Inspiration

Inspiration

A second review of Alden Thompson's book.

Reviewed by Norman R. Gulley, professor of theology, Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists, Collegedale, Tennessee.

Thompson, professor of biblical studies at Walla Walla College, writes lucidly on his subject. My review will not look at ideas I agree with, but will attempt to discuss my basic concerns. The author states that he overcame his fear of Scripture, and wrote this book to show the humanity of the Bible so others can avoid "the possibility of a deadly surprise" or a "fatal contradiction," that might cause the collapse of their faith. My personal journey differs from his and influences this review. My faith in the Bible becomes stronger by focusing on the unity rather than contradictions of Scripture. (See Hans LaRondelle's The Israel of God in Prophecy.) The New Testament becomes the authoritative interpreter of the Old Testament as we view the plan of salvation with Christ as the center.

Christ as center is important because Thompson proposes an "incarnational view." The incarnational model is not new and is attempted in as different perspectives as those of the inerrantist Rene Pache 1 and the liberal James Barr. 2

Thompson claims he bases his idea upon two incarnational documents of Ellen White, constituting a "primary point of reference for all that follows" (p. 16). He notes that "authors tend to emphasize either the human or the divine, rather than keep both in balance" (p. 17), yet he devotes most of his book to the human side.

The author says his thinking and spiritual formation have been influenced by Ellen White's writings. He states that after reading the book in manuscript form, one of his friends described it as "an act of gratitude to Ellen White" (p. 258). He quotes Ellen White and refers to her writings at least 166 times throughout the book. But judging by his own standard (her two basic documents and other writings), I feel he does not do justice to the balanced3 incarnational view of Ellen White or to other positions she takes that differ from his. Thompson uses Ellen White selectively.

Because of limited space, I can only briefly evaluate his incarnational model in the context of Ellen White's two documents and other writings. Many other ideas in the book need to be addressed.4 First, note the differences between the basic Ellen White documents Thompson claims to use and his use of them:

Ellen G. White focuses on the Bible as "revealed truth" with a unity throughout. Divine thoughts in human words as Christ clothed in humanity are God's revelation to man.

Alden Thompson focuses on the biblical "parallel accounts" with "many differences." Preoccupied with the human, without proper reference to the divine, he does not present an incarnational model.

Thompson denies that an inspired author can be the final interpreter of an other inspired author, which calls in question the Protestant principle of sola scriptura (the Bible interprets itself). Biblical interpretation, for Thompson, involves not just knowing the Bible, but knowing God. There is some truth in this. But if knowing God replaces the objectivity of the Bible being its own interpreter, then we are left with only a subjective norm (experience) as the final interpreter of Scripture.

Thompson poses a question: "Could you imagine circumstances in your church in which . . . the participants would be able to say . . . , 'I understand that Old Testament passage differently than Paul does'? Would such a statement imply loss of confidence in Paul?'' (p. 213). He answers the question: "Inspired writers should not hinder ordinary believers (i.e., those not inspired in a special sense) from pursuing their God-given responsibilities to interpret the text of Scripture for themselves, even if their interpretation may differ from that of a credentialed inspired writer" (p. 211).

These basic presuppositions lie behind Thompson's "casebook" view of Scripture, as well as his focus on differences, rather than unity, in the Bible. This method places the reader as judge over which biblical passage should be applied in each specific situation. By contrast, in the two Ellen White documents, on which Thompson allegedly bases his thesis, I find a different focus.

From Selected Messages, book 1, pages 15-23.

There are others, but I will mention only three.

1. "Those who take only a surface view of the Scriptures will, with their superficial knowledge, which they think is very deep, talk of the contradictions of the Bible, and question the authority of the Scriptures" (p. 20). Compare Thompson's "apparently contradictory proverbs" (p. 101). "Many differences" (p. 19); "Let some authority do their thinking for them . . . , even the Bible" (p. 106).

2. "The illuminated soul sees a spiritual unity, one grand golden thread running through the whole, but it re quires patience, thought, and prayer to trace out the precious golden thread" (p. 20).

