The Gift of God is a Person, Not a Book

Kenneth E. Bailey, in his book, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, makes a very interesting point about the primacy of Jesus Christ to our faith. For some time now, I have maintained the the Gospel is a person (Jesus Christ), not just a set of propositions (i.e. Four Spiritual Laws). 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 seems to make this case rather strongly. Bailey refers to Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan Woman at the Well in John 4:10-14 to make this point,

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." She *said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?" Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4:10-14 NASB)


Bailey says, 

"For this woman "the gift of God" was primarily the Torah of Moses. For the Jew it was the Law and the Prophets, while for the Muslim it is the Qur'an. That is, God's ultimate gift was and is a book. But the Suffering Servant of Isaiah was told by God, 'I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations' (Isaiah 42:6). 


"Here the covenant is not words in a book but a person. For the woman, as for all Christians, the supreme gift of God to his people is not the New Testament but rather the person of Jesus. For Jeremiah, God was 'living water' that the people had rejected as they dug their own 'broken cisterns that can hold no water' (Jer. 2:13). In the story before us, language applied to God is reused to describe Jesus."



This is not meant in any way to devalue the Bible as the Word of God or to say that Jesus is the apex therefore parts of the Bible might not be actually true or reliable. Far from it! It points to Christ, the revelation of God and our only source of salvation. But, we must still go to Jesus. Jesus Himself said about the Pharisees that they they were ignoring all the signs that God had provided authenticating his ministry, such as John the Baptist, works, the Father's affirmation, and even Scripture itself. They were using Scripture the wrong way because it was supposed to point to Himself:

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." (John 5:39, 40 NASB)

The Pharisees were pouring over the Scriptures trying to find eternal life within. They were using the Scriptures as a set of principles and propositions and steps to Shalom - the blessed, peaceful, prosperous life. Yet, they were unwilling to go to the One to whom the Scriptures pointed - Jesus. The Scriptures were a witness to Christ and testified about Him. Life and Salvation are only found in Christ alone - not in Biblical propositions. This is not to separate the Law from Christ because the Law demonstrates God's character and Jesus fulfills the Law - it tells us what God is like and if we are to be reconciled with God then His Law and character become our delight. But, salvation is found in Christ himself, not just in knowing the precepts of God's character and his commands. That comes in relationship.

I think that many people today in trying to value Scripture miss that we are all called to a supernatural relationship with God through Jesus Christ empowered by the Spirit by faith. Discipleship does not just involve learning information about God, but it involves the bending of the will to God's will and entering into a living relationship with God through Christ. The gift of God is Jesus - He is the exact representation of God and the fullness of His being. Scripture points to Christ with whom we have a real relationship by faith. The Word of God is an amazing gift, but it is not the ultimate gift. The Church is a beautiful thing, but it is not the means of salvation either. Salvation is found in the gift of God, Christ alone. Scripture is meant to lead us to Christ, in whom all the blessings of God reside. When reading Scripture and obeying, let us do so with an eye on how it throws us into relationship with and dependence upon Christ. We enter into this relationship practically through faith, prayer, worship, obedience, good works, and through abiding in Christ daily both as individuals and in community. The relationship with Christ is a real thing attested to and described in Scripture. But, we must go to Him in faith and dependence to experience it. 

The Bible tells us so.

Comments

[Debbie Kaufman]

Amen.

[Joshua T]

Amen. I love to quote Romans 10:17 to people, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" ... Christ? Yes Christ. Many are used to the translation "word of God" and then jump to the conclusion that Paul means the Holy Bible.

But textual criticism seems to indicate that "Christ" is the more authentic translation. And this would fit so much better within your assertion concerning 1 Cor 15:1-8. It is the testimony about Christ that saves and brings faith. And when we use the Bible to point specifically to Christ, it then can be the "words concerning Christ" that bring faith.

This is also why I refuse to debate with non-believers over the authenticity of the Scriptures (though I believe it inerrant). Too often we let ourselves argue over the little passages of the Bible as if our faith depends on it. But no, our faith depends on Christ, His work and God's faithfulness to honor Christ and His work.

Again I say amen. Thanks for the great words.

[Pip Power]

FOR THE RECORD:

TALMUDIC JUDAISM-ROMANISM-MOHAMMEDANISM are the 3 Abrahamic, Jihadic, Slaughterhouse Cults, that have their roots in Babylonian Zoroastrianism.

There is no Satan!

The essence of evil is in the heart & mind of man (Jeremiah 17:9-10; James 1:12-20).

The WORD of God is a Person, NOT a book (John 1:1-5)

You can find the WORD of God in the book, BUT the book is NOT the WORD of God!
(John 5:39-40)

ALL RELIGION IS OBSOLETE (John 4:19-26).

The WORD of God and the words of Moses are NOT the same (Matthew 19:1-10).

A TEXT out of CONTEXT, is a PRETEXT!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 IS A TEXT OUT OF CONTEXT, WHEN USED TO PROVE THE BOOK AS "INSPIRED"!

The vast majority of people do not understand the GODHEAD (John 17:1-26).

Jesus taught:

True believers in the WORD of God, ARE in the GODHEAD!