Introduction

I want to shift attention from the normative status of the written old covenant that we covered last week to the normative status of the written new covenant this week (and next). I will support the same fundamental claim for the NT that was made for the OT. Namely, the written authority to which we are bound as Christians depends not on church tradition but on Christ. It all boils down to this fundamental point: "The new canon is rooted in the promise of Christ."

This position is contrary to the claims of the Roman Catholic Church. A source of Catholic teaching that I will interact with today is a Westminster Catechism very different from the Westminster Catechism that we use as a teaching guide. The Catholic catechism that I refer to is called A Catechism of Christian Doctrine: A Textbook of Catholic Teaching (Marian Publications, 1973). It is approved by the Archbishops and Bishops of England and Wales, and directed for use in all their dioceses. It has the imprimatur of John Cardinal Heenan, Archbishop of Westminster. So this is a Westminster-Catholic-Catechism. The back cover states two things: 1) This is "an official catechism of the Catholic Church," and 2) "It contains concise, direct answers and is free from error."

I will concentrate on doing a biblical study on the written the new covenant. But as I do so I want to have some of the doctrinal claims of this Catholic catechism in mind so we can compare these claims with Scripture.

There are two specific claims within the catechism itself that I want to address. 1) The first concerns Matthew 16:18 and the Pope. The Pope, it says, is the Head of the Church "because he is the successor of St Peter, whom Christ appointed to be the Head of the Church (A.87). Moreover, "We know Christ appointed this office to Peter because He called Peter the rock upon which the Church will be built" (Matt. 16:18-19; A.88). 2) The second is inerrancy applied to Pope and Church. Thus, the Pope "cannot err when as Shepherd and Teacher of all Christians, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals" (A.93). Neither can the Church err in what she teaches as to faith or morals (A.100). "How do you know that the Church cannot err in what she teaches?" (Q.101). The following answer is given. "I know that the Church cannot err in what she teaches because Christ promised that the gates of hell shall never prevail against His Church; that the Holy Ghost shall teach her all things; and that He Himself will be with her all days, even to the consummation of the world" (A.101).

In the process of discussing how the new covenant canon is rooted in the promise of Christ, I have two main points: 1) The nature of the promise of Christ, and 2) The fulfillment of the promise of Christ. Along the way I will interact with the "Peter is rock" passage and with the evidence offered that the Pope and Church are infallible in matters of faith and morals. Once we get the biblical material in front of us, then these Catholic claims will be shown to be confusing and false.

This morning I will discuss the nature of the promise of Christ leaving discussion of the fulfillment of His promise to next week.

It is critical in establishing the scope and sufficiency of the New Testament canon that we grasp the essential ingredients of the promise of Christ regarding the revelation of the Father's will for the people of the new covenant. To get at these ingredients we can bring many passages together around the notion of witnessing by the apostles. In this way they are set apart, appointed and equipped to witness. Mark's focus on being with Jesus in special apostolic appointment (Mk. 3:14) is the basis cited by John for the necessary fact that the apostles will testify about Christ: "And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning" (Jn. 15:27).

1A. First, the witnessing of the apostles will be unique.

As we proceed, it should interest us to know that "witnessing" has a distinct usage in this context and it may not be what we first think of when this term is spoken. There is a special apostolic and historical-redemptive meaning attached to being a witness. Their witnessing is to be unique. Let's consider some things that show that this is the case.

a) It is unique because they give ear- and eyewitness

Acts 1:8 is a familiar passage that is often preached at missionary conferences. But familiarity does not translate to clarity. This text is wrenched from its context when we fail to due justice to the persons addressed by the pronoun "you." By working down to verse eight from verse two, it is easy to see that "you" refers not to the church or to you here today but to the apostles (v. 2, the apostles; v. 3, these men; vs. 3-4, them; vs. 6-7, they and them; vs. 7-8, them and you).

To witness is to communicate a message. It means to testify to what has been heard and seen. The promise given to the apostles was "you shall be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8). Jesus was taken up to heaven "before their very eyes" (Acts 1:9a). They looked upon Him until a cloud hid Him from their sight (Acts 1:9b). They saw His ascension. That is one specific thing to which they will give eyewitness. Jesus appeared to them (was seen by them) over a period of forty days after His suffering "showing that He was alive" from death by crucifixion (Acts 1:2-3). As we have noted before, resurrection and ascension are pivotal and summary events in the life of Christ that are preached as gospel to the nations (1 Tim. 3:16, appeared in a body, preached among the nations, and taken up in glory).

b) It is unique because they are chosen

Jesus identifies His witnesses as "the apostles he had chosen" (Acts 1:2; cf. Lk. 6:13, "he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them"). The group of people who could and did give eyewitness to the resurrection of Christ is much larger than the small group of apostles (there were more than five hundred according to 1 Cor. 15:6). But the eyewitness testimony to the resurrection is central to being an apostle as shown in the process of replacing Judas (Acts 1:21-22). Mark indicates apostolic function when he cites the appointment of the Twelve "that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach" (Mk. 3:14). They are chosen from among Christ's disciples (Lk. 6:13) to be taught in His presence and by His proclamation of the gospel in word and deed. The apostles were specially appointed as witnesses set apart by the Lord to preach.

