Friends and the Scriptures
“Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” (Luke 24:45, KJV)
From the very beginning, Friends have held the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments in deep reverence. They testify that the Bible was written by men inspired by the Spirit of God and that it is “able to make wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15). In the words of John’s Gospel, “These are written so that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” (John 20:31).
Yet early Friends made an important distinction that set them apart from most other Protestant traditions. While many Christians of their time declared sola scriptura—that the Bible alone is the supreme authority—Friends emphasized the direct and living guidance of the Holy Spirit, often called the Inward Light of Christ. The Scriptures, while precious and inspired, were not viewed as the highest authority themselves, but as a faithful record and outward confirmation of what the Spirit reveals inwardly.
The Spirit That Gave the Scriptures
George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends, often reminded others that since the Scriptures were given forth by the Spirit, they can only be rightly understood by those who are “in that same Spirit.” An intellectual reading alone, without the inward teaching of Christ, was like handling a book with its pages still sealed. To such a reader, the words may appear as outward husks, but the life-giving kernel remains hidden. When the Spirit opens the heart, however, the book becomes unsealed—the words shine with their full meaning and point the soul toward Christ Himself.
Scripture and Dead Religion
Fox’s ministry frequently brought him into conflict with ministers who insisted that the Bible alone was sufficient authority. He reminded them that the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day also possessed the Scriptures, yet they resisted the Holy Spirit and rejected the very Christ to whom those Scriptures pointed. Merely possessing the written word, apart from obedience to the Spirit, could not bring life. In this, Fox saw the danger of “dead religion,” where words are honored outwardly but their power is missed inwardly.
The True Interpreter
Friends have long confessed that the Scriptures are the divinely authorized record of Christian truth and duty. They contain the doctrines which we as believers are bound to receive and the moral principles which are to govern our lives. No teaching or doctrine may be required as an article of faith unless it can be found in them. And yet, the meaning of the Scriptures is not unlocked by human cleverness alone. The same Spirit that inspired the writers is also the faithful Interpreter for the humble reader today.
This work of illumination does not bypass our understanding but renews and enlightens it. When Christ Himself presides in the heart, idle speculation falls silent, knowledge matures into obedience, and obedience ripens into a deeper experience of His love. The Old Testament, read in the light of the New, reveals its fullness and harmony; the entire witness of Scripture converges upon Christ, who is Himself the Word made flesh.
For Conservative Friends, a common saying that one often hears is “The most important thing to know about Scripture is that Scripture is not the most important thing.” We do not substitute attention to it for attention to God himself. God is our primary guide, not the Bible. Jesus Himself spoke this truth to the Jewish people when he stated: “And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5:37-40 KJV)
Friends’ Witness Today
Thus Conservative Friends, following the witness of George Fox and the first generations, continue to cherish the Scriptures as a vital and inspired testimony. But our confidence rests not in the letter alone, but in the living Word of God, Christ Jesus, who speaks to the heart through His Spirit. Where He opens the Scriptures, the disciple finds not only truth written on a page, but truth written on the soul—life, light, and love in His name. For, without the Inward light of Christ, the Scripture is nothing less than a blur.
