vores hjerter.
d) Samme bibelbrug
For mange jøder på Jesu tid spillede Bibelen en helt afgørende rolle. Hver sabbat blev der læst op af Bibelen i synagogerne (ApG 15,21). Hvis man i et religiøst spørgsmål ville overbevise andre, måtte man bruge Det Gamle Testamente. Som det hedder i den rabbinske skrift Mishna: »Jo mere tora, jo mere liv« (mAvot 2,7). Denne omfattende brug af Bibelen tog de første jødekristne med ind i de nye kristne menigheder.
Fordi Det Gamle Testamente er Guds ord, er det her, vi finder vejledning, visdom og hjælp.
Ligheden i bibelbrug mellem antik jødedom og de første kristne illustreres fint af to citater; det ene fra den jødiske Første Makkabæerbog, det andet fra Paulus:
»Vi henter trøst i de hellige bøger, vi besidder« (1 Makkabæerbog 12,9).
»Med den trøst, som Skrifterne giver os« (Rom 15,4).
Overbevisningen om, at Israels Gud havde åbenbaret sig gennem Bibelen, Det Gamle Testamente, blev overtaget af de første kristne. Derfor blev Bibelen betragtet med enorm respekt, og derfor blev den brugt som den altafgørende rettesnor for troen. Skriften alene – det var den logiske følge af det syn på Det Gamle Testamente, som kirken arvede fra Israels folk.
Men der var også en vigtig forskel.
Forskel: Bibelen og traditionen
Det fortælles, at en mand kom til den kendte rabbi Shammai (kort tid før Jesus) og spurgte: »Rabbi, hvor mange toraer har I?« Shammai svarede: »To, én nedskrevet og én mundtlig«.
Den nedskrevne tora var Mosebøgerne og i udvidet betydning hele Det Gamle Testamente. Men i indflydelsesrige grupper i antik jødedom mente man, at der ved siden af Bibelen også var en mundtlig tora. For farisæerne på Jesu tid og senere rabbinsk jødedom spiller den mundtlige tora en enorm rolle.
Den mundtlige tora indeholder de vises og rabbinernes udlægning af Bibelen. Tankegangen er, at det er umuligt at efterleve buddene i Bibelen, hvis man ikke har en udlægning af dem. Hvordan kan man for eksempel lade være med at arbejde på sabbatten, hvis man ikke ved præcist, hvad arbejde er? Derfor er der brug for en mundtlig tora, der forklarer Bibelen.
Den mundtlige tora blev overleveret af de vise og rabbinerne fra generation til generation. I Det Nye Testamente kaldes den mundtlige tora for »de gamles overlevering« (Mark 7,3ff) eller »de fædrene overleveringer« (Gal 1,14). Som elev af datidens mest kendte farisæer, Gamaliel, var Paulus grundigt oplært i den mundtlige tora.
Den mundtlige overlevering blev gennem generationerne så omfattende, at ingen kunne lære den udenad. År 200-220 blev den derfor nedskrevet i det vigtige jødiske værk Mishna. Senere blev dette værk sammen med den fortsatte mundtlige overlevering til det rabbinske hovedværk Talmud.
Den mundtlige tora er i rabbinsk-jødisk tankegang bindende. Den mundtlige tora bestemmer, hvordan Det Gamle Testamente skal forstås.
Her ligger en af de vigtigste forskelle mellem Jesus og farisæerne (og den senere rabbinske jødedom).
Jesus kalder den mundtlige tora for »menneskebud« og »menneskers overlevering« til forskel fra »Guds bud«, der er nedskrevet i Det Gamle Testamente (Mark 7,7-8).
Jesus anklager farisæerne for ved hjælp af den mundtlige overlevering at ophæve nogle af Guds bud (Matt 23).
Det betyder ikke, at alt i den mundtlige overlevering er forkert, slet ikke. Jesus anerkender, at de vise og farisæerne faktisk på nogle områder udlægger Moseloven rigtigt (Matt 23,1-3). Nogle steder går Jesus ind i et stridsspørgsmål, hvor farisæerne selv var uenige, og holder med den ene part i diskussionen. Men Jesus gør op med selve princippet om, at der er en bindende tradition ved siden af Bibelen.
Bibelen står fast. »Skriften kan ikke rokkes« (Joh 10,35). De menneskelige traditioner skal vurderes ud fra, om de stemmer overens med Bibelen.
Aktuelt princip
Den jødiske baggrund for Det Nye Testamente hjælper os til at have et skarpt fokus på begge sider af princippet »Skriften alene«.
På den ene side betyder princippet, at Bibelen er Guds ord, som vi skal tro på, bygge på og bruge. Det skal vi, fordi Bibelen som Guds ord har magt til at skabe troen og vejlede, irettesætte, trøste og opmuntre os.
