Kevin,

My apologies for the very late response to this question.

One answer to your question is given by St. Peter:

It is therefore possible to misinterpret the Scriptures so badly as to lose or miss salvation. Scriptures have to be interpreted in a way consistent with the way the Apostles taught (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:15,  Jude 3). Moreover,

The story of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:31: “How can I [understand Scripture], unless some one guides me?”) shows us that the Scriptures belong to the Church as a whole (cf. Isaiah 59:20-21), to the entire community in communion with the Holy Spirit, not merely to each individual to interpret as he sees fit. One need only look at the multiplicity of widely divergent interpretations of Scriptures in Protestantism to see that an authoritative interpreter of Scripture, a living voice, is needed to answer questions that arise about how to "rightly divide the word of truth". (2 Timothy 2:15).

In Scripture, when a question arises about a matter, the Church needs to be consulted (Acts 15, Matthew 18:17). It is the Church that is the pillar and foundation of the truth, not the Scriptures. (1 Timothy 3:15)

There was an early (1st century) saint called St. Papias, (New Advent) who knew the Apostles. He considered the written word limited in that it cannot answer questions. That is what the Church is for: It is through her that the Holy Spirit reveals all truth (John 16:13) and teaches all things (John 14:26).

Conduct a thought experiment: Pick two zealous, fervent, and Spirit-filled Bible-believing Christians who do not agree with one another on a significant point of Scripture, fundamental to the life of the Church. It is not hard to find such a pair. Both sincerely believe that the Holy Spirit is leading them to the truth, yet they arrive at conflicting conclusions.

• Perhaps it is Arminianism vs. Calvinism
• perhaps it is believer's baptism vs. baptismal regeneration
• perhaps it is whether tongues are necessary for salvation or not

Both of them cannot be correct, yet both are sincere, Spirit-filled believers.

• Either one or both of them must be deceived, but how do they know which one is deceived?

There is no arbiter, no way to arrive at an authoritative conclusion over how Scripture is to be interpreted. Each one is convinced that he is Spirit-led, and the other is suspect. This is not a recipe for concord and unity in the Church that our Lord Jesus Christ prayed for. (1 Timothy 3:15)

I recommend the book:

• Twisted Unto Destruction by Don Johnson, and
• Sola Scriptura Doesn't Work: 25 Practical Reasons to Reject the Doctrine of 'Bible Alone' by Joel S. Peters.
  

Hope this helps,

Eric

Kevin,

St. Papias of Hierapolis, (New Advent) was a bishop of Hierapolis (in modern-day Turkey) and a Christian author who lived in the first and early second century, traditionally around 60-130 AD. Although most of his writings have been lost, Papias is best known for his work titled Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord (Logiōn Kyriakōn Exēgēsis), which existed in five volumes. This work survives only in fragments quoted by later Christian authors like St. Irenaeus of Lyons and Eusebius of Caesarea.

Key Aspects of Papias’ Life and Thought:

1. Association with Apostles: Papias is believed to have been a disciple of the Apostle John or at least closely associated with those who knew the Apostles. Irenaeus, a second-century Church Father, refers to him as a "hearer of John" and a "companion of Polycarp," a key figure in early Christianity. However, later writers like Eusebius questioned the nature of Papias’ relationship with John and suggested that he may have known a different John, known as "John the Elder."

2. Focus on Oral Tradition: Papias preferred oral tradition to written accounts when it came to the sayings of Jesus. He reportedly sought out firsthand information from those who had interacted with the Apostles, including Elders and Disciples who had direct contact with them. He claimed that this oral transmission was more trustworthy than written texts.

3. Witness to Early Gospels: Papias is significant in early Christian studies because he provides some of the earliest references to the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. According to Papias, Mark acted as Peter’s interpreter and accurately recorded Peter’s recollections of Jesus, though not always in chronological order. He also mentioned Matthew, stating that Matthew wrote the "sayings" of Jesus in Hebrew (or Aramaic), which others translated as needed. These references have been widely discussed in scholarly debates about the origins of the Gospels.

4. Views on the Millennial Kingdom: Papias was known to hold a Chiliasm (Millenarian) view, believing in a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on Earth following his return. This belief was common among some early Christians but later became controversial, especially as more allegorical interpretations of eschatology developed in Christian theology.

5. Lost Works and Influence: Unfortunately, only fragments of Papias' works have survived, as they were likely not considered essential by later theological standards. Eusebius, for instance, viewed Papias' ideas as somewhat naïve and even criticized his belief in the millennium. Nevertheless, Papias' writings are invaluable to modern historians for understanding early Christian tradition, particularly the formation of the Gospels and oral history.

Though much about Papias remains speculative due to the fragmentary nature of his surviving writings, he remains a pivotal figure in early Christianity, bridging the gap between the Apostles and the Later Church.

Eric Ewanco