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ment, necessarily means a limited view of Christ, His person and work. Christ and the Bible.—it ought to be con sidered as unchallenged iact that what the Bible was to Jesus Christ, that it should be, and no less, to the Christian. Can the Bible mean any less to the Church than it did to the Church’s Master? Can what was indispensable to the Redeemer be dis pensed with, and that seemingly so easy, by the redeemed? Ought not the Church to be of the same mind with its Master with reference to the Scriptures? Do we ask what was Christ’s estimate of the nature and value of the Scriptures? We need not be in doubt one moment as to that. He refers to them as "the Word of God” as distinguished from the “traditions of men” (Mark 7:9, 13). He appeals to them as authoritatively settling questions of relig ious belief in the words “What saith the Scripture ?” He regards the Scriptures as deciding His own conduct and course of action as is set forth in His replies to Satan in the temptation, each time repulsing th e , adversary with the words, “It is written” (Matt. 4). Thus did Christ regard the Scriptures as the word of God, and as the ultimate rule in matters of faith and practice. He regards all Scriptures as of equal authority (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16). He spoke of them as having a vital message regard ing Himself and as being an authoritative revelation of the mind of God. Can the Scriptures mean any less to the Christian than they did to Christ? Of less value and authority to the Church than to the Church’s Master? Certainly they ought not. Christ Versus the Critics. —It is interest ing as well as instructive to notice that Christ, in setting His seal o f approval on the truth of the Scriptures, mentions expressly the very things in which the destructive criticism of i today would shake our faith. We are told by critics that Moses did not write the Law. Christ says Moses did write it (Luke 24:27,44) :, “These are the words . . . which were written in the law of Moses. . . . And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets” (cf: Luke
16:31; John 5:46, 47.). We are further told that the book of Jonah is not historical, but allegorical. Jesus refers to it as a fact of real history and uses it as a type of the great historical fact of His own resurrection (Matt. 12). The garden of Eden, Adam, and Eve are said to be “mythical,” but strange to say Jesus refers to Eden as a real place and Adam and Eve as real persons (Matt. 19:3-6). The story of Lot’s wife being turned into a pillar of salt is said to be “unhistoric.” Jesus refers to it as a real, historic event from which we do well to learn a very important lesson (Luke 17:32). The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is said “not to have taken place.” Jesus plainly tells us it did take place (Matt. 11:23, 24). Thus, by a seemingly strange coincidence, we see that the very things the critics say are not true, inspired or historic; are the very things on which Jesus Christ set His seal of approval, thus certifying to their reality and historicity. Are we to believe the destructive critics, or Christ—which? The Christian should not long hesitate ds to whom he will choose as his final authority. Was Christ mistaken? —It is suggested that Jesus Christ in His state of humilias- tion may not really have known any better; that He simply accommodated Himself to the popular belief of the times regarding these matters; that He accepted popular tradition as being truth. This view of things plunges the believer into a sea of grave doubt. If Jesus did not know the truth of these things—whether Moses wrote the law, or the historicity of the destruction of Lot’s wife, of Sodom and Gomorrah, or whether Adam and Eve were real persons, or Jonah was mythical or real—then what becomes of His omniscience? Then He did not know all things (John 21:17; 16:30). Any theory of “self-emptying” which robs Christ of omniscience, particularly respecting matters on which He is expected to speak with authority, certainly robs Him of deity. Again, if Jesus did know the truth regard ing these matters and preferred to give an imaginary account; or, knowing them to be fictitious, palmed them off on the
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