It is often the case that we find issues facing the church where the Bible does not seem to provide any commandments. If the Bible makes us “…thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16) and “…has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness…” (2 Pet. 1:3), how can it be that we are left in the dark regarding so many things? What do we do when there is silence in the scriptures?
First of all, we need to see that there are times where it may seem like the Bible is silent on an issue but in fact it is not. This may be due to us not spending enough time with the Bible to identify the issue. We could have overlooked a direct reference or missed an implication. For example, it seems to many that the Bible is silent on how often the church was commanded to eat the Lord’s Supper. However, an example in Acts 20:7-16, shows that God wasn’t silent after all.
Paul spent seven days in Troas and partook of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week (v. 6-7). After this, Paul left to visit Jerusalem on Pentecost. The matter was so urgent to Paul that he decided to sail past Ephesus instead of visiting as he planned (v. 15-16). Why would Paul stay in Troas seven days if he was in such a hurry? The only explanation is that taking the communion every week was Paul’s strict tradition. As we discussed in a previous article, since Paul’s example illustrates Christ’s command to take the Lord’s Supper “often,” then it is binding.
But, what about cases where the Bible truly is silent? If the Bible is silent on an issue, then it is prohibitive where God has legislated, but it is permissive where God has not. In Hebrews 7:13-14, we see this demonstrated. “For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood.” Here we see that because God commanded the tribe of Levi to be the priests of Israel, that excluded any other tribe from the position. God’s silence prohibited them.
Conversely, we see in Romans 14:3, that silence where God has not legislated gives permission. When speaking of eating meats, Paul says, “Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.” The New Testament has no commandments regarding the eating of meats. Therefore, the Bible’s silence allows them to be eaten.
What issues will this concept help you understand? If we speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent, then we can understand the Bible.