Catholics like to put the words of men before the Word of Yahweh.

Catholics also believe that Peter was the first “Pope.”

However, this is what “Pope” Peter would say to the Catholics who put the words of men before the Word of Yahweh:

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Here is a long list of “Church fathers” who taught Sola Scriptura:

Augustine:  “But who can fail to be aware that the sacred canon of Scripture, both of the Old and New Testament, is confined within its own limits, and that it stands so absolutely in a superior position to all later letters of the bishops, that about it we can hold no manner of doubt or disputation whether what is confessedly contained in it is right and true; but that all the letters of bishops which have been written, or are being written, since the closing of the canon, are liable to be refuted if there be anything contained in them which strays from the truth…” (On Baptism 2.3.4)

Augustine: “As regards our writings, which are not a rule of faith or practice, but only a help to edification, we may suppose that they contain some things falling short of the truth in obscure and recondite matters, and that these mistakes may or may not be corrected in subsequent treatises. For we are of those of whom the apostle says: “And if you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” (Philippians 3:15). Such writings are read with the right of judgment, and without any obligation to believe. To leave room for such profitable discussions of difficult questions, there is a distinct boundary line separating all productions after apostolic times from the authoritative canonical books of the Old and New Testaments.” (Reply to Faustus 11.5)

Augustine: “The excellence of the canonical authority of the Old and New Testaments is distinct from the books of later writers. This authority was confirmed in the times of the Apostles through the succession of bishops and the propagation of churches, as if it were settled in a heavenly manner in a kind of seat to which every believing and pious mind lives in obedience.” (Against Faustus, 11.5)

Augustine: “I have learned to yield this respect and honor only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error. . .. As to all other writings, in reading them, however great the superiority of the authors to myself in sanctity and learning, I do not accept their teaching as true on the mere ground of the opinion being held by them; but only because they have succeeded in convincing my judgment of its truth either by means of these canonical writings themselves, or by arguments addressed to my reason.” (Letter to Jerome [no. 82])

Augustine: “Among the things that are plainly laid down in Scripture are to be found all matters that concern faith and the manner of life.” (On Christian Doctrine 2.9)

John Chrysostom, in his 33^rd homily on Acts, poses a scenario along these lines: “What about when a pagan wishes to become a Christian, but he sees all these rival groups in the church, and doesn’t know which one to pick? What then shall we say to the heathen? There comes a heathen and says, ‘I wish to become a Christian, but I know not whom to join: there is much fighting and faction among you, much confusion: which doctrine am I to choose?’ How shall we answer him? ‘Each of you’ (says he) ‘asserts, “I speak the truth.”’ No doubt: this is in our favor. For if we told you to be persuaded by arguments, you might well be perplexed: but if we bid you believe the Scriptures, and these are simple and true, the decision is easy for you. If anyone agrees with the Scriptures, he is a Christian; if anyone fights against them, he is far from this rule.”

Gregory of Nyssa makes that point explicit in a letter to Eustathius. The Arians claimed that their tradition (or “custom”) did not allow for the Trinitarian position. Gregory responded with the following: “What then is our reply? We do not think that it is right to make their prevailing custom the law and rule of sound doctrine. For if custom is to avail for proof of soundness, we too, surely may advance our prevailing custom; and if they reject this, we are surely not bound to follow theirs. Let the inspired Scripture, then, be our umpire, and the vote of truth will surely be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words.” (Dogmatic Treatises, Book 12. On the Trinity, To Eustathius.)

Irenaeus of Lyons (d. 202) “We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith.” (Against Heresies, 3.1.1)

Tertullian of Carthage (c. 160–235) [in defending the truth of the Trinity against the heretic Praxeas:] “It will be your duty, however, to adduce your proofs out of the Scriptures as plainly as we do, when we prove that He made His Word a Son to Himself. . .. All the Scriptures attest the clear existence of, and distinction in (the Persons of) the Trinity, and indeed furnish us with our Rule of faith.” (Against Praxeas, 11)

Hippolytus (d. 235) “There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures, and from no other source. For just as a man, if he wishes to be skilled in the wisdom of this world, will find himself unable to get at it in any other way than by mastering the dogmas of philosophers, so all of us who wish to practice piety will be unable to learn its practice from any quarter other than the oracles of God. Whatever things the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatsoever things they teach, these let us learn.” (Against Heresies, 9)

Dionysius of Alexandria (ca. 265): “We did not evade objections, but we endeavored as far as possible to hold to and confirm the things which lay before us, and if the reason given satisfied us, we were not ashamed to change our opinions and agree with others; but on the contrary, conscientiously and sincerely, and with hearts laid open before God, we accepted whatever was established by the proofs and teachings of the Holy Scriptures.” (Cited from Eusebius, Church History, 7.24.7–9)

 Athanasius of Alexandria (296–373) [After outlining the books of the Bible, Athanasius wrote:] “These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these. Concerning these, the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, ‘Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.’ And He reproved the Jews, saying, ‘Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me.’” (Festal Letter 39, 6–7)

Cyril of Jerusalem (315–386) [After defending the doctrine of the Holy Spirit]: “We ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures, nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell thee these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth: for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures…Let us then speak nothing concerning the Holy Ghost but what is written; and if anything be not written, let us not busy ourselves about it. The Holy Ghost Himself spoke the Scriptures; He has also spoken concerning Himself as much as He pleased, or as much as we could receive. Be those things therefore spoken, which He has said; for whatsoever He has not said, we dare not say.” (Catechetical Lectures, 4.17ff)

John Chrysostom (344–407) “Let us not therefore carry about the notions of the many but examine into the facts. For how is it not absurd that in respect to money, indeed, we do not trust to others, but refer this to figures and calculation; but in calculating upon facts we are lightly drawn aside by the notions of others; and that too, though we possess an exact balance, and square and rule for all things, the declaration of the divine laws? Wherefore I exhort and entreat you all, disregard what this man and that man thinks about these things, and inquire from the Scriptures all these things; and having learnt what are the true riches, let us pursue after them that we may obtain also the eternal good things; which may we all obtain, through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.” (Homily on 2 Corinthians, 13.4)

Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Whereas, therefore, in every question, which relates to life and conduct, not only teaching, but exhortation also is necessary; so that by teaching we may know what is to be done, and by exhortation may be incited not to think it irksome to do what we already know is to be done; what more can I teach you, than what we read in the Apostles? For the holy Scriptures establish a rule to our teaching, that we dare not “be wiser than we ought,” but be wise, as he himself says, “unto soberness, according as unto each God hath allotted the measure of faith.” Be it not therefore for me to teach you any other thing, save to expound to you the words of the Teacher, and to treat them as the Lord shall have given to me. (The Good of Widowhood, 2)

Augustine (again):  For the reasonings of any men whatsoever, even though they be [true Christians], and of high reputation, are not to be treated by us in the same way as the canonical Scriptures are treated. We are at liberty, without doing any violence to the respect which these men deserve, to condemn and reject anything in their writings, if perchance we shall find that they have entertained opinions differing from those which others or we ourselves have, by the divine help, discovered to be the truth. I deal thus with the writings of others, and I wish my intelligent readers to deal thus with mine. (Augustine, Letters, 148.15)

Hippolytus – Against Heresies (325AD) There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures, and from no other source. For just as a man, if he wishes to be skilled in the wisdom of this world, will find himself unable to get at it in any other way than by mastering the dogmas of philosophers, so all of us who wish to practice piety will be unable to learn its practice from any quarter other than the oracles of God. Whatever things the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatsoever things they teach, these let us learn.

