Christ and the Scriptures

by Adolph Saphir

The following pages contain the substance of a few discourses, delivered in the ordinary course of my ministrations to my congregation, and also at two special meetings. It need scarcely be said that their aim is not a systematic or exhaustive treatment of the subject, but to suggest some thoughts which may be helpful to the reader in his view of Scripture, as related to Christ and to the Holy Spirit. Greenwich, March, 1867

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1869

Reviews

[Neil McKinlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ordinarily, Christians shine the spotlight of the New Testament on the Old Testament to illuminate the meaning of the law, the prophets and their procrastinations. Though not disagreeing with this, Saphir effectively uses a sonar ping to form a full outline of Christ in both Testaments. The Old Testament is pregnant with Christ and gives birth to Jesus in the New. Saphir’s theological ultrasound is the deep calling to deep, a system of Scriptural echoes that builds the true picture of Christ as revealed in the whole Bible. The pregnant pauses, the spaces, between each punctiliar ping causes the mind to reflect momentarily, to think God’s thoughts after Him, as Christ is formed in us. Christ is the true image of God, the revelation of God. Scripture is the mirror in which we look to see Christ.

[Steven Gattuso · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the late nineteenth century, A.C.Gaebelein writes in the preface,"Christ and the Scriptures" is undoubtedly the most able and useful work Saphir wrote. It is the strongest work on the divinity and infallibility of the Bible we know."
A principal theme of this work is the divine unity of scripture and this is, indeed, the title of another of Dr. Saphir's works. He writes,"All attempts to understand Jesus Christ, separate from the Old Testament, are most unphilosophical..." He is the fulfillment of Moses and the prophets. Moreover, throughout His life and even afterwards in the book of Revelation, Jesus' teaching continually reflects back upon the Old Covenant. This pattern persists throughout all of the New Testament. How could it not? After all, "Salvation is from the Jews". Jn.4:22
In chapter 4, Saphir gives "five characteristics of the Bible-evidences of its divine origin". Firstly, human reason would never propose that perfect God dies for sinful men in order to restore them to everlasting fellowship with Him. Secondly, there are not only many scriptural prophecies fulfilled, but it can be said that all the Bible is prophecy, moral instruction and correction for those awaiting the kingdom of God.
Saphir gives other proofs which I cannot state as lyrically as he does. And he quotes many others whose sayings are profound and poetic.
To Saphir, the Bible is human, one of Jewish history and destiny, as well as that of all mankind. It "contains poetry, parables, riddles, maxims, letters". As the divine Word became flesh, so also the written Word is "in the form of a servant, human, yet divine in origin, truth, and power".
There is a chapter devoted to the role of the Holy Spirit in the composition and understanding of the Word. The men through whom the Spirit wrote were of such diverse character and times, yet the result is a unified narrative; Genesis foreshadowing the gospels, Revelation echoing the prophets. If the Word of God is Spirit-breathed, it is also Spirit-understood. "...no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." 2Pe.1:20-21
Perhaps one of the most important themes of this work concerns bibliolatry, idolizing the Word of God rather than worshiping the God of the Word. This can be very subtle. We can be too intellectually driven. Conversely, we can be too emotionally driven. A worshipful reading of the Word guards against both.
This is great instruction, lyrically and reverentially delivered.