There is a disposition at the present time to belittle the writings of the apostle Paul on the alleged ground that his teaching is superseded by that of the then surviving apostle John, who lived some thirty years beyond. It was bad enough when some at Corinth said, “I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas,” but this is infinitely worse; for in their writings, which we have, they were divinely and equally inspired, and preference is therefore out of place. The Lord Jesus specially prayed for the apostles. “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name” (John 17:11, 1211And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:11‑12)). And further on, He adds, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (ver. 20). “Their word” then should be of all importance to all those who have, through grace, been given to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ through their testimony—whether that testimony be of an apostle appointed by the Lord when on earth (Luke 6:1313And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; (Luke 6:13)), or of an apostle commissioned from on high “by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead” (Galatians 1:11Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) (Galatians 1:1)).
Now we find in 1 Corinthians 14:3737If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 14:37) the apostle Paul thus writes: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” And remark here that it is not what “we,” but what “I” write, and further, it is written, “The word of the Lord endureth forever” (1 Peter 1:2525But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1:25)). Let us turn now to the apostle John, and hear what he has to say. “WE are of God: he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:66We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:6)). We may note the use here of the plural pronoun, in contrast with the singular as in the case of Paul, so that his testimony goes along with, and not apart from, any of the others.
Come we now to the apostle of the circumcision, and listen to Peter, when writing his Second Epistle. “This now a second epistle, beloved, I am writing unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior” (3:1, 2). Then, as if the Scripture foresaw the slight in these last times to be put upon Paul, he adds, in the same chapter, “And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation—even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you—as also in all (not, some only) his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction” (vers. 15, 16). We thus see how that Peter, at any rate, gives to the writings of Paul the same reverence as he did to the “other Scriptures.”
Jude, too, exhorts in his epistle, brief but all-important as it is, “But ye, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (ver. 13). Not one only, nor some, but all. In Ephesians 2 we are told that we are built upon the foundation of “the apostles and prophets,” Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone (ver. 20). This brings in the writings not only of apostles, but of prophets (i.e. of the New Testament, compare Acts 13:11Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. (Acts 13:1)), such as, for instance, Mark and Luke of the Evangelists, who, though not apostles, were nevertheless “prophets,” whilst Matthew and John were “apostles.” Yet are the truths of Mark and Luke equally binding on us as those of Matthew and John.
Paul, in view of his departure, and of the entrance of “grievous wolves,” who would come in not sparing the flock, warned the Ephesian elders thus: “And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:3232And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)). How blessed to be thus commended to what always abides! We have no sufficiency in ourselves, and we need both God and His word, and this is vouchsafed. He is the eternal “I am,” and the word of our God shall stand “forever” (Isaiah 40:88The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:8)):
So also Peter, equally solicitous for the saints in the prospect of the putting off of this “my tabernacle,” desires that what he writes should be had in remembrance. “I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance” (2 Peter 1:12-1512Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. 15Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. (2 Peter 1:12‑15)). How truly we need his writings even as those of John and Paul! We may therefore, finally, thank God that “all (or every) scripture is given by inspiration of God, and Is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 1716All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16‑17)). If we are obedient to but a part of Scripture we cannot be thus perfected. But may we heed the words of Agar, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Prov. 30:5, 65Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5‑6)).... W. N. T.