3. "How quickly He [Christ on the Emmaus road] straightened out the tangled ends and showed the unity and divine verity of the Scriptures. How much men in these times need their understanding opened" (p. 21).

From Great Controversy, pages v-xii. Again, I am giving only a sample.

1. "And as several writers present a subject under varied aspects and relations, there may appear, to the superficial, careless, or prejudiced reader, to be discrepancy or contradiction, where the thoughtful, reverent student, with clearer insight, discerns the underlying harmony" (p. vi). Compare Thompson: ''We could begin to relieve the constant need for harmonization" (p. 191).

2. "A different aspect of the truth in each, but a perfect harmony through all" (p. vi). Thompson: "diverse interpretations" (p. 264).

3. "The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will" (p. vii).

In contrast to Ellen White's focus on the unity of Scripture, Thompson speaks about a "theoretical unity," and also says it is "inappropriate . . . simply to turn around and impose the New Testament interpretation on the Old.'' If that is so, what about progressive revelation, which, paradoxically, Thompson finds in Ellen White? Further, Ellen White maintains that "the New Testament explains the Old" (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 381), and that the "doors of the New Testament are unlocked with the key of the Old Testament" (Evangelism, p. 579). She says, "Christ's lessons were not a new revelation, but old truths which He Himself had originated and given to the chosen of God, and which He came to earth to rescue from the error under which they had been buried" (The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, vol. 4, p. 1689).

Thompson finds both unifying and motivational force of Scripture in what he calls the "law pyramid"--love, love to God and man, and the Decalogue (p.216). Ellen White, however, finds Christ the center of Scripture: ''The Old Testament sheds light upon the New, and the New upon the Old. Each is a revelation of the glory of God in Christ'' (Christ's Object Lessons, p. 128). Christ's "ministry is the key that unlocks the Old Testament Scriptures, giving access to their rich treasures" (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 229). Both the Testaments meet "together in Christ" (The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 6, p. 1092). She further advises that "every truth in the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, must be studied in the light that streams from the cross of Calvary" (Gospel Workers, p. 315). She never suggests the "casebook" method Thompson proposes. Even in the two basic documents that Thompson claims as the basis for his book, Ellen White speaks twice of the Bible as a "guide book" (Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 15, 16).

The Jews rejected Jesus because they focused only on the human about Him. The same can happen to the Bible. Christ focused on the divine (Luke 24:27; Matt. 26:55, 56; John 5:30), and so did Ellen White. In her third incarnational model, besides the two referenced by Thompson, she says,' 'In the work of God for man's redemption, divinity and humanity are combined" (Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 747). It is this joining of the two that makes Christ and the Bible unique compared with all other persons and books. Paul understood this. He said, "And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe" (1 Thess. 2:13, NIV).

A true incarnational understanding of Scripture must involve the way Christ related to Scripture. He over came temptations by the Word (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10), based His teaching on it (e.g., looking just at Matthew: 5:18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 28, 31, 32-48; 11:13, 14, 21-24; 12:3-6, 40-42; 19:4-9; 21:42-44; 22:37-40, 43-45; 24:9-21, 29; 26:31, 32). He quoted the Old Testament (Matt. 21:13, 16), found reference to Himself throughout the Old Testament (Luke 24:27), affirmed that "scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35; Luke 16:17), and accepted it as the Word of God (Matt. 15:4 quoting Ex. 21:17;Matt. 22:31, 32 quoting Ex. 3:6). He was a constant student of the Old Testament (The Desire of Ages, p. 84), and there is no record that He ever spoke about differences in Scripture, as does Thompson.

Says John Stott, Christ's "submission to Scripture is for us Evangelicals a sign of our submission to Christ, a test of our loyalty to Him. We find it extremely impressive that our incarnate Lord, whose own authority amazed His contemporaries, should have subordinated Himself to the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures as He did, regarding them as His Father's written Word." 5


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Reviewed by Norman R. Gulley, professor of theology, Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists, Collegedale, Tennessee.

December 1991

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