Two passages of the Bible that are often used to emphasize the importance of Scripture may be doing something more.
Example One: When, after eating no food for 40 days, Jesus resists Satan’s temptation to turn stones into bread, he quotes Moses as saying “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4; Deut 8:3).
This sounds like Jesus is emphasizing the importance of Scripture.
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And it’s so. By quoting Moses’ words, Jesus does, by his example, show us how to use the written word to resist our enemy.
But in the process our Lord seems to be doing more than quoting Scripture to point us to Scripture.
He is also saying that our survival does not depend only on the bread we make and put in our own mouths. Our existence also depends on every word of provision that God– in his perfect time and wisdom– speaks into our lives.
Example Two: When the author of Hebrews says that the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than a two edged sword– that is a “discerner of our hearts”– he gives us another text that has often been used to emphasize the importance of the Bible.
Here too it’s true that when we use this text found in Hebrews 4:12 we are, in the process, showing how the written Word of God helps us understand what the Spirit of God wants us to see. But once again, this is not just about using Scripture to honor Scripture. The author goes on to refer to the two edged Word as a “He” when he writes, “and there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:13).
Do you see what I think I’m seeing– that both texts use the inspired words of Scripture to point us beyond the page to our faithful Provider who, when he looks into our hearts, can empathize with our weakness because He, Himself, was tempted (vv 14, 15)? And do you agree that this text, therefore, is meant to give us the courage to come with our prayers to the throne of God—and to into the presence of the High Priest who died in our place so that he can now be our advocate and defender?
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