Jesus of Nazareth is sent to earth to clarify the person and purposes of God. His singular instruction, invitation and call is expressed in just two words “follow me” … and herein lies the concern. The difference between following and claiming to follow is nowhere more apparent than in the purpose, place and use of the Scriptures. Religion taught me that if I prayed and read the Scriptures every day I’d be kept safe and spiritually attuned. Then, as I read in the Scriptures, I found that among those who read and prayed every day were the ones who hated Jesus and demanded his death. So, what are to make of this sad historic reality and our own interface with Scripture? What can we find in the thinking, teaching and conclusions of Jesus?
Did Jesus think the Scriptures are inspired by God? Even a cursory look at the record of his life renders an unwavering affirmative. With the Scriptures inspired by God, did he think that all Scriptures are of equal weight or importance? Like the conclusion to the first question, the answer is equally clear. He did not. This is where the separating begins with those who will actually follow Jesus and those who choose another course. Jesus did believe the Scriptures to be inspired but he did not believe that they are all of equal significance.
When asked “What is the greatest (the superlative) commandment?” He didn’t respond by saying there are so many good ones it’s hard to say. His answer was immediate and direct. He identified the superlative command and the one second to it. Then, went on to say that all Scriptures depend or hang on these two. He also told the religious experts and elites of his day they had neglected the more important or weightier matters of the Scriptures.
Think about it this way. Everything my wife says to me is 100 percent inspired by her. So, when she requests that I take out the garbage it is completely, fully inspired by her and I should even do it. However, when she tells me that she loves me the inspiration is the same as the previous communication but the significance of what is being said is astronomically different. There are many houses in my city where the garbage kept going out but the love stopped.
It was never Jesus' practice to “flatline” the Scriptures, making them all the same. Consistently through the four accounts a theme regarding the relationship Jesus has to Scriptures (and everything else on earth) is presented. In the person of Jesus something greater is here. Something greater than Solomon, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Jonah, David, the Sabbath, the Temple, the prophets and the Twelve is here. In fact, in the presence of Moses (the law) and Elijah (the prophets) God, referring to Jesus, tells Peter, James and John: “This is my dearly loved son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” He did not say listen to them but listen to him. Jesus is the author and perfecter/finisher of faith, the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega. All Scripture is profitable and useful … but all Scriptures do not share the same significance. His followers are not supposed to synthesize or flatline the Scriptures because he didn't.
Those who are actually following accept that the intended use of the Scriptures is to always begin and end with Jesus because something greater is here (his person, presence and words - the four accounts). Religion wants people to believe all Scriptures are the same so they will believe its opinions. Heaven wants people to meet Jesus and follow him; then the Scriptures can have their proper place in a person’s life. Jesus invites us to himself, not to historic and scriptural glimpses inspiring us to "make up in our heads" what he must be like. We get to know him, not just know about him. Accepting his universal invitation to follow does not mean that those who do will become more and more like the Scriptures. They will become more and more like him.
*not the Urban Dictionary Term