Gregory of Nyssa – Dogmatic Treatises, Book 12. On the Trinity, To Eustathius – “Let the inspired Scripture, then, be our umpire, and the vote of truth will surely be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words.”

Irenaeus of Lyons (175) “They [heretics] gather their views from other sources than the Scriptures. We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith.”

Ambrose – Duties of the Clergy (330-397) “For how can we adopt those things which we do not find in the Holy Scriptures?”

St. Athanasius, Letter, De Synodis, Par. 6; 296 – 373 A.D. “Vainly then do they run about with the pretext that they have demanded Councils for the faith’s sake; for divine Scripture is sufficient above all things.”

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Catechetical Lectures, IV:17, in NPNF, Volume VII, p. 23.) 313 – 386 A.D. “For concerning the divine and holy mysteries of the Faith, not even a casual statement must be delivered without the Holy Scriptures; nor must we be drawn aside by mere plausibility and artifices of speech.  Even to me, who tells you these things, give not absolute credence, unless you receive the proof of the things which I announce from the Divine Scriptures. For this salvation which we believe depends not on ingenious reasoning, but on demonstration of the Holy Scriptures.”

Basil the Great (The Morals, p. 204, vol 9 TFOTC). 330-379 A.D. “What is the mark of a faithful soul? To be in these dispositions of full acceptance on the authority of the words of Scripture, not venturing to reject anything nor making additions. For, if ‘all that is not of faith is sin’ as the Apostle says, and ‘faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,’ everything outside Holy Scripture, not being of faith, is sin.” 

St. Gregory of Nyssa (On the Holy Trinity, NPNF, p. 327). 335 – 394 A.D. “Let the inspired Scriptures then be our umpire, and the vote of truth will be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words.”

St. John Chrysostom (Homily 8 On Repentance and the Church, p. 118, vol. 96 TFOTC) 349 – 407 A.D. “Regarding the things I say, I should supply even the proofs, so I will not seem to rely on my own opinions, but rather, prove them with Scripture, so that the matter will remain certain and steadfast.”

St. John Chrysostom, (Homily 33 in Acts of the Apostles [NPNF1,11:210-n; PG 60.243-44]) 349 – 407 A.D. “There comes a heathen and says, “I wish to become a Christian, but I know not whom to join: there is much fighting and faction among you, much confusion: which doctrine am I to choose?” How shall we answer him? “Each of you” (says he) “asserts, ‘I speak the truth.” ‘ No doubt: this is in our favor. For if we told you to be persuaded by arguments, you might well be perplexed: but if we bid you believe the Scriptures, and these are simple and true, the decision is easy for you. If any agree with the Scriptures, he is the Christian; if any fight against them, he is far from this rule.”

St. Gregory of Nyssa “We are not entitled to such a license; I mean that of affirming what we please; we make the Holy Scriptures the rule and the measure of every tenet; we necessarily fix our eyes upon that and approve that alone which may be made to harmonize with the intention of those writings.” (On the Soul and the Resurrection NPNF II, V:439) 335 – 394 A.D.

St. John of Damascus, “It is impossible either to say or fully to understand anything about God beyond what has been divinely proclaimed to us, whether told or revealed, by the sacred declarations of the Old and New Testaments.”, On the Orthodox Faith, Book I, Chapter 2; 676 – 749 A.D.

St. Thomas Aquinas “Nevertheless, sacred doctrine makes use of these authorities as extrinsic and probable arguments; but properly uses the authority of the canonical Scriptures as an incontrovertible proof, and the authority of the doctors of the Church as one that may properly be used, yet merely as probable. For our faith rests upon the revelation made to the apostles and prophets who wrote the canonical books, and not on the revelations (if any such there are) made to other doctors.” – Summa Theologia, Part 1, Question 1, Article 8; 1225 – 1274 A.D.

 Hence, Augustine says (Epis. ad Hieron. xix, 1): “Only those books of Scripture which are called canonical have I learned to hold in such honor as to believe their authors have not erred in any way in writing them.  But other authors I so read as not to deem everything in their works to be true,  merely on account of their having so thought and written, whatever may have been their holiness and learning.”

It was Irenaeus who stated that while the Apostles at first preached orally, their teaching was later committed to writing (the Scriptures), and the Scriptures had since that day become the pillar and ground of the Church’s faith. His exact statement is as follows:

Irenaeus, “We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith.” Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. (Peabody: Hendriksen, 1995) Vol. 1, “Against Heresies” 3.1.1, p. 414.

Cyril of Jerusalem

“This seal have thou ever on thy mind, which now by way of summary has been touched on in its heads, and if the Lord grant, shall hereafter be set forth according to our power, with Scripture proofs. Concerning the divine and sacred Mysteries of the Faith, we ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures, nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell thee these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth: for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures.” A Library of the Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (Oxford: Parker, 1845), “The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril” Lecture 4.17.

Cyril of Jerusalem

But take thou and hold that faith only as a learner and in profession, which is by the Church delivered to thee, and is established from all Scripture. For since all cannot read the Scripture, but some, as being unlearned, others by business, are hindered from the knowledge of them; in order that the soul may not perish for lack of instruction, in the Articles which are few we comprehend the whole doctrine of Faith…And for the present, commit to memory the Faith, merely listening to the words; and expect at the fitting season the proof of each of its parts from the Divine Scriptures. For the Articles of the Faith were not composed at the good pleasure of men, but the most important points chosen from all Scriptures make up the one teaching of the Faith. And, as the mustard seed in a little grain contains many branches, thus also this Faith, in a few words, hath enfolded in its bosom the whole knowledge of godliness contained both in the Old and New Testaments. Ibid., Lecture 5.12. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (Peabody: Hendriksen, 1995) Second Series: Volume V, Gregory of Nyssa: Dogmatic Treatises, “On the Soul and the Resurrection”, p. 439.

