Yeah but the Biblical Christian tradition is to radically re-interpret prophecies to the point of apparent distortion. That is our faith! Do not change that which was from the beginning with traditions of men alone, AHC.
Not really a defense of why you chose to quote a scripture irrelevant to the OP unless you are admitting to being one that "radically re-interpret prophecies to the point of apparent distortion".
Nonsense. The Scriptures themselves say that the Scriptures aren't perspicuous, see St. Peter talking about St. Paul's letters in 2 Peter 3:16. The only reason we can understand the prophecies the right way is because God's Word, Christ, exegeted them for us. The pharisees could not understand. nor the apostles until Christ exegeted.
Clarity of Scripture is a false new doctrine that was invented by men, the traditions of men alone, not from the beginning.
Oh how you distort what scripture says. You don't even quote the scripture you reference that according to you proves a lack of clarity in scripture. I will quote it so that we may learn what it actually says.
2 Pet 3:15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
Most important point, note the difference between
some things being hard to understand and your implication that nothing in scripture has a simple clarity. If you don't think that there is a preponderance of scripture that clearly teaches of the Son of God's suffering on a cross for our sins, dying, resurrection and ascension to heaven then you need to do some studying of scripture. As stated in the OP, these are the tenets of Christianity. It is why we call ourselves
Christians. There are many clear texts that teach this and so commonly understood I will not quote them to prove it. Do a Google search if you need help with this.
Point 2, the
ignorant and
unstable are the ones that have a problem with the more difficult texts. It does not say that all are unable to understand the intended message of even hard to understand texts.
Point 3, it says that the ignorant twist the other scriptures, (the not hard to understand texts). This means they should/do understand some texts but change it to mean something else. By other I assume it is a contrast to hard to understand text, implying simple to understand text. A warning is given that those that do this will do it to their destruction.
Point 4, in 2 Pet 3:15 Paul writes this with the
wisdom given him. Understand that Paul was not a disciple of Jesus but still an apostle. He did not receive the so important you claim exegesis from Jesus that the other 12 did. Paul gives credit to the message he preached as wisdom given to him. We know this to be a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Point 5, the pharisees did understand scripture and prophecies. When Herod wanted to learn where the Christ would be born he asked the priests and in the text from the minor prophet Micah they found the answer.
Mat 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Jesus said the reason why the Pharisees did not believe his message is not because of their lack of knowledge of scripture but their hard hearts.
John 12:39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart,
Point 6, scripture speaks of the gospel being plain and not of earthly wisdom.
2 Cor 4:2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
1 Cor 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c]
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Point 7, both Peter and Paul speak of the diet of spirituality. It starts with milk but we should grow to eating solid foods. This means some things are simple/easy but we should strive to mature in our faith.
Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
1 Corinthians 3:2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,
Point 8, while being taught by the greatest teacher, the apostles failed so much in understanding what he told them. They did not complete their understanding of God's word until Jesus ascended into heaven and sent them the Holy Spirit to guide them. So it is just not a matter of how good the teacher is, even Jesus uses the Holy Spirit to help understanding of his words.
Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
John 14:26 But the Helper, 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.
Point 9, Peter, Paul, Apollos all argued from current scripture of their day, that would be the Old Testament to us, that Jesus was the Son of God, came and died for our sins and was resurrected. No quotes of unwritten New Testament scriptures used in their attempt to convince the Jews to believe. No exegesis by Jesus needed for the text of the O.T. to plainly testify of Jesus.
Acts 2:22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him:
Acts 17: 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.
Acts 18:24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
Point 10, People are literate today, people have personal Bibles today, people have Bible search tools today. 2000 years ago, most could not read and certainly did not have their own Bible to read anytime they wanted. Martin Luther started a revolution with the translation of scripture to the native language and then the printing press made the availability of God's word to the masses. That meant that after that point people were not dependent on the church institution to obtain God's word. The style of having priests being the only avenue to God's word is over. With the invention of computers and large databases with search tools there is now another revolution, where all have access to what seems like unlimited knowledge. It is so much easier to gain knowledge on anything because of the ease to search and explore it today. Something that was difficult years ago is much easier. So fulfills the Daniel prophecy,
Dan 12:4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”