Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Timothy 3:14
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them];
14. But continue thou ] ‘Thou’ emphatic; ‘continue,’ better abide, i.e. make no downward progress, go not astray: the construction of the next clause illustrates the brevity of the Greek use of the relative; lit. ‘in those things which thou didst learn, and as to which thou wert fully persuaded.’ The last verb occurs here only in N.T. But it is a good classical word.
which thou hast learned ] The three past tenses of this verse are aorists, and should be rendered didst learn, wert assured, didst learn. A definite time is implied when the learning and the assurance came, in that early youth.
knowing of whom ] ‘Knowing as thou dost’ as in 2Ti 2:23. The plural ‘of what persons’ should be read. Lois and Eunice must be understood, as in 2Ti 1:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of – To wit, the truths of religion. Timothy had been taught those truths when a child, and he had been confirmed in them by the instructions of Paul. Amidst the errors and seductions of false teachers, Paul now exhorts him to hold fast those doctrines, whoever might oppose them, or whatever might be the consequence; compare the notes at 2Ti 1:13.
Knowing of whom thou hast learned them – To wit, of his mother 2Ti 1:5, and of Paul; 2Ti 1:13. The reference seems to be particularly to the fact that he had learned these truths first from the lips of a mother (see 2Ti 3:15); and the doctrine taught here is, that the fact that we have received the views of truth from a parents lips, is a strong motive for adhering to them. It is not to be supposed, indeed, that this is the highest motive, or that we are always to adhere to the doctrines which have been taught us, if, on maturer examination, we are convinced they are erroneous; but that this is a strong reason for adhering to what we have been taught in early life. It is so, because:
(1)A parent has no motive for deceiving a child, and it cannot be supposed that he would teach him what he knew to be false;
(2)A parent usually has had much more experience, and much better opportunities of examining what is true, than his child has;
(3)There is a degree of respect which nature teaches us to be due to the sentiments of a parent.
A child should depart very slowly from the opinions held by a father or mother; and, when it is done, it should be only as the result of prolonged examination and prayer. These considerations should have the greater weight, if a parent has been eminent for piety, and especially if that parent has been removed to heaven. A child, standing by the grave of a pious father or mother, should reflect and pray much, before he deliberately adopts opinions which he knows that father or mother would regard as wrong.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Ti 3:14-15
Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned.
Service must be constant and faithful
Gods servants must continue constant in the truth received. They must not play fast and loose, be off and on; but they must be still the same, like well-tuned bells, which have the same note in foul weather as they have in fair (Job 1:21), we must hold fast the truth (1Th 5:21), abide in it and walk in it (Rev 3:3).
1. This constancy is a note of sincerity, then are we Christs disciples indeed, when we abide in the truth (Joh 8:32; Job 2:3), when no storms nor tempests can remove us from it, but we stand like Mount Sion, which never moves, and, like seasoned timber, never warps nor yields.
2. All the promises of heaven and happiness run only to such as are faithful to the death (Rev 2:10), endure to the end (Mat 24:13), and continue in faith (Rom 2:7; Mat 10:22; Col 1:22-23; Heb 3:6; Heb 3:14).
3. Lay a good foundation, dig deep; he that will build high, must lay levy. Our learning doth not hinder but further the work of the Spirit in our souls. Timothy, that had a plentiful measure of the Spirit (for he was an Evangelist), yet must give himself to reading and meditation still. As Moses was faithful, and would not part with a hoof to Pharaoh, so we must not part with a tittle of Gods truth to His enemies; for all truths, even the least, are precious; truth is like gold, which is glorious in the ray and spangle, as well as in the wedge. As it is in practicals, he that makes no conscience of little sins, will quickly be drawn to greater; so it is true, and holds in doctrinals, lie that admits of a little error, will soon be drawn to a greater. Though every truth be not fundamental, yet every truth is a guard to the foundation, the outer skin of an apple lies remote from the heart, yet if you pluck that off the heart will soon be rotten. The linger is not a vital part, but a gangrene in the finger will, in a short time, reach to the very vitals and corrupt the blood with the spirits. Not only the garment of truth, but the fringes thereof are useful, and must be preserved (Num 15:38-40). We experimentally see that those who forsake truth, in discipline, quickly fall to errors in doctrine. We shall hardly find a man that errs in the one, to be found in the other. As therefore we must count no sin small, so we must esteem no error small; for the least truth of Gods kingdom doth in its place uphold the whole kingdom of His truth.
4. If you preserve the truth it will preserve you in the hour of temptation, as Solomon says of wisdom (Pro 4:8).
5. It is a great honour to a person or nation to be the conservators and preservers of the truths of God. It is not only our duty, but our glory. There are many spiritual cheaters abroad; the greater will our honour be in maintaining Gods truth against them all. Say not I am but one, and a weak one too, but remember what great things the Lord did by Athanasius and Luther. (T. Hall, B. D.)
The excellency of the teacher makes the doctrine the more taking
This we see even in human and moral learning, the Platonic doctrine grew famous because it was professed by Socrates, and the Peripatetic by Aristotle. The scholars of Pythagoras did so confide in the dictates of their master, that when any one asked them a reason of what they held, they would give no other answer but Our master said so. Young ministers should suspect their own judgments when they vary from a holy, aged Calvin Beza, and all the churches of God. As young lawyers and physicians observe the principles and practices of the serious and grave professors of their way, especially when grounded on maxims and rules of art, so should young divines. It ill becomes a young raw physician to contradict a whole college of physicians, or a puny lawyer a bench of judges, or a young divine a whole assembly of divines. (T. Hall, B. D.)
Continuance in the faith
I. The things in which we are to continue.
1. We must learn those things in which we are to continue.
2. The things in which we are commanded to continue are the things of which we have been assured.
II. In what respects we are to continue in them.
1. We must continue in the belief of them.
2. We must continue to profess that truth which we believe.
3. We must continue in the practical improvement of the truth. What is the chaff to the wheat? Such is every other doctrine to the doctrine of the Bible; and its energy and effects are proportioned to its excellency, when it is received with faith and love. (G. Lawson, D. D.)
The necessity of correct belief
Comprehensively, we may say that there are two things to be noticed in this passage: first, that the proper use and end of all religious know ledge is the promotion of good conduct and character; and, secondly, that there is a definite and important relation between certain truths and certain moral results. The same fruits will not follow as well from one set of principles as from another. Right belief has much to do with right conduct. Believing is the basis of all instruction and education. Every parent, every teacher, every moralist, as well as every preacher of righteousness, holds that human life and conduct will largely depend upon the things that men are taught to believe. There has sprung up a popular notion that it makes no difference what a man believes concerning religion if only he be sincere. There is just enough truth in the phrase, in some of its applications, to make it plausible, and to give it currency. And so it has come to be a proverb. When it is said, It matters little what a mans creed is if his life be right, if it meant, It matters little what a mans head knowledge is, so that he is sound in his heart, and by sincerity is intended, not sincerity in belief, but sincerity in life or godliness, a great truth is expressed–a truth that is not enough recognised. In education it is of great importance what sort of truth you employ, for some kinds of teaching are a great deal more likely to produce godliness than others. But, whatever the teaching has been, if the man is a good man, however strange it may appear that such a creed should have such a disciple, however far he may be from the average results which ordinarily follow the teaching of such things as he believes, his godliness is to be acknowledged in spite of the beliefs. There are thousands that are not half as good as they ought to be, considering the things that they believe. A mans creed does not necessarily make him good. And there are thousands that are better than their creeds. But generally this maxim does not mean sincerity of life in the form of godliness; it means that it does not matter what a man believes, so that he only believes it sincerely. The first question then, that arises, is this: What are we to understand by a mans belief? Do we understand by it simply those things of which he has an intellectual conception? Do they amount to a belief? Truth that touches a man not merely through a cold perception, but through some warm feeling–that is the kind of truth the Scripture teaches to constitute belief. It may be intellectually conceived; but no moral truth and no social truth is ever presented so as to be believed, unless it be presented in such a way as to carry sympathy and feeling with it–and that is not the case with all kinds of truth. Physical truths, scientific truths, do not touch the feelings, and do not need to. Arithmetic deals with truths that have no relation directly, except with the understanding. They never come with desire, sorrow, pity, or emotion of any sort. Bat all truths that relate to dispositions in men, to moral duties–they never stop with the understanding, but touch the feeling as well. A man cannot be said to believe a moral truth unless he believes it so that he carries some emotion with it. And, in this respect, it makes great difference what a man believes. Let us, then, look at this a little in the light of the experience of men in this world. In regard to the truths of the physical economy of the globe, does it make any difference what a man believes? Would it make any difference to a machinist whether he thought lead was as good for tools as steel? Would it make any difference to a man in respect to the industries of life if he thought that a triangle was as good as a circular wheel in machinery? In respect to the quality of substances, the forms of substances, the combination of substances, and the nature of motive powers, does success depend upon sincere believing or on right believing? Suppose a man should think that it made no difference what he believed, and should say to himself, I wish to raise corn, but I have not the seed; so I will take some ashes and plant them; and I believe sincerely that they are as good as corn, would he have a crop of corn? What would his sincerity avail? Take one thing further. There are affectional and social truths. Does it make no difference what a man believes in respect to these? Is there no difference between pride, vanity, and selfishness on the one hand, and tenderness, sympathy, and love on the other? As it is with the lower forms of moral truth, so experience teaches us it is with the higher forms of moral truth. There is a definite and heaven-appointed connection between the things a man holds to be true, and the results that follow in that mans mind. All truths are not alike important, and all truths do not show the effects of being believed or rejected with equal rapidity. There are many truths which bear such a relation to our every-day life, that the fruit of believing or rejecting appears almost at once. These are spring truths, that come up and bear fruit early in the season. There are other truths that require time for working out their results. They are summer truths, and the fruit of belief or disbelief does not ripen till July or August. Other truths, in respect to showing the results of belief or disbelief, are like late autumnal fruits, that require the whole winter to develop their proper juices. Thus it is a matter of great importance whether a man believes in his obligation to God or not; whether he believes that he is sinful or not; whether he believes in the necessity of the influence of the Spirit in regeneration. A mans belief is not the only thing that works upon him. There is a great mistake in saying that as a man believes so is he, if you mean that his character depends upon his belief in any technical theological truth. What a man is depends in a great measure upon his father and mother, and brothers and sisters, and friends; that is, it depends partly on the things that he believes, and partly upon the influences that are working upon him in the family, in the society, and in the party to which he belongs. There are a thousand and one circumstances that have much to do with what a man is; and his character is not formed alone by his technical beliefs. Let us apply the foregoing reasonings and explanations to the more important truths which we are appointed to preach. We preach, then, that this life is a very transient scene; that we are strangers and pilgrims here; that we are started here to be transplanted; that we are undergoing a process of education in this life with reference to a life to come. We are taught in the Word of God that all men are sin-struck, and that every man that lives needs the grace, and forbearance, and forgiveness of God, and moral renovation at the hands of God. If a man believes that he is good enough, of course he becomes listless, and heedless, and inattentive. If another man by his side believes that he is sinful, and needs to be born again, with what a constantly quickened and watchful conscience must he needs live! and how, with all his moral power, must he perpetually strive to live a godly life? Does it make no difference what a man believes in respect to the character of God, the nature of the Divine government in this world, its claims upon us, and our obligations under it? What, then, is the application, finally, of this? It is just this: that, according to the tenour of the passage from which our text is taken, it makes all the difference in the world which you believe in respect to those truths that are connected with godliness–with purity of thought, purity of motive, purity of disposition. You must believe right about them. If there are any truths to be indifferent about, they are those that relate to your worldly good; and if there are any truths that you cannot afford to be indifferent about, they are those that relate to your character, to your immortality, and to the eternity that awaits you. Indeed, your character and destiny depend upon your beliefs in truth. If, then, any of you have hitherto been reading the Word of God as a book of curiosity, I beseech you remember that it is not made known to you for the purpose of curiosity. It is made known to you to be your guide from sin, from sorrow, from earthly trouble, toward immortality, and toward glory. Now when I sit in my house, where there is no gale, and with no ship, and read my chart out of curiosity, I read it as you sometimes read your Bible. You say, Here is the headland of depravity; and there is a lighthouse–born again; and here is the channel of duty. And yet every one of you has charge of a ship–the human soul. Evil passions are fierce winds that are driving it. This Bible is Gods chart for you to steer by, to keep you from the bottom of the sea, and to show you where the harbour is, and how to reach it without running on rocks or bars. Is is the book of life; it is the book of everlasting life; so take heed how to read it. In reading it, see that you have the truth, and not the mere semblance of it. You cannot live without it. (H. W. Beecher.)
Value of personal conviction
Without this subjective conviction of the heart, it would not have been possible for Timothy to hold out in the things he had learned, amid so many persecutions. (Van Oosterzee.)
Continue
The capital word in this injunction is doubtless continue. Timothys teachers had been his grandmother Lois, his mother Eunice, and the apostle Paul himself. From his childhood he had been taught in the Scriptures, and now the apostle urges him to remain steadfast in his early teaching. But was such an exhortation consistent with the greater light that would come to the young learner as he grew older and increased in knowledge? Might he not have occasion to change his beliefs, to revise his creed, as he made intellectual advancement? Let us see if he was right. What relation should subsist between the things learned and the increasing light of greater knowledge? It should be kept in mind that, notwithstanding much shifting of positions in human thought, the essence of religion remains unchanged; it is fundamentally the same. There are those who seem to think that greater light will revolutionise all our beliefs, and that therefore it is folly to cling so tenaciously to the old orthodox positions in religion or anything else. Suppose for a moment that this were true. Then there could be no certainty, no assurance. We should not dare to pin our faith to anything in religion or science or common sense. Even those mathematical truths that have been so confidently held as axioms would stand on an insecure foundation, for who knows that further research might not shatter them, and raze to the ground the proud superstructure? Besides, these progressive thinkers themselves, who advocate certain theories with so much gusto, are guilty of folly; for, according to their own hypothesis, new light may change their beliefs, and prove them but the phantoms of a day. Do you see where this theory, that all our knowledge is in a fluctuating state, subject to constant change, will land us? In the harbour of nowhere? Let those who will sail tor that port. Many of us prefer a definite destination after the voyage of life is over, and a more reliable guiding star while it lasts. But let us look around us for analogies. Are there not many things that abide amid all changes? The zephyrs still blow softly on the blushing cheek, the storm still howls, the stars still twinkle, the waves still roll and dash upon the shore, men still breathe and eat and sleep and love, as they did in the olden times; that is, the fundamental things continue. And the like is true of the principles of Christianity; amid all fluctuations the foundation of God standeth sure, and we still have hope as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. (Christian Globe.)
Things learnt at school
1. First among these special lessons of a public school, I will place the value of time. I know not how to express my sense of what we all owe to what I may call a life of compulsory order. Every little duty of the day has, with us, its place and its time.
2. I will mention as one of the lessons of a place like this, the forming a right estimate of yourselves. It is one of the greatest benefits of this kind of education, that it leaves you in no doubt as to your comparative powers and attainments. Be not presumptuous, be not arrogant, be not self-confident. Take a just, not a fanciful, estimate of yourselves, both ways.
3. A third important lesson learned here is, the necessity and the power of adapting yourselves to a variety of persons and circumstances.
4. A fourth lesson here learned is the meaning of a social as opposed to a selfish life.
5. There is a fifth thing taught here, as it can scarcely be but by a system of public education, and that is the great lesson of the consequences of actions.
6. All these things are true, and capable of much enforcement, but I hasten to that chief lesson of all, without which all else would be poor indeed–I mean, the Divine aspect of life; its relation to God Himself through Christ, as our present help, our one hope and object, the very stay and strength and life of our life. That surely is the meaning of all our meetings for worship. (Dean Vaughan.)
Continue in the things learnt
What are the things that you have learnt–what are the lessons that I would write upon your hearts in letters that the fire of experience shall bring to the light?
1. The dignity of work. Try to realise how much you owe to the labours of others who have gone before you, and try to labour for others in your turn. Do not be mere triflers and spendthrifts. Lay one stone, if it be one only, in the temple of human progress. Seek to learn something and to do something that is good.
2. The sovereignty of conscience. The age in which we live is democratic. Vox populi vox Dei is its watchword. Let me warn you against that great and fruitful error. There is no Divinity in numbers. God reveals Himself not to the many, but to the few. The greatest crime ever wrought was wrought by one who desired to do the peoples pleasure. You may sympathise with the people as much as you like, you may hold it right that the will of the people should be done; but nothing that the people say or do can alter by one baits breadth the law of right and wrong for you.