Gregory of Nyssa also enunciated this principle. He stated:

“The generality of men still fluctuates in their opinions about this, which are as erroneous as they are numerous. As for ourselves, if the Gentile philosophy, which deals methodically with all these points, were really adequate for a demonstration, it would certainly be superfluous to add a discussion on the soul to those speculations. But while the latter proceeded, on the subject of the soul, as far in the direction of supposed consequences as the thinker pleased, we are not entitled to such license, I mean that of affirming what we please; we make the Holy Scriptures the rule and the measure of every tenet; we necessarily fix our eyes upon that, and approve that alone which may be made to harmonize with the intention of those writings.”

Ambrose (340? -396), “How can we use those things which we do not find in the Holy Scriptures?” (Ambr. Offic., 1:23).

Athanasius (300? -375), “The Holy Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, are of themselves sufficient toward the discovery of truth.” (Orat. adv. Gent., ad cap.)

Athanasius, “The Catholic Christians will neither speak nor endure to hear anything in religion that is a stranger to Scripture; it being an evil heart of immodesty to speak those things which are not written,” (Exhort. ad Monachas).

Athanasius “Again, it is not tedious to speak of the [books] of the New Testament. These are the four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Afterwards, the Acts of the Apostles and Epistles (called Catholic), seven, viz., of James, one; of Peter, two; of John, three; after these, one of Jude. In addition, there are fourteen Epistles of Paul, written in this order. The first, to the Romans; then two to the Corinthians; after these, to the Galatians; next to the Ephesians; then to the Philippians; then to the Colossians; after these, two to the Thessalonians, and that to the Hebrews; and again, two to Timothy; one to Titus; and lastly, that to Philemon. And besides, the Revelation of John.  These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these. Concerning these, the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, ‘Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.’ And He reproved the Jews, saying, ‘Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me.’” Festal Letter 39:5-6).

Athanasius, “Vainly then do they run about with the pretext that they have demanded Councils for the faith’s sake; for divine Scripture is sufficient above all things; but if a Council be needed on the point, there are the proceedings of the Fathers, for the Nicene Bishops did not neglect this matter, but stated the doctrine so exactly, that persons reading their words honestly, cannot but be reminded by them of the religion towards Christ announced in divine Scripture.” (De Synodis, 6).Augustine (354-430) 

Clement of Alexandria (150? -213?), “Whereas, therefore, in every question, which relates to life and conduct, not only teaching, but exhortation also is necessary; in order that by teaching we may know what is to be done, and by exhortation may be incited not to think it irksome to do what we already know is to be done; what more can I teach you, than what we read in the Apostle? For Holy Scripture setteth a rule to our teaching, that we dare not “be wise more than it behoveth to be wise; but be wise, as himself saith, “unto soberness, according as unto each God hath allotted the measure of faith.” Be it not therefore for me to teach you any other thing, save to expound to you the words of the Teacher, and to treat of them as the Lord shall have given to me.”

Cyprian of Carthage (200? -258) “They that are ready to spend their time in the best things will not give over seeking for truth until they have found the demonstration from the Scriptures themselves.” (Stromata 7:16:3). 

Cyprian of Carthage, “Whence comes this tradition? Does it descend from the Lord’s authority, or from the commands and epistles of the apostles? For those things are to be done which are there written . . . If it be commanded in the gospels or the epistles and Acts of the Apostles, then let this holy tradition be observed.” (, Ep. 74 ad Pompeium).

Chrysostom (344-386) “Wherefore I exhort and entreat you all, disregard what this man and that man thinks about these things and inquire from the Scriptures all these things; and having learnt what are the true riches, let us pursue after them that we may obtain also the eternal good things.”

Cyril of Jerusalem (315? -386), “Not even the least of the divine and holy mysteries of the faith ought to be handed down without the divine Scriptures. Do not simply give faith to me speaking these things to you, except you have the proof of what I say from the divine Scriptures. For the security and preservation of our faith are not supported by ingenuity of speech, but by the proofs of the divine Scriptures.” (Cat. 4).

Irenaeus, (130-202), “We have known the method of our salvation by no other means than those by whom the gospel came to us; which gospel they truly preached; but afterward, by the will of God, they delivered to us in the Scriptures, to be for the future the foundation and pillar of our faith,” (Adv. H. 3:1)

Jerome (342? -420), “Those things which they make and find, as it were, by apostolical tradition, without the authority and testimony of Scripture, the word of God smites.” (ad Aggai 1)

Helvidius, “As we deny not those things that are written, so we refuse those things that are not written. That God was born of a virgin we believe, because we read it; that Mary did marry after she was delivered, we believe not, because we do not read it.” Helvidius believed the Scriptures that Mary was not a perpetual virgin, but only a virgin until Yeshua. She then had natural relations with her husband, Joseph, and had sons and daughters. (Adv.)

Origen (185? -252), “No man ought, for the confirmation of doctrines, to use books which are not canonized Scriptures.” (Tract. 26 in Matt.).

Justin Martyr, “The word of truth is free, and carries its own authority, disdaining to fall under any skillful argument, or to endure the logical scrutiny of its hearers. But it would be believed for its own nobility, and for the confidence due to Him who sends it. Now the word of truth is sent from God; wherefore the freedom claimed by the truth is not arrogant. For being sent with authority, it were not fit that it should be required to produce proof of what is said; since neither is there any proof beyond itself, which is God. For every proof is more powerful and trustworthy than that which it proves. . .. So also, we refer all that is said regarding men and the world to the truth, and by it judge whether it be worthless or no. But the utterances of truth we judge by no separate test, giving full credit to itself. And God, the Father of the universe, who is the perfect intelligence, is the truth” (On the Resurrection, Chapter 1).

Irenaeus, “Such, then, is their system, which neither the prophets announced, nor the Lord taught, nor the apostles delivered, but of which they boast that beyond all others they have a perfect knowledge. They gather their views from other sources than the Scriptures” (Against Heresies, Book 1, Chapter 8, Section 1).

Irenaeus, “We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith. For it is unlawful to assert that they preached before they possessed ‘perfect knowledge,’ as some do even venture to say, boasting themselves as improvers of the apostles” (Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 1, Section 1).

Irenaeus, “When, however, they are confuted from the Scriptures, they turn round and accuse these same Scriptures, as if they were not correct, nor of authority, and [assert] that they are ambiguous, and that the truth cannot be extracted from them by those who are ignorant of tradition. For [they allege] that the truth was not delivered by means of written documents, but vivâ voce” (Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 2, Section 1).

Irenaeus, “Taking this into account, that proofs [of the things which are] contained in the Scriptures cannot be shown except from the Scriptures themselves” (Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 12, Section 9).

Clement of Alexandria, “But those who are ready to toil in the most excellent pursuits, will not desist from the search after truth, till they get the demonstration from the Scriptures themselves” (Stromata, 7.16).

Tertullian, “And why should I, a man of limited memory, suggest anything further? Why recall anything more from the Scriptures? As if either the voice of the Holy Spirit were not sufficient, or else any further deliberation were needful, whether the Lord cursed and condemned by priority the artificers of those things, of which He curses and condemns the worshippers” (On Idolatry, Chapter 4).

