Perspicuity of Scripture

(This post was originally written for my coursework at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, perspicuous means "clearly expressed and easily understood", or of a person "able to give an account or express an idea clearly." Both definitions work well of The Bible. That scripture is perspicuous means that it is clear. "The Bible can be comprehended and understood by all who are aided by the Holy Spirit and by ordinary means." (Barrett, God's Word Alone, p. 315). No specialized arcane expertise or skill is required to adequately understand the message of the Bible. Even where the Bible encourages us to "pay close attention" or describes itself as being explained (see Nehemiah 8:8 for example), this only serves to reinforce perspicuity, as it is able to be explained clearly. Where Scripture seems unclear, the problem is with us, not with the Scripture. An illustration from Martin Luther is of a man with mud on his eyes complaining that he cannot see the sun (Barrett, p. 318). The mud covering our eyes is our sin. Our unwillingness to submit to the clear teaching of scripture.

The doctrine of perspicuity is crucial to the life and health of Jesus's church. God intends for us to live in relationship with Him, and that this relationship not be a silent one (Weber, Biblical Reasoning, ATR p. 738)! God speaks to us through His Word in the Scriptures. If we are unable to understand His Word to us, either because postmodern relativistic interpretation is true and no meaning is possible, or because true understanding and interpretation of the scriptures is limited to the magisterial office of the church as Rome says, then believers have no immediate relationship with God. This is not the case. God has revealed His Word to us so that we can have a relationship with Him, understand His "promise, law, ordinances, statutes, precepts, and testimonies" (Weber), and live a life pleasing to Him.