The Bible and Public Revelation

[smad0142]

I have been involved in a lot of Mormon threads lately and I was just wondering what is the Biblical support for saying that all public revelation ended when the last Apostle died?

 

[Theophorus]

I could be wrong but I understand it stems mainly from Sacred Tradition that public revelation ended with the death of the last apostle. As Jesus is Himself revelation and as Hebrews 1:1-2 says: “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” He spoke only through Jesus who communicated His message most completely to the Apostles. even by timothy’s time it seems the message was fixed “I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Tim 6:14). It is from this and certain councils (although I doubt the Mormons accept those) that the Church gets her teaching.

God Bless

 

[Spencerian]

I have been involved in a lot of Mormon threads lately and I was just wondering what is the Biblical support for saying that all public revelation ended when the last Apostle died?

Hi.

Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote an article noting the differences and significance of public and private revelation. article on the subject.*CAL *This Rock

As the Mormon faith is also a sola scriptura faith, it is difficult to show a definitive passage from the Bible as to when public revelation ended. While indirect information is found on the the completion of public revelation in Sacred Scripture, the Church appears to teach this through Sacred Tradition as binding dogma. Here is the 1965 constitution on the matter, Dei Verbum.

The reasoning for the end of public revelation with John is natural, as he was the last of the Apostles, John would have been the only man left who, through the Holy Spirit breathed on him by Christ himself (John 20:21–23), was given direct, unique and special visions as part of the prime ministry of the Twelve.

Perhaps we might be painting things a bit too specifically. Might I suggest that you point dissenters to the end of public revelation to the Book of Revelations, written by John. Being the last book authored by the last Apostle, there might be enough causality there to wet the whistle.

Private revelation continues, of course, but **nothing **from these, authorized or not authorized by the Church, can change the fundamental covenant or the teachings given by God in the New Testament.

 

[FCEGM]

As the Mormon faith is also a sola scriptura faith, it is difficult to show a definitive passage from the Bible as to when public revelation ended… …

Did you perhaps mean to say that Mormonism ISN’T a sola scripture faith? - which is the case since Mormons believe in continuing public revelation (via their President).