The Duality of Scripture

Last year I read an article that suggested that everyone should read the classics of Christian literature.  The article listed some recommendations and argued that these writings were critical to gain a full understanding of the history of scriptural exegesis.  I cringed a little at the thought at the time.  I remembered some of the old English writings I had to study in school and was not excited about tackling these authors.

Then I read the book Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey.   In the book, she too suggested that understanding the early church fathers was important.  Her argument was similar but different also.  She stated that Scripture is so dense that we are simply lost without standing on the shoulders of those who came before.

Having seen two promptings, I decided to tackle this task and bought a copy of St. Augustine’s Confessions.  The copy I found on Amazon is a fantastic printing for you bibliophiles out there.  And the translation is really very accessible.  The version is from Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and I highly recommend it.  You can find it here.

Anyway, as I was reading, I came across a section early in the book where Augustine is relating his early attempts to study scripture.  It is found in Book Three, Section Five and Augustine admits that he found scripture to be simplistic and writes that “they seemed too unworthy to be compared with the majesty of Cicero”.  He allows that later in life he realized that scripture was very complex and “shrouded deep in mystery”.

As I read this, I realized something about Scripture that had not occurred to me before.  Scripture is really very simple to understand and at the same time extraordinarily complicated and deep.  I realize that sounds oxymoronic but let me explain what I mean.

Scripture is simple in many ways.  There are countless stories that children can understand and follow.  The moral message of these stories is plain and demonstrate timeless truths.  Jesus himself claimed this in Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV).  After being asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Jesus then went on in verse 40 to claim, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Wow!  That’s it?  Just love God and love others?  That seems simple.  

And then you try and do it.  And inevitably fail to be loving in some way.  Perhaps you acted arrogantly or self-righteous.  So you go back to scripture to figure out why that was and you find that “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10 ESV).  And you wonder, if none are righteous, how can I be saved?  How do I gain the righteousness that God claims I need?

The search for answers leads to more searching, and you begin to feel that God’s truths are deeper and more mysterious than you originally surmised.  It is no wonder that God instructs us to “meditate on it (scripture) day and night” (Joshua 1:8 ESV).  The application of God’s simple truths to our lives reveals the mystery and the depth that lies therein.

This is the process of sanctification.  God’s truth is both simple and complex.  The concepts are easily grasped by our children but the application takes a lifetime.  And in a persevering pursuit of God, we come to understand the chasm that exists between us and Him, and how profound was the work of Jesus on the cross.