The Perspicuity of Scripture: Part 1 – Discernment

As a Christian and a trained musician, there was a particular “worship song” I learnt in my teenage years with which I had something of a love-hate relationship: Ed Gungor’s The Law of the Lord is Perfect. Now, because in my UK context, the second line was adapted so that when we sang ‘testimony’, the emphasis fell on the first syllable (‘testimony’) rather than the third as in the US original (‘testimony’) – this resulted in a highly unmusical (and frankly ridiculous) compression of the rest of the word into a short space of time, provoking in my teenage, immature, musically self-righteous self a fair degree of contempt. On the other hand, as a straightforward setting of the text of Psalm 19:7–11, I appreciated it a lot! Not least was the way that that very unmusically-set line concludes: “the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple”(verse 7b). How glorious, that Scripture is so lucid that those not blessed with a high level of education and/or intelligence may nevertheless comprehend it clearly, and even in such a way that by it they will manifestly grow in wisdom.

The Perspicuity of Scripture

This text, then, is one of the keystone texts in support of the perspicuity of Scripture, a doctrine given excellent definition by Louis Berkhof: 

the knowledge necessary unto salvation, though not equally clear on every page of Scripture, is yet conveyed to man throughout the Bible in such a simple and comprehensible form that one who is earnestly seeking salvation can, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, by reading and studying the Bible, easily obtain for himself the necessary knowledge, and does not need the aid and guidance of the Church and of a separate priesthood. [1]

Berkhof writes very much with the counter-claims of Roman Catholicism in mind. Yes, some parts of Scripture are “hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16), but the answer is not Rome’s proposed solution that the Church provides an infallible interpretation. Rather, Scripture’s perspicuity is self-attesting:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130)

Of this latter verse, commentator Matthew Henry writes beautifully:

“As soon as the word of God enters into us, and has a place in us, it enlightens us; we find we begin to see when we begin to study the word of God. The very first principles of the oracles of God, the plainest truths, the milk appointed for the babes, bring a great light into the soul; much more will the soul be illuminated by the sublime mysteries that are found there.”[2]

Of course, none of this is to deny that in Scripture there are some mysteries which transcend human reason (think of, say, God’s providence even over atrocities), nor that “the interpreter can well dispense with scientific exegesis.”[3] Nor is it even to say that every person, Christian or non-Christian, educated or uneducated, will be able equally to understand each different portion of Scripture.

Nevertheless, Scripture testifies to its own capacity to enlighten a person, especially in the way of salvation, beyond their ordinary human capability, unaided by any external guides.

Discernment

Key to understanding and interpreting Scripture aright is the virtue of discernment: the ability to distinguish between what is true and right and good from what is untrue, wrong and possibly even evil (cf. 2 Samuel 14:17; 1 Kings 3:9; Hebrews 5:14). Many times Scripture associates discernment closely with wisdom (Genesis 41:33, 39; Deuteronomy 32:29; Proverbs 14:8, 16:21, 17:24; Hosea 14:9), the Lord rewarding Solomon’s righteous request with “a wise and discerning mind” (1 Kings 3:12). The removal of discernment is accordingly a judgment from God (Job 12:20; Isaiah 29:14, 44:18; 1 Corinthians 1:19), and the practice of discernment a virtue (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:10; Philippians 1:9).

In the letter to the Hebrews, the writer speaks of those who are spiritually mature as “those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (5:14). The context is an admonishment of his readers for their lack of spiritual growth (5:11), and particularly this is linked to their engagement with God’s Word: they had grown complacent and “sluggish” (6:12) in their study of Scripture—“unskilled in the word of righteousness” (5:13)—possibly because they thought they already knew everything. The writer deems them therefore to be in need of relearning “the basic principles of the oracles of God” (5:12).

All this speaks to God’s expectation, as expressed in His Word itself, that we as His people are ever to be cultivating and practising discernment, just as is the case with wisdom (James 1:5). And the reason for such cultivation and practice is so that we will “go on to maturity” (Hebrews 6:1).

Clearly, then, Scripture must be perspicuous and sufficient! Otherwise, there is no justification for the rebuke of Hebrews 5! Only if, as Berkhof said, “by reading and studying the Bible, [one may] easily obtain for himself the necessary knowledge…” is the admonishment warranted. If the letter’s recipients were merely lacking authoritative guidance and interpretation from the Church and her specially appointed priests (as Roman Catholicism would have it), then it would be such priests who ought to have received the rebuke, for their sluggishness in teaching! Yet this is not the case.

Colossians and false teachers

In Colossians, we also find another similar situation. One of Paul’s chief aims in writing the letter is “that no one may delude you with plausible arguments” (2:4), before warning the Colossian believers starkly: “See to it that no one take you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (2:8).

The rest of chapter 2 consists of Paul outlining positively the glorious truths about Christ and the gospel which underline why they should stick with Him (v.9–15) followed, negatively, by what they ought to be on their guard against (v.16–23). In the latter section, Paul paints portraits both of the false teachers (v.18–19) and of their false teachings (v.16, 20–23), and throughout there are various exhortations and admonitions:

“Let no one pass judgment on you…” (v.16)

“Let no one disqualify you…” (v.18)

“Why…do you submit to regulations…according to human precepts and teachings?” (v.20–22)

Again, as per the previous example from Hebrews 5, such exhortations make no sense if (1) Scripture itself lacks clarity, (2) interpretation is only legitimate if made by ecclesiastical fiat, because (3) it is supposedly impossible for laity to discern between teaching that is of God and teaching that is merely human. 

Yet it is clear that the letter to the Colossians is not written only to the ordained leaders of the church. Not only is the opening greeting addressed “to the saints and faithful brothers (and sisters) in Christ at Colossae” (1:2), but in chapter 3, Paul doles out instructions to various different groups, including “wives” (3:18), “children” (3:20), and “slaves” (3:22), none of whom would have featured in the church leadership. Never did the writers of Scripture treat the readers of Scripture “as minors who are not able to understand the truth.”[4] Evidently, therefore, this letter is written to all God’s people, in leadership or not, with the underlying assumption that the ability to discern between sacred Scripture and merely human precept is available to all.

Conclusion 

The above examples from Scripture should give us confidence that while clearly not everything in Scripture is equally plain, nevertheless, the Lord calls for all His people to study His Word, and “by constant practice” (Hebrews 5:14) to become ever increasingly trained in and adept at discerning between what is good and evil, which indubitably includes discerning between what is of Him, and what is of mere man. There is no place, either through sluggardliness or under sufferance, to outsource this task of interpretation to some pretended authority that sets itself up as an infallible guide. (The second part of this article explores the place of the Church and subordinate standards in more detail.)

However, this task of interpretation should be no mere chore, no tedious imposition that stifles our love for the Lord, but rather a joy and delight! For, as we set about reading and interpreting Scripture, God by His Spirit comes to help us, to illumine our minds and hearts, to reveal Christ to us, and to assure us afresh of His gracious covenant promises to us. For when we read Scripture, we hear the voice of God.

 “The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart!” (Psalm 19:8)

“More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:10)

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[1] Louis Berkhof, Introductory Volume to Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1932) repr. in combination with Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2023), 166–67.

[2] Matthew Henry, Commentary on Psalm 119:130, accessed at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20119%3A130&version=ESVUK

[3] Berkhof, Introductory Volume, 166.

[4] Ibid.,167.