The Nature of Sacred Scripture

[DeFide]

BIG RED DISCLAIMER: This thread is only discussing the nature of Sacred Scritpure, not its quality.

A Protestant became very disturbed when I plainly stated that Sacred Scripture is an inanimate object.

Inanimate:
Not having the qualities associated with active, living organisms.
Completely lacking sensation or consciousness.

Scripture clearly does not move on its own, so does Scripture have some hidden life in the way of rational thought and consciousness? Precisely what life form could it be? It’s clearly not human or mere animal. I don’t think anyone would claim that it is an angel.

What’s left? Is it God? This might be a tempting answer at first for some, but a moment’s reflection will reveal that this is not a satisfactory answer for any Protestant I know, because if the Sacred Scripture is God, in justice, you’d have to bow down and worship it.

 

[Lazerlike42]

BIG RED DISCLAIMER: This thread is only discussing the nature of Sacred Scritpure, not its quality.

A Protestant became very disturbed when I plainly stated that Sacred Scripture is an inanimate object.

Inanimate:
Not having the qualities associated with active, living organisms.
Completely lacking sensation or consciousness.

Scripture clearly does not move on its own, so does Scripture have some hidden life in the way of rational thought and consciousness? Precisely what life form could it be? It’s clearly not human or mere animal. I don’t think anyone would claim that it is an angel.

What’s left? Is it God? This might be a tempting answer at first for some, but a moment’s reflection will reveal that this is not a satisfactory answer for any Protestant I know, because if the Sacred Scripture is God, in justice, you’d have to bow down and worship it.

The Scriptures say that the Word of God is active and living, or something along those lines. I think this person’s shock is the result of the “Word of God” syndrome, wherein Protestants tend to interpret every time the Scriptures say “Word of God” to mean ‘the Bible.’ This is demonstrably not the case in the majority, if not the totality, of cases.

 

[DeFide]

The Scriptures say that the Word of God is active and living, or something along those lines. I think this person’s shock is the result of the “Word of God” syndrome, wherein Protestants tend to interpret every time the Scriptures say “Word of God” to mean ‘the Bible.’ This is demonstrably not the case in the majority, if not the totality, of cases.

But does the verse mean that in a literal sense or in a figurative or poetic sense? And, as you pointed out, what does “Word of God” refer to here? If the verse is referring only to the Bible in a literal sense, we are back to original dilemma.

 

[allischalmers]

The Bible that you may have is only a copy of the Word of God, The Word of God is only in the orginal autographs.

Proud to be Baptist
allischalmers

 

[DeFide]

The Bible that you may have is only a copy of the Word of God, The Word of God is only in the orginal autographs.

Proud to be Baptist
allischalmers

OK. Let’s consider the autographs (even if they no longer exist). What is their nature? Are they inanimate or are they some life form? Explore the options of the original post.

 

[ALLFORHIM]

Hi,

I guess I would say the Bible GIVES life to those who read it and believe it and live it:thumbsup:

 

[DeFide]

Hi,

I guess I would say the Bible GIVES life to those who read it and believe it and live it:thumbsup:

I think Catholics would agree with the principle of vicarious salvation, whereby things and people can be instruments of salvation without being the ultimate source of salvation. It could be the topic of another thread.

I assume by the relative silence so far that the concept of Sacred Scripture being an inanimate object is an acceptable conclusion for most of our non-Catholic friends.

 

[crunchy]

A Protestant became very disturbed when I plainly stated that Sacred Scripture is an inanimate object.

I think this happens because it makes them feel lonely & self conscious interpreting the Bible all by themselves. To justify the interpretations they are making, they need to feel like the Bible offers them some protection from screwing up.

It doesn’t say that anywhere in the Bible, though.

 

[Steven_Merten]

Scripture clearly does not move on its own, so does Scripture have some hidden life in the way of rational thought and consciousness?

Hello DeFide,

Have you ever seen the movie where the guy uses his radio to communicate with himself in the past. From the past, he carves a message into his wooden desk top and ends up saving himself in the future. The radio and the desk were inanimate objects which cannot change but yet had a hidden way of changing and communicating beyond physical time.

We know that God is Omni-Present to the whole of physical time which He created. God can look at our period in physical time and then inspire Moses, Jesus and biblical writers to add something that will assist us in our time. I believe that this gives scriptures a life, rational thought and consciousness.

One can also kill the life, rational thought and consciousness of scriptures. I asked a Protestant what he thought of Jesus telling us to obey the commandments if we wish to enter into life. The Protestant told me that St. Paul’s teachings changed all the things that Jesus taught and that now Christ’s scriptural teachings are no longer relevant. Oh? Did St. Paul do this? (Romans 2:6). The Protestant said that all Old Testament was out now also. (Is this what Protestants mean by sola scriptura? A bit of sarcasm)

Through scriptures, God can communicate to us live today, as the man in the movie, realizing what was happening in the future, communicated to himself from the past to the future through carving on his desk. Now all we have to do is not reject what God tells us.
NAB MAT 19:16

“Teacher, what good must I do to possess everlasting life?” He answered, "Why do you question me about what is good? There is One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied “You shall not kill”; ‘You shall not commit adultery’; ‘You shall not steal’; ‘You shall not bear false witness’; ‘Honor your father and mother’; and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"NAB ROM 2:6

. . . when he will repay every man for what he has done: eternal life to those who strive for glory, honor, and immortality by patiently doing right; wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. Yes, affliction and anguish will come upon every man who has done evil, the Jew first then the Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who has done good, likewise the Jew first, then the Greek.