Subject: Why has the Bible not been added to? |
Bible Note: (Part 2) ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. In truth I tell you, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until all its purpose is achieved. (Matthew 5:17-18) Further, Jesus introduces themes that demonstrate that there is an imminent conclusion to the old covenant: ‘Up to the time of John it was the Law and the Prophets; from then onwards, the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. (Luke 16:16) Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to the disciples. ‘Take it and eat,’ he said, ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he handed it to them saying, ‘Drink from this, all of you, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Mt 26:26-28) Then he told them, ‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, was destined to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentances for the forgiveness of sins would be preached for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’ (Luke 24:44-49) ‘And now I am sending upon you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city, then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.’ Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. (Luke 24:51) I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. now, Father, glorify me with that glory I had with you before ever the world existed. (John 17:4-5) After Jesus had taken the wine he said, ‘It is fulfilled’; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit. (John 9:30) I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Paraclete to be with you for ever, the Spirit of truth whom the world can never accept since it neither sees nor knows him; but you know him, because he is with you, he is in you. I shall not leave you orphans; I shall come to you. In a short time the world will no longer see me; but you will see that I live and you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you. Whoever holds to my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal myself to him.’ (John 14:16-21) but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. (John 14:26) When the Paraclete comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:26-27) Still, I am telling you the truth: it is for your own good that I am going, because unless I go, the paraclete will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will show the world how wrong it was, about sin, and about who was in the right, and about judgement: about sin: in that they refuse to believe in me; about who was in the right: in that I am going to the Father and you will see me no more; about judgement: in that the prince of this world is already condemned. I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you to bear now. However, when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking of his own accord, but will say only what he has been told; and he will reveal to you the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he reveals to you will be taken from what is mine. (John 16:7-14;) |