Tertullian, “What, therefore, did not exist, the Scripture was unable to mention; and by not mentioning it, it has given us a clear proof that there was no such thing: for if there had been, the Scripture would have mentioned it” (Against Hermogenes, Chapter 20).

Tertullian, “If it is nowhere written, then let it fear the woe which impends on all who add to or take away from the written word” (Against Hermogenes, Chapter 22).

Tertullian, “Take away, indeed, from the heretics the wisdom which they share with the heathen and let them support their inquiries from the Scriptures alone: they will then be unable to keep their ground” (On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Chapter 3).

Hippolytus, “There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures, and from no other source. . .. So, all of us who wish to practice piety will be unable to learn its practice from any other quarter than the oracles of God. Whatever things, then, the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatever things they teach, these let us learn” (Against Noetus, Chapter 9).

Cyprian, “For if in the sacrifice which Christ offered none is to be followed but Christ, assuredly it behooves us to obey and do that which Christ did, and what He commanded to be done, since He Himself says in the Gospel, ‘If ye do whatsoever I command you, henceforth I call you not servants, but friends.’ And that Christ alone ought to be heard, the Father also testifies from heaven, saying, ‘This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.’ Wherefore, if Christ alone must be heard, we ought not to give heed to what another before us may have thought was to be done, but what Christ, who is before all, first did. Neither is it becoming to follow the practice of man, but the truth of God; since God speaks by Isaiah the prophet, and says, ‘In vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.’ And again, the Lord in the Gospel repeats this same saying, and says, ‘Ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.’ Moreover, in another place, He establishes it, saying, ‘Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.’ But if we may not break even the least of the Lord’s commandments, how much rather is it forbidden to infringe such important ones, so great, so pertaining to the very sacrament of our Lord’s passion and our own redemption, or to change it by human tradition into anything else than what was divinely appointed!” (Epistle 62, Chapter 14).

Hilary of Poitiers, “For he is the best student who does not read his thoughts into the book, but lets it reveal its own, who draws from it its sense, and does not import his own into it, nor force upon its words a meaning which he had determined was the right one before he opened its pages. Since then, we are to discourse of the things of God, let us assume that God has full knowledge of Himself, and bow with humble reverence to His words. For He Whom we can only know through His own utterances is the fitting witness concerning Himself” (On the Trinity, Book 1, Chapter 18).

Athanasius, “Vainly then do they run about with the pretext that they have demanded Councils for the faith’s sake; for divine Scripture is sufficient above all things; but if a Council be needed on the point, there are the proceedings of the Fathers, for the Nicene Bishops did not neglect this matter, but stated the doctrine so exactly, that persons reading their words honestly, cannot but be reminded by them of the religion towards Christ announced in divine Scripture” (De Synodis, Chapter 6).

Athanasius, “These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these. Concerning these, the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, ‘Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.’ And He reproved the Jews, saying, ‘Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me’” (39^th Festal Letter).

Athanasius, “Now one might write at great length concerning these things, if one desired to go into details respecting them; for the impiety and perverseness of heresies will appear to be manifold and various, and the craft of the deceivers to be very terrible. But since holy Scripture is of all things most sufficient for us, therefore recommending to those who desire to know more of these matters, to read the Divine word” (Ad Episcopus Aegypti et Libyae, Chapter 4).

Basil of Caesarea, “The hearers taught in the Scriptures ought to test what is said by teachers and accept that which agrees with the Scriptures but reject that which is foreign” (Moralia, Chapter 72).

Basil of Caesarea, “Therefore, let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth.” (Letter 189, Section 3).

Basil of Caesarea, “Enjoying as you do the consolation of the Holy Scriptures, you stand in need neither of my assistance nor of that of anybody else to help you to comprehend your duty. You have the all-sufficient counsel and guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead you to what is right” (Letter 283).

Basil of Caesarea, “That every word and deed should be ratified by the testimony of the Holy Scripture to confirm the good and cause shame to the wicked” (The Morals, Rule 26, in The Fathers of the Church, Volume 9, Ascetical Works, p. 106).

Cyril of Jerusalem, “Have thou ever in your mind this seal, which for the present has been lightly touched in my discourse, by way of summary, but shall be stated, should the Lord permit, to the best of my power with the proof from the Scriptures. Concerning the divine and holy mysteries of the Faith, not even a casual statement must be delivered without the Holy Scriptures; nor must we be drawn aside by mere plausibility and artifices of speech. Even to me, who tells you these things, give not absolute credence, unless thou receive the proof of the things which I announce from the Divine Scriptures. For this salvation which we believe depends not on ingenious reasoning, but on demonstration of the Holy Scriptures” (Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 4, Chapter 17).

Cyril of Jerusalem, “Now mind not my argumentations, for perhaps you may be misled, but unless thou receive testimony of the Prophets on each matter, believe not what I say: unless thou learn from the Holy Scriptures concerning the Virgin, and the place, the time, and the manner, receive not testimony from man. For one who at present thus teaches may possibly be suspected, but what man of sense will suspect one that prophesied a thousand and more years beforehand? If then you seek the cause of Christ’s coming, go back to the first book of the Scriptures” (Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 12, Chapter 5).

Nemesius of Emesa, “But for us the sufficient demonstration of the soul’s immortality is the teaching of Holy Scripture, which is self-authenticating because [it is] inspired of God” (On the Nature of Man, Chapter 2, Of the Soul).

Gregory of Nyssa, “We are not entitled to such license, I mean that of affirming what we please; we make the Holy Scriptures the rule and the measure of every tenet; we necessarily fix our eyes upon that, and approve that alone which may be made to harmonize with the intention of those writings” (Gregory of Nyssa citing his sister Macrina, On the Soul and the Resurrection).

Gregory of Nyssa, “And who, she replied, could deny that truth is to be found only in that upon which the seal of Scriptural testimony is set? So, if it is necessary that something from the Gospels should be adduced in support of our view, a study of the Parable of the Wheat and Tares will not be here out of place” (Gregory of Nyssa citing his sister Macrina, On the Soul and the Resurrection).

Gregory of Nyssa, “Whatever is not supported by the testimony of Scripture we reject as false” [Cum id nullo Scripturæ testimonio fultum sit, ut falsum improbabimus] (De Cognitione Dei [PG 46.1115]).

Gregory of Nyssa, “Let him tell us whence he has this boldness of assertion. From what inspired utterance? What evangelist, what apostle ever uttered such words as these? What prophet, what lawgiver, what patriarch, what other person of all who were divinely moved by the Holy Ghost, whose voices are preserved in writing, ever originated such a statement as this?” (Against Eunomius, Book 2, Chapter 9).

Ambrose, “For how can we adopt those things which we do not find in the holy Scriptures?” (On the Duties of the Clergy, 1.23.102).