3. The duty of philanthropy. Every generation has its own duties and responsibilities. Nobody can tell why certain questions arise at a particular time and come to the fore; it is Gods will. And there can be no doubt that the distinguishing duty of your generation will be to soften and hallow the lives of the toiling poor.
4. How shall you do this? What shall be your motive power in this great work? It shall be the fourth–the last–of the principles which I have impressed upon you, and which I leave with you as a legacy of remembrance–the paramount value of religion. I thank God, said Lord Russell on the scaffold–I thank God for having given me a religious education; for even when I forgot it most, it still hung about me and gave me checks. May it be so with you! May religion be your guide, controlling, inspiring, leading you ever to a higher and diviner life! (J. E. C. Welldon, M. A.)
Pauls charge to Timothy
Yield to the influence of authority in doctrine and life. But continue thou in the things which thou hast heard and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. This advice is strangely unlike what we are accustomed to hear. Our time is impatient of authority. The new Timothy is exhorted to be perfectly unbiassed in the formation of his religious opinions. He must go back to the sources of things, if he can; if he cannot, he must improvise opinions, and thereafter be his own authority. Unverified personal impressions, and conclusions hastily reached, are better than the testimony of the wisest and most faithful witnesses touching the doctrines and duties and experiences of Christs religion. To Paul it seemed far otherwise. He would have Timothy strongly biassed in favour of the teaching which he received in youth, by the Christian character of those who taught him. Grandmother Lois and mother Eunice gave the testimony of experts. They knew whereof they affirmed. Religion was not to them a matter of opinion merely, it was a life. Their faith was unfeigned. It had power to rule their lives. Why should not their teachings take on an authoritative quality from their lives? The limits of authority must be carefully set. Discriminations must be made. Profane and old wives fables must be avoided. But the authoritative teaching of a holy life is not to be disregarded because unholy lives assume to be authoritative. Mental freedom is to be coveted; but the freedom which assumes that each age must begin anew the study of the ways of God with men is too great. (Monday Club Sermons.)
From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures.
The Holy Scriptures
So here what a largo encomium and high commendation the Holy Ghost gives of the Scriptures, even such as is given to no other book in the world besides.
1. He commends them in respect of one special property and adjunct, viz, their holiness. The holy Scriptures.
2. From their effects: they are able to make us wise unto salvation.
3. From their authority, utility, perfection.
Now the Scriptures are called holy in five respects.
1. In respect of their Author and principal cause–viz., the most holy God.
2. In respect of the penmen and instrumental cause: they were holy men of God (2Pe 1:21).
3. In respect of their matter: they treat of the holy things of God; they teach nothing that is impure or profane. They teach us holiness in doctrine and practice.
4. in respect of their end and effect–viz., our sanctification (Joh 17:17). By reading, hearing, and meditating on Gods Word the Holy Ghost doth sanctify us (Psa 19:8-9).
5. By way of distinction and opposition; they are called holy to distinguish them not only from human and profane, but also from all ecclesiastical writings.
1. This must teach us to bring pure minds to the reading, hearing, and handling of Gods holy Word.
2. Take heed of profaning the holy Scriptures by playing with thorn, or making jests out of them.
3. Love the Scriptures for their purity; as God is to be loved for His purity, so is His Word.
Many love it for the history, or for novelty, but a gracious soul loves it for its purity, because it arms him against sin, directs him in Gods ways, enables him for duty, discovers to him the snares of sin and Satan, and so makes him wiser than his enemies. The Word of God alone is able to make us wise unto salvation (Psa 19:7; Luk 16:28; Luk 16:19; Joh 5:39; Joh 20:31; Jam 1:22; Jam 1:25). No other knowledge can bring us to salvation, but only the know-lodge of the holy Scripture. The Word of God cannot save nor profit us without faith. Such is our blindness, deadness, dulness, yea, enmity against the Word, that without faith we cannot see, conceive, or receive it (1Co 2:14; Rom 1:16; Heb 4:2; Joh 3:19-20). If a man offer us never so good an alms, yet unless we have an eye to see it, with a hand and heart to receive it, we are never the better for the tender of it.
1. Observe. Parents ought to instruct their children betimes in the Word of God. It is good seasoning the vessel betimes with goodness. It is a singular mercy to have good parents, and specially a good mother, for she being much about her children hath many opportunities of dropping good things into her little Lemuels, as Bathsheba did into Solomon (Pro 31:1). The mothers of the kings of Israel are constantly mentioned, and as they were good or evil, so were their children. But at what ago would you have parents begin to teach their children? So soon as over they begin to learn wickedness, we should teach them goodness; so soon as ever they begin to curse and swear, we should teach thorn to bless and pray. There are many reasons why youth should be seasoned betimes with good principles.
1. In respect of that natural rudeness and ignorance which cleaves so close unto them (Ecc 3:18; Job 11:12; Jer 4:22; Jer 10:14). We are all by nature like wild ass colts, unteachable, untractable.
2. The Lord oft blesses this seasoning in youth with good success.
3. It is usually blessed with continuance and perseverance; such as are good young are oft good long; what the vessel is first seasoned withal it will have a taste of it a long time after.
4. This is an excellent means to propagate goodness to posterity. As we see here, Timothys grandmother teacheth his mother, and his mother teacheth him, and he teacheth the Church of God, etc. So if you teach your children, they will teach their children, and thou mayest be a means to propagate Gods truth and honour from one generation to another. So that you may comfort yourselves when you come to die that yet your piety shall not die, but shall survive in your posterity, who shall stand up in your stead to profess Gods name and truth before a sinful world.
5. Such well-bred and timely-taught children are usually great comforts and ornaments to their parents (Pro 23:15-16; Pro 23:24-25), as we see in Abol, Joseph, Samuel, Josiah (2Ch 34:3), Obadiah (1Ki 18:18; 1Ki 18:12), David, Daniel, Jeremy.
6. Children are the seminary and nursery, of the Church and commonwealth; now, as our seminaries and seed-plots are, such is the nation; as the parents, house, and school are, such are towns and cities.
7. Youth is most teachable and tractable, like soft wax or clay fit to be formed and framed to anything, ready to take any impression. Like a tender twig you may bend it which way you please, but let it grow to be a tree, and you may sooner break it than bend it. We should therefore take this fit season of seasoning youth betimes with saving truths, and killing the weeds of sin which begin to appear in their lives. No creature so wild but it may be tamed if taken whilst young. We see those that would teach or tame horses, lions, hawks, dogs, bears, they begin with them betimes; the horse is broken whilst a colt, and the lion tamed whilst it is a whelp, etc. As in the Ark there was the rod and manna, so in every well ordered family there must be the manna of instruction and the rod of correction. It must stir up young persons to devote the flower and best of their days unto God, who is the best of beings. Show me any that can show better title to thy youth than God can do, and let him take it. He gives the best wages, and so deserves the best work; godliness hath the promise (Pro 22:4; Mat 6:33; 1Ti 4:8). And if we serve Him in our good days, He will help us in our evil ones; if we spend our youth in His service, He will support us and supply us in our old age (Isa 46:3-4). If it were in our power, yet we may in no wise deal so disingenuously with our God as to give the devil the marrow of our youth, and reserve the dry bones of our old age for God. It is no wisdom to lay the greatest load on the weakest horse. Old age (though in itself it be a blessing) yet is accompanied with many troubles, sicknesses, and diseases; they are the dregs, the lees, the winter of our days. As all rivers meet in the sea, so all diseases meet in old age–hence it is called the evil day (Ecc 12:3-5), etc. Then the eyes grow dim, the ears deaf, the hands tremble, and the legs are feeble, and the memory fails. (T. Hall, B. D.)
Religion in youth
1. It is more easy; anything taken when it is young is more easily wrought upon. A twig is easily bent; a disease taken in the beginning is easily cured, when everything by delay grows worse. When the fingers are grown stiff, it is ill learning to play on the lute. An old disease is hardly cured. The longer a tree grows, the harder it is to pull up. The further a nail is driven, the harder it is to pull it out again. The acting of sin strengthens the habit, and when sin is become habitual, connatural, and customary, it is hardly cured (Jer 13:23; Isa 26:10).
2. It is more fruitful; we shall do more good, and receive more good; to him that hath shall be given. We shall bring forth much penitential fruit, which will bring much glory to God, and in glorifying Him lieth our glory (Job 15:8). Suppose a man should never repent till he were old and ready to die; though such a man may be saved, yet his graces are not so conspicuous, nor can he do that good, nor bring that glory to God as a young man that begins betimes to serve Him. It is a thrifty course to be an early convert; the sooner we submit to the Spirits conduct the better, the more peace and liberty we shall attain.
3. It is more beautiful and lovely. Everything is beautiful in its season (Ecc 3:11); now Gods usual season for repentance is when we are young.
4. We shall resemble the servants of God; all their obedience hath been prompt and speedy. They are endued with the wisdom which is from above, which is easily entreated to any goodness.
5. Consider the shortness and uncertainty of our days. It is a notable spur to speedy repentance; for as presumption of long life doth harden men, so realising of death, and looking on it as present, doth quicken and awaken men. Now our life in Scripture is compared to a span that is soon measured (Psa 39:5); to a tale that is soon told (Psa 90:9); to a vapour that quickly vanisheth (Jam 4:14); like a flower that soon fades (Isa 40:6-8; Job 14:2; Psa 102:11; Psa 103:15; Jam 1:10; 1Pe 1:24); like a post or a weavers shuttle that fly speedily (Job 7:6; Job 9:25).
6. The seasons of grace are short; time itself is short; but opportunity is much shorter. Every day in the year is not a fair day, and every day in the week is not a market day. Grace is not every days offer, and therefore we should walk in the light whilst we have the light.
7. In this we may learn wisdom from the men of the world. The smith strikes whilst his iron is hot; the husbandman makes hay whilst the sun shines. The mariner observes his wind and tide, the lawyer his terms, the chapman his fairs and markets, and the gardener his seasons. Yea, shall the stork, the crane, and the swallow know the time of their coming, and shall we not know the day of our visitation? (Jer 8:7). Doth the bee lose no fair day, and doth the ant in summer provide for winter? (Pro 6:8). And shall not we in the summer of youth provide for the winter of old age?
8. Neglecting the day of our visitation increaseth wrath, and provokes the Lord to cut off young persons in the flower of their days. If a man should every day be adding sticks to the fire, and oil to the flame, it must needs make the fire very terrible at last. (T. Hall, B. D.)
The Christian education of the young
1. From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures. That must have been a privilege of no slight importance in the estimation of Paul, which he considered worthy of peculiar mention, at such a time, and in his dying charge to his most beloved friend and companion. And when Timothy himself traced back the course of his life to his earlier years–when the memory of those youthful days rose upon his melting mind, as he perused the apostles touching allusion, he too would most readily acknowledge the gracious hand of providence in having thus blessed him with the inestimable advantages of an early religious education. Men, who deem themselves philosophers, may sneer at the knowledge of a child, and the piety of a child, thinking it impossible that childhood can intelligently either know or love God. How soon can it comprehend the meaning of a fathers authoritative and commanding frown, or the checking and controlling, yet affectionate smile of a mother! And, by the very simple process of combining these perceptions, and comparing in order to elevate them, how soon it may be taught to form some idea of a Being whose authoritative laws are similar, though vastly superior, to those of a father, and yet whose surpassing love, infinitely transcending that of a mother, shall endure when hers may have waxed cold, or waned utterly away, or been hid behind the darkness of the tomb!
II. Consider what is the advantage of being trained to know the holy Scriptures. This Paul declares to be, that they are able to make us wise unto salvation. It might be shown, had we at present scope for the investigation, that the wisdom of the world is wholly ineffectual for accomplishing the moral regeneration of man; nay, effectual only, or at least chiefly, in cultivating and enlarging his capacity of evil. It is the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, and that alone, which can make men wise unto salvation. Results so strikingly different must proceed from originating principles not less diametrically opposed. Let us, therefore, briefly examine some of the leading principles of the wisdom of the world, marking the contrast between them and those of the Scriptures. Now, the main intention of the worlds wisdom is, to fit men for living on this earth; that of the Scriptures, to prepare them for heaven. Plans constructed upon such very different principles, and for such very different ends, begin to diverge at their very commencement. The world trains children to a similarity with itself–with its pride, its luxury, its self-indulgence, its vanity, and its self-approbation; the Scripture principle is, the nurture and admonition of the Lord, self-denial, humility, acknowledgment of sin, and dependence upon God alone for help. The world inculcates the love of gain, as a ruling object; the Bible declares that the love of money is the root of all evil. The world is loud in its praises of these who acquire advancement and distinction in life; Christianity teaches us to be content with such things as we have, threatens the fall of the mighty and the proud, and pronounces a blessing upon the meek, the lowly, and the humble. The world allows, nay, inculcates, selfishness; Christianity bids us seek not our own welfare only, but also that of others. The world approves a bold, contentious spirit, as one likely to force it jostling way through all opposition; Scripture says, The servant of the Lord must not strive. The world allows dissimulation, selfish delusion, petty fraud, and all the thousand knaveries of common life and business; Christianity requires that the whole life and conduct should be characterised by the very transparency of truth, as ever in the presence of the God of truth and holiness.
III. We come now to offer some remarks on the principle of this saving wisdom–that by which it is accomplished, viz., Through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (W. M. Hetherington, M. A.)
Knowledge of Bible in youth
David Livingstone gained a New Testament in the Sabbath school when nine years old by repeating the 119th Psalm on two successive evenings with only five errors. (W. G. Blaikie.)
John Wesleys estimate of the Bible
I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit, coming from God, and returning to God: just hovering over the great gulf; a few moments hence, I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing–the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way. He hath written it down in a book. Oh, give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be a man of one book. Here, then, I am, far from the busy ways of men. I sit down alone; only God is here. In His presence I open, I read His book; for this end–to find the way to heaven.
The Bible and the family
One evening a man, who resided in Southwark, attended a missionarys meeting for the special purpose of lauding Paine and Voltaire as writers whose moral sentiments surpassed in beauty anything of the kind found in the Bible. What this objector to the gospel had to say was listened to with deference, and then he was asked if ever he had read the volume he contemned. Yes, he had read the Bible in common with other books. Have you a family? asked the missionary who was presiding over the little assembly. Yes, the speaker possessed a wife and little ones. Which, then, would he recommend to them–the life companion who was dear to him and the children whom he loved–Infidelity or Christianity? The company may have looked curiously to see what shape the infidels answer would assume, but they could little have suspected what its import would be. What was their astonishment when the champion of unbelief of a few minutes before burst into tears, and then cried, I never heard that kind of argument before. I would rather give them the Bible than any infidel book. (G. H. Pike.)
The Bible and the light of God
Lord Byron and Mr. Hobhouse explored together a cavern in Greece. They lost themselves in its abysses, and the guide confessed in alarm that he knew not how to recover the outlet. They roved in a state of despair from cave to cell. They climbed up narrow apertures, but found no way of escape. Their last torch was consuming; they were totally ignorant of their whereabouts, and all around was darkness. By chance they discerned through the gloom what proved to be a ray of light gleaming towards them. They hastened to follow it and arrived at the mouth of the cave. Would that all the torches which are blinding men to the light of God would burn out, and that speedily! Blessed be darkness and despair if through them men discern the beams which shine from heaven and reveal salvation. (H. Batchelor.)
Education of the youths
A lady was once talking with an archbishop upon the subject of juvenile education, and, after some time, the lady said, Well, my lord arch bishop, as for myself, I have made up my mind never to put my child under religious instruction until he has arrived at years of discretion. He replied, If you neglect your child all that time, the devil will not.
Early and lasting impressions
In our great museums you see stone slabs with the marks of rain that fell hundreds of years before Adam lived, and the footprint of some wild bird that passed across the beach in those olden times. The passing shower and the light foot left their prints on the soft sediment; then ages went on, and it has hardened into stone; and there they remain, and will remain for evermore. That is like a mans spirit; in the childish days so soft, so susceptible to all impressions, so joyous to receive new ideas, treasuring them all up, gathering them all into itself, retaining them all for ever. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.–
The Scriptures and Christ
Christ is the central theme of the Bibles prophecies. The hope of Christ echoes through its Psalms. Every page gains new meaning when brought into relation with Christ. In the great light houses along our coast reflectors of immense power are placed around the lamps. They are composed sometimes of as many as a thousand pieces of highly polished crystal. Each of these sends out its own image of the central light. All combine to form the refulgent beam that shines a score of miles across the sea. So from each separate part of the Bible Christ is in some way reflected, and when we recognise Him throughout, it is all bright with interest and truth.
