February 23, 2021

Holy Scripture and the Church


 
Metropolitan Paul of Siatista (+ 2019) once met with a famous singer who was a Jehovah's Witness.

"What is the subject you want to talk about, sir?" asked the Metropolitan.

"But of course the Bible," the singer replied.

"And from where did you get the Bible for us to talk about?

"What do you mean, Father?"

"What you heard. Your organization was founded about 100 years ago. The Bible was handed down by the Church 2000 years ago. Therefore you got the Bible from the Church."

"Do you dispute the Bible?" the Jehovah's Witness asked.

"The Bible did not give birth to the Church. The Church gave birth to the Bible. Tell me, what is the first Gospel in the Bible?"

"Matthew."

"Correct. Did you know that there is also an apocryphal Gospel of Matthew?"

"Yes I know it."

"But who told you that one is canonical and the other a forgery? The Church, of course. Tell me, sir, that frame you have in your room, how does it stay on the wall?"

"With a nail of course."

"So, if we take out the nail the frame will fall. It is the same with the Bible. If we remove from it the Church it will fall. There and only there is it based."
 
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.