What if I told you that many Christians unknowingly put the Bible above Jesus?

That might sound shocking—maybe even offensive. After all, isn’t the Bible God’s Word?

The Pharisees memorized the Scriptures, debated them, defended them—but when God Himself stood before them, they didn’t recognize Him. Worse, they used the Scriptures to justify rejecting Him.

Could we be doing the same today?

Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught to trust the book more than the Person it reveals. To cling to verses more than we cling to His voice. To defend doctrines instead of following the Living Word—Jesus Himself.

I know, because I did exactly that.

For the first five years of my faith, I was all in.

I had gone through Bible college, completed an internship, led as a national director for an international Christian organization, and traveled as a speaker. I took my faith, the Bible, and life very seriously.

Then I became a youth and social worker—and everything changed.

The Christian clichés and church answers that made sense in the building didn’t work in the real world.

• Quoting scripture to a struggling teen didn’t connect.

• Giving Bible-based answers to a solo mum in crisis felt like speaking gibberish—and was completely unhelpful.

One evening, in my frustration, I sat with Jesus.

"This stuff works in the church," I told Him. "Why doesn’t it work in real life?"

And then He showed me: I had elevated my knowledge of the Bible above knowing Him.

The 30-Day Challenge That Changed Everything

One thing He challenged me to do was set aside my Bible and daily podcasts for 30 days—not because they weren’t valuable, but because He wanted me to learn how to hear His voice in every situation.

At first, I was convinced this idea was from the devil. “The Bible is God’s Word!” I protested.

But what I quickly realized was that I had confused the book with the Person, the written word with the Living Word, the inspired text with the indwelling Spirit.

And Jesus was inviting me to reprioritize Him above all.

The First Test

The very next day, the mother of a client shared that she was having intense clashes with her husband.

He was a good man—I had met him before—but their marriage was in turmoil.

As she spoke, scriptures flooded my mind. Christian clichés and Bible-based answers came automatically. I suddenly became aware of my default setting—responding with scripture as an unconscious reflex.

But this time, I stopped myself.

I waited to hear His voice.

And then, Holy Spirit gave me a very specific question and piece of advice—something I would have never thought of on my own.

The moment I shared it, she broke down in tears. She suddenly saw her part in the conflict, called her husband, and—right there on the phone—he broke down too.

For the first time, they truly understood each other. Misunderstanding turned into breakthrough. Tears became reconciliation.

That was just the beginning. Over the next 30 days, this happened again and again.

I started seeing that true wisdom comes from the Living Word, not just the written word.

Don’t misunderstand or misinterpret what I'm saying—the Bible is a heavenly gift and there is no other book like it. And I will continue to cherish it for the rest of my life, as I have since I first encountered Jesus.

But I had unknowingly elevated it above Jesus Himself.

And I see this dilemma everywhere. Christians defending doctrines but missing the Person. Following a book instead of following the One it points to.

“But Aren’t We Supposed to Follow Both?”

That’s a fair question—many say, “We follow both the Bible and Jesus. They’re not in conflict.”

But here’s the issue: What happens when they seem to be?

• Jesus says, “Love your enemies”—but the Old Testament commands Israel to “destroy them all.”

• Jesus says, “Turn the other cheek”—but the Law says, “An eye for an eye.”

• Jesus forgives an adulterous woman—yet the Law demands she be stoned.

If we follow both equally, then we’re left with contradictions. But Jesus made it clear:

“You have heard it said… but I say to you.” (Matthew 5:21-22)

He wasn’t just quoting Scripture—He was overriding it with a greater revelation.

If Jesus is the full and final revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-3), then everything—including Scripture—must be interpreted through Him.

The Bible leads us to Jesus, but Jesus alone defines who God truly is.

Scripture informs, but the Spirit transforms.

So the real question isn’t “Do we follow both?”—it’s “Who holds the highest authority when there’s a difference?”

The answer, every time, must be Jesus.

The Bible Points to Jesus, but Jesus Is the Destination

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” — John 5:39-40

Jesus made it painfully clear to the Pharisees: You can know the Scriptures and still miss God.

And if we’re not careful, we can too.

• The Bible is inspired—but Jesus is God.

• The Bible contains truth—but Jesus is the Truth.

• The Bible points to life—but Jesus is the Life.

We are blessed to have both today—but only One is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)

Let’s unpack why so many Christians unknowingly place the Bible above Jesus—and what it means to truly follow Him.