The saving use of the Bible
There are many people to whom the Bible does not amount to much. If they merely look at the outside beauty, why, it will no more lead them to Christ than the Koran of Mahomet, or Washingtons farewell address, or the Shaster of the Hindoos. It is the inward light of Gods Word you must get or die. I came up to the Church of the Madeleine, in Paris, and looked at the doors, which were the most wonderfully constructed I ever saw, and I could have stayed there for a whole week; but I had only a little time, so having glanced at the wonderful carving on the doors, I passed in, and looked at the radiant altars and the sculptured dome. Alas, that so many stop at the outside door of Gods holy Word, looking at the rhetorical beauties, instead of going in and looking at the altars of sacrifice, and the dome of Gods mercy and salvation that hovers over every penitent and believing soul. Oh, my friends, if you merely want to study the laws of language, do not go to the Bible. It was not made for that. Take Howes Elements of Criticism–it will be better than the Bible for that. If you want to study metaphysics, better than the Bible will be the writings of William Hamilton. But if you want to know how to have sin pardoned, and at last to gain the blessedness of heaven, search the Scriptures, for in them ye have eternal life. (T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.)
Wise unto salvation through faith
The addition is remarkable. St. Pauls experience had taught him that without that faith the study of the sacred writings might lead only to endless questionings and logomachies. Targums and the Talmud remain as if to show how profitless such a study might become. (E. H. Plumptre, D. D.)
The faith-torch
Faith in Christ is, as it were, a torch, by the light of which we can first read aright and understand the dim colonnades and mysterious inscriptions in the ancient venerable temple of the Old Covenant. (Van Oosterzee.)
Wise unto salvation
I. That the scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation. The Scriptures do, indeed, contain the truth that makes wise to salvation, but it is by faith that is in Christ Jesus. It is when the Scriptures are believed, when they are received in the love of them, that man becomes a partaker of a blessing. Here it may be said, what strange language!–believe the Scriptures!–why, we always believed them! Those who utter such observations may imagine they believe, but they never believed faith worketh by love–faith purifies the heart–faith overcomes the world–faith is not a fancy–faith is not something floating through the mind of man, but it is of the operation of God. If, then, a man is careless about his soul, he does not believe; if he thinks more highly of the testimony of the world than he does of the testimony of his God, he does not believe; if he depends on his own poor doings, and makes them the ground of his hope, he does not believe; for other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, Christ Jesus. If a man neglects the various relative duties of life, and spends his time and money in satisfying in any way the lusts and desires of his flesh, that man, whatever he may be, or whatever he may say, does not believe.
II. That Timothy was instructed in these scriptures from his youth. Here we have a direct answer given to those who would withhold from the young the book of God. No man of sense, or common understanding, or ordinary feeling, would withhold a medicine from his sick child, in consequence of that child being unable to ascertain the nature of the medicine, or calculate the effect of its operation. (P. Roe, M. A.)
The blessedness of children Scripturally taught
I. What the holy Scriptures can do. Make thee wise unto salvation. Exceedingly high praise: can be affirmed of no other book. Were the Bible a book to teach men the art of becoming rich, many would read it who now refuse; all that will be rich would then study their Bibles as diligently as their ledgers. If it taught men to be philosophers, another class would read it more than they commonly do. If it were a mere road book, many would consult it who now do not as they pursue the road of life. But the Bible proposes to make men rich towards God, wise unto salvation, pilgrims on the way to heaven. It teaches the best means of attaining the best end; and that is true wisdom.
II. How the holy Scriptures produce such great effects. Through faith which is in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures do not work as a kind of charm. It is not by having the Bible in the house, nor in the school, nor in the church; but it is by having the Bible in the heart, its contents heard, read, marked, learned, and inwardly digested–that they make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. The infidel can read them and scoff; the poet can read them and only admire their sublimity; the historical student can consult them only as ancient records; the formalist can read them just to get through a certain stated portion; yea, wicked persons have read them for bad purposes–to copy the sins which the Scriptures hold up to abhorrence. Of all such it may be said that the Word preached or read did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. The Word profits when we hear as Lydia heard, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. Therefore the study of the Scripture should always be connected with prayer for Divine grace.
III. The advantage of knowing the holy Scriptures, if possible, even from early youth. From a child; there is the time when Scriptural instruction should begin. The word here rendered child, denotes childhood in its infantile stage. To early education, blessed of God in His own time and way, the Church has owed some of her greatest ornaments. Augustin, who made a noble stand for the gospel in the fifth century, always attributed his conversion to the prayers, the tears, and the instructions of his mother, Monica. God, in fact, appears to have remarkably honoured Christian mothers, whether they stood singly, or were supported in their endeavours to imbue their childrens minds with Holy Scripture. Dr. Doddridge, one of the most eminently pious men among the Nonconformists in this country, used to relate that his mother taught him the histories of the Old and New Testament before he could read, by the aid of some Dutch tiles in the chimney of the room where they usually sat; and her religious instructions were the means of making good impressions upon his mind that were never obliterated. (J. Hambleton, M. A.)
First duty of parents
1. Paul found Timothy, in their earliest acquaintance, a person who, though young in years, was fitted to enter the world in situations of great trust and confidence.
2. Paul had to think of Timothy, whilst employed in the onerous duties of his vocation, as one whose bodily constitution was sickly, and hence as one who was liable to severe illness or early death.
3. Paul had to experience the contemplation of being shortly separated from Timothy, having before his own eyes the certain prospect of martyrdom. Yet, in all his reflections, arising from the various circumstances attending his connection with this beloved disciple, one sufficient consolation filled St. Pauls affectionate heart. He knew that Timothy, even from his childhood, had known the Holy Scriptures; and this knowledge relieved him from all apprehension and anxious pain about his beloved friend. He could confidently trust him in the world; he could bear to lose him out of it; and he could with comfort leave him in it, when his own expected death arrived.
And you who have children of your own, or are in any way entrusted with the guardianship of the young, will find that those three cases which I have cited concerning Paul and Timothy, may minutely represent your connection with the rising members of the human family.
1. In the first place, many a parents heart is often anxiously burdened with a conviction that soon the world must be opened to a son or a daughter; that the veil of domestic virtue and innocence, which has hitherto screened these childrens eyes from a sight of the vanity and wickedness which exist in the highway of life, must be rent asunder; and that the allurements of pleasure, the fascinations of sin, the temptations of gain, the suggestions of ambition, will all assail their inexperienced feelings, with a force to which their own natural inclinations will only lend congenial aid; and this will be so, even with these who have been most carefully and religiously trained. How, then, are parents to defend their offspring, and how are the young to be secured from the corrupting influence of the ordeal through which, in entering the world, these inexperienced ones must necessarily pass? Shall they be supplied with money, to save them from the thirst of gain, when it will give them the means also of indulging in sinful pleasure? Shall they be highly educated, and taught all that the accumulated learning of the philosopher has discovered, when this may fill the head without cleansing one affection of a naturally depraved heart? Shall they be shut out from the world, when the devil has already taken possession of them in those bosom lusts and appetites which human flesh and spirit universally inherit along with breath? All these resources, and all which are like unto them, are useless, vain, and idle; and the only effectual fortification against the seductions of this world, which it is the duty of all men to enter and purify by a good example, is that Divine knowledge acquired in childhood, which Timothy, when a child, had been taught by a holy mother. Armed with this instruction, the parent may trust his child to the duties of life; and youth may boldly go into the world, to bless and be blessed by contact with its evil influences, to which he will neither conform nor yield.
2. It is the sad lot of many parents to see, in the early life of those for whom a mothers pangs bare been borne, the blighting shadow of infirmity, or the ravages of violent disease, appear, with ominous warning that sickness and death are no respecters of age. Even in the contemplation of a sickly or a dying child, there is a consolatory reaction from the grief which the spectacle presents, if father and mother can then conscientiously feel that, even from a child, their dear one had known the Holy Scriptures, whatever else they might have omitted in their instructions; and that whether renewed health come, or death carry off their treasure, they have thus made their young one wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
3. Parents constantly have the prospect before them of separation, by their own deaths, from those who, naturally, owe their lives to them. It were well, therefore, that they should make provision for this day of consternation and account. To leave riches without righteousness is the poorest of all inheritances; and poverty, though accompanied by patience and decency, will be no excuse for the want of that holiness which springeth only of faith. Happy only, therefore, can be the death of that parent, be he rich or poor, high or low, who can say, with his last breath, to each of his offspring, From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures. (A. Garry, M. A.)
Wisdom unto salvation
(To children.) I am going to say something to you to-day about Timothy, and something about the knowledge which, St. Paul says, Timothy had from childhood. That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good. All knowledge is good, but the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures is the best; for the Holy Scriptures are able to do for us what all other things are not able to do–to make us wise unto salvation. How is it that man manages the wind, the water, the steam, the lightning, though once he was a little babe, knowing nothing and able to do nothing? Just because he gels knowledge and wisdom; by knowledge and by wisdom he can do all these things. If you get knowledge, and by knowledge wisdom, you may become like angels; but if you get knowledge and do not use it rightly, if you do not fear God and serve Him, if you lie, and steal, do you think you will be like angels? Oh I there are a great many children brought up to be wise in this world, but the greater number are allowed to be foolish. God says, Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom, get it at any price, and do not part with it for anything. Remember, wisdom is of two kinds–wisdom for this world, and wisdom for the world to come. We have a short life here, but we will have a long eternity there. We have a very nice world here, but there is a beautiful world there. Timothy had wisdom for this world, and wisdom for the other world, too. Children, the way to be wise with the wisdom that is from God is to know the Scripture; the other wisdom will teach you about this world: how to get food for the body, which comes out of the ground; clothes for the body, they come out of the ground; a house for the body, and that comes out of the ground; how to get money, and it comes out of the ground. Look up; your treasure is above, not in the ground. The wisdom for this world we get out of the works of God; the wisdom for the next world we get out of the Word of God. The wisdom from the Word of God teaches us how to get bread for the soul–that is Jesus–raiment for the soul, shelter for the soul. All these we have in Jesus Christ; and this we know, and Jesus we know, by the Scriptures. So, then, the way to be wise unto salvation is to know the Scriptures. In order to understand the Scriptures we must have a new heart, and when we have a new heart we become wise unto salvation. The Scriptures make us wise unto salvation, because they tell us what salvation is, and where salvation is. And where is it, children? I know where the light is–it is in the sun; I know where the water is–it is in the ocean; I know where nourish ment is–it is in food. But salvation, which is the best thing, and the sweetest thing, is not in the sun nor in the ocean, is not in the moon nor in the stars. Where–where is it?–in what place can we find it? There is nothing so good, nothing so great, nothing so lasting, nothing so enriching as salvation. Those who get it will never suffer, never sin, never sorrow, never die. This salvation is a grand thing! with it, you will be rich; without it, you will be poor. It will make you like God in holiness and happiness. Oh! salvation! where is it? It is in Jesus. I remember reading about a little boy who went to sea. One night a great storm arose, and the storm lifted up the waves very high, and the wind raged, so that the sails were torn; the masts were carried away, and the ship was tossed about like a cork on the waters; and then a great wave came and dashed the ship upon the rocks, and every one on board, big and little–all, all–went like a stone to the bottom! Two or three days after the body of a boy was found lying on the shore. He was in a sailors dress; and when they searched his clothes they felt something hard in his bosom. It was a Bible! with the name of the Sunday-school where he got it, and the name of the teacher who gave it to him written in it; and the book had marks of being much read. Children, if that boy loved that book, and read it; if he knew Jesus and loved Him, though the night was dark and the sea was stormy, he had light in his mind and peace in his heart; and he has now a life that will never end, and a treasure that will never be spent. Though his body was dashed on the wild shore, his spirit will be with God in heaven for ever. Millions of such children are waiting in heaven for the morning of the resurrection, when they will get their bodies out of their little graves, and Jesus will change them, and make them like His own glorious body, and they shalt live and reign with Him for ever and ever. Would it not be a sad thing if any of you who are now hearing about Jesus should be lost! His blood can wash you; His Spirit can sanctify you. Go to Him–trust in Him–or you will perish. (J. Gregg, D. D.)
The sufficiency of Holy Scripture
I. The glorious purpose which God intended holy scripture to accomplish. To make them wise. The very statement of such an object is fitted to commend the book that is to accomplish it to our appreciation and our love. What is there, that can be compared with wisdom? It is the greatest acquisition that immortal man can make. But to be made wise unto salvation must be the supreme end and aim of all wisdom, worthy of the name. For if man be pregnant with immortality, to have meetness for heaven must be the chief end of man during the days of his pilgrimage here below. Salvation through Christ Jesus. The end so glorious, how sure and simple the way! Faith which is in Christ Jesus.
II. The sufficiency of holy Scripture to accomplish this glorious object. Inspiration of God: have you weighed the expression? What thanks we owe to our gracious Father, that He has not left us an imperfect, mutilated, shifting, and uncertain standard, but has given us a standard that in itself remains complete and unchangeable as His own eternal throne!
III. The fitness of holy Scripture to accomplish that purpose even in one of the little lambs of the flock of christ. The Word of God is of all the books that the world contains the most suited to a childs mind and a childs heart. I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight. (H. Stowell, M. A.)
The gift of the Scriptures, and how it should be improved
I. What you owe to the Scriptures in a way of privilege. Is truth valuable?–they are called the Word of truth. Is righteousness valuable?–they are called the Word of righteousness. Is grace valuable?–they are called the Word of His grace. Is life valuable?–they are called the Word of life. Is salvation valuable?–they are called the Word of this salvation.
1. Let us view these Scriptures as inspired. They claim no less a pre-eminence for themselves. And how delightful is it, in a world of uncertainties, conjectures, and errors, to find something concerning which we may say, Well, this is truth, upon which we may rely secure. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.
2. Let us view these Scriptures as preserved.
3. Let us view these Scriptures as translated. The first translation of the Scriptures was the Septuagint, executed by a number of learned men at Alexandria, who translated the Scriptures of the Old Testament into Greek. This was peculiarly overruled by the providence of God. Alexander, by his victories and dominion, was the means of spreading the knowledge of the Greek language, and thus the Scriptures could be easily read; and thus an expectation was commonly entertained of a future Messiah and Benefactor. The New Testament was, also, soon translated into several languages; hut it was a long time before the Bible was translated into our own language. When Elizabeth came to the throne, by an act of grace she opened the prisons, and a number of the citizens addressed her, thanking her for her generosity; but ventured piously and ingeniously to say, May it please your Majesty, there are four very excellent and worthy men who have been denied to walk abroad in the English tongue–Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and from that time they have been allowed to walk at liberty, and to speak to you in your own tongue, in public and private, of the wonderful works of God.
4. Let us view these Scriptures as printed. A certain writer says, when London Bridge was first built, a copy of the Scriptures would cost nearly as much as one of the arches; and the whole of a labourers work through life would not have been sufficient to have furnished him with a copy l How is it now? Now, you see, by means of this invention, they may be multiplied to any degree; and every family, yea, every individual, may be in possession of a Bible, either by donation or by easy purchase.
5. Let us view the Scriptures as expounded. Now we owe much to many of those who have thus written.
6. Let us view the Scriptures as preached. Nothing in the communication of knowledge has ever yet been found like a living address from man to man. Nothing can produce so much impression and effect.
7. Let us view the Scriptures as experienced. There are many who have the Scriptures without them, but not in them. There are many who have the Scriptures in their own country, in their churches, in their houses, in their hands, and some of them even in their mouths, hut not in their hearts. But there are others to whom they are as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.
II. What you owe to the Scriptures in a way of duty.
1. Surely you owe nothing less than to peruse them, and to value them, as David did. He said, I rejoice at Thy Word as those who find great spoil. I esteem the words of Thy mouth, says Job, more than my necessary food. And, says David, The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. And what said the celebrated Robert Boyle?–I would prefer a single twig of the tree of life to all the riches of the world. But let it be remembered that the Scriptures will not profit unless they are mixed with faith in them that hear them.
