Third, from an enumeration of its constituent parts.
Third, from an enumeration of its constituent parts.
§ 417. (III) From an enumeration of its constituent parts. Scripture contains prophetic and apostolic talk. Prophetic talk is perspicuous and is thus compared with a lamp (2 Pet. 1:[1]9). Apostolic talk is likewise perspicuous because in Matt. 5:14 the apostles are called “the light of the world” with regard to the doctrine that they first preached orally but later wrote down in Scripture by God’s will.
Bellarmine makes the exception: (I) “Christ is speaking about the light of examples of uprightness and behavior because He adds: ‘Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works.’”
We respond. (1) Subordinates69 should not be opposed to each other. The apostles were “the light of the world” not just with regard to their life but also, indeed especially, with regard to their teaching, just as Christ also is called “the Light of the world” (John 8:12) in both respects: because His life as a way in the darkness of this world offers us light and especially because He dispels the darkness of human minds and kindles light in hearts by the preaching of the Gospel and by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. (2) Christ here is speaking properly and especially about the office of the apostles, that they were to go out into this world. He says, [Matt. 5:]13: “You are the salt of the earth.” This He says with regard to their teaching. They had been divinely called to preserve the world against rotting and dying through the ministry of the Word. Therefore they are also called the light of the world with regard to their teaching. (3) The words that follow—”Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a bushel but on a stand” [Matt. 5:15]—are repeated in Mark 4:21 and Luke 8:16 and are clearly referred to the preaching of the Word. Therefore the words also in this passage must be taken to mean the apostolic ministry occupied with the preaching of the Word. (4) The words “let your light so shine before men” (v. 16) include the light of teaching because the preaching of heavenly doctrine is the chief work and fruit of the apostle, just as the teaching of the false prophets is called their “fruit” (Matt. 7:20). The preaching of the Word is the chief means by which people are led to a salutary knowledge and glorification of God. (5) Lest there remain any doubt that the apostles were the light of the world especially with regard to their teaching, we add the passage Acts 13:46-47: “It was necessary that the Word of God should be spoken first to you. Because you thrust it from you … behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles.’ “Acts 26:[17-]18: “I shall send you to open the eyes of the Gentiles that they may turn from darkness to light,” etc. Here that “light” is obviously related to the preaching and teaching of the apostles.
Bellarmine makes the exception: (II) “If the Lord were speaking about the light of teaching, the sense would not be that the Scriptures of the apostles are easy to understand but that understanding them illumines and educates the mind about lofty matters.” What response we must give to this exception, however, we have explained in our treatise On Holy Scripture [1610 Loci Theologici, locus 1], § 77.
Others of the Papists make the exception that “the preaching of the apostles was open and clear; Scripture is not equally open.” Yet what account can be given as to why the apostles would want to write more obscurely than they preach, because in both endeavors they had proposed to themselves one and the same faith (Rom. 15:4; 1 John 1:2)? Although some things in the apostles’ preaching were explained in greater and clearer detail, nevertheless the sum of heavenly doctrine and the chief points thereof are set forth clearly and perspicuously in their writings. Thus the prophets also explained their prophecies orally in more rich and clear detail; yet Peter, nonetheless, declares about their writings that they are “a lamp shining in a dark place” (2 Pet. 1:19).