På den anden side betyder princippet, at vi ikke må sætte noget ved siden af Bibelen, som om det havde samme autoritet. Heller ikke Luther og reformatorerne. Deres ord kan være en stor hjælp til at forstå Bibelen, men de er kun menneskeord og skal derfor hele tiden vurderes ud fra, om de nu også stemmer overens med Guds ord i Bibelen.
Skriften alene! Det er et afgørende princip.
Det jødiske folk er blevet kaldt »bogens folk«. Den benævnelse passer også på Jesus og apostlene. De første kristne var »bibelkristne«. Lad os gå i deres fodspor!
ENGLISH
THE SCRIPTURE ALONE
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"Scripture alone" in light of the New Testament Jewish background
The Bible had tremendous significance for Jesus and the early Christians. The slogan "Scripture alone" (sola scriptura) from the Reformation 1,500 years later could thus very well have been formulated by Peter or Paul or Jesus himself. For that was the principle they practiced.
Even before the New Testament came into being, Jesus, the apostles, and the first Christians had a Bible. They used the Bible of the Jews.
At that time, the Jewish Bible included precisely the 39 books that Christians later began to call "the Old Testament." There were various ways to count the number of books in the Bible. Some rabbis said there were 24 books, others said 22. The explanation is that many of the books we today consider self-employed were counted as one book. For example, the books of Samuel were one book, the King books were one book, and also the twelve small prophets were perceived as one book.
But although the number could be calculated differently, the content was the same. The Jewish Bible, the 39 books of the Old Testament, was also the Bible of the first Christians.
For the apostles and many of the early Christians it was perfectly natural to use the Jewish Bible. Everything else would have been inconceivable. They were Jews themselves, and their faith in Jesus changed nothing about their relationship with the Jewish Bible. On the contrary, the Bible's message became even more firm to them after believing in Jesus as the Messiah (2 Pet. 1:19).
Over a number of years the New Testament scriptures came into being. They contained the message of the apostles whom Jesus had sent with authority and authority to represent him and speak on his behalf (Matt. 10:40).
Because the apostle's message came from Jesus, who was the Messiah and the Son of God, the first Christians began to equate the apostles' words with the words of the prophets in the Jewish Bible they already had (2 Pet. 3,2). So the new thing was not that they now got a Bible, but that their Bible was expanded with a number of new scriptures so that it would consist of the New Testament and the Old Testament.
The great significance of the Bible
Jesus used the Bible throughout life. When he attended the synagogue service on the Sabbath (Luke 4:16ff). When Satan Tempted Him (Matt. 4.1ff). When teaching the disciples (Matt. 5.21ff). When he rejected criticism from the Pharisees (Matt. 9.10ff) or from the Sadducees (Matt. 22.23ff). When answering questions (Matt 11,1ff). When he taught the multitudes (Matt. 11.7ff). When he tore up the unbelievers (Matt 11.20ff) or cleaned up the temple (Matt 21.12ff). Yes, even in the pain of the cross, just before he exhaled (Matt. 27.45ff), and in the teaching of the disciples after the resurrection (Luke 24.25f).
The apostles and early Christians did like Jesus and used the Bible in every conceivable situation. As they tried to understand Judas' betrayal (Acts 1.15ff). When Peter was to explain the events of Pentecost (Acts 2:14ff). When he preached in the Column of Solomon (Acts 3.12ff). When they prayed (Acts 4.24ff). When Stephen was to defend himself before the Council (Acts 7.2ff). When Philip testified before the Ethiopian courtier (Acts 8.26). When Peter testified before the Roman officer Cornelius (Acts 10.1ff). When Paul preached in the synagogues (Acts 13:16ff). When the Apostles Should Decide a Controversy (Acts 15:13ff). Also, when Paul, James, Peter, and John wrote letters to the congregations, they constantly quoted from the Bible or referred to it with hints or summaries.
The Jews of the city of Berea in northern Greece are praised in the New Testament because they eagerly studied the Bible to assess whether Paul's sermons were now credible (Acts 17:11ff).
The Bible was the lifeblood, the red thread, and the constant chorus of the early Christians. Such as it was for many Jews who did not believe in Jesus.
A comparison of the first Jesus-believing Jews 'relationship to the Bible with other Jews' relationship to the Bible is instructive. There is both a very important similarity and a crucial difference.
Similarity: the view of the Bible
In many ways, Jesus and the apostles had the same relationship with the Old Testament that many other Jews had at that time. Let's look at four similarities:
(a) The same terms
When Jesus and the apostles refer to the Old Testament, it occurs with the same denominations commonly used in ancient Judaism (see Blue Box # 1).
b) Same quotation methods
One of the most common ways in ancient Judaism to begin a quote from the Old Testament is "what is said." That introduction is also used in the New Testament (Matthew 5.21; Luke 4:12).
c) Same biblical view
Among Jews in Jesus' time, there was often disagreement about how the Bible should be interpreted, but there was great agreement that the Bible was God's word. The historian Josephus explains that it is part of the Bible view of the Jews that the Old Testament prophets did not write "on their own" but "after inspiration from God" (see full quote in blue box # 2).