2. What less can this duty be than to understand them.
3. Surely this duty cannot be less than the practising of what the Scriptures teach. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them: and even faith, without works, is dead, being alone. We read of obeying the truth, and of walking in the truth.
4. Surely this duty cannot include less than your distributing them. The Scriptures were designed for all. The Scriptures are not given you as a blessing only to enjoy, but as a talent, also, to employ. (W. Jay.)
The Sunday-school and the Scriptures
I. The work of Gods grace in Timothy commenced with early instruction–From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures.
1. Note the time for instruction. The expression, from a child, might be better understood if we read it, from a very child; or, as the Revised Version has it, from a babe. Babes receive impressions long before we are aware of the fact. A special vantage-ground is lost when even babyhood is left uncultured. The Holy Scripture may be learned by children as soon as they are capable of understanding anything. It is a very remarkable fact, which I have heard asserted by many teachers, that children will learn to read out of the Bible better than from any other book. I scarcely know why: it may, perhaps, be on account of the simplicity of the language; but I believe it is so. A Biblical fact will often be grasped when an incident of common history is forgotten. There is an adaptation in the Bible for human beings of all ages, and therefore it has a fitness for children. Give us the first seven years of a child, with Gods grace, and we may defy the world, the flesh, and the devil to ruin that immortal soul.
2. It is well to note the admirable selection of instructors. We are not at a loss to tell who instructed youthful Timothy. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Nowadays, since the world has in it, alas! so few of Christian mothers and grandmothers, the Church has thought it wise to supplement the instruction of home by teaching held under her fostering wing. I regard this as a very blessed institution.
3. Note the subject of the instruction. From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures: he was lead to treat the book of God with great reverence. I lay stress upon that word Holy Scriptures. One of the first objects of the Sabbath-school should be to teach the children great reverence for these holy writings, these inspired Scriptures. The Jews esteemed the Old Testament beyond all price; and though unfortunately many of them fell into a superstitious reverence for the letter and lost the spirit of it, yet were they much to be commended for their profound regard to the holy oracles. Especially is this feeling of reverence needed nowadays. Observe that Timothy was taught, not only to reverence holy things in general, but especially to know the Scriptures. Suppose we get the children together on Sabbath days, and then amuse them and make the hours to pass away pleasantly; or instruct them, as we do in the week-days, in the elements of a moral education, what have we done? We have done nothing worthy of the day, or of the Church of God.
4. Once more upon this point: it appears that young Timothy was so taught as a child that the teaching was effectual. Thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, says Paul.
II. That this work was quickened by a saving faith. The Scriptures do not save, but they are able to make a man wise unto salvation. Children may know the Scriptures, and yet not be children of God.
1. Faith in Jesus Christ is that grace which brings immediate salvation. Many children are called of God so early that they cannot precisely tell when they were converted. You could not have told this morning, by observation, the moment when the sun rose, but it did rise; and there was a time when it was below the horizon, and another time when it had risen above it. The moment, whether we see it or not, in which a child is really saved, is when he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Notice, that by this faith in Christ Jesus we continue and advance in salvation. The moment we believe in Christ we are saved; but we are not at once as wise as we may be, and hope to be.
3. Observe, that the text gives us a plain intimation that by faith knowledge is turned into wisdom. Exceedingly practical is the difference between knowledge and wisdom. See it in the text. Knowledge is power, but wisdom is the application of that power to practical ends. Knowledge may be bullion, but wisdom is the minted gold, fit for circulation among men.
4. Learn yet again, that faith finds her wisdom in the use of knowledge conferred by the Scriptures. Faith never finds her wisdom in the thoughts of men, nor in pretended revelations; but she resorts to the inspired writings for her guidance. This is the well from which she drinks, the manna on which she feeds. Faith takes the Lord Jesus to be her wisdom. The knowledge of Christ is to her the most excellent of the sciences.
III. That sound instruction in Holy Scripture, when quickened by a living faith, creates a solid character. The man who from a child has known the Holy Scriptures, when he obtains faith in Christ will be grounded and settled upon the abiding principles of the unchanging Word of God.
IV. As this early teaching creates a fine solid character, so will it produce great usefulness. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
True Wisdom
The apostle here refers to the Old Testament Scriptures; showing that there was no want of conformity, but the reverse, between those Scriptures and the doctrines he bad preached. What advantage had the Jew? Chiefly that to him belonged the oracles of God. It was a great privilege which Timothy in his childhood had–that he could read, and did read, the holy writings: a great privilege, in like manner, it is, that the entire Bible, the canon in its complete state, with the superaddition of the New Testament, is given to us and to our children, and to all that are afar off, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call.
I. THE HOLY WRITINGS. Will you mark the force and emphasis of the word? It is not the print; it is the writings. The Scriptures then were not produced by types and blocks, by the modern mode of producing copies; each copy was written by the hand of man. But it is very delightful to reflect that the exact transcript, the pure and spotless copy of the things written down by the hand of Moses and David, and Isaiah, and John, and St. Paul have come down in their clearness and certainty to us. We know what the writings are to which St. Paul specifically and in this chapter exclusively refers. The Book of Genesis–the details of the fall, and the deluge, and the call of Abraham; Exodus–the emancipation from Egypt and the Decalogue; Leviticus–the laws and ordinances of the Levitical Church; Numbers–their movements and acts; Deuteronomy–a reiteration, or going over again; Joshua–the pictures of the conquest; Judges–the early difficulties and confusions; Samuel–the development of the regal character, the examples and achievements of Saul and David; and so on, through the historical books, to the Psalms and the prophets. In relation to all there we are certain that we have the exact copies, because the Jews preserved them with an unsurpassed care and vigilance, with an interest and a concern which amounted even to superstition. In addition to these, as I have said, we have as the holy writings the four Gospels, the facts of our Lords life and death and resurrection–the Acts of the Apostles, the early triumph of the faith–the Epistles, opening doctrine, enforcing precepts, explaining ordinances–and to put the crown and diadem upon the head, as it were, of the entire person, the whole body of revelation, that great and marvellous book called the Revelation. Wonderful writings! An amazing richness and extent and vastness and variety and plenitude of truth and fact, of history and prophecy, of doctrine, of knowledge and of wisdom, opened and poured forth from these gushing fountains. But holy writings. Mark that word: holy, as emanating directly from God, as being the fruit and product of immediate and miraculous inspiration. And we have the strong affirmation, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. And in this sense, of an immediate dictation from Heaven, a Divine breathing from above, the afflatus of the Holy Ghost, the writers being full of the Holy Ghost–in this sense, as a communication from the infinite and uncreated Mind, as a product of the wisdom and intelligence of Heaven, I take the book to be the holy writings, to have a style of its own, an authorship of its own, a permanence of its own. A holy book, as the product and emanation of the thrice holy God, and as having in all the parts and branches of it a holy tendency. It is a revelation of God; and God here makes Himself manifest as holy, in connection with the exhortation, Be ye holy, for I am holy. In every part of it we see sin punished–virtue, obedience fostered; above all, in the great manifestation of Christ–in His sacrifice, sufferings, and death, that God might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus, we behold ineffable justice; and in the example of the Lord Jesus, which we are required to follow, putting our foot into His footprints, there is the same demand. It is a book marvellously adapted to the wants of a fallen and guilty world–preserving from presumption, on the one hand, and from despondency, on the other–that we sin not; but if we are overtaken by transgression, there is the sacrifice and the propitiation. And as actually producing holiness–as being the cause of this beautiful product, the root (if I may so say) of this sweet and lovely and Divine flower; for the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Men are good in proportion as they direct themselves to the study of the Scripture, and as they walk according to its rules. I cannot tell, Jonathan Edwards says, how it comes to pass, but so it is, that the more I read the Scriptures, and the more I familiarise myself with the Divine contents of the heavenly book, the more pure, the more peaceful, the more benevolent, and the more happy I find myself. Why, it is cause and effect. If you put yourself in contact with the cause, the effect will be sure to follow; and you may know that the men who are wise in the Scriptures, and who love the Scriptures, are in the same proportion and degree holy men. The Scriptures help them in their walk with God, in the maintenance and preservation of their piety, in its noblest, sweetest, most elevated and pure aspirations and desires. The Bible, the Holy Bible, is the source and fountain of the light and life and power of the Church.
II. The Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation. Are able. There is a power, then, affirmed respecting them. They are true, genuine. If put to the proof they will demonstrate their capacity. They are able,as supplying the information by the light of which we may be saved. It is said in the Old Testament–As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My Word be. It is said in the New Testament, My Word is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. It is able, as it brings the likeness of Christ into me, and is accompanied by the enlightenment, influence, and grace of the Spirit; for the Spirit who dictated and indited these heavenly communications abides in the Church, and diffuses His unction and grace upon the understandings and hearts of men, where by, in His light seeing light, they discern the meaning of the expressions and the principles, and are able to appropriate, apply, and bring them home. Wise. Be upon your guard if any man is going to make you wise. The first thing the devil did was to persuade Eve that he could make her wise. Somebody arises with a new doctrine and a new interpretation–something which is to enlighten the eyes: be upon your guard, to say the least. Yet be wise in respect to the truth which is in Jesus; wise in respect to what is good–simple in respect to what is evil; in malice children–in understanding men. The Bible will make men wise. Even the uneducated, what is called by Isaiah the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err in the rudiments and elements, in the great salutary, refreshing, and saving principles. But if you want to be wise up to the full measure–to know the exact meaning of every book, the time of its being written, the purpose for which it was written, the literature associated with every book of the whole Bible, why, it is a vast range of knowledge, and it is marvellous how every kind and variety of knowledge can be made to bear upon the elucidation of the inspired books, so that they come out manifested and revealed in their own light and lustre, amid the unbounded and universal intelligence of men. But wise unto salvation. If you know the holy writings, and are acquainted with the book, you can answer for yourselves the marvellous questions–How am I to be saved? How is sin to be forgiven, transgression blotted out? How am I to regain the ancient position, and to be dealt with as though I had never sinned? The holy writings furnish you with the answer. By being sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of the Immanuel, cleansed from all sin by the blood of the Son of God. Faith in Him brings home the light upon this subject. I can know nothing of all this, except by the holy writings. And this is the chief wisdom. You may be wise in the world to get money; you may be wise in philosophy and science, and deep in literature; you may be wise in frivolities and gaieties and fashions and adornments. What will your wisdom amount to? What is it in comparison with wisdom unto salvation?
III. It is By faith in Christ Jesus. We are not directed by the apostle to exalt the holy writings against Christ, or Christ against the holy writings, as if there were any competition between the two. It is Christ as revealed in the holy writings. Yet it is not that we are wise unto salvation by faith in the holy writings, but by faith in Christ Jesus, the living Christ. The holy writings tell me that the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, has done the work, completed the great and wonderful achievement which the Bible ascribes to Him; and my soul by faith cordially accepts the testimony and reposes upon the truth.
IV. Timothy when a child knew this. Ah! his mother taught him, and his grandmother–his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois. Oh, sweet child! oh, beautiful teachers! How they taught him! and how he listened! For when Paul says, From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, he means not merely the speculative and theoretical doctrines, but the experimental and practical had taken possession of his heart and enlightened his mind. Mothers! hear this. Early education, which is the most permanent in its effects, and the most influential upon character, depends mainly and chiefly upon the mother. Search into the Scriptures, then, and let it be said of you that you know them; that you have a measure of understanding, and that you take means perpetually for its improvement and advance. And those wire teach the children of others voluntarily are greatly to be commended. It is a service acceptable and well-pleasing to God. (James Stratten.)
Upon reading the Scriptures
I. The obligations we are under to apply ourselves to the knowledge of the holy scriptures.
II. The great advantage that will attend this study. Iii. The particular happiness of an early education in this knowledge.
IV. Some rules for direction in this duty.
1. We must read the Scriptures frequently, because from hence we shall receive the greatest assistances in understanding them.
2. We must read them with attention. Without this, indeed, barely to run over the words of Scripture in a negligent, cursory manner, is a profane disregard to the Almighty Author, whose name they bear.
3. We must read them with reverence.
(1) By reverence I understand that humility of mind which is due from us to our great Creator, that submission and subjection of our hearts and understandings to His Divine will, which disposes us readily to comply with whatsoever He proposes to us, whether it concerns our faith or practice.
(2) But besides this reverence to God the author, there is a farther instance of our humility to be shown, in not being too hasty or peremptory of ourselves to determine the meaning and sense of the Holy Scriptures.
4. We must read them without prejudice. A fault we shall never avoid unless we observe the former rule, and approach those sacred oracles with reverence and humility, with an open heart, and a teachable disposition. (J. Rogers, D. D.)
Through faith which is in Christ Jesus.–
Faith in Christ the key to the Bible
Faith in Christ is the key which will unlock and give access to the treasures of saving wisdom which are laid up in the Old Testament. The Bible is an organised whole, and Christ and the Cross of Christ are wrought into the structure of it, although they do not always meet the eye. He who by faith sees Christ and Him crucified in the Scriptures is in immediate possession of the ground-plan of the holy volume. He will observe how the original promise respecting the seed of the woman was a germ of hope planted in the earth, which, by constant accretions from new prophecies and new types, had expanded itself into full blossom when the Virgin-born appeared to fulfil it. He will observe how, as the ages rolled away, the light of revelation grew brighter, and how the prophets, in the greater spirituality of their religious precepts, and the greater explicitness of their predictions, were many steps in advance of the law. He will observe how, from the sacrifice of Abel downwards, every victim which fell at the altar of Jehovah prefigured the great sacrifice of the death of Christ. And in reciting the Psalms he will feel that the Spirit of Christ, which was in those sweet psalmists of Israel, testified darkly beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glory which should follow. Thus the whole of Scripture is welded together in the counsel and design of God; and we know that, as regards man, that counsel and design is all bound up in one word–Christ. He was the Lamb slain in the counsels of eternity from the foundation of the world; and accordingly in every chant of Gods holy prophets, which have been since the world began, there has always been an undersong of Him, an undersong which may be caught by every spiritual ear. (Dean Goulburn.)
The Bible in early youth
From the time that, at my mothers feet, or on my fathers knee, I first learned to lisp verses from the sacred writings, they have been my daily study and vigilant contemplation. If there be anything in my style or thoughts to be commended, the credit is due to my kind parents in instilling into my mind an early love of the Scriptures. (Daniel Webster.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. But continue thou] No man, however well instructed in the things of God, or grounded in Divine grace, is out of the reach of temptation, apostasy, and final ruin; hence the necessity of watching unto prayer, depending upon God, continuing in the faith, and persevering unto the end.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned; in the doctrines relating to faith, and the precepts relating to thy life as a minister, or as a Christian.
And hast been assured of; and hast assented to steadily, hitherto believing them.
Knowing of whom thou hast learned them; remembering that thou hast learned them of me the apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the same as from Christ himself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. But . . . thouWhateverthey may do. Resuming the thread begun at 2Ti3:10.
learnedfrom me and thymother and grandmother (2Ti 1:5;2Ti 2:2).
assured offromScripture (2Ti 3:15).
of whomplural, notsingular, in the oldest manuscripts, “from what teachers.”Not only from me, but from Lois and Eunice.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But continue thou in the things,…. That is, in the doctrines of the Gospel, and not be moved away from them, either through the malice or persecutions, or the cunning sleight of men that lie in wait to deceive; and which is an exhortation suitable to the godly in all ages: and what follow are so many reasons enforcing it:
which thou hast learned: not merely in a theoretical way, as arts and sciences are learned, but in a spiritual and experimental manner; a comfortable knowledge and experience of which he had attained unto; and were not like those in 2Ti 3:7, who had been ever learning, and yet could not come to the knowledge of the truth: and since therefore he had learned the truths of the Gospel, and had attained to a good understanding of them, it was his duty, as it is the duty of all such, to abide by them:
and hast been assured of: the doctrines of the Gospel are certain things; they are truths without controversy; there is a full assurance of understanding of them, which men may arrive unto, and which ministers should, since they are to affirm them with certainty. Scepticism is very unbecoming one that calls himself a minister of the Gospel; and when a man is assured of the truth and reality of Gospel doctrines, it would be shameful in him to drop them, or depart from them:
knowing of whom thou hast learned them. The apostle means himself, though he modestly forbears the mention of himself: and it is another argument why Timothy should continue steadfastly in the doctrines of the Gospel, seeing he had learned them of so great an apostle of Christ; whose mission, as such, was abundantly confirmed by miracles and success, and who had received these doctrines by immediate revelation from Christ; so that it was all one as if Timothy had learned them from Christ himself. The Alexandrian copy reads the word “whom”, in the plural number, as if the apostle referred to more teachers of Timothy than himself; however, he doubtless was the principal one.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But abide thou ( ). Emphatic contrast ( ), “But thou.” Present active imperative of , common verb, to remain.
