Whom Shall We Hear?
When the destiny of men's souls is involved, who has the right to speak and command? Whom shall we hear? The question of authority has always been and always will be an important one. Certain ones came to Jesus and asked, "By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?" — Matt. 21:23. This was a proper question if it had been honestly asked. It is still a proper one, yea, more than that, it is a necessary one. There are so many strange voices in the religious world — voices of Jacob but with the hands of Esau, that there was never a time when it was more needful to inquire "By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority ?"
There was a time when the law which God gave through Moses and the prophets was the voice of Jehovah to His people, but we see the authority of Moses and the prophets declining when Jesus was transfigured on the mount in the presence of Peter, James and John, before whom Moses (a symbol of the law) and Elias (representative of the prophets) appeared talking with Christ about his coming death. Peter suggested that each be honored equally by building a tabernacle for each, but a voice from the eternal world vetoed the suggestion with the majestic announcement, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." The glory and authority of Moses and the prophets was passing away, being replaced by the authority of Him "who spake as never yet man spake," and as current as today's newspaper is the admonition to "Hear Ye Him!" "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." — John 1:17.
Jesus said . . . the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" — John 6:63, but he knew that he would not be on earth always, hence he further said, "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" — John 14:25, 26. This Comforter, the Holy Spirit, was not coming until Jesus went away, at which time Jesus would send him — John 16:7, and he would guide the apostles into all truth by bringing to their remembrance all that Christ had said to them and by showing them things to come — John 16:13. The Holy Spirit was not coming upon all people for all time to come in order to guide them into all truth, but only upon the apostles for this purpose, as the context clearly shows. Therefore the apostle Paul could say, "The gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ" — Gal. 1:11, 12. Since the Spirit guided the apostles (and those upon whom the apostles imparted special gifts by the laying on of apostolic hands) into all truth, then we are limited to the teachings of these inspired men for the word of Christ which are "spirit and life."
Christ committed his words to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came upon the apostles, took control of their words and spoke through them. These words spoken by the apostles under the guidance of the Holy Spirit compose the New Testament. They could not make a mistake in their teachings. The Spirit not only provided the thing to be taught, but also the word with which to express that thing — "Combining spiritual things with spiritual words" — 1 Cor. 2:12,13 - ASV. The New Testament, all of it, then is the word of the Lord. Jesus said "All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth" — Matt. 28:18. This leaves no authority either in heaven or on earth for any one else. We must speak as he speaks and be silent where he is silent. Anything not authorized by the New Testament is not by the authority of the Christ. Any religious practice not found in the New Testament must be based upon human authority and practiced by human commandments. Such worship is vain, for Jesus said, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines and commandments of men" — Matt. 15:9. Someone is responsible for what we believe, for what we teach, and for what we practice. If it came from Him who has all authority, it will be found in the New Testament. If the New Testament does not contain it, then man is its author and not God.
Whom shall we hear? Quoting a statement from Moses in reference to Christ the apostle Peter said, "A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people" — Acts 3:22, 23.