The Apostle Peter shared this ordinary anti-Jewish Biblevision and writes: "No prophecy has ever sounded by virtue of the will of man, but driven by the Holy Spirit, men have said that which came from God" (2 Pet. 1:21). Similarly, Paul says that "every writing is inspired by God" (2 Tim 3:16).
The apostles did not agree with the Pharisees on how the Bible should be understood and lived. But they agreed that it was the word of God.
Precisely because the Holy Spirit was behind the creation of the biblical scriptures, today the Holy Spirit can use the Bible as he works in us. The Spirit and the Bible are therefore closely related. The best thing a person who wants the work of the Holy Spirit can do in his life is to use the Bible. For it is the tool of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
d) Same Bible usage
For many Jews in Jesus' time, the Bible played a crucial role. Every Sabbath was read by the Bible in the synagogues (Acts 15:21). If you wanted to convince others of a religious question, you had to use the Old Testament. As the rabbinic scripture states, Mishna: "The more Torah, the more life" (mAvot 2.7). This extensive use of the Bible brought the first Jewish Christians into the new Christian congregations.
Because the Old Testament is the word of God, this is where we find guidance, wisdom, and help.
The similarity in Bible usage between ancient Judaism and the early Christians is nicely illustrated by two quotes; one from the Jewish Book of Maccabees, the other from Paul:
"We find solace in the holy books which we possess" (1 Maccabees 12: 9).
“With the comfort that the scriptures give us” (Rom. 15: 4).
The belief that the God of Israel had been revealed through the Old Testament Bible was taken over by the first Christians. Therefore, the Bible was regarded with tremendous respect, and therefore it was used as the essential guideline for faith. Scripture alone - it was the logical consequence of the view of the Old Testament that the Church inherited from the people of Israel.
But there was also an important difference.
Difference: The Bible and Tradition
It is said that a man came to the well-known Rabbi Shammai (shortly before Jesus) and asked, "Rabbi, how many Toras do you have?" Shammai replied, "Two, one written down and one oral."
The written Torah was the Book of Moses and, in a broader sense, the entire Old Testament. But influential groups in ancient Judaism believed that there was an oral Torah next to the Bible. For the Pharisees in Jesus' time and later rabbinic Judaism, the oral Torah plays a huge role.
The oral Torah contains the appearances and the rabbis' interpretation of the Bible. The thinking is that it is impossible to live the commandments in the Bible if one does not have them interpreted. For example, how can you avoid working on the Sabbath if you do not know exactly what work is? Therefore, an oral Torah is needed to explain the Bible.
The oral Torah was handed down by the wise and the rabbis from generation to generation. In the New Testament, the oral Torah is called "the surrender of the ancients" (Mark 7.3: 7) or "the surrender of the fathers" (Gal. 1:14). As a student of the most famous Pharisees of the time, Gamaliel, Paul was thoroughly trained in the oral Torah.
The oral tradition became so extensive through the generations that no one could learn it by heart. In the year 200-220 it was therefore written down in the important Jewish work Mishna. Later this work, together with the continued oral surrender to the rabbinic headquarters Talmud.
The oral Torah is binding in rabbinic-Jewish thought. The oral Torah determines how the Old Testament is to be understood.
Here lies one of the main differences between Jesus and the Pharisees (and later Rabbinic Judaism).
Jesus calls the oral Torah the "commandment of men" and "the surrender of men" as opposed to the "commandments of God" written down in the Old Testament (Mark 7: 7-8).
Jesus accuses the Pharisees of abrogating some of God's commandments through the oral tradition (Matt. 23).
This does not mean that everything in the oral tradition is wrong, not at all. Jesus recognizes that in some areas the wise and the Pharisees interpret the Law of Moses correctly (Matthew 23: 1-3). In some places, Jesus enters into a controversy, where the Pharisees themselves disagreed, and agrees with one party in the discussion. But Jesus does away with the very principle that there is a binding tradition next to the Bible.
The Bible stands firm. "Scripture cannot be shaken" (Jn 10:35). Human traditions must be judged on whether they conform to the Bible.
Current principle
The Jewish background to the New Testament helps us to focus sharply on both sides of the "Scripture alone" principle.
On the one hand, the principle means that the Bible is the word of God that we must believe in, build upon, and use. We must, because the Bible, as God's Word, has the power to create faith and guide, rebuke, comfort and encourage us.
On the other hand, the principle means that we must not put anything next to the Bible as if it had the same authority. Nor is Luther and reformmodulators. Their words can be a great help to understand the Bible, but they are only human words and must therefore be constantly evaluated on whether they also conform to God's Word in the Bible.
Scripture alone! It is a crucial principle.
The Jewish people have been called "the people of the book". That denomination also applies to Jesus and the apostles. The first Christians were "Bible Christians." Let's follow in their footsteps!
