Orthodoxy – Page 7 – Faith Unto Ages

Sola Scriptura & the Private Interpretation of Scripture: Is it Orthodox?

“…that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation…” ( 2 Peter 1:20).

What exactly is the Private interpretation of scripture?

St. Basil the Great defines the private interpretation of scripture as one refusing “to follow the fathers, (and) not holding their declaration of more authority than one’s own opinion…” (Letter to the Canonicae 52:1 [A.D. 370]).

In other words, the one interpreting the Bible interprets it in accordance to how they want it to be understood. This is dangerous since this creates opportunities for false doctrines to arise, as the individual misinterpreting the scriptures departs from the Tradition of the Church and the Gospel message as a whole.

Repent and Believe in The Gospel!

The word Gospel comes from the Greek word evaggelion (εὐαγγέλιον) which means “Good news” or “Glad Tidings”. Within the ancient & pre-Christian Greco-Roman empire, it was common to see this word used when a king was praised for their accomplishments, military victory, or ascension to a throne.

For example, the Roman senator Paullus Fabius Maximus issued an edict in honor of Caesar Augustus. He declared that his birthday should be considered as the beginning of the year on the provincial calendar since he brought peace to the Roman Empire. Because of this, his birth was considered to be the beginning of “εὐαγγέλιον”.

The Apostolic Fathers & the Judaizing Heresy

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.” ~ St. Paul to the Galatians 1:8

It was through these words that St. Paul warned the Church to be on guard against error. As we know from the Bible and Church History, the Holy Apostles worked diligently to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to also defend the faith against those whom happened to teach erroneous doctrines. The spreading of error within the Church was so severe that even those within the Church – whom happened to be deceived by error – doubted St. Paul’s authentic apostleship. Hence, St. Paul’s opening words to the Galatians whom happened to have Judaizers invading the region:

“Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia …”