Encore Post: Inerrancy means to be without error. If the Bible contains errors then what use is it for us and our salvation? How could we find the errors? What would be true, and what would be erring? If one thing is wrong in the word it might as well be thrown out entirely.
This is what we get with Higher Historical Criticism of the Bible. If the words written on the pages of the Bible are not truly God’s word then certainly the words there are riddled with errors because they were written by men. The Bible was questioned even in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. For a much greater overview , I highly recommend you take an opportunity to read the newest book by David Scaer where he lays out these things as they were happening inside the Missouri Synod’s St. Louis Seminary in the 1950s, leading to the walk out of its liberal faculty in 1974.
One place that people said even Jesus erred in the Bible was when he gave the saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 10:23-26) Those with the view that Jesus erred would say that Jesus had no idea of germination. It was always assumed that it died but now science has shown otherwise. They claims Jesus didn’t know this. But all that does it show their cards when it comes to understanding Jesus. They think He was just a man and not God in the flesh. But the Bible tells us otherwise. And besides, those of the errant view did not care to see what Jesus was doing in the verse before it. He tells the the people, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Jesus is talking about his death on the cross and his resurrection. He is speaking about your salvation, not about the science of how a seed germinates and the like. He effectively says, “I am the seed that must die in order to bring life to you who believe in me.”
But if we take seriously the words of John 1, that Word was Made Flesh, we should take seriously the words which are recorded for us in the Bible because that word speaks of Jesus. For He is the Word of the Father, and that Word has been glorified for us by his incarnation, life, death, and resurrection, for our salvation.
Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO
©2019 Robert E. Smith. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other rights and permissions inquiries to cosmithb@gmail.com
