By Graduate, Lucas Hattenberger
Bibliolatry is best understood as placing the knowledge of the Bible over worship of the God of the Bible. The focus of adoration goes to the actual book rather than the God who wrote it. But how does this happen, and when does one know when they have fallen prey to this illusive idol? One must not overlook the tendency that the human heart has in moving toward this sin. Christ portrays such idolatry in one conversation with the Pharisees. They were the scholars of their day, having studied the Bible their entire life. Many would memorize the first 5 books of the Bible, study it intensively, and would inevitably be seen as spiritually superior to others. Seminary and Bible college students do the same thing, studying the Bible as an academic exercise rather than a spiritual one (which is not inherently a bad thing). Christ says in John 5:39 that although they (the Pharisees) study the Bible they miss the forest for the trees. They know the content, and yet miss the fact that the point of the scriptures is to “bear witness about [Him]” (v. 39). If that weren’t insulting enough, he continues in saying that they miss the point of studying scripture, which is to “come to [Christ] that they might have life” (v. 40). What was their mistake? They saw the Bible as the end rather than a means to an end. The point of the Bible is not to study it, retain knowledge, and feel superior. No, the point of the Bible is to see Christ! Instead of seeing God for who he really is, they went to the Bible to feel righteous, to feel spiritually superior. The Pharisees equated biblical knowledge to spiritual maturity and even worse, they mistook studying the Bible with being righteous. Their relation to the Bible was one of studying for hours on end, and at the end of the day feeling morally righteous. Christ pointed out that this practice kept them from actually seeing their need for Christ because they had placed the Bible on the pedestal of God, and offered their studies as a means of atonement. This is bibliolatry. One does not go to the Bible in order to look through and see Christ, but to look at it and gain knowledge as a means of feeling superior. The lines were blurry then with the Pharisees, and they are still blurry today.
Academic studies at seminaries and Bible colleges are not inherently bad. In fact many students find that they grow more than they ever had in years past while attending Bible school. The danger lies in how they see themselves after gaining the wealth of knowledge they are given at seminary and Bible college. Paul expounds on this principle by saying that “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought” (1 Cor 8:1-2). What is Paul expounding on? When one truly understands and knows God, being united to Christ in his death and resurrection, a life of humility and genuine loves proceeds forth naturally. The reason is because when one truly experiences the gospel of grace, they understand that they are righteous, clean, forgiven, loved, and accepted solely on the basis of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. But there is another type of “knowledge” that simply “puffs up”. This is Biblical and theological knowledge absent of knowing God. This knowledge of simply knowing the content of the Bible, and as a result of having this content memorized, one has the tendency of feeling morally and spiritually superior. Paul says that this type of knowledge is not knowledge at all, but rather it is void and empty. One may know content in the Bible, but it is not enough to merely understand the content in and of itself, but to experience and know the Writer of the content. This is bibliolatry, and it produces an empty self-righteousness based on one’s superior knowledge, not their superior spirituality. This is a huge temptation for students of the Bible, and will continue to be for a lifetime. The difference lies in whether one is studying to understand God and be immersed in the gospel, or simply to retain knowledge.
In conclusion, how do you know if you are committing the sin of bibliolatry? Bibliolatry will play out in one’s relationships. If you feel a sense of pride in knowing more about the Bible than another person at your church, there is at the foundation of that pride a sense of feeling righteous based on knowledge and not based on Christ’s work on your behalf. Knowledge has never and will never equate to righteousness, but is rather a vehicle to discovering the true source righteousness, Christ. The Bible is not a mirror, nor is it a monument in a museum to be in awe of. No, the Bible is a window through which to see the Messiah, the Savior of your soul. All men are wicked, and must cling to Christ in order to be righteous, and this means that all righteousness comes to men as a free gift. Use the knowledge you have in order to be humbled! As James would say, the scriptures should have a result of causing one to mourn and be humbled because it shows us the greatness of our God and the greatness of his mercy (Js 4:9-10). Be one who looks through the scriptures to a wonderful and fearful Creator, and not one who uses it to gain knowledge and thereby become puffed up.
2 Peter 1:2
Grace and Peace
– Lucas
You are creating a false dichotomy that Jesus never addressed. Jesus was always quoting Scripture when dealing with the Pharisees & even Nicodemus. His issue was with the legalistic parameters that were being placed upon the Word of God. This term that you insist on using “Bibliolatry” is something that those who reject the inerrant, inspired Word of God love to use. If you consider John 16 & 1 Peter 1:22-2:3, it clearly refers to the divine quality of the Scriptures because it is supernatural, having its origin from God and God’s hand prints all over it. In fact, to quote John 16:14-15 says “He (Spirit) will glorify Me, for He will tkae of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine, therefore I said that he takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” What is Jesus’ possession? What is the Father’s possession? What is glorified by being given by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles? It is the Word of God!!!! What you are speaking against is a cold, hardened heart not the Word of God. If people are using the name of Jesus & their own characterization of Jesus to lead people away from worship of Jesus, does that mean it becomes “Jesusolatry”? Of course not. I would caution you against using this term and putting the Word of God in line with a heart that chooses not to worship.
