J.H. Heidegger's Corpus of Christian Theology: Sacred Scripture: The Divinity of Scripture, Part 1

The method of identifying Divine Revelation we have already anticipated in Locus I, § 26.  Let us apply the same to Scripture.  First, therefore, conscience and all reason dictate, that man is a creature of God, made for His glory:  that man, as a creature and servant of God, to be governed, not by his own will, but by the will of his Lord and Creator, was not able to be left in the world without the revelation and word of God:  that, therefore, it has come about by man’s own doing, not by another’s fault or force, that he now exists, by his native disposition prone to evil, sinful, and wretched:  that God, holy and righteous, is by no means able to connive at sin, but rather attends to His injured honor by punishing it:  but that He bears witness to His goodness toward mankind by His longsuffering, patience, and the riches of His beneficence, in such a way that man, into whose nature He certainly has implanted a desire for blessedness, and that not in vain, might be able to think, if not to hope, that the most wise God has appointed some means, whereby He, having been placated, might receive man unto favor as a returning exile, deem him worthy of His communion, direct him by His promises in this life, and bless him eternally in the next.  But these notions implanted deeply in the conscience and reason of man, Scripture illustrates, confirms, and perfects, in such a way that it does not merely drum into those κυρίας δόξας, authoritative doctrines, almost everywhere, and so without end and measure; but it also powerfully demonstrates, not merely asserts, that the God of Israel is the true God, Deuteronomy 4:32-40 and everywhere throughout:  in such a way that it relates the means of reconciling sinful man to God, consisting in the intervention of Christ, the Son of God, fulfilling the law in man’s place, with the Father thus covenanting, which means, once revealed, every conscience of man is bound to receive, approve, and adore as altogether worthy of God in His highest goodness, deepest wisdom, and most holy righteousness:  finally, in such a way that it instructs and shapes man thus received into His communion, not with common teachings, but with teachings obviously worthy of God:  both with precepts, of which sort are the precept of the love of God above all things, and for God’s sake the love of oneself and the neighbor,[1] even of one’s enemy;[2] of the denial of the self;[3] of the imitation and pursuit of God;[4] of holiness, which displays God’s holiness, which is its source; and others, than which none more perfect, more holy, more just, or more acceptable even to troubled consciences can be devised:  and with promises so τιμίοις/precious that none greater, more excellent, or θεοπρεπέστερα, more worthy of God, more agreeable to the goodness, holiness, and mercy of God in Christ can be named or even thought by anyone:  of which sort one reads in Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 4:3; 45:22; John 3:16; 2 Peter 1:4, and elsewhere throughout.  Either there is then no Divine revelation in the world, which is clearly unworthy to think of God, the governor of the World:  or that Revelation of Scripture, thus illustrating, confirming, and perfecting the dictates of man’s conscience, is the Divine Revelation, because outside of it there exists in the world no other more worthy of God, or more agreeable to the light of conscience.  For what use is there in mentioning the oracles of the Sibyls,[5] the highest good vainly sought in the writings of the Gentiles as the remedy for misery, the ravings of the Kabbalah,[6] the impiety of the Koran?  Much less should they enter into the number.

[1] Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:35-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28; Romans 13:8-10.

[2] Exodus 23:4, 5; Job 31:29, 30; Proverbs 24:17, 18; 25:21, 22; Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36; Romans 12:18-21.

[3] See, for example, Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23.

[4] See, for example, Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; Deuteronomy 18:13; Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:36.

[5] The Sibylline Oracles claim to be the work of ten pre-Christian Sibyls, prophesying of the coming of Christ and the spread of Christianity.  They appear to have been the work of multiple authors of differing dates, and modified later by Jewish and Christian scribes.

[6] The Kabbalah is a set of secret, esoteric Rabbinic doctrines, handed down orally and based on a mystical interpretation of the Hebrew Scripture.