"Only Scripture" (Sola Scriptura) vs Scripture plus Tradition - The Canon of the Bible

By David Hipple

First, lets understand the issue.

1. Fundamentalists and Evangelicals claim the Bible is the only rule of faith. It is the sufficient source for infallible truth and contains everything one needs to believe necessary for salvation. Furthermore, nothing needs to be added to the Bible to form our theology. The whole of Christian truth is found within its pages. Anything extraneous to the Bible is simply wrong or unnecessary, and may even hinder one in coming to God.

Some Fundamentalists extend this to say the Bible alone is the authority in matters of science and history, also.

2. Catholics, on the other hand, say the Bible is not sufficient as the sole rule of faith for Christians and that nothing in the Bible suggests it was meant to be. In fact, the Bible indicates it is not sufficient and is not to be taken by itself. The true rule of faith is Scripture plus Apostolic Tradition, as manifested in the living teaching authority of the Catholic Church, to which were entrusted the oral teachings of Jesus and the apostles, along with the authority to interpret Scripture correctly.

Here are some Bible passages often used to defend the Sola Scriptura position:

(my comments are in italics)

Col 2: 8 See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. This verse (and the passage below) are used to condemn all kinds of tradition, especially non-Protestant tradition. But who gets to decide what a "human tradition" is? This verse does provide a standard: is the tradition in line with the "elemental spirits of the universe" or is it in line with Christ? Are there traditions that are in line with Christ that should be kept?

Mark 7: 6 And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' 8 You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."

9 And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition! 10 For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die'; 11 but you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is Corban' (that is, given to God) -- 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God through your tradition which you hand on. And many such things you do."

Matt 15:3 He said to them in reply, "and why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" Same question applies here: how do we judge whether something is a "precept of men"? Again, this passage does help answer that: is the tradition in accord with the 10 commandments? In other words, is it in accord with Scripture? The early church extended that question to ask: is it in accord with the apostle's teaching? If so, it should not be rejected.

I John 2: 27 but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him.

John 14: 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

These two verses are used to say that any believer can read the Bible, and the Holy Spirit will tell him what it means. The believer needs no Church to help him. The Holy Spirit will unerringly guide him to the truth. This is, in short, a claim of infallibility, not for the Pope, but for every single individual. In practice, even those who make this claim DO depend on the "tradition" of their faith tradition in the form of sermons and commentaries by learned teachers. But again, who can judge the correctness of the commentator? Only the individual believer, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Rev 22: 18 I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. This passage, which John no doubt wrote to include the book of Revelation (the only book in his hands at the time) is extended to include the entire Protestant Bible.

Catholic teaching, from Catholic sources. From Vatican II Constitution on Divine Revelation, Chpt II, paragraphs 9 and 10 (emphasis mine)

Hence there exists a close connection and communication between sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture. For both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end. For Sacred Scripture is the word of God inasmuch as it is consigned to writing under the inspiration of the divine Spirit, while sacred tradition takes the word of God entrusted by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, and hands it on to their successors in its full purity, so that led by the light of the Spirit of truth, they may in proclaiming it preserve this word of God faithfully, explain it, and make it more widely known. Consequently it is not from Sacred Scripture alone that the Church draws her certainty about everything which has been revealed. Therefore both sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture are to be accepted and venerated with the same sense of loyalty and reverence.

Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church. Holding fast to this deposit the entire holy people united with their shepherds remain always steadfast in the teaching of the Apostles, in the common life, in the breaking of the bread and in prayers so that holding to, practicing and professing the heritage of the faith, it becomes on the part of the bishops and faithful a single common effort.

It is clear, therefore, that sacred tradition, Sacred Scripture and the teaching authority of the Church, in accord with God's most wise design, are so linked and joined together that one cannot stand without the others, and that all together and each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.

Acts 2:42, and they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to breaking of bread and to prayer.

The classic Catholic position on the validity of scripture is stated in Vatican II, Constitution on Divine Revelation, Chpt III paragraph 11 (emphasis mine)

Those divinely revealed realities which are contained and presented in Sacred Scripture have been committed to writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. For holy mother Church, relying on the belief of the Apostles, holds that the books of both the Old and New Testaments in their entirety, with all their parts, are sacred and canonical because written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author and have been handed on as such to the Church herself. In composing the sacred books, God chose men and while employed by Him they made use of their powers and abilities, so that with Him acting in them and through them, they, as true authors, consigned to writing everything and only those things which He wanted.

Therefore, since everything asserted by the inspired authors or sacred writers must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit, it follows that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings for the sake of salvation. Therefore "all Scripture is divinely inspired and has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, for reformation of manners and discipline in right living, so that the man who belongs to God may be efficient and equipped for good work of every kind"

John 20:31 But these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

2 Peter 1:19-20 and so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,

2 Peter 3:15-16 and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, accordig to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the scriptures, to their own destruction.

2 Tim. 3:16-17 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.Here are some scriptural defenses of the catholic position. (Emphasis is mine)

Paul speaking I Cor 11: 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 2 I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you. There are traditions we should maintain. Not all traditions are to be discarded.

2 Thess 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. (here is one of many references to the authoritative place of ORAL traditions. Some Traditions are vital to hold on to. )

2 Thess 3: 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us;An illustration of Apostolic Succession: how the truth was handed on:

2Tim 2:1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also

Paul speaking: Paul held nothing back, he passed on all that God had told him. Acts 20: 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

John believes in declaring the whole counsel of God, and some of it is done orally. Not all is in written form.

2 John 12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

3 John 13 I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.

John: The scriptures do NOT contain everything that Jesus did: Jn 21: 24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Here is why John wrote: John 20: 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

I Tim 3:14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, 15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

If the scripture alone is the pillar and bulwark of the faith, why did Paul say that the Church is?

If the Bible alone is sufficient, Paul would have said so: Why did he not say that through the scriptures the manifold wisdom of God is made known? Because scriptures alone are not sufficient. It is through the CHURCH that the wisdom of God is made known.

Eph 3: 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make) all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10 that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.

below are often used to defend "Scripture alone". This says that scripture is necessary. There is no argument with that. This passage does not say that scripture is all one needs.

2 Tim 3: 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Does this say, as some protestants insist, that the Scripture alone will make "the man of God" complete? Lets look at other verses to see if this method of interpretation works. Elsewhere, we see the word "Complete" used to indicate things that are necessary, not things that alone are sufficient:

James 1: 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I John 4: 12 No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

(no fundamentalist or evangelical argues that Love alone or Steadfastness alone are sufficient to make "the man of God" complete)

We need the scripture, (and steadfastness and love) and we need the offices of the church in order to achieve complete-ness, to be equipped, to be perfect. The scripture alone is not enough.

Eph 4: 7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift's. 11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 so that we may no longer be children,