David and Sola Scriptura

Von

May 05, 2026

Psalm 19:7-11

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

If we compare David and the Church, we will see that there is no need to have an infallible authority to produce the cannon. Everyone agrees that many of the writings and speeches of David are divinely inspired and many of them are enScripturated. At the same time no one also denies that many of the actions and words of David were not divinely inspired and were in direct contradiction to the word of God

So when the Catholic Church tries to make a link between a man, or group of men, and the system that recognises the Cannon, my response is, “remember David”.

Watching From Afar

I have been reading and enjoying the discussion of Incogito , Alastair and Dr. Christopher Cloos are having on the issue of the Cannon. Now, to a certain extent I watch the discussion as with a telescope from afar. The issues that I deal with and the arguments that I have for them seem far, far away from the discussions that I am watching. The language used, the appeal to the various fathers, indeed the very ground of the arguments are very different from that which I use.

(Indeed there is a sense in which both sides seem to be contradicting their own positions by their arguments. Both the Catholics and the Protestants involved seem to be elevating the role of human reasoning over either Scripture or church authority. I believe that the truth is that both sides are actually acting on their own presuppositions. That, with Christ, we Protestants say ‘It is written’ and no need to ground it or argue for it. But I digress. My post here is more about flanking manoeuvre… a view from the side. I‘m like a rifleman on a hill to one side of the bloody battle, taking an occasional pot shot.

Back to David

Matthew 12:3-4

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

David was such a Godly man that Christ even used his actions as a rebuke to the doctrine of the Pharisees. Now this has always been one of my favorite texts, because Christ’s challenge to the Pharisees is literally ‘have you not read?’ Not a question of interpretation, nor even of an Old Testament teaching, but asking if they had even bothered to read the story!

(I would not like to leave the humour of this very quickly. He was challenging the Pharisees, the most religiously literate group of their day, and perhaps of all time, if they had read a Bible story. The answer being that of course they had read it. They had read it dozens or even hundreds of times.)

But the point lies behind the humour. Yes, they had read it… but had they gotten the message. But in order to get the message what needed to be true? That they understood that the very actions of David, as recorded in Scripture, were authoritative. The form of Christ’s question did not allow for an answer such as ‘Well, that’s Old Testament’ or ‘Well, David was a sinner so no doubt he did the wrong thing here’. Christ does not leave us that option. David’s actions, recorded in Scripture, were held up as a judge of the rules of the Pharisees.

Moving out

Numbers 23:5-10

And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying,

Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

The principle here does not merely apply to David. From the beginning to the end of scripture we have men and women: oftentimes Godly men and women, sometimes unGodly men and women, but in only one case an infallible man, whose words go to make up scripture and even to communicating the didactic, prophetic, and and judgemental words of God.

(If you doubt that last, see the words of Balaam above, and of the high priest at Christ's trial. Both were unGodly men, and both spoke the words of God prophetically.)

The idea that it would take an infallible or a coequally authoritative source to recognise the Cannon, is everywhere contradicted by the everywhere evident fact that it took neither of those to produce the Cannon. Indeed some of the authoritative, inerrant, and inspired passages of Scripture are written literally in the context of the sin of the author.

Authority

Romans 13:1-7

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

And looking at the issue of authority, we see the exact same pattern. The Isrealites were severely punished for disobeying Moses, who had been sent by God to rule them. And yet we see him as… not infallible. He sinned. He sinned while leading, and was punished by God for doing so.

Let us be very clear: God has ordained authorities. Human, Earthly authorities. The first authority being that of the husband. The next would be that of the father who, along with the mother, has a place in the ten commandments, the book of Proverbs, and throughout the New Testament. To the extent that Christ Himself emphasises and underlines in His relationship with His Father.

The authorities of a city, nation and church are also promoted in Scripture. But for every one of those authorities which God created, we see them acting, at times, in rebellion to God, in sin, and in error.

And the Word of God, the Law of God, the Testimonies of God record and testify to those errors… inerrantly. Unlike the lying prophets, the faithless pastors, and the corrupt politicians, the Word of God always speaks accurately and with the purest motive.

The Law of the LORD is perfect… but only one human was. Christians are called to respect the authorities which God has set up (see Paul and the High Priest) but it was a Godly ordained authority which condemned Christ.

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Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von