Avoiding Bibliolatry in Evaluating Saints and Their Examples
Avoiding bibliolatry when evaluating the examples of saints involves discerning between scriptural authority and human fallibility, recognizing that even exemplary figures are not infallible. The Bible itself warns against focusing on "myths and endless genealogies, which cause useless speculations rather than God’s plan that is by faith" [1]. This caution extends to an undue veneration of human figures or their narratives that might distract from core theological truths.
Different traditions approach the role of saints and their examples with varying degrees of emphasis and caution. The Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles, for instance, explicitly state that "The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping, and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God" [8]. This highlights a concern within some Protestant traditions that the veneration of saints can lead to practices not supported by or even contrary to biblical teaching.
Reformed theologians like John Calvin, in his commentary on 1 Timothy, emphasize that the qualifications for church leaders are not about finding "any person taken out of the crowd" but rather individuals "endowed with rare gifts" [2]. While this speaks to the high standard for leadership, it implicitly acknowledges that even such gifted individuals are still human and their examples, while valuable, are not on par with divine revelation. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist commentator, similarly advises shunning "idle and foolish enquiries, tending neither to God's glory nor the edif[ication]" [3], a principle that can be applied to excessive or speculative focus on the lives of saints.
The Lutheran tradition, as seen in Keil & Delitzsch's commentary on Ecclesiastes, cautions against extremes, including being "righteous over-much" [5]. This perspective suggests that even in striving for piety, there is a danger in an imbalanced or excessive approach that could lead to ruin. This can be interpreted as a warning against an uncritical imitation of saints that might overlook their human imperfections or lead to a form of self-righteousness.
Even within traditions that hold saints in high regard, there is an understanding that their examples serve to "adorn the doctrine of our Saviour God" [4], meaning their lives should point to God, not become an end in themselves. Augustine, a key patristic figure, noted that sacred writers sometimes use obscurity "with a view to exercise and train the minds of their readers" [7], suggesting that even divine communication requires careful interpretation, let alone the lives of human exemplars. Aquinas, representing Scholastic Catholic thought, explains that "it is natural to man to attain to intellectual truths through sensible objects" and that "spiritual truths are fittingly taught under the likeness of material things" [6]. This theological framework allows for the use of human examples, including saints, as a means to understand spiritual truths, but it does not equate their examples with the source of those truths.
Sources
- I Timothy “I Timothy 1:4 (LEB) — and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause useless speculations rather than God’s plan that is by faith.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, section 13.5: Ser . 2 A bishop, therefore, must be blameless The particle therefore confirms the exposition which I have given; for, on account of the dignity of the office, he concludes that it is requisite that he be a man endowed with rare gifts, and not any person taken out of the crowd. 48 48 “ Et non pas le premier qui se pourroit presenter .” — “And not the first that might offer himself.” If the expression used had been “a good work,” as the ordinary translation has it, or “an honorable work,” ( honestam ,) as Erasmus has translated i”
- Titus (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Titus 3:9: Here is the fifth and last thing in the matter of the epistle: what Titus should avoid in teaching; how he should deal with a heretic; with some other directions. Observe, I. That the apostle's meaning might be more clear and full, and especially fitted to the time and state of things in Crete, and the many judaizers among them, he tells Titus what, in teaching, he should shun, Tit 3:9. There are needful questions to be discussed and cleared, such as make for improvement in useful knowledge; but idle and foolish enquiries, tending neither to God's glory nor the edif”
- Titus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Titus 2:10: Not purloining--Greek, "Not appropriating" what does not belong to one. It means "keeping back" dishonestly or deceitfully (Act 5:2-3). showing--manifesting in acts. all--all possible. good--really good; not so in mere appearance (Eph 6:5-6; Col 3:22-24). "The heathen do not judge of the Christian's doctrines from the doctrine, but from his actions and life" [CHRYSOSTOM]. Men will write, fight, and even die for their religion; but how few live for it! Translate, "That they may adorn the doctrine of our Saviour God," that is, God the Father, the or”
- Ecclesiastes (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Ecclesiastes 7:15: The first of these counsels warns against extremes, on the side of good as well as on that of evil: "All have I seen in the days of my vanity: there are righteous men who perish by their righteousness, and there are wicked men who continue long by their wickedness. Be not righteous over-much, and show not thyself wise beyond measure: why wilt thou ruin thyself? Be not wicked overmuch, and be no fool: why wilt thou die before thy time is? It is good that thou holdest thyself to the one, and also from the other withdrawest not thine hand: for he that fearet”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Nature and Extent of Sacred Doctrine, Art. 9: Article: Whether Holy Scripture should use metaphors? I answer that, It is befitting Holy Writ to put forward divine and spiritual truths by means of comparisons with material things. For God provides for everything according to the capacity of its nature. Now it is natural to man to attain to intellectual truths through sensible objects, because all our knowledge originates from sense. Hence in Holy Writ, spiritual truths are fittingly taught under the likeness of material things. This is wha”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 8.--THE OBSCURITY OF THE SACRED WRITERS, THOUGH COMPATIBLE WITH ELOQUENCE, NOT TO BE IMITATED BY CHRISTIAN TEACHERS.: 22. But although I take some examples of eloquence from those writings of theirs which there is no difficulty in understanding, we are not by any means to suppose that it is our duty to imitate them in those passages where, with a view to exercise and train the minds of their readers, and to break in upon the satiety and stimulate the zeal of those who are willing to learn, and with a view also to throw a veil ove”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 254: The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping, and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.”