Reflections on Scripture and the Authority of God

I am currently reading through N.T. Wright's latest book, Scripture and the Authority of God. Wright here seeks to look freshly at the question of sriptural authorty, in essence asking the question, "what does it mean for the bible to be authoritative?" 

Wright's basic thesis is that the authority of scripture is not found as just a collection of correct instructions, a devotional manual, or a laundry-list of doctrines but is bound up in the One who has all authority, Jesus himself. The scriptures do not merely contain information about God and His story of redemption but takes an active part in that very story. In essence, the Bible holds power because God is exercising power through it. In defense of this basic argument, Wright gives a brief history of how the role of scriptural authority has developed within the church. 

One chapter that interested me most concerned how the early church viewed the Old Testament  Against claims that Christians merely pick and choose their favorite OT laws to follow or not follow, Wright asserts that the scripture's role in announcing the climax of Israel's story led to a natural understanding of fulfillment in Jesus. Thus the OT was not ignored but viewed with reverence in its detailing of the grand narrative of which the church then and now finds itself in the final act. Thus the OT cannot be ignored or forgotten, but must also be viewed in light of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

One quote that illustrated how the early church viewed the OT is worth repeating at length:

"When travelers sail across a vast ocean and finally arrive on the distant shore, they leave the ship behind and continue over land, not because the ship was no good, or because their voyage had been misguided, but precisely because both ship and voyage had accomplished thier purpose. During the new, dry-land stage of their journey, the travelers remain--and in this illustration must never forget that they remain--the people who made the voyage in that ship." Wright, 57

This does not mean the OT must be set aside, but merely that its role in defining the community must be set aside not because it is out-of-date or misinformed but because its purposes have been fulfilled. Even staunch OT literalists will not defend the practice of sacrifice because the role of sacrifice is no longer needed in light of Jesus' once-and-for-all atonement. This is not the only section of the OT now fulfilled in its purpose and thus not tossed aside but given new life in Jesus. 

Wright later offers a case study of how we are to interpret the OT in this light of the refined understanding. I will post next Tuesday evening some reflections on this case study.