Scripture weighting is not a term you will find in Scripture. However, it’s a practice you may recognize when coming to conclusions about Scripture. Fundamentally, it’s the practice of ignoring Scripture. That might sound egregious — but it’s fairly rampant in the world of Bible study and theology.
A primary objective of this site is to encourage any/only/all Scripture to be considered when answering any question. It is our goal to look at all Scripture equally because that’s what God has instructed us to do. Scripture weighting is the opposite of this, and it commonly presents itself in three forms:
- Authorship – weighting based on who said or wrote it. (eg. “What Jesus said is most important.” or “Paul’s letters don’t mean as much.”)
- Testament – weighting based on covenant. (eg. “The God of the Old Testament is different from the God of the New Testament.” In other words, God changed in some way.)
- Presupposition – weighting based on a pre-determined doctrinal position. (eg. Deciding on a “truth” about something — salvation, baptism, end times, preterism — before considering all of Scripture.)
How Scripture answers "What is Scripture weighting?"
There is no precedent in Scripture for “Scripture Weighting.” Quite the contrary. All Scripture is divine and perfect;17 they are His words.5 God, the Father, is the sole author15. Further, it is only when taken in its entirety that we get a complete picture27. It is consistently put forward as equal weight since “all” is always the standard for understanding — Old46 and New13. Never has God said, “Read it all, but you really only need to focus on this part.”
May we never scripture weight – whether by authorship, testament, or presupposition. Instead, seek to gather all that Scripture has to say on the matter and only then make careful conclusions.
Answer built on scripture-blocks below
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
All Scripture is spoken by God and necessary for teaching, for rebuke, for correction and training in righteousness so that a man of God would be spiritually equipped and ready for any good work.
Paul is writing to the younger Timothy and giving general advice about his work in preaching the Gospel. Paul has repeatedly contrasted those teaching false doctrine and their motives for doing so against how Timothy should conduct himself.
Applying 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to this question...
An authoritative statement regarding the “equal footing” of Scripture and its single source.
If he called them gods to whom the word of God came — and Scripture cannot be broken — do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, You are blaspheming, because I said, I am the Son of God?
If he called those to whom the word of God was given gods, and since Scripture cannot be loosed or incorrect, how do you charge me, the one who the Father set apart and sent into this world, with blasphemy for saying that I’m the Son of God?
The Jews are prepared to stone Jesus (vs 31) for blasphemy (vs 33). Jesus had just indirectly claimed to be the Son of God (vs 25). He has just quoted from Ps 82:6, “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High; all of you;” (vs 34) where human judges, as representatives of God on earth, are called gods and uses it to turn the discussion toward their disbelief.
Applying John 10:35-36 to this question...
Similar to, and even building on the 1 Timothy passage1, since Scripture is all equally important and comes from one source (God, the Father), Jesus adds the idea of “entirety” and “completeness.”
For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, I follow Paul, or I follow Apollos, or I follow Cephas, or I follow Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I [Paul] have heard from Chloe’s people that quarrels are happening based on individuals claiming allegiance to Paul, Apollos, Peter or Christ. But Christ is not/should not be divided in this way. Christ was crucified. They are baptized into Christ.
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth dealing with several serious issues throughout the letter, but here dealing with divisions among them.
Applying 1 Corinthians 1:11-13 to this question...
Paul is condemning any precedent to be taken based on who the messenger was – they all preached the Gospel of Christ to no lesser or greater degree. This would include Christ Himself (and those well-intentioned ‘red-letter editions’). By including Christ in the list of “I follow” he is addressing those who might say, “Christ’s words were superior” (and thereby discounting Paul or Apollos or Cephas’ teaching).
when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
When all Israel comes before God [to worship] at the place He chooses, the law is to be read for everyone to hear. Men, women, children, and sojourners are to hear, learn to fear God, and carefully obey His law. Their children, who have not known it, are also to hear and learn to fear God as long as Israel lives in the land.
Moses is re-telling the law of God to the people before entering the Promised Land. Here, he is giving this instruction of public reading to occur every seven years when they are together for the Feast of Booths.
Applying Deuteronomy 31:11-13 to this question...
The reading of the law (all of it) was to be the source (single) for not just the kings but for all the people.
For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
God gave words to Jesus who in turn gave them to his disciples. They received them, resulting in them knowing truly that Jesus came from the Father and believing “that you sent me.”
Jesus’ prayer in his final hours on earth is sometimes referred to as the “High Priestly Prayer.” It is offered in the upper room on the night of His betrayal.
Applying John 17:8 to this question...
The words that were spoken by Jesus and the disciples were all from God — one source. They weren’t their own.
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said to him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it? And he answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And he said to him, You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.
A lawyer stood to test Jesus and asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus in turn responded by asking him what was written and how he interpreted it. The lawyer answered by quoting two verses from the Law. The first was from Deuteronomy and said that one should love God with all his heart. The second was from Leviticus and said that one should love his neighbor as himself. Jesus said he answered correctly and that if he practiced them he would live.
Jesus is in the midst of His public ministry, teaching the people while gaining notoriety. The lawyer quoted two passages in the Law (from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18).
Applying Luke 10:25-28 to this question...
In addressing his question, Jesus asks what is written in the Law — all of it. He expects the lawyer to assess/condense/conclude what is written in all of the Law which the lawyer correctly does — summing it up with two passages, equally applied (quite a brilliant assessment by the lawyer!!).
The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
All of your word is truth, and all of your commands endure forever.
A great Psalm (119) dedicated to the merit and beauty of God’s word.
Applying Psalms 119:160 to this question...
Only “the sum” is truth, not just a part of it.
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