What is the Bible?
Those of us who are doing the equip training course have been enjoying reading some good books. (Perhaps I shouldn’t presume to speak for the others… at least I have been enjoying them!) What I have enjoyed most is seeing some old and familiar truths in new and exciting ways. For example, we have been reading a book about the Bible…
This is how Christopher Ash, in his book Hearing the Spirit, describes the relationship between the two parts of the Bible: “the Old Testament is the testimony of the Father to the Son by the Spirit, and the New Testament is the testimony of the apostles by the Spirit to the Son (and so revealing the Father).” Now, re-read that sentence, and pause for a moment on each phrase. Isn’t it brilliantly put? As he then adds, “If that sounds very Trinitarian, that is because it is!”
Such a summary is naturally over-simplified, but it states a number of things particularly well. First, it is indeed very Trinitarian, showing how Father, Son and Spirit are intimately involved throughout. Next, it describes the whole Bible as “testimony”, something that we are to pay attention to because of who it comes from. Then it emphasises that the Son is the focus of the whole Bible – and at the same time the Son’s great desire is to reveal his Father to us. Finally, it puts the apostles (including their circle) who actually wrote the New Testament in their rightful place.