Epiphanius, “Secondly, their myths are unprovable since no scripture has said these things—neither the Law of Moses nor any prophet after Moses, neither the Savior nor his evangelists, and certainly not the apostles. If these things were true, the Lord who came to enlighten the world, and the prophets before him, would have told us things of this sort in plain language—and then the apostles too” (Panarion, Book 1, Chapter 31 Against Valentinians, Section 34.1-2, Brill Edition, p. 206).

Epiphanius, “For since none of the ancient apostles or prophets in the Old and New Testaments held this opinion, you are asserting your superiority to God himself, and your unshakeability” (Panarion, Books 2 and 3, Chapter 76 Against Anomoeans, Section 41.2, Brill Edition, p. 562).

John Chrysostom, “Wherefore I exhort and entreat you all, disregard what this man and that man thinks about these things and inquire from the Scriptures all these things; and having learned what are the true riches, let us pursue after them that we may obtain also the eternal good things” ( Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily 13).

“But as we do not deny what is written, so we do reject what is not written” (Jerome, Against Helvidius, Chapter 21).

“The sword of God smites whatever they draw and forge from a pretended (quasi) apostolic tradition, without the authority and testimony of the Scriptures” (Jerome, Commentariorum in Aggaeum Prophetam 1:11 [PL 25.1398]).

“In the sacred writings, in His Scripture that is read to all peoples in order that all may know. Thus, the apostles have written; thus, the Lord Himself has spoken, not merely for a few, but that all might know and understand. Plato wrote books, but he did not write for all people, but only for a few, for there are not many more than two or three men who know him. But the princes of the Church and the princes of Christ did not write only for the few, but for everyone without exception. ‘And princes’: the apostles and evangelists. ‘Of those who have been born in her.’ Note ‘who have been’ and not ‘who are.’ That is to make sure that, with the exception of the apostles, whatever else is said afterwards should be removed and not, later on, hold the force of authority. No matter how holy anyone may be after the time of the apostles, no matter how eloquent, he does not have authority” (Jerome, The Homilies of St. Jerome, Volume 1: On the Psalms, Homily 18, in The Fathers of the Church, Volume 48, p. 142-143).

“What more shall I teach you than what we read in the apostles? For Holy Scripture fixes the rule for our doctrine, lest we dare be wiser than we ought. Therefore, I should not teach you anything else except to expound to you the words of the Teacher” (Augustine, Of the Good of Widowhood, Chapter 2).

“It is to the canonical Scriptures alone that I am bound to yield such implicit subjection as to follow their teaching, without admitting the slightest suspicion that in them any mistake or any statement intended to mislead could find a place” (Augustine, Letter 82.3.24).

Alternate translation:

“I have learnt to ascribe to those books which are of canonical rank, and only to them, such reverence and honor, that I firmly believe that no single error due to the author is found in any of them” (Augustine, Letter 82.3, in CSEL 33:354).

“For the reasonings of any men whatsoever, even though they be Catholics, and of high reputation, are not to be treated by us in the same way as the canonical Scriptures are treated. We are at liberty, without doing any violence to the respect which these men deserve, to condemn and reject anything in their writings, if perchance we shall find that they have entertained opinions differing from those which others or we ourselves have, by the divine help, discovered to be the truth. I deal thus with the writings of others, and I wish my intelligent readers to deal thus with mine” (Augustine, Letter 148.15).

“You are wont, indeed, to bring up against us the letters of Cyprian, his opinion, his Council; why do ye claim the authority of Cyprian for your schism, and reject his example when it makes for the peace of the Church? But who can fail to be aware that the sacred canon of Scripture, both of the Old and New Testament, is confined within its own limits, and that it stands so absolutely in a superior position to all later letters of the bishops, that about it we can hold no manner of doubt or disputation whether what is confessedly contained in it is right and true; but that all the letters of bishops which have been written, or are being written, since the closing of the canon, are liable to be refuted if there be anything contained in them which strays from the truth, either by the discourse of someone who happens to be wiser in the matter than themselves, or by the weightier authority and more learned experience of other bishops, by the authority of Councils; and further, that the Councils themselves, which are held in the several districts and provinces, must yield, beyond all possibility of doubt, to the authority of plenary Councils which are formed for the whole Christian world; and that even of the plenary Councils, the earlier are often corrected by those which follow them, when, by some actual experiment, things are brought to light which were before concealed, and that is known which previously lay hid, and this without any whirlwind of sacrilegious pride, without any puffing of the neck through arrogance, without any strife of envious hatred, simply with holy humility, catholic peace, and Christian charity?” (Augustine, On Baptism, Against the Donatists, Book 2, Chapter 3).

“Especially as in writings of such authors I feel myself free to use my own judgment (owing unhesitating assent to nothing but the canonical Scriptures), whilst in fact there is not a passage which he has quoted from the works of this anonymous author that disturbs me” (Augustine, On Nature and Grace, Chapter 71).

“As regards our writings, which are not a rule of faith or practice, but only a help to edification, we may suppose that they contain some things falling short of the truth in obscure and recondite matters, and that these mistakes may or may not be corrected in subsequent treatises. . .. Such writings are read with the right of judgment, and without any obligation to believe. In order to leave room for such profitable discussions of difficult questions, there is a distinct boundary line separating all productions subsequent to apostolic times from the authoritative canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. . .. In the innumerable books that have been written latterly, we may sometimes find the same truth as in Scripture, but there is not the same authority. Scripture has a sacredness peculiar to itself. In other books, the reader may form his own opinion, and perhaps, from not understanding the writer, may differ from him, and may pronounce in favor of what pleases him, or against what he dislikes. In such cases, a man is at liberty to withhold his belief, unless there is some clear demonstration or some canonical authority to show that the doctrine or statement either must or may be true. But in consequence of the distinctive peculiarity of the sacred writings, we are bound to receive as true whatever the canon shows to have been said by even one prophet, or apostle, or evangelist. Otherwise, not a single page will be left for the guidance of human fallibility, if contempt for the wholesome authority of the canonical books either puts an end to that authority altogether, or involves it in hopeless confusion” (Augustine, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, Book 11, Chapter 5).

“This shows that the established authority of Scripture must outweigh every other; for it derives new confirmation from the progress of events which happen, as Scripture proves, in fulfillment of the predictions made so long before their occurrence” (Augustine, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, Book 13, Chapter 5).

“In the matters of which we are now treating, only the canonical writings have any weight with us” (Augustine, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, Book 23, Chapter 9).

“We do no injustice to Cyprian when we make a distinction between his epistles and the canonical authority of the divine Scriptures. Apart from the Sacred canonical Scriptures, we may freely pass judgment on the writings of believers and disbelievers alike” (Augustine, De Cresconium 2.39–40. As cited in A.D.R. Polman, The Word of God According to St. Augustine [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1961], p. 65).