In the things which ( ). The antecedent to is not expressed (“in which things”) and the relative is attracted from accusative with (didst learn, second aorist active indicative of ) to the case of the unexpressed antecedent (locative with ).
Hast been assured of (). First aorist passive indicative of , old verb (from , faithful), to make reliable, only here in N.T.
Knowing from whom ( ). Second perfect active participle of . Note (ablative case after in an indirect question). The list included the O.T. prophets, Paul, Eunice, Lois. There ought to be moral authority in such personages.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Hast been assured of [] . N. T. o. Quito often in LXX So 2Sa 7:16, shall be established (of the house of David) : Psa 87:37, steadfast in his covenant.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned” (su de mene en ois emathes) “But remain or continue thou in what (things) thou didst learn;” the Landmarks of truth and right; Deu 6:6-7; Deu 19:14; Deu 27:17; Deu 32:7.
2) “And hast been assured of” (kai epistothes) “And wast assured of,” Pro 22:28; Jos 1:1-9; Jos 24:14-15; Psa 119:160. His Word is true from the beginning.
3) “Knowing of whom thou hast learned them” (eidos para tinon emathes) “Knowing from (alongside) whom thou didst learn (them):” First, Eunice and Lois and, second, from Paul, 2Ti 1:5; Act 16:1-5; Act 20:20; Act 20:27.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
14 But as for thee, continue in those things which thou hast learned Although wickedness prevail, and push its way forward, he advises Timothy nevertheless to stand firm. And undoubtedly this is the actual trial of faith, when we offer unwearied resistance to all the contrivances of Satan, and do not alter our course for every wind that blows, but remain steadfast on the truth of God, as on a sure anchor.
Knowing from whom thou hast learned them This is said for the purpose of commending the certainty of the doctrine; for, if any one has been wrong instructed, he ought not to persevere in it. On the contrary, we ought to unlearn all that we have learned apart from Christ, if we wish to be his disciples; as, for example, it is the commencement of our pure instruction in the faith to reject and forget all the instruction of Popery. The Apostle therefore does not enjoin Timothy to defend indiscriminately the doctrine which has been delivered to him, but only that which he knows to be truth; by which he means, that he must make a selection. (190) Besides, he does not claim this as a private individual, that what he has taught shall be reckoned to be a divine revelation; but he boldly asserts his own authority to Timothy, who, he was aware, knew that his fidelity and his calling had been proved. And if he was fully convinced that he had been taught by an Apostle of Christ, he concluded that therefore it was not a doctrine of man, but of Christ.
This passage teaches us, that we ought to be as careful to guard against obstinacy in matters that are uncertain, (such as all the doctrines of men are,) as to hold within unshaken firmness the truth of God. Besides, we learn from it, that faith ought to be accompanied by prudence, that it may distinguish between the word of God and the word of men, so that we may not adopt at random everything that is brought forward. Nothing is more inconsistent with the nature of faith than light credulity, which allows us to embrace everything indiscriminately, whatever it may be, and from whomsoever it proceeds; because it is the chief foundation of faith, to know that it has God for its author.
And which have been intrusted to thee (191) When he adds, that the doctrine had been intrusted to Timothy, this gives ( αὔξησιν) additional force to the exhortation; for to “commit a thing in trust” is something more than merely to deliver it. Now Timothy had not been taught as one of the common people, but in order that he might faithfully deliver into the hands of others what he had received.
(190) “ Par lequel mot il signifie qu’il est requis d’user de jugement et discretion en cest endroit.” — “By this word, he means that it is necessary to use judgment and discretion in that matter.”
(191) “ Et qui to vent commises ou desquelles plene assurance t’a este donnee.” — “And which have been intrusted to thee, or of which full assurance hath been given to thee.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
2Ti. 3:14. Knowing of whom.R.V. margin, Gr. what persons. The apostle does not take the sole credit of the discipleship of Timothy, whose faith does not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
2Ti. 3:15. From a child.R.V. a babe, from earliest infancy. The Holy Scriptures.R.V. the sacred writings. A comprehensive term including, like our Lords threefold division in Luk. 24:44, all the Jewish canonical Scriptures.
2Ti. 3:16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable.R.V. Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable. Note that the scripture of this verse is not the same as the sacred writings of 2Ti. 3:15. Here it is simply every writing inspired of God. The inbreathing of the Holy Ghost is the condition of its being profitable. For correction.Setting upright again something that was out of the perpendicular. For instruction.Fatherly discipline or process of education, often by chastisement or severe methods. The word of God does not always speak smooth things to us.
2Ti. 3:17. Throughly furnished.Completely fitted out, as a soldier with full accoutrements, or a workman with tools.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.2Ti. 3:14-17
The Use of the Bible in the Christian Life.
I. Instruction in the Bible from earliest youth imposes fidelity to its teachings (vers.14, 15).Timothy had been taught the Scriptures from his childhood. The reverence of his Jewish mother for the word of God was transferred to her child, and his early life was impregnated with the spirit and teaching of the Old Testament. In the study thus early begun, and still further developed as the years sped on, Timothy is urged to continue. Childhood is the most impressionable age, and instructions then received are never forgotten. Nothing makes so lasting an impression on the young mind as the word of God.
II. The most accurate knowledge of the Bible will not save the soul apart from faith in Christ.Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2Ti. 3:15). It is a good thing to drill the young mind in a knowledge of the word of God and to store it with memory texts, but care should be taken to show how all scripture reveals Christ and leads to Christ. The knowledge of the Bible makes us wise in knowing Christ as our Saviour. He who has not faith has not the true wisdom. The Jews knew the Bible well, but they remained ignorant because they rejected Christ.
III. The Bible is a collection of Divinely inspired writings.All scripture is given by inspiration of God (2Ti. 3:16). R.V. Every scripture inspired of God. As most of the New Testament books were written when Paul wrote this his latest epistle, they are included in the clause. Knapp defines inspiration as, An extraordinary Divine agency upon teachers whilst giving instruction, oral or written, by which they were taught how and what they should speak or write. The Bible is true because it is God-inspired. The same cannot be said of any other book. A learned infidel who examined the Bible for himself, and came to the irresistible conclusion of its Divine authorship, said, It would have been as easy for a mole to have written Sir Isaac Newtons treatise on optics as for uninspired men to have written the Bible.
IV. The prime use of the Bible is to teach authoritative truth and mould the Christian life.
1. The study of Divine truth disciplines the mind and heart. Is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2Ti. 3:16). Doctrine and reproof embrace the speculative parts of divinity, correction and instruction the practical. The devout and diligent study of the Bible is a mental and moral discipline. Every man is definitely the better for close and thoughtful contact with the word of God. Queen Elizabeth said, I walk many times in the pleasant fields of the Holy Scriptures, where I pick up the goodliest herbs of sentences by pruning, eat them by reading, digest them by musing, and lay them up at length in the high seat of memory by gathering them together, so that, having tasted their sweetness, I may less perceive the bitterness of life.
2. The study of Divine truth is a moral equipment for the highest service. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2Ti. 3:17). The man of God loves the book of God; by its study he is more fully perfected in his moral character, and out of its treasury he is accoutred for all the requirements of his work. The best work is done by the man who knows his Bible best.
Lessons.
1. The Bible is the God-inspired book.
2. The young should be taught to know and love the Bible.
3. The Bible supplies the best armour and weapons for the Christian warrior.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES
2Ti. 3:15. The Importance of Early Instruction in the Bible.
I. The advantage of a knowledge of the Scriptures.
1. They communicate truths of immense value.
2. These truths cannot be obtained but by Divine Revelation 3. Their knowledge is the noblest improvement of the mind.
II. The Holy Scriptures are made effectual to salvation.
1. They discover the method of salvation.
2. They make men wise unto salvation through faith.P. Hutchison.
2Ti. 3:16-17. The Inspiration and Utility of the Scriptures.
I. The inspiration of the Scriptures.
1. What is inspiration? The infallible record of an infallible Revelation 2. The object of inspiration. To give certainty to that written under its guidance.
II. The utility of the Scriptures.
1. As an unvarying standard of doctrine.
2. Useful in the confutation of all religious error.
3. Useful as an infallible standard of right and wrong.
4. Useful for instruction in righteousness.Homiletic Monthly.
Inspiration
I. The breath of God is in the Holy Scriptures, but only the man of God can have fellowship with it.
II. By this fellowship with God the man of God becomes complete.
III. By this fellowship with God the man of God gains complete fitness for every good work.Preachers Magazine.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(14) But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned.But Timothy, on the other hand, was to continue in the things he had learned. Evil teaching would become worse; the opposition to truth would, as the ages rolled on, become more intense; but Timothy and his successors must remember that there was to be no development in the fundamental doctrines of his most holy faith. He had (2Ti. 3:10) fully known St. Pauls doctrinethat doctrine which St. Paul had received directly from the Holy Spirit of God.
Knowing of whom thou hast learned them.There is some doubt whether the Greek word rendered whom is in the singular or plural, the older authorities being nearly equally balanced. The reading here of the singular has been adopted with the Syriac versions, Chrysostom, Augustine, and the Vulgate. The reference then is to St. Paul. If the plural, were adopted, then the reference would probably be to St. Paul and Barnabas, or to some other distinguished teacher. Some commentators believe that Lois and Eunice are here alluded to, the pious mother and grandmother of Timothy. This, however, seems unlikely: for such a reminiscence, although a touching memory and one likely to appeal to his affection, would hardly be of that weighty and important character as to warrant its introduction into this solemn exhortation; besides, any reference to home and family reminiscences would be included in the next verse: From a child thou hast known, &c.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. So he should also be true, according to the Scriptures, inspired to furnish and qualify the minister of God, 2Ti 3:14-17.
14. But Resuming Timothy’s contrast of character over against the errorists.
Knowing of whom The whom is plural, referring not (as Alford) to Timothy’s parents, but to Paul and the original apostolic eye and ear witnesses of the doings and teachings of Christ. This perfect preservation of the original type was the bulwark of the Church of St. Paul and Timothy against the Gnostics and all other heretics. And when that doctrine was recorded in the apostolic writings and became the rule of faith, it is the bulwark alike to the present day, against all innovations and variations, whether of Romanism or Rationalism.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But you, abide in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them.’
In 2Ti 2:15 Paul had told Timothy to put great effort into presenting himself to God as a workman who did not need to be ashamed because he rightly handled the word of truth, including that which said ‘the Lord knows those who are His’ and ‘let every one who names the Name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness’. Now he turns him back to the Scriptures once again. He must continue going on in the things which he has learned and been assured of, remembering from whom he has learned them. This may refer to Paul himself, having in mind 2Ti 3:10-12, or it may refer to his godly mother and grandmother who had instilled in him his unfeigned faith (2Ti 1:5). Or indeed it may be both. he has been well taught. Let him therefore be sure that he abides in what he had learned.
‘Assured of.’ Because he is established on the firm foundation as one of those whom the Lord knows as His (2Ti 2:19).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Timothy Is To Abide In The Scriptures As He Has Always Done ( 2Ti 3:14-17 ).
So what Timothy must do is remember what he has learned from the cradle. For he was fortunate enough to be brought up on the sacred writings, the Scriptures, which are able to make him wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. He must remember therefore that they are ‘God-breathed’ and are there in order to provide all that he can possibly need to make him a complete man of God and to prepare him for every good work that might lie ahead. Compare 2Ti 2:21. There he was prepared for every good work by being founded on the firm foundation (2Ti 2:19) and being a pure vessel in the household of God as a result of purging himself from false teaching and all unrighteousness. Here he will be prepared by studying the Scriptures and thus becoming a complete man of God, ready for every good work.
Analysis.
a
b And that from a babe you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2Ti 3:15).
b Every scripture, inspired of God (God breathed) is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness (2Ti 3:16).
a That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work (2Ti 3:17).
Note that in ‘a’ he is to abide in what he has learned, and in the parallel the consequence is given. In ‘b’ the sacred writings are spoken of and what they will achieve, and in the parallel the same occurs.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Purpose of Holy Scriptures.
v. 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
v. 15. and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
v. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
v. 17. that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. These words place Timothy in direct opposition to the hypocrites and false teachers; for his faith and the work of his ministry are emphasized: Thou, however, remain in the things thou hast learned and hast been convinced of, knowing from whom thou hast learned. Timothy is not to think that there is any such thing as development of doctrine, advancement in the truth by means of human philosophy and investigation. He has learned the truth of the Word of God, and that truth is an eternal truth. Of this Gospel-message he has been made certain; as Paul had taught it, he had been so fully persuaded of its truth that his faith rested upon it as upon the most solid foundation. Moreover, Timothy knew who it was that had taught him, he was convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that Paul was a teacher sent from God, who did not disseminate his own ideas and opinions, but knew exactly what the content of the Gospel was, namely, the message of redemption through the merits of Jesus Christ.
But Paul, in his great humility, does not take all the credit for Timothy’s instruction, but, as in chap 1, 5, refers also to other teachers: (Knowing) also that from infancy thou knowest the Holy Scriptures, that are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. From his earliest childhood, from his infancy, Timothy had enjoyed the glorious privilege of being instructed and trained in the words of salvation. The term used by the apostle is one which was commonly used to designate the writings of the Old Testament, as they were in use among the Jews at that time. Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, had taken special care to have the boy learn these writings, as was the custom among the faithful Jews in those days. The knowledge which Timothy had was taken from the Word of God and rested upon the Word of God; his learning had given him a thorough familiarity with the wonderful truths of God. Note that the instruction of Timothy in religion was not postponed to late childhood or youth, but was undertaken as soon as he was able to learn. No wonder that he had the knowledge which could give him the proper wisdom, namely, that which leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. In the Word of Holy Writ there is the power of God unto salvation, because it teaches that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Through this knowledge and certainty, however, which assures every individual believer that Christ is his Redeemer, he gains that knowledge which gives him salvation. The apostle expresses himself in such a manner as to imply that Timothy and every true Christian uses the Gospel continually. The joyful confidence of faith will remain firm and unmoved only if the Christian continues in the Word of the Lord day after day, always refreshing and deepening his knowledge, always providing new fuel for the lamp of his faith.
What the apostle has stated concerning the Holy Scriptures, of the power of God in them, of their glorious purpose and blessing, he now summarizes in a powerful sentence, which is a strong bulwark for the inspiration of the Old Testament. He writes: All Scripture, inspired by God, is also profitable. The term used by the apostle is so general that it seems to include not only the books of the Old Testament, as in use in the Jewish Church, but also the writings then being penned by inspiration of God, the gospels and the letters of the various apostles and evangelists. At any rate, there can be no doubt that the so-called Old Testament canon is the inspired Word of God. St. Paul writes that Scripture was inspired by God, not in the manner of a mechanical transmission, but in such a way that God breathed His holy Gospel, His Word, into the minds of the writers, incidentally making use of their intellect, of their mental ability and equipment, in producing a series of books which plainly show the peculiarities of the writers, and yet are, word for word, the product of God Himself.
Of this Scripture now, which has the unique distinction of having been inspired by God in the manner just indicated, the apostle writes that it is profitable for doctrine, for teaching. Its truths are so clear and simple that this Book is a text-book of the eternal truths for all time. It is profitable and therefore should be used for reproof, for the refutation of error, for the exposure of transgression. Because there are so many heresies that are continually arising, because false doctrine persists in rearing its head, therefore it is necessary that the Christian, and especially the teacher, be able to point out the falseness of all claims of that kind, from clear texts of the Bible itself. Holy Writ should be used for correction, for setting men right again after they have fallen, to bring them back to a normal condition. It is the duty of Christians to reveal the transgressions of God’s holy will, to insist upon the removal of sins and weaknesses, always, of course, in the manner prescribed by the Word of God. For instruction in righteousness Holy Writ should be used, it should enable a person to lead a life in thorough conformity with the righteousness of life that pleases God. The Word of God in this respect performs the function of a good schoolmaster, one that not only shows the right way, but also trains, encourages, urges the pupils on in their efforts to make headway. Day after day a Christian is sitting at the feet of the Holy Spirit, receiving from Him all the instructions which he needs to enable him to walk in the paths of rectitude.
