Does the Silence of the Scriptures Authorize?
The Bible teaches that Jesus could not possibly serve as
a priest on earth according to the Mosaic system. Why?
Very simply, because there was no authority for such. The
inspired Hebrews writer affirmed, “For it is evident that our
Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing
concerning priesthood” (Heb. 7:14). In the OT, you will read
that only Levites could function as priests under the Law of
Moses. Nowhere do we read where anyone from any other
tribe was authorized to function as a priest. Who will
reason, “Because God nowhere said that people from the
tribes of Judah or Dan or Gad, etc., could not serve as
priests, they therefore could serve as priests?”
God commanded Noah to build an ark of “gopher wood”
(Gen. 6:14). Certainly, God did not have to go through and
tell Noah, “Don’t use pine; don’t use oak; don’t use maple.”
Would it have been wrong for Noah to substitute any other
kind of wood for gopher wood? Who will argue that Noah
would have acted justly in so doing?
The Bible authorizes by what it says! It does not
authorize by what it does not say! There is no authority in
Biblical silence. Concerning Christian worship, where is the
authority for counting beads, for having mechanical
instruments of music, for partaking of the Lord’s Supper at
any time, for praying to Mary, etc. Col. 3:17 declares, “And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” The
expression, “whatsoever ye do in word or deed” is an all-
inclusive phrase. Whatever we do in word or deed must be
done “in the name of (by the authority of) the Lord Jesus.”
Paul didn’t say, “do some” or “do most,” but “do all.” This
passage emphatically teaches that we must have Biblical
authority for what we teach and what we practice. If the
Bible does not authorize a teaching or a practice (either by
direct statement, implication, or example), then whatever
teaching or practice is under consideration must not be
engaged in! Certainly, the Bible warns us about adding to
the Word of God (I Cor. 4:6; Rev. 22:18). Only those who
respect the authority of the Scriptures can be pleasing to
God!