“Let us not hear: This I say, this you say; but thus says the Lord. Surely it is the books of the Lord on whose authority we both agree and which we both believe. There let us seek the church, there let us discuss our case. . .. Let those things be removed from our midst which we quote against each other not from divine canonical books but from elsewhere. Someone may perhaps ask: Why do you want to remove these things from the midst? Because I do not want the holy church proved by human documents but by divine oracles” (Augustine, The Unity of the Church. As cited in Martin Chemnitz, An Examination of the Council of Trent, Volume 1, p. 157).

“We ought to find the Church, as the Head of the Church, in the holy canonical Scriptures, not to inquire for it in the various reports, and opinions, and deeds, and words, and visions of men. . .. Whether they (i.e. the Donatists) hold the Church, they must show by the canonical books of the Divine Scriptures alone; for we do not say that we must be believed because we are in the Church of Christ, because Optatus of Milevi, or Ambrose of Milan, or innumerable other bishops of our communion, commended that Church to which we belong; or because it is extolled by the councils of our colleagues, or because through the whole world, in the holy places which those of our communion frequent, such wonderful answers to prayer or cures happen. . . . Whatever things of this kind take place in the Catholic Church, are therefore to be approved of, because they take place in the Catholic Church; but it is not proved to be the Catholic Church, because these things happen to be in it” (Augustine, The Unity of the Church [PL 43.429-430]. As cited in William Goode, The Divine Rule of Faith and Practice, Volume 2, p. 428-429).

“This Mediator, having spoken what He judged sufficient first by the prophets, then by His own lips, and afterwards by the apostles, has besides produced the Scripture which is called canonical, which has paramount authority, and to which we yield assent in all matters of which we ought not to be ignorant, and yet cannot know of ourselves” (Augustine, The City of God, Book 11, Chapter 3).

“It would be the instigation of a demonical spirit to follow the conceits of the human mind, and to think anything divine, beyond what has the authority of the Scriptures” (Theophilus of Alexandria, Epistle 96 [PL 22.778]).

“All things, therefore, that have been delivered to us by the Law, and Prophets, and Apostles, we receive, and acknowledge, and confess; and beyond these, we seek not to know anything. For it is impossible for us to say, or at all thinks anything concerning God, beyond what has been divinely declared by the divine oracles of the Old and New Testament” (Cyril of Alexandria, De Sacrosancta Trinitate, Chapter 1).

“Do not, I beg you, bring in human reason. I shall yield to scripture alone” (Theodoret of Cyrus, Dialogue 1).

“Whatever may be arrived at outside of the rule of the Holy Scriptures, nobody can lawfully demand from a Catholic” (Rupert of Deutz, De Omnipotentia Dei. As cited in George Tavard, Holy Writ or Holy Church, p. 13).

“Let us search for wisdom, let us consult sacred Scripture itself, apart from which nothing can be found, nothing can be said which is solid or certain” (Rupert of Deutz, Commentary on the Apocalypse. As cited in Clark Pinnock, Biblical Revelation, p. 152).

“Who does not know that the holy canonical Scripture is contained within definite limits and that it has precedence over all letters of subsequent bishops?” (Gratian, Decretum, P. I, d. 9, c. 8. As cited in George Tavard, Holy Writ or Holy Church, p. 16).

“But the canonical books are of such authority that whatever is contained therein is held to be true firmly and indisputably, and likewise that which is clearly demonstrated from them. For just as in philosophy a truth is known through reduction to self-evident first principles, so too, in the writings handed down from holy teachers, the truth is known, as far as those things that must be held by faith, through reduction to the canonical scriptures that have been produced by divine revelation, which can contain nothing false. Hence, concerning them, Augustine says to Jerome: To those writers alone who are called canonical I have learned to offer this reverence and honor: I hold most firmly that none of them has made an error in writing” (Glossa Ordinaria, British Museum IB.37895, Volume 1).

“The canonical scriptures alone are the rule (measure) of faith [Sola canonica scriptura est regula fidei]” (Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John XXI. 24-25, paragraph 2656).

“Yet holy teaching employs such authorities only in order to provide, as it were, extraneous arguments from probability. Its own proper authorities are those of canonical Scripture, and these it applied with convincing force. It has other proper authorities, the doctors of the Church, and these it looks to as its own, but for arguments that carry no more than probability. For our faith rests on the revelation made to the Prophets and Apostles who wrote the canonical books, not on a revelation, if such there be, made to any other teacher. In this sense, St. Augustine wrote to St. Jerome; Only to those books or writings which are called canonical have I learnt to pay such honor that I firmly believe that none of their authors have erred in composing them. Other authors, however, I read to such effect that, no matter what holiness and learning they display, I do not hold what they say to be true because those were their sentiments” (Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, 1a.1.8).

“We believe the prophets and apostles because the Lord has been their witness by performing miracles. . .. And we believe the successors of the apostles and prophets only in so far as they tell us those things which the apostles and prophets have left in their writings” (Thomas Aquinas, Truth, Vo. II, trans. James V. McGlynn, S.J., [Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1953], Question 14, Article X, 11, p. 258).

“We must believe the Holy Scriptures simply and absolutely more than the church because the truth in Scripture is always kept steadfast and unchangeable and no one is allowed to add to, subtract from, or change it” (Henry of Ghent, as cited in Hermann Schüssler, Der Primat der Heiligen Schrift als theologisches und kanonistisches Problem im Spätmittelalter, p. 57. As cited in Reformation Theology, ed. Matthew Barrett, p. 151).

“Whatsoever pertaineth to the heavenly and supernatural knowledge and is necessary to be known of man in this life, is sufficiently delivered in the sacred scriptures” [(In quæst. Utrum cognitio supernaturalis necessaria viatori sit sufficienter tradita in sacra scriptura?) Patet quod sacra scriptura sufficienter continet doctrinam necessariam viatori] (Duns Scotus, Prolog. in 1. Sent. qu. 2. [Tom. v. p. 63.] as cited in Richard Field, Of the Church, Volume 2, p. 127-128).

“As the theology of those blessed ones that are in heaven hath a certain bound, without and beyond which it extendeth not itself; so also, that theological knowledge that we have, hath bounds set unto it by the will of God, that revealeth divine and heavenly truth unto us; and the bound prefixed by the will of God, who generally will reveal no more, is within the compass of such things as are found in the holy scripture; because, as it is in the last of the Revelation, Whosoever shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are added in this book” [Sicut theologia beatorum habet terminum, ita et nostra ex voluntate Dei revelantis: terminus autem præfixus a voluntate divina, quantum ad revelationem generalem, est eorum quæ sunt in sacra scriptura; quia sicut habetur Apocalyp. ultimo, qui apposuerit ad hæc, Apponet ei Deus plagas quæ apponuntur in libro isto ; igitur theologia nostra de facto non est nisi de his quæ continentur in scriptura, et de his quæ possunt elici ex ipsis] (Duns Scotus, Prolog. qu. 3. ad tertiam qu. [Ibid. p. 102. Lugd. 1639.], as cited in Richard Field, Of the Church, Volume 2, p. 128).