In this way the final object of the Word of God in this life will be realized, namely, that perfect be the man of God, toward every good work fully equipped. It is not that the apostle is dreaming of moral perfection, but that he wants every Christian, and especially every Christian teacher, to live up to the requirements of his office and station according to God’s will. The man of God, every person that bears the honoring title of a man of God, every believer that has become the special property, the child of God, through faith in the merits of Jesus Christ, is here included. Thoroughly instructed, furnished, equipped toward every good work, that is the ideal which the apostle holds before our eyes. Believers find their greatest delight in performing the will of God, in doing such works as will please Him. That is the wonderful value and power of the inspired Word of God.
Summary
The apostle characterizes the errorists of the last days, also as to their methods, briefly sketches the lessons of his own tribulations, and gives a wonderful summary of the benefit and value of the inspired Word of God.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
2Ti 3:14. Knowing of whom thou hast learned, Meaning himself, but modestly declining to say so. Timothy was to continue in these things, because he knew of whom he had learned them,namely, of a true apostle; and that they were agreeable to the scripture of the Old Testament, with which he had been acquainted from his infancy, through the instructions of his grandmother and mother, who were both Jewesses. See ch. 2Ti 1:5.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ti 3:14 . To the good testimony given to] Timothy by Paul in 2Ti 3:10 , there is added the exhortation to stand stedfast in the truth.
] said in opposition to the heretics.
] , see 1Ti 2:15 ; Joh 8:31 .
is equivalent to , .
] comp. 2Ti 2:2 .
] ( sc . not , as Heydenreich suggests) ] not = quae tibi concredita sunt (Beza, Luther: “and is entrusted to thee”); for does not mean “entrust to,” but confirmare. It is rightly interpreted by the Greek expositors, with whom also de Wette and Wiesinger agree; Theophylact: ; properly, “ of which thou hast been assured ,” i.e. of which thou hast been convinced for certain; [53] it serves to give “more force to ” (Wiesinger), by declaring that Timothy was also convinced of the truth of what he learnt (so, too, van Oosterzee, Plitt, Hofmann).
To strengthen the exhortation, Paul reminds Timothy of those from whom he learnt the truths of the gospel: ] , see 2Ti 2:23 .
] With the usual reading , which Hofmann prefers, is not, as some think, Christ, but the apostle as teacher; but still it would be strange for Paul not to name himself directly and without periphrasis, as he usually does when speaking of himself; comp. 2Ti 2:2 . If be the correct reading, then these teachers cannot be the mentioned in 2Ti 2:2 (Matthies), nor Paul and Barnabas (according to Act 16:1 comp. with Act 14:6 ff., Grotius); but only, as is shown by following, the grandmother and mother of Timothy, whose faith the apostle expressly mentions, 2Ti 1:5 (so, too, van Oosterzee and Plitt).
Timothy had already been instructed in the truth of the gospel before Paul met with him, nay, even before this instruction he had been carefully made acquainted with the holy Scriptures. This very fact, that from childhood he had been under the influence of divine truth and been nourished by the bread of life, was to be an incentive to him to adhere faithfully to this word of truth.
[53] In classic Greek occurs specially in connection with ; thus Thucydides, iv. 88: , i.e . “after they had made sure of him by oath” = “after they had made him swear.” Comp. also Hom. Od . i. 21. 218; also 2Ma 7:24 ; 2Ma 12:25 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
(14) But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; (15) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
What a beautiful close the Apostle, makes, in his advice to Timothy, as a security through grace from the general apostacy of the then times. And the same holds equally good now. A continuance in the delight and enjoyment of all the great Truths of God, must follow divine teaching. And Paul doth not speak of it, as though the thing was doubtful. Here, indeed, lies the distinguishing glory of a regenerated state, as marked from all the flaming professions, void of it in the world. The child of God knows the inspiration of scripture to be such, from the correspondence of what is said in it bears to his own heart. And the threefold witness, the Apostle elsewhere describes, of the Holy Ghost; the sacred word, and his own heart, confirms all he learns from God. 2Co 13:1 . But where there is no divine teaching; no work of God the Spirit, in regenerating the fallen nature; there the blindness of heart remains, untaken away, and bitterness breaks out in a variety of directions against that preaching, which contends for the faith once delivered to the saints; and leaves no room for the Pharisee’s righteousness to be puffed up. Reader! beg of God the Holy Ghost, to be always under the Lord’s teaching, that in his blessed scriptures, you may be made wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them ;
Ver. 14. But continue thou, &c. ] Gr. . Abide, keep thy station. Thou shalt surely be put to it, as that prophetic man in the ecclesiastical history went to the pillars a little before an earthquake, and bade them stand fast, for they should shortly be shaken.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
14 .] But do thou continue in the things which (the object to , and the remoter object to , must, in the construction, be supplied out of the ) thou learnedst (= , ch. 2Ti 2:2 ) and wert convinced of (so Homer, Od. . 217 f., where Odysseus shews his scar, , | , , and Soph. d. Col. 1040, , , | , | , . The Vulg. ‘credita sunt tibi,’ followed by Luth., Beza, Calv., besides the Roman-Catholic expositors, would require , cf. 1Co 9:17 al.), knowing (as thou dost) from what teachers (viz. thy mother Lois and grandmother Eunice, ch. 2Ti 1:5 ; cf. below: not Paul and Barnabas, as Grot., nor the of ch. 2Ti 2:2 . If the singular , then the Apostle must be meant) thou learnedst them, and (knowing) that (the Vulg. renders quia , and thus breaks off the connexion with : and so also Luth., ‘ und weil ’ Bengel (adding, ‘tiologia duplex. Similis constr. , Joh 2:24 , , Act 22:29 ’). But the other construction is much more natural) from a child ( , Chrys. The expression carries the learning back to his extreme infancy: see Ellic. here) thou hast known the (with or without the art., this will be the rendering) holy scriptures (of the O. T. This expression for the Scriptures, not elsewhere found in the N. T. (hardly, as Huther, Joh 7:15 ), is common in Josephus: see Wetst.: cf. also reff. 2 Macc.) which are able (not as Bengel, “ ‘qu poterant :’ vis prteriti ex nosti redundat in participium:” for is necessarily present in signification: ‘ thou hast known which were ’ would be a solcism) to make thee wise (reff. So Hes. Op. 647, , : Diog. Laert. v. 90, in an epigram, , ) unto (towards the attainment of) salvation, by means of (the instrument whereby the is to take place: not to be joined to , as Thl., Bengel, al.; not so much for lack of the art. prefixed, as because the . . would thus become an unnatural expansion of the merely subordinate ) faith, namely that which ( being almost a technical phrase, it is best to keep here abstract, and then to particularize) is in (which rests upon, is reposed in) Christ Jesus .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Ti 3:14 . : Both and are in strong contrast to the and of 2Ti 3:13 . The exhortation is illustrated by 2Jn 1:9 , , . The conservatism here enjoined concerns more especially the fundamental ethical teaching common to the Old Covenant and the New. For the idiom, see note on 1Ti 2:15 .
: , supplied out of , is the direct object of , and remoter object of .
: The Latin versions blunder here, quae credita sunt tibi . This would be the translation of . means to have received confirmation of the truth of a thing . Bengel, rendering “fidelis et firmus es redditus,” compares Psa 77 (78):8, , and 37, .
: It has to be remembered that St. Paul is speaking of moral, not intellectual, authority. The truths for which St. Paul is contending were commended to Timothy by the sanction of the best and noblest personalities whom he had ever known or heard of. The characters of Timothy’s revered parent and teachers of Eunice, Lois, the prophets, and Paul, to enumerate them in the order in which they had touched his life had been moulded in a certain school of morals. Their characters had admittedly stood the test of life. What more cogent argument could Timothy have for the truth and reasonableness of their moral teaching?
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
continue = abide. Greek meno. See p. 1511.
bast learned = didst learn.
hast been, &c. = west assured of. Greek. pistoemai. Only here.
knowing. App-182. Li,
of = from. App-101.
whom. App-124.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
14.] But do thou continue in the things which (the object to , and the remoter object to , must, in the construction, be supplied out of the ) thou learnedst (= , ch. 2Ti 2:2) and wert convinced of (so Homer, Od. . 217 f., where Odysseus shews his scar,- , | , , and Soph. d. Col. 1040, , , | , | , . The Vulg. credita sunt tibi, followed by Luth., Beza, Calv., besides the Roman-Catholic expositors, would require , cf. 1Co 9:17 al.), knowing (as thou dost) from what teachers (viz. thy mother Lois and grandmother Eunice, ch. 2Ti 1:5; cf. below: not Paul and Barnabas, as Grot., nor the of ch. 2Ti 2:2. If the singular , then the Apostle must be meant) thou learnedst them, and (knowing) that (the Vulg. renders quia, and thus breaks off the connexion with : and so also Luth., und weil Bengel (adding, tiologia duplex. Similis constr. , Joh 2:24,- , Act 22:29). But the other construction is much more natural) from a child ( , Chrys. The expression carries the learning back to his extreme infancy: see Ellic. here) thou hast known the (with or without the art., this will be the rendering) holy scriptures (of the O. T. This expression for the Scriptures, not elsewhere found in the N. T. (hardly, as Huther, Joh 7:15), is common in Josephus: see Wetst.: cf. also reff. 2 Macc.) which are able (not as Bengel, qu poterant: vis prteriti ex nosti redundat in participium: for is necessarily present in signification: thou hast known which were would be a solcism) to make thee wise (reff. So Hes. Op. 647,- , : Diog. Laert. v. 90, in an epigram, , ) unto (towards the attainment of) salvation, by means of (the instrument whereby the is to take place: not to be joined to , as Thl., Bengel, al.; not so much for lack of the art. prefixed, as because the . . would thus become an unnatural expansion of the merely subordinate ) faith, namely that which ( being almost a technical phrase, it is best to keep here abstract, and then to particularize) is in (which rests upon, is reposed in) Christ Jesus.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Ti 3:14. , but thou) Whatever they may do. He takes up again what he began to say at 2Ti 3:10.-) , I make sure a thing on the mind: , in which thou hast been rendered , faithful and firm (thou hast been assured) [out of the Scripture, 2Ti 3:15.-V. g.] Comp. LXX., Psa 78:8; Psa 78:37, where corresponds to .– , knowing-and because thou hast known) A double tiology [assigning of a reason; see Append.], of which the first part is to be referred to in those things which thou hast learned, the second to thou hast been rendered faithful (assured). A similar construction, – , occurs, Joh 2:24-25 : also – , Act 22:29.- , from whom) from Paul, an approved teacher, 2Ti 3:10-11.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Ti 3:14
But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of,-Paul had been Timothys spiritual father and chief teacher in the gospel. He taught under the direction of the Holy Spirit, and always maintained the divine authority of that teaching, and reminded him to continue in this teaching, which he had learned, and of which he had been assured by the spiritual power manifested to confirm them. This course would make Timothy grow better, wiser and wiser, in contrast with the evil men who wax worse and worse.
knowing of whom thou hast learned them;-This refers to Paul, from whom Timothy had heard the gospel, as he had learned the Scriptures of the Old Testament from his mother and grandmother.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
The Use of Scripture
But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.2Ti 3:14-17.
1. There is scarcely any passage of Scripture over which fiercer, more dusty, and more profitless battle has waged than over this. And yet it is a very simple affirmation; certainly not intended by its writer for polemical purposes, but resting upon indisputable experience, and intended for practical uses. The Apostle is addressing a practical exhortation to Timothy, a young preacher of Christianity. He urges him to give no heed to evil men and seducers, who, deceiving and being deceived, would wax worse and worse. He is to continue steadfast in the Christian things which he has been taught, and of the truth of which he has been convinced, especially remembering of whom he had learned them; referring possibly to himself as having been Timothys Apostolic instructor, but more probably to Timothys mother, Lois, and his grandmother, Eunice. That the tender memories of his education in childhood are thus invoked seems to be indicated by the words that follow: From a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. The great profit to Timothy of this early instruction in the Scriptures is further affirmed by a statement of the general value of the Scriptures in the nurture of the spiritual life. So the object of the writer is simply to affirm the value or profitableness of Scripture in the religious culture of the life. The Scriptures will instruct him, and discipline him, and perfect his qualification for living a godly life.
2. The words apply primarily to the Old Testament. This appears not only from the fact that at the time when they were written the New Testament was still incomplete, and the writings which existed could hardly have acquired the recognized authority implied in this connexion by the term scripture (), but also from considerations arising out of the context. The Scriptures which Timothy, the son of a Jewess which believed, whom Paul took and circumcised at Lystra, had known from a babe could only have been those of the Old Covenant.
3. The changes introduced by the Revisers in this passage have provoked some sharp criticism. They have been assailed not merely as pedantic and unnecessary, but as indicative of unsoundness in the faith. But in truth, it may be fairly argued that the Revisers rendering goes beyond, rather than falls short of, the Authorized Version, in its assertion of the inspiration of Scripture. Every Scripture inspired of God refers plainly to the collection of sacred books of which St. Paul had already said that Timothy was acquainted with them from his earliest childhood. Every one of these sacred writings, he continues, each portion of that Divine library, as being full of the breath of God, has its purpose in teaching, controlling, or guiding, or disciplining the life, that the man of God, the Christian prophet, may be thoroughly equipped unto all good works.
4. There is the assertion, then, that the Scriptures are inspired, and there are two reasons given for their Inspirationfirst, that they may make us wise unto salvation, and second, that they may make the man of God completein other words, the Scriptures are profitable for Redemption and for Sanctification. So we have
I.Inspiration.
II.Redemption.
III.Sanctification.
I
Inspiration
Every scripture inspired of God.
1. By inspiration we are to understand that influence of the Spirit of God upon the writers of the Old Testament, by which they were empowered to teach such spiritual truths, and in such measure as was necessary for the religious welfare of those whom they addressed. Inspiration does not imply that the writers were lifted altogether above the level of their contemporaries in matters of plainly secular import. Marvellous as is their historical accuracy, it does not imply supernatural infusion of knowledge on subjects lying within their own observation. They were the faithful witnesses and recorders of the things which they themselves had seen and heard.
Without pretending to define inspiration, or to determine the mystery of its operation, we may, I suppose, say that what we mean by it is an influence which gave to those who received it a unique and extraordinary spiritual insight, enabling them thereby, without superseding or suppressing the human faculties, but rather using them as its instruments, to declare in different degrees, and in accordance with the needs or circumstances of particular ages or particular occasions, the mind and purpose of God.1 [Note: S. R. Driver, Sermons on the Old Testament, 146.]
2. Every true and noble thought of man is indeed, in a sense, inspired of God; but with the Biblical writers the purifying and illuminating Spirit must have been present in some special and exceptional measure. Nevertheless, in the words of the prophet, or other inspired writer, there is a human element, not less than a Divine element, and neither of these must be ignored.
(1) The Divine element in Scripture is manifest to all. The heavenliness of the matterto use the expressive phrase of the Westminster Confessionspeaks in it with a clearness which none can mistake, and strikes a responsive chord in every heart that is open to receive a message from above. In the Old Testament we read how God awakened in His ancient people of Israel the consciousness of Himself; and we hear one writer after another unfolding different aspects of His nature, and disclosing with increasing distinctness His gracious purposes towards man. In the pages of the prophets there shine forth, with ineffaceable lustre, those sublime declarations of truth and righteousness and judgment which have impressed all readers, to whatever age or clime or creed they have belonged. In the Psalms we hear the meditations of the believing soul, contemplating with adoring wonder the manifold operations of Providence, or pouring forth its emotions in converse with God. The historians set before us, from different points of view, the successive stages in the Divine education of the race. They show us how its natural tendencies to polytheism were gradually overcome. They show us how Israel was more and more separated from its neighbours, in order to be the effectual witness and keeper of Divine truth. Sin is indeed so deeply rooted in human nature that its extirpation upon this earth is not to be expected; but the writers of the Old Testament explain to us how the ordinances of Israel were adapted to counteract its influence, and to maintain a right attitude of the heart towards God. And they interpret further their nations history: they show us how a providential purpose dominates it; how it is subservient to Gods aims; how the past leads on to better possibilities in the future. And the crown and consummation of Israels long and chequered past is set before us in the pages of the New Testament. In order to realize what the Bible is, we have but to imagine what the literature of Israel would have been, had not those to whom we owe it been illumined in some special measure by the light from heaven; even though its external history had been approximately the same, its historians, its statesmen, its essayists, its poets, would assuredly have written in a very different strain.
