John R. W. Stott on Jesus as Teacher and Lord

Looking ‘round at his disciples, Jesus said,

“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right:

That is what I am” (John 13:13)

The Christian is under both instruction and authority.

He looks to Jesus as his Teacher to instruct him,

And as his Lord to command him.

He believes what he believes

Because Jesus taught it;

And he does what he does

Because Jesus said to do it.

He is our Teacher to instruct us,

And we learn to submit

And to subordinate

Our minds to his mind.

We do not presume to have views or ideas or opinions

which contradiction to the views and ideas of Jesus Christ.

Our view of Scripture

Is derived from Christ’s view of Scripture,

Just as our view of discipleship,

Of heaven and hell,

Of the Christian life,

And of everything else,

Is derived from Jesus Christ.

Any question about the inspiration of Scripture

And its authority

Therefore resolves itself to:

What did Jesus Christ teach about these points?

We would say,

Without any doubt,

That he gave reverent assent to the authority

And inspiration of the Old Testament.

There is no indication anywhere in his teachings

That he disagreed with the Old Testament writers.

He regarded the words of the Old Testament writings

As being the words of God.

He submitted to them in his own life,

He believed them,

He accepted their statements,

And sought to apply their principles.

He regarded Scripture as the great arbiter in dispute.

He said to his contemporaries,

“You make many mistakes,

Because you don’t know the Scriptures.”

We find in the New Testament

That he invested the apostles with authority

To teach in his name.

He said that the Holy Spirit

Would lead them into all truth,

Would bring to their remembrance

What he had spoken to them,

And would show them things to come.

He evidently expected

That in the providence of God

There would be others to interpret,

Expound,

And bear witness

To the revelation given in himself,

Just as there were prophets raised up by God

And inspired to bear witness

To what he did in Old Testament days.

To sum it up,

The authority of Scripture

Is due to the inspiration of Scripture.

The Old and New Testaments

Are authoritative in our lives,

Because they are in fact inspired.

And therefore,

Since Jesus Christ is our Teacher

As well as our Lord,

The authority of Christ and the authority of Scripture

Stand or fall together.

(by John R. W. Stott, from Decision magazine @ 1965)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.