Some people are troubled by the fact that Paul was not with Christ from John's baptism to the ascension (Acts 1:22). But two things settle the matter. First he was chosen and appointed by God to function as an apostle. Paul's very election to salvation and appointment to apostleship converged (he was set apart from birth and called by grace, Gal. 1:15) and the purpose intended for this saved apostle was "to preach Christ among the Gentiles" (Gal. 1:16). Second, he fulfills the fundamental requirement of being an eyewitness of the resurrection for he was the last person to whom the risen Christ appeared (1 Cor. 15:8).

Jesus promised that the apostles would be His specially chosen and commissioned witnesses. In this sense to be a witness means to be an apostle. In this connection Ridderbos distinguishes between bearing witness and confessing:

To bear witness is to confess, but to confess is not to bear witness. A witness is a redemptive-historical figure, appointed by Christ to vouch on God's and Christ's behalf, in the great lawsuit against the human race, for the truth and reality of what God has said and done in Christ. For that purpose, Christ authorized and equipped witnesses in a special sense (Redemptive History and the New Testament Scriptures, 60).

A witness of Jesus Christ is a person who has been commissioned by Christ to testify on His behalf before the forum of friend and foe-indeed before the whole of history-about what he has seen and heard (58).

Therefore, in summary, we can say that the witnessing of the apostles is unique because it is eyewitness testimony that is distinctively authorized and commissioned by the Lord. Both elements are needed to make the point: they are not only eyewitnesses but among the eyewitnesses in general they have a distinct authorization and commission from Christ.

2A. Second, their witnessing will be authoritative and infallible

He promised that their testifying will be enabled by the Holy Spirit in such a way that their testifying will equate with His testifying, their testifying will give expression to the testimony of the Holy Spirit. The testifying of the apostles is based on their association with Christ from the beginning (Jn. 15:27). It is put in conjunction with the testifying of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 15:26, "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify"). Christ told the apostles that He had more to teach them (Jn. 16:12). But this instruction awaits the coming of the Spirit who will speak what He hears of what belongs to Christ and from this resource He will glorify Christ (Jn. 16:13-14). What belongs to Christ is what He has received from the Father and what He received He gave to the Spirit who "will take from what is mine and make it known to you" (Jn. 16:15). The apostles, remarkably, will be chosen witnesses of the revelation of the triune God for they will testify of what they come to know (Jn. 17:8, 18) and it is their message that will cross the boundaries of time as an instrument in bringing God's people to faith (Jn. 17:20).

Therefore, their witnessing will be authoritative and infallible. In a word, this means they speak with the authority of the triune God. To receive these apostolic "sent ones," is equivalent to receiving Christ (Matt. 10:40). The Lord Jesus caused His appointed witnesses to share in His authority (Mk. 3:15, to preach and to have authority to drive out demons).

It is important to observe that direct and primary reference is being made in these passages to the apostles and not to Christians in general or to the church in particular. Of course, what the apostles will receive from the Lord is an authoritative word from God, which they will proclaim to the people of God, and to the world at large. This is not a promise to the church through the centuries that she will not err as claimed by Catholic doctrine.

3A. Third, their witnessing will become the church's firm foundation

By infallibly reporting His words and works their foundation laying work will be equivalent with His. Without their testimony we would have no knowledge of His words and works. It is in this sense that Jesus promised that He will build His church on the rock of Peter and the apostles (Matt. 16:18; Peter is not alone, the keys are given to all the apostles, Matt. 16:19; Jn. 20:23).

We can easily grant that Peter is the underpinning rock of the church if we observe that Peter is massive foundation rock (Matt. 7:25) in terms of his activity confessing Christ. He is a chosen, commissioned, and Spirit empowered witness alone with the other apostles. Thus he is foundation as an instrument of revelation. That is the sense in which apostles and prophets are the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20; 3:5). We do give a hearty "yes" to Peter but it is to Peter with the other apostles as foundation rock of witness upon which the church is built.

4A. Fourth, their witnessing will take on a written form

Some observations are pertinent here.

a) Their witness includes/incorporates the written old covenant. Their testifying to the things of Christ is interfaced with the Scriptures in their wholeness as Law, Prophets, and Psalms (Lk. 24:45-48).

b) A new written testimony is implied in the promises of the OT. The Old Testament looked beyond itself to a new age, to a new covenant. This new age would be "constituted by new divine action and speech." (Stonehouse, Infallible Word, 108). The Lord will suddenly come to His temple and the Anointed One will proclaim the coming of the acceptable year of the Lord with release for the captives (cf. Isa. 61:1-2; Luke 4:16-21). This centers on Christ and by His appointment is carried forth by His apostles.

