Caveat Lector

   If we accept these propositions: 1) All Scripture is breathed out by God Himself (2 Timothy 3.16) and 2) no other book possesses that distinction, then we reach this conclusion: the Bible is the most valuable book we could read and study. If “ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are found in Jesus (Colossians 2.3), and if Scripture is the only book that truly teaches us about God’s Son, then that is precisely the book to which we must cling.

A Christian’s familiarity with these passages/concepts does not lessen the astonishing nature of their claims. In light of these passages, some conscientious Christians ask this question: “Well then, is it proper to study the extra-Biblical writings of mankind (history, poetry, philosophy, etc.)?” After all, isn’t “human wisdom” downplayed by inspired apostles (1 Corinthians 2.13)? Aren’t sophisticated Greek philosophers presented as blind fools (Acts 17.18)? Shouldn’t we fill our minds with whatever is “pure… lovely, etc.” (Philippians 4.8), of which many human writings are not? Doesn’t Paul point to Scripture, not Plato or Aristotle, as the training tool of righteousness and completion (2 Timothy 3.16-17)? Therefore, shouldn’t we shun man’s writings?

No, we need not shun them, and the fact that you’re still reading this article demonstrates your agreement. We see examples within Scripture of godly men learning non-inspired writings. The Babylonians brought Daniel to their country with the specific goal of teaching him the “literature and language of the Chaldeans” (Daniel 1.4). Although Daniel deliberately avoided compromising his Jewish identity by abstaining from Nebuchadnezzar’s food (Daniel 1.8), he did receive a Babylonian education. The apostle Paul was obviously well acquainted with Greco-Roman poetry. In Acts 17.28, Paul reasoned with a diverse audience which included Greek philosophers of different persuasions. He most likely quotes from Epimenides of Crete and Aratus’s poem “Phainomena.” In Titus 1.12, he quotes Epimenides again by commenting on the Cretans: “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Of course, as with any topic of moral significance, questions of “can I?” ought to be quickly followed with deeper questions of “should I?” Even if studying man’s writings isn’t forbidden and practically necessary, there are still more issues to consider. Are we balanced in our consumption of internet articles, social media posts, magazines, and extra-Biblical books compared to our feeding on the perfect words of God? Also, for what purpose are we reading the writings of man?

Hanging on the wall of my home office is a sober inscription by an unknown author. It reads: “One must always be careful of books and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”

The Bible is the only book in which it is fully safe to unguardedly immerse our minds. With every other piece of writing, our hearts must be vigilantly defended. Caveat lector. Translated from Latin, it means “Let the reader beware.”

Nathan