Avoid Elevating Scripture Above Human Reasoning
The question of Scripture's relationship to human reasoning has been framed in various ways throughout Christian history, but the biblical witness consistently warns against trusting autonomous human wisdom while simultaneously calling believers to mature, thoughtful engagement with divine revelation.
The Biblical Warning Against Self-Sufficient Reasoning
Scripture repeatedly cautions against elevating human wisdom as an independent authority. Proverbs 3:7 instructs, "Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you" [1]. This is not a rejection of reasoning itself but a warning against reasoning that operates independently of divine revelation. Job 32:13 reinforces this: "So do not claim, 'We have found wisdom; let God, not man, refute him'" [3]. The text presents a fundamental hierarchy: human wisdom must submit to divine correction rather than standing as its own arbiter.
Paul's instruction in Colossians 3:2 to "set your minds on things above, not on earthly things" [2] establishes a similar priority. The contrast is not between thinking and non-thinking, but between minds oriented toward revealed truth and minds captive to merely earthly categories. This distinction runs throughout the biblical material, where "earthly things" represent concerns evaluated by human standards alone [5].
The Apostolic Pattern: Reasoning Within Revelation
The New Testament demonstrates a model of reasoning that operates within the bounds of revealed truth. Chrysostom, commenting on 1 Corinthians 4:6, notes Paul's instruction "not to be wise above what is written," indicating that apostolic teaching established boundaries for legitimate theological reasoning [6]. This phrase has been understood to mean that human speculation must not exceed or contradict the written revelation.
Paul's own method, as Matthew Henry observes on 1 Corinthians 10:15, involved appealing "to their own reason and judgment" while grounding arguments in revealed truth [11]. The apostle writes, "I speak to wise men, judge you what I say," demonstrating that the use of reason is not itself problematic—indeed, it is expected. The issue is whether that reasoning submits to scriptural authority or attempts to stand above it.
The Danger of Autonomous Judgment
Romans 3:4 presents the starkest formulation: "Let God be held true, and every man a liar" [9]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown note that Paul would "express his abhorrence" of any doctrine that elevated human judgment over divine testimony. This is not anti-intellectualism but a recognition that when human reasoning conflicts with revealed truth, the fault lies with human reasoning, not with God's word.
The warning extends to practical matters of conscience. In Romans 14:5, Paul instructs that each person should "be fully persuaded in his own mind" [8], but this persuasion operates within the framework of revealed truth, not as an independent standard. Similarly, Romans 14:13 warns against judging others in disputable matters, noting that "judgment belongs to the Lord" [10]—a reminder that human reasoning about others' conduct must defer to divine prerogative.
The Call to Maturity, Not Mere Speculation
Hebrews 6:1 calls believers to "press on to maturity" [4], indicating that Christian thinking should develop and deepen. This maturity, however, is not measured by sophistication of human philosophy but by deeper comprehension of revealed truth. Ecclesiastes 7:16 warns against being "righteous over much," which Gill interprets as a caution against those who "would be thought to be more righteous and holy than others" through their own standards rather than God's [7]. The danger is not in pursuing righteousness but in constructing a righteousness measured by human rather than divine standards.
The biblical pattern, then, is neither anti-rational nor rationalistic. It calls for vigorous thinking that recognizes Scripture as the norming norm—the standard by which all other claims, including those of human reason, must be evaluated. Where human reasoning conflicts with revealed truth, the tradition represented in these sources consistently affirms that Scripture must prevail.
Sources
- Proverbs “Proverbs 3:7 (BBE) — Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:”
- Colossians “Colossians 3:2 (BSB) — Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
- Job “Job 32:13 (BSB) — So do not claim, ‘We have found wisdom; let God, not man, refute him.’”
- Hebrews “Hebrews 6:1 (NASB) — Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Care, Overmuch — About earthly things, forbidden -- Mt 6:25; Lu 12:22,29; Joh 6:27. God's providential goodness should keep us from -- Mt 6:26,28,30; Lu 22:35. God's promises should keep us from -- Heb 13:5. Trust in God should free us from -- Jer 17:7,8; Da 3:16. Should be cast on God -- Ps 37:5; 55:22; Pr 16:3; 1Pe 5:7. An obstruction to the Gospel -- Mt 13:22; Lu 8:14; 14:18-20. Be without -- 1Co 7:32; Php 4:6. Unbecoming in saints -- 2Ti 2:4. Uselessness of -- Mt 6:27; Lu 12:25,26. Vanity of -- Ps 39:6; Ec 4:8. Warning against -- Lu 21:34. Sent as a punishment to”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 & 2 Corinthians: says here, “These things have I transferred in a figure unto myself for your sakes, that in us ye may learn not to be wise above what is written,” signifying that if he had applied his argument in their persons, they would not have learnt all that they needed to learn, nor would have admitted the correction, being vexed at what was said. But as it was, revering Paul, they bore the rebuke well. [2.] But what is the meaning of, “not to be wise above what is written?” It is written, (St. Matt. vii. 3 .) “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy br”
- Ecclesiastes (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ecclesiastes 7:16: Be not righteous over much,.... This is not meant of true and real righteousness, even moral righteousness, a man cannot be too holy or too righteous; but of a show and ostentation of righteousness, and of such who would be thought to be more righteous and holy than others, and therefore despise those who, as they imagine, do not come up to them; and are very rigid and censorious in their judgment of others, and very severe in their reproofs of them; and, that they may appear very righteous persons, will do more than what the law requires of them to do, even wor”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 14:5: One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day--The supplement "alike" should be omitted, as injuring the sense. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind--be guided in such matters by conscientious conviction.”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 3:4: God forbid--literally, "Let it not be," that is, "Away with such a thought"--a favorite expression of our apostle, when he would not only repudiate a supposed consequence of his doctrine, but express his abhorrence of it. "The Scriptures do not authorize such a use of God's name as must have been common among the English translators of the Bible" [HODGE]. yea, let God be--held true, and every man a liar--that is, even though it should follow from this that every man is a liar. when thou art judged--so in Psa 51:4, according to the Septuagint; but ”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 14:13: Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more - Let us abandon such rash conduct; it is dangerous, it is uncharitable: judgment belongs to the Lord, and he will condemn those only who should not be acquitted. That no man put a stumbling block - Let both the converted Jew and Gentile consider that they should labor to promote each other's spiritual interests, and not be a means of hindering each other in their Christian course; or of causing them to abandon the Gospel, on which, and not on questions of rites and ceremonies, the salvation of their soul depends.”
- 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 10:15: In this passage the apostle urges the general caution against idolatry, in the particular case of eating the heathen sacrifices as such, and out of any religious respect to the idol to whom they were sacrificed. I. He prefaces his argument with an appeal to their own reason and judgment: "I speak to wise men, judge you what I say, Co1 10:15. You are great pretenders to wisdom, to close reasoning and argument; I can leave it with your own reason and conscience whether I do not argue justly." Note, It is no dishonour to an inspired teacher, nor disadvantage ”