Balancing Non-Biblical Examples with Scripture in Teaching

The Bible emphasizes the centrality of Scripture as the foundation for Christian teaching and doctrine, while also acknowledging the use of illustrative examples. The Apostle Paul warns against teaching "otherwise" than the "true words of our Lord Jesus Christ" and the teaching that aligns with "true religion" ^[3]. He also cautions against giving heed to "stories and endless genealogies" that lead to arguments rather than "that stewardship of God which is with faith" ^[4].

The Scriptures are described as "given by inspiration of God" and the "word of God" ^[2]. Jesus himself sanctioned the Scriptures by appealing to them and teaching out of them ^[2]. This divine origin establishes the Bible as the ultimate authority for faith and practice. John Gill, in his commentary on 1 Timothy 6:3, interprets Paul's warning against teaching "otherwise" as a caution against doctrines that differ from what the apostle taught, including those that might encourage disobedience to authority, whether civil, ecclesiastical, or familial ^[6]. Similarly, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown interpret "teach otherwise" in 1 Timothy 6:3 as referring to heterodoxy, emphasizing that Paul's inspired words are also Christ's words ^[9].

While Scripture is paramount, the Bible itself employs various forms of communication, including parables, which are comparisons or illustrations of one subject by another ^[1]. Jesus frequently used parables to convey spiritual truths ^[1]. This suggests that illustrative examples can be valuable tools in teaching, provided they align with and illuminate biblical truth.

However, there is a clear distinction between using examples to explain biblical teaching and allowing non-biblical examples or "strange doctrines" to become the basis of faith. The author of Hebrews warns against being "carried about with divers and strange doctrines" ^{[8, 11]}. These "divers" doctrines can refer to various rites, traditions, or human teachings that diverge from the unified doctrine of the Scriptures, Christ, and the apostles ^[11]. Such doctrines are "foreign to the truth" ^[8].

The early church leaders, such as Paul, consciously chose to focus on Christ crucified rather than worldly wisdom or ornate styles of speech, even though they were capable of them ^[5]. Paul's approach was to speak "spiritual things with spiritual," meaning he expounded Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture by comparing it with the Gospel revealed by the same Spirit, and vice versa, illustrating Gospel mysteries with Old Testament types ^[7]. This method highlights the internal consistency of Scripture and the importance of interpreting it with Scripture itself.

John Calvin, in his Commentary on Isaiah, discusses how some individuals might be "children, not in malice, but in understanding," making them susceptible to teachings that are not grounded in sound doctrine ^[10]. This underscores the teacher's responsibility to present biblical truth clearly and to guard against teachings that might mislead.

Therefore, while non-biblical examples can serve as helpful illustrations or analogies, they must always be subservient to and tested by the authority of Scripture. The primary goal of teaching should be to establish believers "with grace" through the "wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ," rather than with "meats" or other external observances and doctrines that are not central to the Christian faith ^{[8, 9]}. The emphasis remains on the inspired Word of God as the sole infallible rule of faith and practice.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Parable — (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another.--McClintock and Strong. As used in the New Testament it had a very wide application, being applied sometimes to the shortest proverbs, (1 Samuel 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 7:20) sometimes to dark prophetic utterances, (Numbers 23:7,18; 24:3; Ezekiel 20:49) sometimes to enigmatic maxims, (Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6) or metaphors expand”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
I Timothy “I Timothy 6:3 (BBE) — If any man gives different teaching, not in agreement with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the teaching which is in agreement with true religion,”
I Timothy “I Timothy 1:4 (Rotherham) — Not to be teaching otherwise, nor yet to be giving heed to stories and endless genealogies,—the which, bring, arguings, rather than that stewardship of God which is with faith;—”
1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2 (introduction): PAUL'S SUBJECT OF PREACHING, CHRIST CRUCIFIED, NOT IN WORLDLY, BUT IN HEAVENLY, WISDOM AMONG THE PERFECT. (1Co. 2:1-16) And I--"So I" [CONYBEARE] as one of the "foolish, weak, and despised" instruments employed by God (Co1 1:27-28); "glorying in the Lord," not in man's wisdom (Co1 1:31). Compare Co1 1:23, "We." when I came-- (Act 18:1, &c.). Paul might, had he pleased, have used an ornate style, having studied secular learning at Tarsus of Cilicia, which STRABO preferred as a school of learning to Athens or Alexandria; here, doubt”
1 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Timothy 6:3: If any man teach otherwise,.... Or another doctrine, as the Syriac version renders it; a doctrine different from what the apostle had now taught, concerning the duty of servants to their masters; as did the false teachers, who despised dominion or government; not only civil government, and so spoke evil of rulers and magistrates; and church government, and therefore reviled the apostles, elders, and pastors of churches; but family government, and encouraged disobedience to parents and masters; see Pe2 2:10 or teach another doctrine, from that of the Bible, of Chris”
1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:13: also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (Co1 2:12). which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit" simply, without "Holy." comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [GROTIUS]; and conversely illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with the Old Testament types [CHRYSOSTOM]. So the Greek word is translated, "comparing" (Co2 10:”
Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 13:9: about--rather, as oldest manuscripts read, "carried aside"; namely, compare Eph 4:14. divers--differing from the one faith in the one and the same Jesus Christ, as taught by them who had the rule over you (Heb 13:7). strange--foreign to the truth. doctrines--"teachings." established with grace; not with meats--not with observances of Jewish distinctions between clean and unclean meats, to which ascetic Judaizers added in Christian times the rejection of some meats, and the use of others: noticed also by Paul in Co1 8:8, Co1 8:13; Co1 6:13; Rom”
1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 6:3: teach otherwise--than I desire thee to "teach" (Ti1 6:2). The Greek indicative implies, he puts not a merely supposed case, but one actually existing, Ti1 1:3, "Every one who teaches otherwise," that is, who teaches heterodoxy. consent not--Greek, "accede not to." wholesome--"sound" (Ti1 1:10): opposed to the false teachers' words, unsound through profitless science and immorality. words of our Lord Jesus Christ--Paul's inspired words are not merely his own, but are also Christ's words.”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 16.13: mistake to connect this statement of the Prophet with that passage in the Apostle Peter, as if Isaiah represented God as desirous to obtain disciples who had divested themselves of all pride, and were like infants lately weaned; for the Prophet, on the contrary, loudly complains, that to “teach doctrine” is useless, and merely provokes ridicule among stupid and senseless persons, who are “children, not in malice, but in understanding,” as Paul speaks. ( 1 Corinthians 14:20 .) From what follows it will more clearly appear that, since they wer”
Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 13:9: Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines,.... The word "divers" may denote the variety and multitude of other doctrines; referring either to the various rites and ceremonies of the law, or to the traditions of the elders, or to the several doctrines of men, whether Jews or Gentiles; whereas the doctrine of the Scriptures, of Christ, and his apostles, is but one; it is uniform, and all of a piece; and so may likewise denote the disagreement of other doctrines with the perfections of God, the person and offices of Christ, the Scriptures of truth, the anal”

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