Legalism is another form of a prideful spirit. Both are sin. The term “Bibliolotry” can confuse people, “legalism” I think is better. Great article.
I have to agree with Steve, however Lucas hit on some points about being puffed up with knowledge. I just have a problem with the term “Bible idolatry.” Did Lucas make up that term (sin of bibliolatry) or did he find it somewhere? I certainly did not find that in Scripture.
Thanks for comments guys. The term bible idolatry or bibliolatry was never coined by me. I was merely asked what bible idolatry was and how one could fall prey to it. To be sure legalism is beneath this. Legalism is beneath all forms of self-righteousness. But the issue was what is bible idolatry, or as CBS coined it, bibliolatry. Steve, I didn’t realize the liberal terms there. Thanks for that. But on the same token worship of something else (idolatry) is seeking to find fulfillment in something, while the bible (yes innarent
(continued)…and of God, one can elevate the bible to the status of God. And again, the lines can get blurry, but making the bible a god rather than from God is a mistake we are all prone toward. And as a result, gaining knowledge about the bible as a god would cause us to feel puffed up and self-righteous. I never insisted on the term bibliolatry. I was just answering a question. Thanks for reading, and hope y’all enjoyed it/took something away from it.
Lucas,
A couple of notes that would be helpful. If you look up the definition of Bibliolatry or biblioater you will see that it is opposed to an evangelical understanding of the Bible. A second thing that is a bigger consequence is the idea Bible is viewed as a “god”. Consider Psalm 56:4 “In God, whose word I praise,In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?” Did you notice that worship is attached by David to God’s Word? Now how can that be? Well, you must understand that what makes the Bible (or as I think is much more helpful “The Word of God”) unique is that it is indeed a Divine document. If you look through Psalm 119 the attributes given to the Word are the attributes of God. If God didn’t communicate it & transmit it to people & preserve it & and continue to use it, then it wouldn’t be a supernatural Word. We cannot know God apart from His Word. It is the only offensive weapon described in the armor of God in Ephesians. It is in essence what is used by the Holy Spirit to transform us. In fact, even though you don’t see The Spirit you know He is present in His Word. We do reverence the bible as we revere God because the two aren’t separated from each other. When sin occurs from people that pour over the Bible, then the sin is the problem. Consider that in 1 Peter 2:1-2 the admonition as follows “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,” The word “putting aside” is an aorist participle that looks at the action occuring in verse 1 before you are truly able to do the action of “longing for the pure milk”. So, if people are reading their Bible all the while involved with sin…. the effect of encountering the living Word is muted. Secondly, if you are to long for milk like a new born longs then you cry out for it morning, noon and night. That also sounds a bit like setting up God’s Word as worship. This is o.k. because I just don’t see that you can divorce the Word of God from God Himself.
Great message!
An ongoing experience and relationship with God is far more meaningful and enriching than merely having a top heavy Bible study and reciting Scripture like a school boy.
Paul F Davis – author of ‘God vs. Religion’
WARNING: This was typed on an iPad so please forgive the typos…
Good article and a topic that needs to be be addressed more. I’ve been using the term “bibliolatry” ever since I discovered that I was guilty of it. For me it was not a matter of “bible knowledge” because I simply am not smart enought to memorize large portions and then play the “chapter & verse game” from memory. For me it was about my understanding or doctrine about the Bible itself. When I learned the Greek I discovered that the Bible was simply not what I had always been taught and believed it to be. This threw me into a faith crisis and I did not think that I was going to be able to continue in the Christian faith – I had been duped. But after a couple weeks of deep soul searching I discovered that my faith crisis was due to a “faith” in a certain bible doctrine and not faith in the resurrected Jesus. I then realized that there were many “Christians” out here whose faith will also go into Crisis if their belief in the bible doctrine ever gets changed.
For me, this is what Bibliolatry is. Thanks for the post.
Good article and a topic that needs to be be addressed more.
I’ve been using the term “bibliolatry” ever since I discovered that I was guilty of it. For me it was not a matter of “bible knowledge” because I simply am not smart enought to memorize large portions and then play the “chapter & verse game” from memory. For me it was about my understanding or doctrine about the Bible itself. When I learned the Greek I discovered that the Bible was simply not what I had always been taught and believed it to be. This threw me into a faith crisis and I did not think that I was going to be able to continue in the Christian faith – I had been duped. But after a couple weeks of deep soul searching I discovered that my faith crisis was due to a “faith” in a certain bible doctrine and not faith in the resurrected Jesus. I then realized that there were many “Christians” out here whose faith will also go into Crisis if their belief in the bible doctrine ever gets changed.
For me, this is what Bibliolatry is. Thanks for the post.