"the word of God" in sacred scripture

[Xeno.of.athens]

According to the Legacy Standard Bible, a wonder of evangelical literalness according to many, the words "the word of God" may be found in these verses and no others:

(1 Samuel 9:27 LSB) As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the young man that he might pass before us and pass onwards, but you remain standing now, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.”​

(2 Samuel 16:23 LSB) Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if one asked of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.​

(1 Kings 12:22 LSB) But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,​

(1 Chronicles 17:3 LSB) Now it happened in the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,​

(Matthew 15:6 LSB) he need not honor his father.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.​

(Mark 7:13 LSB) thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”​

(Luke 3:2 LSB) during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.​

(Luke 5:1 LSB) Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing at the edge of the lake of Gennesaret;​

(Luke 8:11 LSB) “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.​

(Luke 8:21 LSB) But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”​

(Luke 11:28 LSB) But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”​

(John 10:35 LSB) “If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),​

(Acts 4:31 LSB) And when they had prayed earnestly, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with confidence.​

(Acts 6:2 LSB) So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.​

(Acts 6:7 LSB) And the word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples continued to multiply greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.​

(Acts 8:14 LSB) Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,​

(Acts 11:1 LSB) Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.​

(Acts 13:5 LSB) And when they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they also had John as their helper.​

(Acts 13:7 LSB) who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.​

(Acts 13:46 LSB) Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.​

(Acts 17:13 LSB) But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, shaking up and disturbing the crowds.​

(Acts 18:11 LSB) And he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.​

(Romans 9:6 LSB) But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;​

(1 Corinthians 14:36 LSB) Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it arrived to you only?​

(2 Corinthians 2:17 LSB) For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.​

(2 Corinthians 4:2 LSB) but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.​

(Ephesians 6:17 LSB) also receive THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,​

(Philippians 1:14 LSB) and that most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord because of my chains, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.​

(Colossians 1:25 LSB) of which I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God given to me for you, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,​

(1 Thessalonians 2:13 LSB) And for this reason we also thank God without ceasing that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.​

(1 Timothy 4:5 LSB) for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.​

(2 Timothy 2:9 LSB) for which I endure hardship even to chains as a criminal. But the word of God has not been chained.​

(Titus 2:5 LSB) to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be slandered.​

(Hebrews 4:12 LSB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.​

(Hebrews 11:3 LSB) By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.​

(Hebrews 13:7 LSB) Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.​

(2 Peter 3:5 LSB) For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,​

(1 John 2:14 LSB) I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.​

(Revelation 1:2 LSB) who bore witness to the word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.​

(Revelation 1:9 LSB) I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the witness of Jesus.​

(Revelation 6:9 LSB) And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the witness which they had maintained;​

(Revelation 19:13 LSB) and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God.​

(Revelation 20:4 LSB) Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.​

Tell me which of those passages undisputably refers to sacred scripture when "the word of god" is used.

 

[KevinT]

According to the Legacy Standard Bible, a wonder of evangelical literalness according to many, the words "the word of God" may be found in these verses and no others:

...​

Tell me which of those passages undisputably refers to sacred scripture when "the word of god" is used.

I don't quite understand your question. Are you pushing back on the LSB assertions about what is and is not the "word of God"? Or are you wondering if anything in scriptures is the actual word of God?

By the way, the LSB assertion seems ridiculous to me.

KT

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

I don't quite understand your question. Are you pushing back on the LSB assertions about what is and is not the "word of God"? Or are you wondering if anything in scriptures is the actual word of God?

By the way, the LSB assertion seems ridiculous to me.

KT

In another thread, "A persistent error soon becomes a serious heresy." and then on to "Biases" some have contended that the bible is "the Word of God" and consequently that the bible is God. So, the OP here lists every verse in the LSB that has the phrase "the word of god". So, I ask "Tell me which of those passages undisputably refers to sacred scripture when "the word of god" is used." because I am not sure that sacred scripture speaks of "the word of god" as scripture.

 

[ozso]

According to the Legacy Standard Bible, a wonder of evangelical literalness according to many, the words "the word of God" may be found in these verses and no others:

(1 Samuel 9:27 LSB) As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the young man that he might pass before us and pass onwards, but you remain standing now, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.”​

(2 Samuel 16:23 LSB) Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if one asked of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.​

(1 Kings 12:22 LSB) But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,​

(1 Chronicles 17:3 LSB) Now it happened in the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,​

(Matthew 15:6 LSB) he need not honor his father.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.​

(Mark 7:13 LSB) thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”​

(Luke 3:2 LSB) during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.​

(Luke 5:1 LSB) Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing at the edge of the lake of Gennesaret;​

(Luke 8:11 LSB) “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.​

(Luke 8:21 LSB) But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”​

(Luke 11:28 LSB) But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”​

(John 10:35 LSB) “If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),​

(Acts 4:31 LSB) And when they had prayed earnestly, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with confidence.​

(Acts 6:2 LSB) So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.​

(Acts 6:7 LSB) And the word of God kept on spreading, and the number of the disciples continued to multiply greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.​