When the suffering servant comes the arm of the Lord is revealed and a message is announced and a call to faith is given (Isa. 53:1). He will sprinkle the nations with a message that blesses them with sight and understanding: "For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand" (Isa. 52:15). When the coming wise servant does His work and many are appalled at Him, the nations will be told things "they were not told" and they will hear things "they have not heard." How will this message reach the nations? It will be mediated through the blessed eyes and ears of the apostles (Matt. 13:16-17).

Therefore, an outpouring of divine revelation will constitute the new age. The implication is that since it will come alongside the Old Testament writings then it too will be inscripturated as a collection. In this sense, the written New Testament canon is implied in the Old Testament anticipation.

c) A written new covenant is promised in broad outline.

The apostolic testimony will report the words and works of Christ, explicate the meaning of His coming, and do both with an eye to the future. What, then, is it that they are promised? They are promised the Gospels (Jn. 14:26, the Holy Spirit "will remind you of everything I have said to you"), the Epistles (Jn. 16:13a, the Holy Spirit "will guide you into all truth") and the Revelation of John (Jn. 16:13b, the Holy Spirit "will tell you what is yet to come"). In other words, this promise anticipates the New Testament in broad outline. They are instructed by the Spirit (Acts 1:2) and will witness by His empowerment (Acts 1:8) via gospel remembrances, epistle instruction in the truth and meaning of the work of Christ, and prophetic revelation.

Major Implications

A. In reply to Rome

It all converges in one point, this infallibility with Peter and the apostles as foundation applies to the apostolic era only; the confusion introduced by Rome involves taking the truth of infallible witness-bearing to Christ given to the apostles and applying it wrongly to post-apostolic times. This is a case of a good thing put in the wrong context. There was infallibility given to Peter in His witness to Christ. Peter and Paul gave authoritative word from God in their oral testimony in preaching. Thus there was an infallible oral tradition. But this infallible witness was eyewitness, narrowed within the eyewitnesses to the chosen apostles, foundational, and thus once for all. No pope is an eyewitness, so no pope is a witness to Christ in the sense that Peter is a witness (as a chosen, appointed, commissioned, eyewitness authorized by Christ to lay down the revelational foundation of the church).

The point is that that authoritative preaching (oral) tradition was to be crystallized and preserved in a written form as the foundation for the church for the time in between the comings of Christ. Catholic doctrine confuses the infallibility of the apostles and of the apostolic oral tradition with post-apostolic teaching of doctrine. Beyond the time of the apostles the church is to look to that infallible foundation as the final standard. Post-apostolic teaching is true only to the degree that it conforms to the written word of God given in the written new covenant along with the old written covenant.

Again, we need to remind ourselves of how serious this issue actually is. It is a matter of God's authority versus human authority. It is a matter of theonomy (God's law) versus autonomy (self-law by the assertion of independence from God). The church is vulnerable to deception when she goes down the autonomy road (cf. Col. 2:8 and its context). Hence the deceptive nature of Catholic philosophical-theology.

B. The rest of the story

This block of biblical material on apostolic witnessing is essential to making the point that the written covenant depends on the promise of Christ and not Church tradition. It is very important to meditate on and become familiar with the many passages that converge on the point of witness bearing. There is a unique apostolic witness to the truth given to us by our Lord through the Spirit (Acts 1:2).

But like the OT, we have no list of books. Jesus did not spell out the details of who will write and how many books will be written. So how are we assured that we have the apostolic testimony? In general, our assurance is found in His promise for the NT just like our assurance is found in His authority for the OT.

For the OT, we can say that since Jesus obligates us to the well-known Hebrew canon to the end of time, then we must in fact have that canon as our clear and unquestionable resource as the bread of life. Similarly, for the NT, we can say that since Jesus promised an authoritative foundational witness to Himself to guide us until He returns, then we must in fact have that foundation in the canon of the NT. Surely, He will bring all that He promised to fulfillment. Next week we will expand on this point, on the fulfillment of the promise of Christ, to get more specific regarding the twenty-seven books of the NT added to the thirty-nine books of the OT. Then we will have the rest of the story.

C. A call to study

The witness of the apostles is once for all and unrepeatable as a task specially given to them in the history of redemption. This exclusivity binds the church once and for all to their testimony on the authority and promise of Christ. Implied in His coming and instruction is the promise of a written form of that testimony to be added to the OT canon. It is honoring to the Lord Jesus to look to the apostles for instruction. It is an honor to Him for us to look to them.

Therefore, as members of the post-apostolic church we must look nowhere else for a revealed word from God than to the apostolic witness. That is where we find nurture on the bread of life (Matt. 4:4; cf. Lk. 9:1-2, 17, 29-36). On that rock of truth and on that alone are we enabled to walk in the Spirit (by the words of the Spirit) and aggressively combat the very gates of hell (Matt. 16:18). So be a reader of both the OT and the new covenant witness to Christ.  Read and discover the treasures of things both new and old (Matt. 13:52).