“There is one opinion, that only those verities are to be esteemed catholic, and such as are necessarily to be believed for the attaining of salvation, which either expressly are delivered in scripture, or by necessary consequence may be inferred from things so expressed; and that they that follow this opinion, allege sundry authorities for proof of the same, as that of Augustine” [Una sententia est quod illæ solæ veritatates sunt catholicæ reputandæ et de necessitate salutis credendæ quæ in canone Bibliæ explicite vel implicite asseruntur: ita quod si aliquæ veritates in Biblia sub propria forma minime continentur ex solis tamen contentis in ea consequentia necessaria et formali possunt inferri, sunt inter catholicas commemorandæ. Hanc sententiam auctoritate Augustini conantur ostendere] (William of Ockham, Prolog. 1. 2. part. I. c. i. [fol. 6. Lugd. 1494.], as cited in Richard Field, Of the Church, Volume 2, p. 128).

“Yes, O horror, even in France. . .. They disseminate heresies and oppose the truth which they acknowledge or should acknowledge, since they call themselves Catholics; they say that their doctrines are based on Scripture and Scripture’s literal sense, which they call ‘Scripture alone’” (Jean Gerson on the Hussites, as cited in Heiko A. Oberman, Forerunners of the Reformation, p. 289).

“The greatest centuries of the Middle Ages—twelfth and thirteenth—were thus faithful to the patristic concept of ‘Scripture alone’” (Roman Catholic scholar George Tavard, Holy Writ or Holy Church, p. 20).

“Perhaps most interesting is the tendency of the medieval Augustinian tradition, initially with Giles of Rome and subsequently with Gregory of Rimini and the schola Augustiniana moderna, to emphasize that the basis of Christian theology was scriptura sola” (Alister E. McGrath, The Intellectual Origins of the European Reformation, 2nd edition, pp. 144-145).

Quotes from the Church Fathers About the Ultimate Authority of Scripture*

1. Irenaeus of Lyons (late-2nd century):
   
   

“The sacred books clearly reveal to us the apostles’ teaching.” – Against Heresies, Book III, Chapter 5.1.

• Irenaeus (late-2nd century):
  
  

“We have known the method of our salvation by no other means than those by whom the gospel came to us; which gospel they truly preached; but afterward, by the will of God, they delivered to us in the Scriptures, to be for the future the foundation and pillar of our faith.” – Against Heresies, Book III.

• Tertullian (3rd century):
  
  

“We have for this [belief] the most trustworthy witnesses, the very ones who have penned the Gospel.” – The Prescription Against Heretics.

• Athanasius (4th century):
  
  

“The holy and inspired Scriptures are sufficient for the preaching of the truth.” – Against the Heathen.

• Basil of Caesarea (4th century):
  
  

“Believe those things which are written; what is not written, do not believe.” – On the Holy Spirit.

• Ambrose of Milan (4th century):
  
  

“How can we use those things which we do not find in the holy Scriptures?” – Exposition on the Christian Faith.

• Augustine of Hippo (4th-5th century):
  
  

“For it seems to me that most disastrous consequence must follow upon our believing that anything false is found in the sacred books.” – Letter to Jerome, Letter 82.

• Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century):
  
  

“For concerning the divine and sacred mysteries of the faith, we ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures.” – Catechetical Lectures.

• John Chrysostom (4th-5th century):
  
  

“Let us not therefore carry about the notions of the many but examine into the facts… Wherefore I exhort and entreat you all, disregard what this man and that man thinks about these things and inquire from the Scriptures all these things.” – Homilies on the Second Epistle to Timothy.

1. Jerome (4th-5th century):
   
   

“What Jerome is ignorant of, no man has ever known.” – Letter to Vigilantius.

1. Clement of Rome (late 1st century):
   
   

“Look carefully into the Scriptures, which are the true utterances of the Holy Spirit.” – First Epistle to the Corinthians.

1. Polycarp (late 1st-early 2nd century):
   
   

“I trust that you are well versed in every good thing of the Lord, having been trained in the sacred Scriptures.” – Epistle to the Philippians.

1. Justin Martyr (2nd century):
   
   

“When I had ceased quoting from the Scriptures, I said again: ‘Now, sirs, these Scriptures, and others not a few, compel us to acknowledge that there is a certain prophetic power.’” – Dialogue with Trypho.

1. Origen (3rd century):
   
   

“In the two Testaments every word that appertains to God may be sought and discussed, and out of them all knowledge of things may be understood.” – On First Principles.

1. Hippolytus of Rome (3rd century):
   
   

“There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures and from no other source.” – Refutation of All Heresies.

1. Gregory of Nyssa (4th century):
   
   

“We are not entitled to such license, namely, of affirming whatever we please; we make the Holy Scriptures the rule and the measure of every tenet.” – Against Eunomius.

1. John of Damascus (8th century):
   
   

“It is not allowable to affirm whatever we please; we make Holy Scripture the rule and measure of every tenet.” – An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith.

1. Ephrem the Syrian (4th century):
   
   

“The Sacred Writings contain the instruction of the ages.” – Commentary on the Diatessaron.

1. Isidore of Seville (6th-7th century):
   
   

“All doctrine ought to be derived from the divine Scriptures—for then it ought to be believed when it is proved by divine testimony.” – Sententiae.

• John Cassian (4th-5th century):
  
  

“We ought not to believe in and to admit anything whatsoever which is not in the canon of Scripture, or which is found to be contrary to it.” – Conferences, 14.8.

• Didache (1st century):
  
  

“Do not add anything to these words and do not take anything away.” – Didache, 4:13.

• Clement of Alexandria (late 2nd-early 3rd century):
  
  

“The Scriptures should be read first and with them the apocryphal books.” – Miscellanies, 2:3.

• Tertullian (3rd century, from the third list):
  
  

“It is clear that all doctrine which agrees with the apostolic churches, the molds and original centers of the faith, must be considered true.” – Prescription Against Heretics, 32.

• Eusebius (4th century):
  
  

“The faith by which we believe in God has not been established by human testimonies, but by divine Scripture.” – Ecclesiastical History, 1.4.

• Athanasius (4th century):
  
  

“The Scriptures, which are able to make one wise, are sufficient for instruction.” – Letter to Marcellinus.

• Hilary of Poitiers (4th century):
  
  

“Everything that we ought to say and do, all that we need, is taught us by the Holy Scriptures.” – On the Trinity, 7:16.

• Basil of Caesarea (4th century):
  
  

“The hearing of the Scriptures is necessary not merely for the uninstructed but also for those who are richly endowed with the word of doctrine.” – On Psalm 1, 6.