(Acts 8:14 LSB) Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,​

(Acts 11:1 LSB) Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.​

(Acts 13:5 LSB) And when they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they also had John as their helper.​

(Acts 13:7 LSB) who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.​

(Acts 13:46 LSB) Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.​

(Acts 17:13 LSB) But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, shaking up and disturbing the crowds.​

(Acts 18:11 LSB) And he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.​

(Romans 9:6 LSB) But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;​

(1 Corinthians 14:36 LSB) Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it arrived to you only?​

(2 Corinthians 2:17 LSB) For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.​

(2 Corinthians 4:2 LSB) but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.​

(Ephesians 6:17 LSB) also receive THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,​

(Philippians 1:14 LSB) and that most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord because of my chains, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.​

(Colossians 1:25 LSB) of which I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God given to me for you, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God,​

(1 Thessalonians 2:13 LSB) And for this reason we also thank God without ceasing that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.​

(1 Timothy 4:5 LSB) for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.​

(2 Timothy 2:9 LSB) for which I endure hardship even to chains as a criminal. But the word of God has not been chained.​

(Titus 2:5 LSB) to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be slandered.​

(Hebrews 4:12 LSB) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.​

(Hebrews 11:3 LSB) By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.​

(Hebrews 13:7 LSB) Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.​

(2 Peter 3:5 LSB) For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,​

(1 John 2:14 LSB) I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.​

(Revelation 1:2 LSB) who bore witness to the word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.​

(Revelation 1:9 LSB) I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the witness of Jesus.​

(Revelation 6:9 LSB) And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the witness which they had maintained;​

(Revelation 19:13 LSB) and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God.​

(Revelation 20:4 LSB) Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.​

Tell me which of those passages undisputably refers to sacred scripture when "the word of god" is used.

Since "undisputably" means something cannot be questioned or disputed, that cancels out any debating.

 

[KevinT]

In another thread, "A persistent error soon becomes a serious heresy." and then on to "Biases" some have contended that the bible is "the Word of God" and consequently that the bible is God. So, the OP here lists every verse in the LSB that has the phrase "the word of god". So, I ask "Tell me which of those passages undisputably refers to sacred scripture when "the word of god" is used." because I am not sure that sacred scripture speaks of "the word of god" as scripture.

Are you saying then, that when the Bible directly quotes God, that those words were not actually spoken by God?

I agree with what I think you are saying, that the Bible is not a downloaded pdf type file that God Himself authored. But in the places where it directly quotes God, I tend to think that it is a close to correct as the scribes could get. For example:

1 Kings 19:9 And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

I don't think that Elijah whipped out a notebook and took down transcription. But he later told someone what happened and the account was written down.

Do you agree with me?

KT

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

Since "undisputably" means something cannot be questioned or disputed, that cancels out any debating.

any debating that is not demonstrably true. you missed that qualification.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

I don't think that Elijah whipped out a notebook and took down transcription. But he later told someone what happened and the account was written down.

Do you agree with me?

Something like that may have happened. The point being that first comes the word(s) of God and then comes the written record of them. Thus, the word of God is not scripture it is spoken words of revelation.

 

[ozso]

In another thread, "A persistent error soon becomes a serious heresy." and then on to "Biases" some have contended that the bible is "the Word of God" and consequently that the bible is God. So, the OP here lists every verse in the LSB that has the phrase "the word of god". So, I ask "Tell me which of those passages undisputably refers to sacred scripture when "the word of god" is used." because I am not sure that sacred scripture speaks of "the word of god" as scripture.

There's no doctrine I know of that proclaims "the bible is God". What is said though is that scripture is "God breathed". And that it contains a lot of information that tells us about the nature and will of God. Which comes to us from God. God spoke to Moses. Moses wrote down what God said. Thus both are called "the word of God". And this writing is called the word of God apart from John referring to Jesus as the Word in John 1:1.

Scripture being referred to as "the word of God" should just simply mean the words of God to us in written form, and not conflated with any other usage such as "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1. Anymore than "Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful." Genesis 24:21 should be conflated with John 1:1.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

There's no doctrine I know of that proclaims "the bible is God".

search the threads I mentioned for those words.

 

[ozso]

search the threads I mentioned for those words.

That's not a doctrine though. It's a few anonymous people. And who knows what sort of background and mindset they have.

 

[Bob Crowley]

It depends on the context. For a start none of the New Testament "words of God" could be referring to the New Testament writings or Gospel themselves as they didn't exist when Christ and / or the apostles were speaking.

At best in the sense of referring to literature it could only mean the Old Testament (or Jewish Scriptures).

I think it often refers to a method of "spoken" communication for lack of a better term. In the very first reference viz. "(1 Samuel 9:27 LSB) As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the young man that he might pass before us and pass onwards, but you remain standing now, that I may cause you to hear the word of God"", Samuel was saying that he wanted Saul to "hear" the word of God, in whatever sense that might occur.

In most cases I think it refers to the Holy Spirit communicating with the relevant parties and not just quoting the Bible. We also have to consider that if the apostles were quoting the "Bible", they would have had to travel everywhere taking a ton of scrolls, unless they'd memorised the OT books. No doubt they did refer to OT books from time to time, but their emphasis would have been Christ, testified by the Holy Spirit.

