Chapter XX: (2) And perspicuity, § 414.
CHAPTER XX: ON THE PERSPICUITY OF SCRIPTURE
§ 414. 68 We have said earlier (§ 366) that from the efficient cause and the end of Holy Scripture come its perfection and perspicuity. Up to this point we have been speaking about the perfection of Scripture. It now remains for us to speak about its perspicuity.
Our churches affirm with unanimous agreement that Scripture is perspicuous. The Roman churches, on the other hand, deny this. That the state of the question may be clearer, one should note that: (1) The question is not whether some things in Scripture are said rather obscurely and are rather difficult to understand, but whether the dogmas of faith, the knowledge of which is necessary to all for their salvation, have been set forth clearly in Scripture. Christophorus Agricola, in Anti-Pistor., establishes four classes of divine statements. Some he calls “elementary,” in which there are set forth in clear and perspicuous words the great and necessary parts of our religion. Some he calls “sublime,” some “mystical,” and some “onomastic.” (2) With our assertion concerning perspicuity we do not exclude the pious effort that one must apply in reading and meditating on Scripture, nor the aids necessary for the interpretation of Scripture. (3) Some things in Scripture are more clear than others, and things that are said more obscurely in one place are explained more clearly in another. (4) Concerning those things that are explained explicitly and clearly nowhere in Scripture, the understanding of them is not absolutely necessary for salvation. (5) The external perspicuity of the Word does not exclude the necessity of asking for and obtaining the inner illumination and brightness of the Holy Spirit. (6) We are by no means affirming that Scripture is clear and perspicuous to everyone, but rather to those who experience no hindrance because of age or because of ignorance of the language in which they read Scripture.
In De serv. arbitr., blessed Luther reminds us of the state of the question: (1) Many passages of Scripture are obscure with regard to the coverings of words and sentences, but no dogma is obscure. (2) Obscurity occurs not as a result of an obscurity of things but because of our ignorance and blindness. (3) The things of God are obscure, but the things of Holy Scripture are perspicuous.