The One Great Purpose of the Scriptures
By Charles Thompson
The Bible Reveals Christ—It Is Life Eternal to Know Him
THE purpose of the Holy Scriptures is set forth by the Saviour Himself in His Gospel by John, as follows: "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me." John 5:39. The Scriptures testify of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Himself makes clear what He means by the term "Scriptures." In His conversation with two of His disciples upon one occasion, as they journeyed to Emmaus, He said: "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. . . . And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me." Luke 24:26, 27, 44. "BY THE MOUTH OF ALL HIS HOLY PROPHETS"
The apostle Peter, in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, tells us how much of the prophecies are included. He says: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." Acts 3:19-21. Hence there has not been a prophet since the beginning of the world but has spoken of the final restitution of all things through Jesus Christ. PREACHED JESUS FROM ISAIAH
Under these three divisions, the Pentateuch (writings of Moses), the prophecies, and the Psalms, we have included the whole of the Old Testament Scriptures, and Jesus says they testify of Him. Philip the evangelist gives a practical example of this in his labor with and for the Ethiopian eunuch. This man was on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophecy of Isaiah. Philip, under direction of the Spirit, joined himself to the chariot, and asked if the stranger understood what he was reading. Being informed that he did not, "then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus." Acts 8:35. The reader will remember that this occurrence was after Pentecost, in the full light of what is called the gospel dispensation. If one evangelist, under the movings of the Holy Spirit, in the gospel dispensation, preached Jesus from the prophecy of Isaiah, then every evangelist moved by the same Spirit would do the same. How could he do otherwise? "The prophecy came not at any time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21, margin. The prophecy is a production of the Holy Spirit, to make known Christ. Therefore when this Holy Spirit moves a man to explain the prophecies, he can only preach Christ. That is all there is in them. And until a person gets Christ from them, he gets nothing; and when he gets Him, he gets all there is in them. What is true of the Old Testament is equally true of the New. The evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John narrate the life of Christ from His birth to His ascension after His resurrection. The apostle Paul affirms, "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." This same thought he expresses to Timothy in his charge to "preach the Word." 2 Tim. 4:2. The book of Revelation bears testimony in behalf of itself: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." Rev. 1:1. Truly the Scriptures affirm of Christ, "In the volume of the book it is written of Me." Ps. 40:7; Heb. 10:7. "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." John 17:3. ETERNAL LIFE AND REVELATION
To know God is life eternal. We know Him only through revelation. "No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him." Matt. 11:27. The Scriptures reveal Him. Hence Jesus says, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life." And we have, for Peter, speaking of the new birth, says: "Being born again . . . by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. . . . And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." 1 Peter 1:23, 25. The gospel being the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes, we can clearly see the connection in the entire teaching of the Bible, and see the purpose and importance of the Holy Scriptures. May God help us to read them and exercise faith in them to the saving of our souls.