• Gregory Nazianzen (4th century):
  
  

“Let us test and judge what is said by the unerring rule of the Scriptures.” – Theological Oration 4.

• Ambrose of Milan (4th century):
  
  

“When we wish to suggest anything sensible in sacred matters, let us go to the sacred writings, drawing from Scripture what we suggest.” – On the Christian Faith, Book 1.

• Cyprian of Carthage (3rd century):
  
  

“Let nothing be innovated, says he, nothing maintained, except what has been handed down. Whence is that tradition? Whether does it descend from the authority of the Lord and of the Gospel, or does it come from the commands and the epistles of the apostles? For that those things which are written must be done, God witnesses and admonishes, saying to Joshua the son of Nun: ‘The book of this law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate in it day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.’” – Epistle 74.

• Augustine of Hippo (4th-5th century):
  
  

“For when one says, ‘This is the custom,’ and another says, ‘No, that is the custom,’ I should prefer, however, that if possible, neither the circle of the year nor the rising of the sun should interrupt this custom of ours, but, above all, it seems to me that we should yield ourselves to the authority of Holy Scripture, which can neither be led astray nor lead others astray.” – Letters, 82.

• John Chrysostom (4th-5th century):
  
  

“Let the inspired Scriptures then be our umpire, and the vote of truth will surely be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words.” – Homily 13 on 2 Corinthians.

• Augustine of Hippo (4th-5th century):
  
  

“For in regard to the divine and holy mysteries of the faith, not the least part may be handed on without the Holy Scriptures. Do not be led astray by winning words and clever arguments. Do not even listen to me if I tell you anything that is not supported by or found in the Scriptures.” – Exposition on Psalm 119.

• Clement of Alexandria (late 2nd-early 3rd century):
  
  

“They that are ready to spend their time in the best things will not give over seeking for truth until they have found the demonstration from the Scriptures themselves.” – Stromata, 7.16.

• St. Bonaventure (13th century):
  
  

“In Holy Scripture, the doctrine of faith is presented to us in a definite and clear manner. Everything that is included in it is, by divine mandate, committed to writing and set forth as an everlasting record. Hence, those things which are presented to us in Scripture should be accepted with full faith and with the recognition that they are far removed from all falsehood. – Commentary on the Sentences, Book I.

• St. Thomas Aquinas (13th century):
  
  

“It is unlawful to hold that any false assertion is contained either in the Gospel or in any canonical Scripture, or that the writers thereof have told untruths, because faith would be deprived of its certitude which is based on the authority of Holy Writ.” – Summa Theologiae, I, Q. 1, Art. 8.

• Theophilus of Antioch (2nd century):
  
  

“For these are the most excellent of created things seen in this world; but the divine beauty and might are seen in figures and shadowy types. Now, in all things, not only by thought, but also from the [Old Testament] Scriptures, which are truly divine, and from the [New Testament] spirit, God is known as the cause.” – To Autolycus, Book I, Chapter 4.

• Cyprian of Carthage (3rd century):
  
  

“For the things which are placed in the Scriptures by the inspiration and command of God, suggest to us the compendium of truth, and do not allow faith to waver in the questions proposed.” – Letters 73:16.

• Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3.1.1) – “We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures.”

• Athanasius (Letter 39) – “The sacred and divinely inspired Scriptures are sufficient for the exposition of the truth.”

In Basil’s letter to Eustathius the physician, it is written:

They are charging me with innovation and base their charge on my confession of three hypostases, and blame me for asserting one Goodness, one Power, one Godhead. In this, they are not wide of the truth, for I do so assert. Their complaint is that their custom does not accept this, and that Scripture does not agree. What is my reply? I do not consider it fair that the custom which obtains among them should be regarded as a law and rule of orthodoxy. If custom is to be taken in proof of what is right, then it is certainly competent for me to put forward on my side the custom which obtains here. If they reject this, we are clearly not bound to follow them. Therefore, let God-inspired Scripture decide between us, and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the Word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth. Basil the Great, The Letters, Letter 189 (To Eustathius the Physician).

Elsewhere in Basil’s treatise on morality, he writes,

What is the mark of a faithful soul? To be in these dispositions of full acceptance on the authority of the words of Scripture, not venturing to reject anything nor making additions. For if “all that is not of faith is sin” as the Apostle says, and “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,” everything outside Holy Scripture, not being of faith, is sin. Basil the Great, The Morals, 72:1.

We are not content simply because this is the tradition of the Fathers. What is important is that the Fathers followed the meaning of the Scripture. Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit, Ch. 7.

The Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans CH. 4

I do not, like Peter and Paul, issue commandments unto you. They were apostles; I am but a condemned man: they were free, while I am, even until now, a servant.

Athanasius (293-373) – Bishop of Alexandria. “The Holy Scripture is mightier than all synods . . . The Bible is a book wholly inspired by God from beginning to end . . . each Psalm has been spoken and composed by the Holy Spirit . . . Let no man add to these (66 books), neither let him take aught from these.”

Augustine (354-430) – Bishop of Hippo. “I have learned to . . . respect and honor only . . . the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error.  And if in these writings I am perplexed by anything which appears to me opposed to the truth, I do not hesitate to suppose that either the manuscript is faulty, or the translator has not caught the meaning of what was said, or I myself have failed to understand it.

“I have learned to hold the Scriptures alone inerrant.

“Do not follow my writings as Holy Scripture.  When you find in Holy Scripture anything you did not believe before, believe it without doubt: but in my writings, you should hold nothing for certain.

 “Let us give in and yield our assent to the authority of Holy Scripture, which knows not how either to be deceived or to deceive.

“It seems to me that the most disastrous consequences must follow upon our believing that anything false is found in the sacred books: that is to say, that the men by whom the Scripture has been given to us and committed to writing, did put down in these anything false.  If you once admit into such a high sanctuary of authority one false statement, there will not be left a single sentence of those books, which, if appearing to anyone difficult in practice or hard to believe, may not by the same fatal rule be explained away as a statement, in which, intentionally, the author declared what was not true.”

“For I confess to your Charity that I have learned to yield this respect and honor only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error. And if in these writings I am perplexed by anything which appears to me opposed to truth, I do not hesitate to suppose that either the manuscript is faulty, or the translator has not caught the meaning of what was said, or I myself have failed to understand it. As to all other writings, in reading them, however great the superiority of the authors to myself in sanctity and learning, I do not accept their teaching as true on the mere ground of the opinion being held by them; but only because they have succeeded in convincing my judgment of its truth either by means of these canonical writings themselves, or by arguments addressed to my reason. I believe, my brother, that this is your own opinion as well as mine. I do not need to say that I do not suppose you to wish your books to be read like those of prophets or of apostles, concerning which it would be wrong to doubt that they are free from error.”

• Letter 82 of St Augustine (to St. Jerome)