I think it is shorthand for "God speaking".

 

[KevinT]

Something like that may have happened. The point being that first comes the word(s) of God and then comes the written record of them. Thus, the word of God is not scripture it is spoken words of revelation.

Yes, I am with you on this point.
I heard it put this way once: the authors of the various books of the Bible were God's penmen, not his pen.
I believe God gave people an understanding, and then they did their best possible to explain that understanding.

KT

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

That's not a doctrine though. It's a few anonymous people. And who knows what sort of background and mindset they have.

The same can be said of yourself.

 

[ozso]

The same can be said of yourself.

What unorthodox or heretical views have I expressed? From a Protestant standard that is.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

What unorthodox or heretical views have I expressed? From a Protestant standard that is.

I never take a Protestant standard view.

 

[ozso]

I never take a Protestant standard view.

And I don't take a Catholic standard view, but recognize it when I see it. And if a Catholic or Protestant posts something that's unorthodox or heretical or off base, I'm going to recognize it as such, and not evaluate the religion he belongs to based on his unorthodox post.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

And I don't take a Catholic standard view, but recognize it when I see it.

No. You do not recognise it.

 

[ozso]

No. You do not recognise it.

It's not nearly as esoteric as you make out.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

It's not nearly as esoteric as you make out.

A Catholic view is not esoteric, it is very easy to see and read, it is easy to understand, but it takes some effort to acquire. Very few on CF bather to acquire it. Many just say what they've heard or read in anti-Catholic sources.

 

[ViaCrucis]

The expression "word of God" or terms of similar expression (e.g. "word of Christ", "word of the Lord", "Your word", "My word", etc) mean different things depending on the context. For example "word of God" in the New Testament often refers to specifically to the Gospel and the preaching of the Gospel. However, in the Johanine texts "Word" usually is used emphatically of the Divine Logos, Jesus Christ (e.g. John 1:1, 1 John 1:1, Revelation 19:13).

The Psalmist speaks of the Torah as God's word, that is, such as where we read "Your word is a lamp unto my feet".

There is also the prophetic word, as often we see in the Prophets where "the word of YHWH" came to the prophet, who then declared that word to the people.

In Isaiah we see God say, "My word never returns to Me void", where God's word refers to what God declares to be; what God declares to be will be; when He speaks Judgment, there is Judgment; and when He speaks Promise, He keeps His Promise; and when God creates from nothing by His word, there is, "Let there be light and there was light". Such also as in the case of Abraham where God declared what would be, as St. Paul reminds us in Romans 4.

St. Peter reminds us that "the word of the Lord endures forever", such are His promises to us that they cannot fail.

And the Lord Jesus Himself tells us, "My word will never pass away".

When we talk about Scripture there is a sense in which all of these threads are knit together: For in Scripture we encounter God's Commandments and God's Promises; in Scripture we hear the Prophetic word which was declared long ago; in Scripture we behold Jesus Christ about whom all Scripture is concerned; in Scripture we hear, read, encounter what God says and declares; and so Scripture is not dead letter, but the Scriptures are alive--by the power of the Holy Spirit who has inspired them and who works through them for our edification as the Body of Christ. So that through the preaching of the Law we are cut to the heart, beholding our sin, and fall down in repentance; and through the preaching of the Gospel faith is kindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who brings Christ near to us, into us, and bears Christ in our hearts and bears us in Christ so that, through the Spirit, through our faith, through the Sacraments, in our fellowship in and with one another as the Church, we are mystically united to and in Christ. And if we are in Christ, then we are before the Father, seated together with Christ in heavenly places.

The Scriptures, therefore, are confessed to be the word of God because here we encounter what God has said, and what God still says--He speaks to us, not merely a recollection of the past; but a vibrant and living declaration for us right now: of what He commands, and what He freely gives out of His grace and kindness. Here is Christ the Lord. Here is eternal life, to know God, to know Christ--for God is in Christ reconciling the world; for whoever knows the Son knows the Father also. The Holy Spirit does this, and in this way He is the Faithful Paraclete for the whole Church, as Christ Himself promised.

Reducing the expression "word of God" to just mean "the Bible" not only fails to capture the depth, breadth, and nuance of what Scripture means and says; it also fails to capture the essence of how profound this expression is; and it actually undermines the Bible itself by over-simplifying everything. Because the power and beauty of Scripture is not that it is a collection of words which fell down from the sky; but that there is a God who has, from the beginning of His creation until present, and even until the Day of New Creation present throughout all of history, who became flesh in Jesus Christ, through Whom we know God and experience God as Lord, King, and Father.

Scripture, therefore, becomes for us the precious treasure of God's indispensable word about Himself, about Who He is and what He is doing through Jesus Christ, His Spirit, His Church, and the whole story of creation and the history of the world--all toward the great and awesome day of Newness that is to come for all things. The Epistle of God, written with Jesus Christ, of the invincible power of His goodness for all creation, against death, the devil, and every tyrannical power that holds us captive.

-CryptoLutheran