p. 283 | THE BIBLE IS SUFFICIENTLY VOLUMINOUS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · April 29, 1880

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 18

THE BIBLE IS SUFFICIENTLY VOLUMINOUS.

By D. T. Bourdeau

BY ELD. D. T. BOURDEAU.

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” John 21:25.

This language is hyperbolical, and signifies that it would require several large volumes to contain the “many other things which Jesus did,” besides those recorded by John. The idea of vastness is here intended, as also in the following hyperboles: “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore.” Gen. 22:17. “Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable.” Heb. 11:12. “The number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” Rev. 20:8. “Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.” Amos 7:10.

In the last of these scriptures the idea of cumbersomeness is also implied. So in John 21:25. If the “many other things which Jesus did” were added to the volume of the Bible, we should have a much larger Bible than we now have. So of many things in the lives of such ancient worthies as Adam, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, etc., and of the lives of holy women in olden times, which are left almost entirely out of Bible history. If all this was embraced in the Scriptures, we should have a Bible of such enormous size that it would be burdensome to both body and mind, and but few persons could become familiar with its contents. Then surely most people would have reason to plead that they had not time to read the Bible by course. In that case the size of the Bible would have made it so expensive as to exclude it from the poor, and from all true Christians in the dark ages, when it took all that a man could earn in his lifetime to purchase a copy of the Bible we now have.

We therefore see wisdom on the part of God in providing us with just such a book as the Bible, which is sufficient as a rule of faith and practice.

The interesting things omitted will doubtless be fully open to the saints, when, having been judged, they shall themselves judge the world. We shall then, if among the blessed, be interested in the lives of the saints of past ages, being present at the Judgment. 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Rev. 20:4, etc.

If it pleases God to glean from the heavenly records, through the spirit of prophecy, events of past history not mentioned in the Bible, as well as to reveal future events harmonizing with the Bible, we will praise him as the Author of every good and perfect gift, for fulfilling his word. This will not change one iota of the Scriptures, nor add one new doctrine nor one new duty to the plan of salvation contained in the Bible. It will give force to the Bible by fulfilling it.

The gifts of God’s Spirit are as needful now for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the church, to reprove wrongs covered or sugar-coated by Satan’s deceptive wiles, to encourage the desponding, to bring the people to the Bible and in the unity of the faith, as they ever were; and thank God for evidences that they are being restored to the remnant church. “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thess. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 14:1; Joel 2:28, 29; Mark 16:15-20; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.