People crave black-and-white answers—a rulebook, a formula, a checklist. The Bible, when treated as a static, all-equal text, gives that illusion.

Most people prefer a predictable system over a living relationship. It’s easier to follow a list of doctrines than to trust a Person. But Jesus disrupts that certainty by showing that God is not always what we assumed.

"Certainty is the enemy of faith." — Oswald Chambers

Faith isn't certainty; it's trust in a Person.

Jesus said:

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39)

If the Bible was enough, the Pharisees would have recognized Jesus instantly. Instead, they weaponized Scripture against Him.

"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." — Leonard Ravenhill

When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, forgave sins, and redefined God’s character, religious leaders clung to what was written instead of what was happening.

Why? Fear.

• If Jesus is the full revelation of God,

• Then some Old Testament understandings of God were incomplete.

That’s terrifying for those who’ve built their faith on biblical inerrancy instead of Christ.

For centuries, many church traditions have taught:

• The Bible is the foundation of our faith.

• The Old Testament’s violent God is just as accurate as Jesus.

• God must be both love and wrath, because “the Bible says.”

But Jesus never said, "Follow Scripture." He said, "Follow me."

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

If Jesus fully reveals God, then any conflicting image in Scripture must be re-examined through His life and teachings.

Many Christians fear that if the Bible isn’t equal to God, then it loses authority.

But let’s step back:

• The early church didn’t have Bibles.

• The New Testament wasn't even written yet when Christianity spread like wildfire.

• The first Christians followed the Spirit, not a book.

• The apostles didn’t say, "Read this," but "Come and see."

The Bible is inspired, but it is not God. The Bible serves to point us to Him, not replace Him.

God didn’t so love the world that He gave a book. He so loved the world that He gave His Son.

Many Christians fear that prioritizing Jesus over the Bible will lead to deception.

But Jesus promised:

“The Holy Spirit... will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13)

If we trust the Bible but don’t trust the Holy Spirit, we have a problem.

If Jesus is our perfect example, then we should read the Bible through Him—not alongside Him as an equal authority.

“Some people read their Bibles in Hebrew, some in Greek; I like to read mine in the Holy Ghost.” — Smith Wigglesworth

If we treat the Bible as a flat book—where every verse carries equal weight—we run into contradictions:

• Jesus says, “Love your enemies.”

• The Old Testament says, “Destroy them all.”

• Jesus says, “Turn the other cheek.”

• The Law says, “Eye for an eye.”

If Jesus fully reveals God, then some Scriptures are human perspectives, not God's final word.

“Jesus is what God has to say.” — Peter Enns

A book can be controlled. A living Jesus cannot.

Jesus constantly challenged religious mindsets:

“You have heard it said... but I say to you…” (Matthew 5:21-22)

If Jesus is still speaking today, then our faith isn’t about memorizing verses—it’s about staying in step with Him.

That requires trust, surrender, and a willingness to be wrong.

Imagine you're given a beautifully detailed map of a vast, breathtaking mountain range. The map marks every trail, every peak, and every river crossing. You study it, memorize it, and trust it to guide your journey.

But then, just as you set out, the very One who created the mountains walks up beside you and says, "Follow me."

Now you have a choice: Will you keep your eyes glued to the map, or will you trust the Guide who knows every hidden path, every shortcut, and every danger ahead?

The Bible is the map. Jesus is the Guide. The map is trustworthy, but it was never meant to replace the One who walks with us. The Pharisees held onto the map so tightly that they rejected the Guide when He stood right in front of them.

Let’s not make the same mistake.

Understanding Scripture is good—knowing the Author is better.

To truly follow Jesus, we must:

• See the Bible as a signpost, not the destination.

• Interpret all Scripture through Jesus, not the other way around.

• Trust the Holy Spirit’s leading, not just the text on a page.

• Let go of fear-based theology and embrace God’s love.

It’s not about rejecting Scripture—it’s about letting Jesus define how we read it.

The real question is: Are we willing to trust Jesus more than our theological systems?

Maybe the scariest thing isn’t letting go of old ideas—maybe it’s realizing God is better than we ever imagined.

Related reading:

• How To Read The Bible With & Through Jesus

• The Bible Contradicts Itself—And You Better Not Fall For It

• Is God Actually Like Jesus? The OT and God's Nature

• Why Jesus Must Be the Foundation of Our Theology