Canon, Covenant and Christology

‘All Scripture is breathed out by God …’ (2 Timothy 3:16). From Paul’s epistles the divine inspiration of Scripture may be confidently affirmed, as well as its corollary attributes. However, on turning to Jesus and the Gospels, it is hard to find an explicit approach like Paul’s. Matthew Barrett argues that Jesus and the apostles have just as convictional a doctrine of Scripture as Paul or Peter, but it will only be discovered if the Gospels are read within their own canonical horizon and covenantal context. The nature of Scripture presupposed by Jesus and the Gospel writers may not be addressed directly, but it manifests itself powerfully when their words are read within the Old Testament’s promise–fulfilment pattern. Nothing demonstrates Scripture’s divine origin, divine authorial intent and trustworthiness more than the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the advent of the Son of God, the Word has become flesh, announcing to Jew and Gentile alike that the covenant promises Yahweh made through the Law and the Prophets have been fulfilled in the person and work of Christ.