Jesus words re: Salvation and the Bible (Jesus Christ, ritual, gospel)

[!Fluffy!]

John 5:
39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,
40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
NIV
These two verses have given me a lot of perspective about the Bible.
I read them in context in a dozen different versions. I believe these two vs can stand alone without violating context. (I've included some other translations below). I think His point is pretty clear. I know who his audience was, and he was being very directly critical of the legalists and hypocrites of his day.
What bothers me are the many commentaries that want to twist vs 39 into an exhortation or a command to study or search scripture, without emphasizing the greater point.

To me it seems clear. The Gospel is given to us in Scripture. We can dismantle the Bible and study a confusing mass of parts and pieces critically, we can pore over every word looking for clues, or we can read it and get the basic message.
If Jesus were alive today and we were to scientifically study his physical body, we wouldn't find anything that would prove his divinity in his blood test results or tissue samples.
But if we were to listen to him, watch him and follow him we would reach very different conclusions.

So what do you think??

39"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
40and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
NASB
39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
NKJV
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,
40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
ESV
39`Ye search the Writings, because ye think in them to have life age-during, and these are they that are testifying concerning me;
40 and ye do not will to come unto me, that ye may have life
YLT
39 You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me!
40 And still you are not willing [but refuse] to come to Me, so that you might have life.
Amplified Bible

[!Fluffy!]

Nobody has an opinion?

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Moon Woman

These two verses have given me a lot of perspective about the Bible.
I read them in context in a dozen different versions. I believe these two vs can stand alone without violating context. (I've included some other translations below). I think His point is pretty clear. I know who his audience was, and he was being very directly critical of the legalists and hypocrites of his day.
What bothers me are the many commentaries that want to twist vs 39 into an exhortation or a command to study or search scripture, without emphasizing the greater point.

To me it seems clear. The Gospel is given to us in Scripture. We can dismantle the Bible and study a confusing mass of parts and pieces critically, we can pore over every word looking for clues, or we can read it and get the basic message.
If Jesus were alive today and we were to scientifically study his physical body, we wouldn't find anything that would prove his divinity in his blood test results or tissue samples.
But if we were to listen to him, watch him and follow him we would reach very different conclusions.

So what do you think??

To me, these verses are saying that we should value the Bible for what it is, but not be misled into thinking that the scriptures alone have the power to save. There seem to be a fair number of Christians today who almost worship the words of the Bible, instead of the person they teach of.

[Scott1]

Originally Posted by Moon Woman

So what do you think??

Through all the words of Sacred Scripture, God speaks only one single Word, his one Utterance in whom he expresses himself completely: JESUS.

The Church "forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful. . . to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." (St. Jerome)

I pray everyone remembers our goal is an encounter... a life... a love affair.... a complete surrender of ourselves to Jesus Christ.

Our goal is not to become Scripture "experts" and our salvation is not "trapped" inside the Bible.... the Word of God is more than "words".

[!Fluffy!]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

To me, these verses are saying that we should value the Bible for what it is, but not be misled into thinking that the scriptures alone have the power to save. There seem to be a fair number of Christians today who almost worship the words of the Bible, instead of the person they teach of.

I agree Katzpur. Also I think this is where we can become divided and lose perspective. Dogma, legalism, dissecting scripture divides us. Christ unites us.

[!Fluffy!]

Originally Posted by Scott1

Through all the words of Sacred Scripture, God speaks only one single Word, his one Utterance in whom he expresses himself completely: JESUS.

The Church "forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful. . . to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." (St. Jerome)

I pray everyone remembers our goal is an encounter... a life... a love affair.... a complete surrender of ourselves to Jesus Christ.

Our goal is not to become Scripture "experts" and our salvation is not "trapped" inside the Bible.... the Word of God is more than "words".

Wow. Exactly.

[kae]

The entire Bible has helped me build a relationship with God through Jesus. It has answered my questions about life, death and love to just name a few. It has taught me that obedience and faith in his words is life saving which means that knowledge alone does not save you but it is what you do with that knowledge. It is important always to be familiar with the words and messages spoken so as to equip you with the greatest teaching tool that God himself has provided. Reading them daily also seems to provide comfort from the pressures of this world and keeps me in spiritual thoughts rather than wordly distractions. The word of God is love in action