(2) But though the greatness and the spiritual importance of the Divine element in Scripture has often and rightly engrossed mens attention, still, in order properly to estimate the character of the book which is termed inspired, or the revelation as we actually possess it, the human element must not be overlooked. Not only is Divine truth always presented through the human organ, and thus, so to say, coloured by the individuality of the inspired agent by whom it is enunciated, but it is impossible to close our eyes to the fact that its enunciations are sometimes relative rather than absolute; they are adapted to the circumstances of particular ages, they may even be limited by the spiritual capacity of the particular writer, or, in the case of his being a historian, by the materials or sources of information which he had at his disposal. The revelation of the Old Testament is avowedly progressive; the teaching in its earlier parts may naturally therefore be expected to be imperfect as compared with that which is given in its later parts, or which is to be found in the New Testament. We cannot take at random a passage from the inspired volume and say, without qualification or comparison with other passages, that it is absolute truth, or the pure word of God, or an infallible guide to conduct or character.
The relativity of inspiration is observable very noticeably in the Book of Ecclesiastes. The melancholy conclusion to which the authors moralizings lead him is that life under all its aspects is dissatisfying and disappointing; the best that can be done with it is to enjoy, while it lasts, such pleasures as it brings with it. There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labour. How strangely these words fall upon our ears! How unlike the soaring aspirations of the Psalmists, or the spirit of generous philanthropy which breathes so often in the discourses of the great prophets or the exhortations of the law! The teaching of Ecclesiastes, if followed consistently, could only result in paralysing human effort, and stifling every impulse of an ennobling or unselfish kind. The authors theory of life is imperfect; untoward and depressing circumstances, as it seems, embittered his spirit, and concealed from him a fuller and more satisfying view of the sphere of human activity. His conclusions possess only a relative value. It is upon life not absolutely, but as he witnessed and experienced it, that he passes his relentless verdict, All is vanity. It was the particular age with which he was himself acquainted that prompted him to judge as he did of the uselessness of human endeavour; and his maxims, at least so far as they possess a negative aspect, cannot be applied to a different age without material qualification and reserve.1 [Note: S. R. Driver, Sermons on the Old Testament, 150.]
Of his early acquaintance with the Bible, Thompson writes: The Bible as an influence from the literary standpoint has a late but important date in my life. As a child I read it, but for its historical interest. Nevertheless, even then I was greatly, though vaguely, impressed by the mysterious imagery, the cloudy grandeurs, of the Apocalypse. Deeply uncomprehended, it was, of course, the pageantry of an appalling dream; insurgent darkness, with wild lights flashing through it; terrible phantasms insupportably revealed against profound light, and in a moment no more; on the earth hurryings to and fro, like insects of the earth at a sudden candle; unknown voices uttering out of darkness darkened and disastrous speech; and all this is in motion and turmoil, like the sands of a fretted pool. Such is the Apocalypse as it inscribes itself on the verges of my childish memories. In early youth it again drew me to itself, giving to my mind a permanent and shaping direction. In maturer years Ecclesiastes (casually opened during a week of solitude in the Fens) masterfully affected a temperament in key with its basic melancholy. But not till quite later years did the Bible as a whole become an influence. Then, however, it came with decisive power. But not as it had influenced most writers. My style, being already formed, could receive no evident impress from it: its vocabulary had come to me through the great writers of our language. In the first place its influence was mystical; it revealed to me a whole scheme of existence, and lit up life like a lantern.1 [Note: E. Meynell, The Life of Francis Thompson (1913), 172.]
3. Observe a threefold effect of inspirationthe revelation of truth, intensity of feeling, and abiding power in the words.
(1) First, the inspired man was a seer; the veil was turned aside, and he was permitted to look into the sanctuary of truth. Think of the Hebrew prophets to whose writings the text refers. The unity, personality, and spirituality of God were revealed to them. They beheld His glory as others did not, and therefore spoke of it in sublime and incomparable language. He is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity. All nations are before him as nothing. The heavens are not clean in his sight. He is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. They are conscious also of His loving-kindness and tender mercies, so that while they feared His great and awful name, they put their trust under the shadow of His wings. They recognized His active presence in the world, saw His hand in the rise and fall of nations, and history was to them the unfolding of His purpose. The future was opened to some of them, and they foresaw the coming of Him who is the Saviour of men, to set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed. The result of inspiration was the same in the minds of the Apostles. There were things in the teaching of Christ which they could not comprehend, others they misunderstood, and others were in the course of time entirely forgotten. But when the Spirit was given He brought all things to their remembrance; they were able to recall the past, and to enter into the meaning of the wonderful words.
A man standing in a large room in the faint twilight of evening can distinguish the objects nearest to him; those farther removed are indistinct and confused, and the most distant are completely lost to his view; but fill the place with light and all things are made manifest. This illustrates the influence of inspiration upon the minds of prophets and apostles: old truths became more important when seen in the new and brighter light; truths imperfectly understood appeared clear and well defined, and things which the unaided reason could not discover were revealed.1 [Note: T. Jones, The Divine Order, 86.]
(2) Secondly, their mental illumination was accompanied by deep and intense feeling. Their spirits were movedthey felt the burden of the word of the Lordthe truth was in their heart as a burning fire. Therefore speech became a necessity, for by speaking they lightened the burden that oppressed them and gave out the fire that burned in their bosoms. When they had messages of peace and good tidings to deliver, their doctrine dropped as the rain, their speech distilled as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb. But when the sins of the nation and the judgments of Heaven were their themes they cried aloud, and their language was as terrible as a midnight alarm. Sometimes there is a wail of sorrow in the words they utter; at others they endeavour in vain to express the workings in their spirit, and their broken sentences resemble the mutterings of a storm that fails to open into loud resounding thunder.
Before a man is justified in using the same language and style of speaking and writing as the prophets, he must possess their insight into the truth and the agonizing feeling which they experienced. To use their terrible language without their inspiration is false. Our words and the manner of using them should correspond with the clearness of our mental vision and the depth of our spiritual emotion. If the word of the Lord weighs heavily upon your heart, if the sacred fire burns within you, if your spirit is in anguish because of the sins of your people, then speak as the Hebrew seer spoke. Blow the trumpet in Israel, sound the lamentation, walk through the length and breadth of the land, and cry aloud, Woe, woe unto thee, saith the Lord God; but if not, then you had better speak calmly and reason with men, and suggest the truth, and persuade and attract as a friendnothing more. No good can come of unreality; mimic thunder causes no alarm, and painted fire gives forth no heat. Loud stormy words which are out of all harmony with the convictions and feelings of the mind from which they proceed are worthless as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. Falling upon the speakers own ears, they sound hollow, and in his deepest heart he knows they have no meaning. The hearers also in due time will instinctively discover the truth of the matter, and see plainly enough that what he says is said because speaking is his profession; and then will follow this most natural consequencethe alienation of the people from the institutions of religion. The first thing for us all is to be true and honest. To speak as the prophets spoke we also must be enlightened and moved by the Holy Ghost.1 [Note: T. Jones, The Divine Order, 88.]
(3) Thirdly, observe the abiding power in the words. The Scriptures have been regarded as records of inspiration. This is true as far as it goes. The wave-marks on the sand make known how high the tide rose. And we have evidence in the words of inspired men how profoundly they were moved by the Divine afflatus that came upon them; but here the comparison ends. We are not to think of the word of God as a dry sea-beach from which the waters have receded, or a forsaken channel through which a river once flowed. A man who has the power of true genius writes a book, it may be a Paradise Lost, a Pilgrims Progress, a Purgatory, or an Inferno. He has seen visions, his whole nature has been moved by their power, and he speaks in a kind of inspired language. The truth he beheld is in the book; but this is not all, for much of himself is in it alsohis thoughts concerning what he saw, his feelings, his passion, and the real energy of his mind. His anger frowns upon the page, his love trembles in the words, his sorrow sighs and sobs in the sentences, and his power fills the book; and in reading it you not only come into contact with the truth it reaches, but you have also communion with the spirit and mind of the author. It is this abiding human spirit in great books that makes them immortal, and gives them power to command the admiration, the love, the smiles, and the tears of many generations. So also of the utterances of holy men under the inspiration of God. The Lord God, merciful and gracious. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom. Thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish. These words and the like of them contain the highest truths, but that is not all; they are instinct with the love, the pity, the sympathy, and the power of the Divine mind. They are spirit, and they are life. The ancient sacred fire that descended from heaven continues to burn on the altar of the Bible.
On 28th February 1899 the Bishop addressed the Durham Junior Clergy Society in the Chapter-house on The Study of the Bible. In this address he indicated some characteristics of the study of Scripture which he had found to be of primary importance. He mentioned seven: The study must be systematic, thorough, wide, historical, patient, reverent, vital. On these characteristics he enlarged, and afterwards in his concluding words said:
I charge you to prize and to use your peculiar spiritual heritage which was most solemnly committed to you at your ordination. Our English Church represents in its origin and in its growth the study of the Bible. In the study of the Bible lies the hope of its future. For the study of the Bible in the sense in which I have indicated is of momentous importance at the present time, and it is rare; there is much discussion about the Bible, but, as I fear, little knowledge of it. We are curious to inquireand it is a reasonable curiositywhen this book and that was written; but we are contented to be ignorant of what this book or that contains. We remain blind to the magnificent course of the Divine education of the world; and still less do we dwell upon the separate phrases of friends of God and prophets, and question them and refuse to let them go till they have given us some message of warning or comfort or instruction. Such failures, such neglect, seal the very springs of life. They deprive us of the remedies for our urgent distresses. Who does not know them? We are troubled on all sides by wars and rumours of wars, by the restlessness and anxiety of nations and classes; we ask impatiently if this wild confusion is the adequate result of eighteen centuries of the Gospel of Peace? We ask impatiently, and the Bible offers us an interpretation of a history and life not unlike our own, and helps us to see how the counsel of God goes forward through all the vicissitudes of human fortunes and human wilfulness. Our hearts again constantly fail us for fear of the things which are coming on the world. The Bible inspires us with an unfailing hope. We are yet further perplexed by conflicts of reasoning, by novelties of doctrines, by strange conclusions of bold controversialists. The Bible provides us with a sure touchstone of truth, while
The intellectual power, through words and things,
Goes sounding on, a dim and perilous way,
and brings us back to a living fellowship with Him who is the Truth.1 [Note: Life and Letters of Brooke Foss Westcott, ii. 267.]
Gallery of sacred pictures manifold,
A minster rich in holy effigies,
And bearing on entablature and frieze
The hieroglyphic oracles of old.
Along its transept aureoled martyrs sit;
And the low chancel side-lights half acquaint
The eye with shrines of prophet, bard, and saint,
Their golden tablets traced in Holy Writ!
But only when on form and word obscure
Falls from above the white supernal light,
We read the mystic characters aright,
And light informs the silent portraiture,
Until we pause at last awe-held before
The One ineffable Face, love, wonder, and adore.2 [Note: J. G. Whittier.]
II
Redemption
The sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus: that the man of God may be complete.
The whole meaning of the Old Testament may be summed up in two wordsredemption and sanctification. On the one hand, it is one vast prophetic testimony to Christ, to His person, to His work, to His kingdom; on the other hand, it is the Divine method of teaching man through the facts of history and the various circumstances of life how to subdue the evil within him, and to become conformed in very truth to that image of God in which he was originally created. Whereas we are sometimes told that to insist upon any correspondence between prediction and fulfilment in the Old Testament is to degrade the ancient prophets to the level of the soothsayer or the gipsy fortune-teller, it would be much truer to say that the whole Old Testament is one vast prediction from its first page to its last. It is occupied with one glorious hope. This is its mark and peculiar characteristic. No Jewish legislator, prophet, or singer ever looks back to the past with fond regret. Each looks forward with ardent longing for the advent of the coming Deliverer. This is the golden thread which runs through that marvellous, diversified web of law and history, of song and fable, of proverb and allegory by which the Old Testament is marked. Christ is the sum and substance of all its law, its poetry, its ritual, its prophecies. The lives and devout aspirations of all holy men of old point to Him. Without Him these ancient writings, as St. Augustine says, have no point or meaning, but are flat, stale, and unprofitable. Behold Him in them all, and they become at once instinct with life and beauty; or, as the same Father profoundly says, the New Testament is latent in the Old, the Old patent in the New.
1. The first of the characters ascribed to the sacred writings is that they are the appointed means of grace. God Himself is the only Saviour: no power but His own is able to do this work. He might, if He had so pleased, have accomplished it simply by the direct and inclusive exertion of His own will and power, without requiring the concurrent action of any other being, or the employment of any concurrent instrumental means. If He chooses to adopt the latter scheme, He has the right to prescribe the means or instruments to be used, and to assign whatever function or effect He may see fit to each appointed ordinance. He may so condition the exercise of His own and only efficacious power on the instrumental means that the use of the instrument will infallibly carry the employment of the power. Or He may appoint the use of the instrument to be simply concurrent with the use of His own power, but as in no way so conditioning His power as to subject it to the will of the human user of the means and remove it from His own absolute control. But whatever function may be assigned to the appointed ordinance, the appointment of such ordinance and the positive requirement of its use for ever settles both the question in regard to the ordinance itself and the question as to who is to use it. Any interference on the part of any one, either to change an ordinance or to qualify the persons who are entitled to employ it, is the presumption and the inconceivable guilt of interfering with the legislative authority of the Almighty God Himself. Now the Scriptures say of themselves that these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. They say that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. Born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. Believers are exhorted to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. These testimonials are clear, positive, and peremptory. Their meaning is so plain that it cannot be made plainer. They teach that inasmuch as salvation is by faith, and faith must be based upon truth, the Word of God, which contains all His testimony, is one of the chiefest of the means of grace. They teach that as faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, it is at the peril of faith, and consequently at the peril of salvation, that we refuse the use of the Scriptures. To neglect them is to assume the responsibility of neglecting a necessary means of life.
The reader will do well to keep in mind what is the one object we set before him in the present inquiry: to enjoy the Bible and to turn it to his benefit. Whatever else he may propose to himself in dealing with the Bible, this remains his one proper object. In another order of interest, the poetry of Homer supplies here a useful illustration for us. Elaborate inquiries have been raised as to the date, authorship, and mode of composition of the Homeric Poems. Some writers have held, too, and have laboriously sought to prove, that there is a hidden, mystical sense running all through them. All this sort of disquisition, or at any rate Borne department of it, is nearly sure to catch at one time or another the attention of the reader of Homer, and to tempt and excite him. But, after all, the proper object for the reader of the Homeric poems remains this: to enjoy Homer, and to turn him to his benefit. In dealing even with Homer, we say, this is found true and very needful to be borne in mind;with an object where yet the main interest is properly intellectual. How much more does it hold true of the Bible! where the main interest is properly not intellectual, but practical.1 [Note: Matthew Arnold, God and the Bible, 99.]
(1) The Scriptures show us our need of being saved. They describe how our first parents were created in righteousness and true holiness after the image of God Himself, and give us a bright picture of the blessedness of their first estate, but then they show us how Adam and Eve fell, and how the race fell with them. They describe how corruption and wickedness spread and prevailed on the earth, the imagination of mens hearts being evil and that continually, and how God brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. They show us how wickedness prevailed again, its cry going up to heaven, and how such cities as Sodom and Gomorrah brought down the consuming fire of the Divine wrath. They show us how in aftertimes, even among the people chosen to be the people of the Lord, there was ever present, as a reason for lamentation, grievous backsliding and sin. Even of them the Lord says: It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.
(2) But the Scriptures exhibit to us thus the sinfulness and the misery of our state with a view to awaken us, and rouse us to put the question, What shall we do that we may be delivered and saved? And while they rouse and move us thus, they come to us expressly as the message of salvation from the Lord Himself. While they exhibit the whole of the Divine character, testifying to Gods perfect righteousness, they are especially the witness to and the glorious revelation of the exceeding riches of His grace.
