Jumping To Doctrinal Conclusions

'Is that in the Bible or is it a conclusion that some person has come to?'

That is a question I often ask myself when hearing people speak or when I start coming to conclusions based on what I read.

No one knows who wrote the book of Hebrews. Perhaps the people around the time the book was written knew but we don't. The author is not mentioned in the book. Still, some teachers will come to a conclusion about who the author is and incorporate that conclusion into their teaching. We don't know. One day we will and we can wrestle with the question but we just don't know. A teacher who teaches, 'We don't know.' is one I can trust. They don't have to add to the scriptures. They have humility.

This morning I'm reading the Gospel of John... again. It is a book I am memorizing... slowly it seems.

"Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."" - John 1:48-51 ESV

Some authors say, 'Nathanael must have been reading, thinking about or talking to God about Genesis 28 under that fig tree!'

"And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!" - Genesis 28:12 ESV

Perhaps that is so but we don't know. The scripture just doesn't say. It fits but I have to jump to a conclusion to get to that idea. I'm not going to do that.

I do know that when Jesus spoke something resonated inside of Nathanael. It caused him to see Jesus' identity. The record of this exchange also shows us that God sees us when we think we are alone, takes note of important times and plans to reveal Himself to us when the time is right.

It is so easy to build doctrinal sand castles. Then when the water comes rushing in the mess that remains can make us and others doubt the real black and white truths that scripture provides us.

I want to be very careful how I handle God's book. It is of great value.

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