Affirming the Confessional View
Introduction: The Issue of Scriptural Foundation
The debate over the preservation of Scripture centers on a pivotal question: on what authority do we rest our confidence that the Scriptures we possess today are authentically preserved? The traditional confessional view asserts that God’s providence guarantees the faithful preservation of His Word. However, challenges arise when modern critical methods propose alternative textual histories or introduce doubts about the authenticity of certain passages.
In addressing these questions, it’s crucial to recognize that the authority of the biblical text isn’t established by human verification but by God’s revelation. This revelational epistemology—the belief that knowledge of the truth starts with God’s self-revelation—stands at the heart of the confessional stance on Scripture and directly influences how we view its preservation.
The Principle of Revelational Epistemology
Revelational epistemology is rooted in the understanding that human knowledge is dependent on divine revelation. Rather than approaching knowledge as something neutral or discovered independently, this epistemology insists that true knowledge must begin with God’s Word. The principle flows from the belief that Scripture is not a mere human artifact but the very self-disclosure of God to His people. Consequently, the authority of the text does not depend on human scholarship but on its divine origin.
This approach contrasts sharply with the prevailing assumptions in many modern critical methodologies, which often seek to evaluate the Scriptures using criteria external to God’s revelation. In a revelational framework, the preservation and authenticity of the text are grounded in the character and promise of God, who has revealed and preserved His Word throughout history.
The Self-Attesting Nature of Scripture
The confessional view of Scripture emphasizes the concept of self-attestation. This means that Scripture carries within itself the marks of its divine origin and authority. According to this perspective, it is neither necessary nor appropriate to submit Scripture to external tests or authorities to prove its authenticity. Instead, Scripture bears witness to its own authority, demanding that its readers recognize its divine origin through the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit.
This self-attesting nature is essential in the doctrine of preservation. If Scripture’s authority is self-attesting, then its preservation must likewise be understood as a matter of divine providence. The confessional understanding holds that God, who inspired the original autographs, also sovereignly preserved the copies of these autographs through His providential guidance of history. This belief is firmly grounded in passages such as Psalm 119:89 (“Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens”) and Isaiah 40:8 (“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever”).
Trusting in Providence, Not Probability
Modern textual criticism often approaches the biblical text with an emphasis on probability, suggesting that certain readings or textual forms are more likely to reflect the originals based on external evidence. While probability-based approaches rely on human judgment and empirical data, a revelational epistemology rests on God’s providence. The key question here is not “Which text is most likely to be original?” but rather “How has God preserved His Word in history?”
A revelational perspective rejects the notion that human scholarship must serve as the final arbiter of Scripture’s authenticity. Instead, it holds that God has preserved His Word faithfully and providentially within the textual tradition that has been received by the church throughout history. This is not a rejection of textual study but rather a refocusing of the foundation for confidence in the text.
Neutrality as a Myth: The Conflict with Modern Criticism
A significant element of revelational epistemology is its rejection of the myth of neutrality. When applied to textual criticism, this means recognizing that there is no “neutral” starting point for evaluating the biblical text. Human reason, unaided by divine revelation, cannot independently establish the authority or authenticity of God’s Word. Attempts to do so are inherently flawed, as they presuppose that human methods and judgments are capable of adjudicating divine truth.
This rejection of neutrality is crucial in addressing modern critical methods that approach the biblical text as they would any other ancient document. Such methods often rely on principles of reason and historical investigation that are detached from the presupposition of divine revelation. This is where the confessional view parts ways with much of modern textual criticism.
For confessional Christians, neutrality is not only an illusion but a dangerous one, as it risks undermining the foundational authority of Scripture by placing human judgment above divine revelation. Instead, revelational epistemology asserts that human reasoning must submit to God’s revelation, and that confidence in the text of Scripture is rooted in God’s promises rather than human conclusions.
Confessional Bibliology and the Providentially Preserved Text
Confessional bibliology maintains that God’s providence extends not only to the inspiration of Scripture but also to its preservation. This doctrine is grounded in a high view of God’s sovereignty and a trust in His faithfulness to preserve His Word. The text that has been received by the church throughout history—the traditional text—is seen not as a mere human artifact, but as the product of God’s sovereign and providential action.
From a revelational perspective, the received text is the result of God’s active preservation, rather than the passive survival of manuscripts. This understanding stands in stark contrast to the modern critical view, which often prioritizes older or supposedly more reliable manuscripts based on human judgment and empirical evidence. In contrast, the confessional view trusts that God has preserved His Word in the text that has been recognized and affirmed by His people throughout the ages.
The Role of Faith in Scriptural Confidence
The doctrine of preservation, as articulated within a revelational framework, calls believers to place their faith in God’s promises rather than human methods. This does not mean disregarding scholarship or evidence, but rather approaching these tools within the framework of a trust in divine revelation.
It is in this context that the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit becomes essential. The confessional perspective teaches that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the divine origin and authenticity of Scripture, assuring believers of its truth and reliability. This spiritual assurance is not dependent on external verification or the latest scholarly consensus, but on God’s self-revelation in His Word.
Defending the Confessional View Against Modern Challenges
Modern textual criticism often challenges the traditional view by suggesting that the Scriptures have undergone significant corruption or alteration over time. This narrative, however, is incompatible with the doctrine of providential preservation. By grounding the doctrine of preservation in a revelational epistemology, the confessional view rejects the idea that human judgment is the ultimate standard for determining the authenticity of the text.
Instead, the confessional perspective asserts that God has preserved His Word faithfully, and that this preservation can be trusted because it is based on His promises. While critical scholars may claim to offer more reliable reconstructions of the text based on external evidence, the confessional view affirms that the text received by the church is the authentic Word of God, preserved by His providence.
Conclusion: A Call to Trust in God’s Revelation
In the end, the doctrine of preservation is a matter of trust—trust in God’s sovereignty, trust in His promises, and trust in His revealed Word. The confessional view does not rest on the shifting sands of human judgment or empirical probability but on the unchanging foundation of God’s self-revelation.
For those who hold to a confessional understanding of Scripture, revelational epistemology offers a robust framework for affirming the authenticity and authority of the biblical text. It challenges the assumptions of modern criticism and calls believers to anchor their confidence not in the wisdom of men, but in the sure promises of God.
The preservation of Scripture, from this perspective, is not a historical accident or the product of human efforts but a testament to God’s faithfulness to His people. As we navigate the challenges of modern textual criticism, we must hold fast to this truth: that the same God who inspired His Word has preserved it, and He has done so in such a way that His people can know and trust it with certainty.