(3) The Scriptures guide us to salvation by leading us to Jesus Christ. The Old Testament pointed from the beginning to the coming of Jesus the Saviour. Salvation was promised immediately after the Fall, and the promise was contained in the announcement of the appearing of Him who should bruise the head of the enemy, who should destroy the works of the devil. And the announcement was made with ever-increasing distinctness and definiteness from generation to generation during the ages that followed. The prophets in that long line stretching from Moses to Malachi pointed to the coming great atoning redemption work and to Him, through whom, by whom it should be accomplished. The Scriptures led believers in ancient times to wait for Christ, and they found salvation looking forward to His Coming, and trusting in Him. When He appeared the Scriptures testified concerning Him, pointed Him out, led the inquiring to Him, to find their salvation in Him. Timothy was made wise unto salvation, being led by the Scriptures to Christ Himself.
Here is the paramount meaning of the Old Testament. It is a preparation, long drawn out, manifold and many-sided, for Jesus Christ. This is how the Apostles and the first Evangelists looked upon it, and this is how, we may reverently add, they were taught to look upon it by our Lord Himself. For was it not the Lord Jesus Himself who said to the disciples on their way to Emmaus, Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory? Was it not the Saviour Himself who said that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me; and who, beginning at Moses and all the prophets, expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself? Was it not Christ Himself who said of the Old Testament Scriptures, These are they which testify of me? who said in view of His Passion, How then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? The roots, then, of the Christian religion are to be found in the Old Testament. The Redemption postulates the Fall of man. We read the Old Testament, and find that Christ is the Key of it.
I do not mean to say that the Old Testament has no value apart from the historical Jesus; and that a Jew may not be warned and corrected, and instructed in righteousness thereby. Far from it. But this is certain, that men fed and nourished on the law and the prophets, and on them only, will remain children of Israel still; and the work of God in the education of the world for the last nineteen centuries will reach them only in a very enfeebled and ineffective way. It is Christ who gives universal meaning to the contents, and sanctifying power to the truths and hopes, and triumphant energy to the redemptive idea of the Old Testament. He is the Light of the Word as well as of the world; and even the Jew will reach his ideal only through that greatest Jew, Christ Jesus. The Scriptures are able to make men wise unto salvation; but it is through faith which is in Him.1 [Note: John Clifford.]
There is a splendid recklessness in the use which the Apostles make of the Old Testament, penetrating to the very core of its spiritual meaning in the power of a new fact, the fact of the crucified and risen Jesus. That ancient code, which under the authority of those who sat in Moses seat had well-nigh become a barren and unprofitable absurdity, lived again in the great conviction that to the believer the end of the law is Christ. The Christian re-read his Bible not in the rabbinic schools of Jerusalem or Galilee, but by the empty sepulchre where the body of Jesus had lain. It is the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Romans which crown and consummate the prophets, not the puerile pedantries of the Talmud. Well has it been said that it is the atoning death of Christ which is the true guarantee that every Scripture is inspired of God.2 [Note: J. G. Simpson, Christian Ideals, 134.]
The thoroughly evangelical note of Stantons preaching which struck Bishop Wilberforce no one would deny. It was sounded all the time. That love for the Bible which comes of knowing what it contains and is kept alive by close and intimate study of the sacred Scripturesfor with most of us only when we leave off reading the Bible do we cease to care for it, and the same thing is true, of course, of the writings of many profane authorswas a great factor in Stantons ministerial life, and mightily affected his preaching. The music of the Gospel was ever leading him home, and he must needs bring all who would give ear within sound of the brave song. It was this love for the Bible, with the Evangelicalism that dwelt so constantly on the Personal Saviour, that endeared Stantons preaching to many old-fashioned, earnest-minded Protestants, both Nonconformist and Church of England, whom the higher criticism and the new theology, and the general incursion of rationalist modernism, had driven from their accustomed places of worship. For him the Bible was indeed the Book of books, containing the priceless words of truth and life, and wealth of treasure that not all the rest of the books ever written could match. A lady once asked Stanton what book he would advise her to read during Lent. I told her, said Stanton, why not read the Bible?1 [Note: J. Clayton, Father Stanton, 131.]
2. Through faith which is in Christ Jesus. St. Paul speaks of this as the condition of our knowing the real power of the Old Testament. We may learn from him, surely, a great lesson in regard to an anxiety felt by many in the present day. There is no better course by which each one of us may strengthen his position in regard to the Old Testament than by using every means to make more real and sure his union with Christ. It is hard for us to do justice to that which St. Paul meant by faith which is in Christ Jesus, the word faith has been dragged through so many controversies, and thrust so often into false antitheses. But we can see that he meant not less than thisthe surrender of ones life to Christ, to be conformed to His example, guided by the daily disclosure of His will, informed and strengthened by His grace; the conviction that for His sake, and by the power of His perfect sacrifice, we can be set free from the sins that hinder and defile us, and know the miracle of Gods forgiveness; the growing certainty that He Himself, our Blessed Lord, vouchsafes to come and dwell within us, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, giving us His own life, and making us strong to be true, and humble, and patient, and unselfish; strict with ourselves, as knowing how much need we have of strictness; gentle, and making large allowances for others, as never knowing how sorely they are tried; enabling us, in spite of all that is past, to follow the blessed steps of His most holy life.
When he read his Bible, he knew that he was travelling through beautiful countryhe kept his eyes open for fair visions and his ears for heavenly songsit was his book of wonder and surprise, of song and of love. He was of opinion that it should be bound in red because it is the book of Bed Romance. It never became an old book to himfor it was always more modern to him than the daily paper. I have many pictures in my mind of his reading the Word, but the one which is most vivid is that of the way in which he read the story of the Crucifixion. When he read it in public the under-refrain of it all was, How could they do it? How could men reject and crucify Love? The mystery of the Cross was to him not only in Love dying for others (he knew something of that), but also in men scourging and hissing and hounding Love out of the world. That was indeed a mystery to this lover. When one went to see him towards Good Friday, one would note that his reading was in the story of the Cross as told by the Evangelists. He read it then and alwaysto use John Bunyans phrasewith the water standing in his eyes and also with wonder and glad surprise. If his prayers were like the drawing up of Robinson Crusoes ladder, I think his Bible-reading was akin to the hunting of that well-known adventurer. He yearned to find food for the days tasks, to fill the storehouse of his life with the plenty of Gods Word. He caught his venison and roasted it. His Bible gave him his daily banquet.1 [Note: Love and Life: The Story of J. Denholm Brash, 64.]
III
Sanctification
Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for instruction which is in righteousness.
The Apostle singles out four ways in which the Scriptures may become profitable in our sanctification.
1. They are profitable for doctrine or for teaching. The Bible is pre-eminently a religious book. The substance of the Decalogue is love to God and man. The sacrifices and ceremonies of the law instituted by Moses were visible emblems of moral and spiritual truths. The great lesson of the Book of Job is the duty of trusting God in the darkest, stormiest day. In the historical books we behold the Divine providence in the affairs of men, and learn the vast importance of true principles in statesmanship, and right conduct in life. The psalms are poetic expressions of human wantsfaith, prayer, and worship. The prophets enforce with marvellous eloquence the necessity of obedience to God. Solomon ended his teaching thus: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. The sayings of our Saviour are the words of eternal life. The writings of the Apostles explain the doctrines, duties, hopes, and joys of religion. The Book of Revelation exhibits the triumph of knowledge, faith, right, and holiness over ignorance, infidelity, wrong and sin. The questions to ask with regard to the Scriptures are these: Is the religion they offer adapted to the wants of man? Do they teach a true spiritual philosophy? If men receive their doctrines and obey their precepts, will they become wiser, truer, and more holy than by rejecting them? These questions are answered in the affirmative by the experience of thousands. They know that the Scriptures are what they profess to be, profitable for doctrine and able to make men wise unto salvation, and therefore none of the difficulties which criticism may raise can shake their faith in the Word of God. There may be spots on the sun, but it is, notwithstanding, the great fountain of light to this and other worlds.
Oh, that we would all read our Bible with more teachable hearts, with more determined will to find out what it has to say to us about our calling here, our destiny hereafter, that we would store up its precepts in our memory, to be our strength in the moment of temptation, its examples in our imagination, to be the pattern and model of our daily lives! Do not think that having a Bible, or reading a Bible, is any good, except so far as we live by the Bible. The Bible is the rule of life as well as of faith, of what we are to do, as well as of what we are to believe.1 [Note: Bishop Frasers Lancashire Life, 35.]
2. Akin to this there is another thought that follows. The Scriptures are profitable for correction. Some read to criticize. They cannot admire the great opening poem of the Book of Genesis, in which the inspired muse sings the creative power of the Almighty in notes harmonious with the morning stars, because it does not speak with scientific precision. It is quite right to point out whatever inaccuracies may be discovered in the history of the deliverance from Egypt and the sojourn in the wilderness, but one cannot help remarking that that is a peculiar state of mind in which a man can read through the wonderful story without being once struck with its spirit, its grandeur, and its awfulness. Others turn the sacred pages to find support for the systems they have formed. This is the same as if a man constructed a theory of nature, and afterwards went in search of the facts whereby its truth must be proved. Others, again, read for comfort. They have been disappointed by the world in which they placed too much trust; or death has broken in upon their charmed circle and filled their hearts with sorrow; or their health is failing, and there are indications that the end is not distant; or their sin has been a burden from which they seek rest. Well, let them read for comfort, for the Bible is the book of sorrowful people. Its deep impressions of Divine love, sympathy, and tenderness have in them a power to heal the broken heart. But we should also know that the Scriptures are given for our correction. He is the wise reader of Gods Word who tries his opinion, beliefs, principles, life, and character by the Divine standard, and is willing to have them corrected.
The Bible is, indeed, simple enough for the simple, but it is also unfathomably deep. No book takes such an entire sweep of all that affects and interests man. No book begins so low or ends so high. The most tainted being, whose face is one plague-spot from brow to chin, gets a new knowledge of himself here, not with the contaminating knowledge of curiosity, but with the healing and hallowing knowledge of repentance. And the most holy saint, the face that seems to its fellows already radiant with the beatific vision, looks in and says, Hush! for I see something higher, holier still.1 [Note: R. W. Barbour, Thoughts, 18.]
3. Again, the Bible is profitable for instruction which is in righteousness. In the Bible we have a record of a growing insight into the meaning of righteousness. The earlier teachers had not risen to the level of the great Teacher in the Sermon on the Mount. Like all Gods works, the Bible is characterized by growth. The stage reached by many of the Old Testament teachers ought long ago to have been passed by the Christian Church. Yet is the Bible, in the parts that belong to the immature youth of the Hebrew nation, as well as in the later parts, the worlds lesson-book of righteousness. If you want to know plastic art, says a modern Biblical critic, if you want to know plastic art, you go to the Greeks. If you want to know science, you go to the Aryan genius. And why? Because they have the speciality for these things, for making us feel what they are, and giving us an enthusiasm for them. Well, so has Israel and the Bible a speciality for righteousness; for making us feel what it is, and giving us an enthusiasm for it. Righteousness is the stuff of which character is formed, its basal element. This is the speciality of the Bible, the burden of its pages, the passion of its writers. At the beginning of it there might be written for motto or text, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
4. This brings us to the high purpose for which the Scriptures were given to us, namely, to impart instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be completeright in every respect, in thought, feeling, character, and therefore right in state and condition; right in himself, right in his relation to his fellows, and right before God. The aim of the husbandman in the tree he plants and cultivates is to have fruit; but nature is as careful of the blossoms and the foliage as of the fruit, for her purpose is a perfect tree. Men cultivate parts of their nature. Some educate and develop their physical nature, and not much else. Others pay attention to the sensuous soulthey love music, art, eloquence, and light literature. There are persons who are mere thinkers; the cultivation of the intellectual powers is the one important thing in their estimation. Some spend their lives in small activitiesthings that are good in themselves, but which become harmful when done to the neglect of more important duties. There is good in all of these; but none of them aims high enough. The Divine purpose is not physical perfection, or intellectual strength, or refinement of taste, not even morality and devotion, but the full development of the whole nature, that the man of God may be complete.
From the cradle I was brought up in a religious atmosphere. All my relations on my fathers side have for ages been known as eminent for their piety. Some of them were giants in stature, and still more so in spiritual attainments. I have even now very vivid recollections of the prayers offered up at the Saturday evening prayer-meetings by Uncles David and Rees. How they used to pour out their souls before God! How they would wrestle with God! Each of them presented to my imagination a living picture of wrestling Jacob. All these godly men took the deepest interest in me. How much I owe to their prayers and loving counsel is known to God only. Then there was the Sunday School, with all its hallowed influences. In those days the Sunday School in Wales was a grand institution for imbuing the childs mind with Biblical knowledge and Christian principles. I seem to have been born and brought up in the House of God, and among Gods people. It may be truly said of me, as it was said of Timothy, And from a babe thou hast known the Holy Scriptures.1 [Note: Griffith John: The Story of Fifty Years in China, 4.]
De Quincey divided all literature into two kinds, the literature of knowledgesuch as hand-books of science, and all books of mere informationand the literature of powerbooks which sway the spirits of men and build up their character. In the literature of power the Bible takes a first place, for it is instinct with power of the highest kind; spiritual power, power to touch the noblest springs of action, to develop the highest faculties, to form the truest manhoodpower to influence mens lives to the grandest issues. And if we consider how the literature of power in general produces its effects, we shall discover how the Bible is to become for us a source of spiritual profit. A poem of Wordsworth, a chapter of Ruskin, or an essay of Carlyle are lost upon us unless they, in some measure, lift us into the spirit of the writers when they wrote. That is the use of the literature of powerto make us sharers in its power, its visions, its aspirations, its sympathies, its enthusiasms. So the Bible is to exercise power over us by lifting us up into the spiritual life of the writers, out of which its words have come. It is not enough to receive its doctrine into our heads, and to busy ourselves with the knowledge it conveys. What is needed is that we become inspired with the Spirit which inspired the sacred writers, and share their spiritual vision. It is so that the Bible has worked upon men like St. Augustine, Thomas Kempis, and John Bunyan. They were full of the Holy Ghost. The spirit of the Scriptures breathed in their works, and has made the Confessions, the Imitation of Christ, and the Pilgrims Progress a noble part of the literature of spiritual power. The Scriptures have imparted to them something of their own genius.2 [Note: D. M. Ross.]
If you put this Book into the hands of your children directly they have left the cradle and are learning to read; and if you give them a sufficiently good education to enable them to read the Book and to understand it as they understand other books; and if you should tell them that they should try to use this Book very much as a soldier uses his book of regulations, to learn how to behave himself in the army, in the battle, in the face of the foe; if you teach your children that this is the purpose of the Bible, for instruction or education in righteousness, your children will find their way to Jesus Christ, they will find salvation, the righteousness that is in Him. And not only will they find Jesus Christ, but in the process of finding Him they will have become men and women, and not mere babes under tuition. You will find that there has been produced in them a strength of mind and of conscience which will make them different from other people who have been taught in easier but less effectual ways.1 [Note: R. F. Horton, Englands Danger, 106.]
The Use of Scripture
Literature
Allon (H.), The Indwelling Christ, 123.
Clifford (J.), Daily Strength for Daily Living, 373.
Driver (S. R.), Sermons on the Old Testament, 143.
Gibson (E. C. S.), The Old Testament in the New, 1.
Gray (W. H.), Old Creeds and New Beliefs, 126.
Grimley (H. N.), The Temple of Humanity, 218.
Gutch (C.), Sermons, 214.
Hamer (D. J.), Salt and Light, 219.
Hoare (E.), Great Principles of Divine Truth, 1.
Horton (R. F.), Englands Danger, 105.
How (W. W.), The Knowledge of God, 15.
Hutton (A. W.), Ecclesia Discens, 70.
Ingram (A. F. W.), The Call of the Father, 155.
Jefferson (C. E.), Things Fundamental, 105.
John (Griffith), A Voice from China, 145.
Jones (T.), The Divine Order, 83.
Leach (C.), Sunday Afternoons with Working Men, 295.
Lock (W.), The Bible and Christian Life, 179.
Momerie (A. W.), Inspiration and other Sermons, 1.
Moody (A.), The Message of Salvation, 83.
Moore (E. W.), The Promised Rest, 203.
Paget (F.), The Spirit of Discipline, 174.
Palmer (E. R.), The Development of Revelation , 15.
Randolph (B. W.), Christ in the Old Testament, 1.
Robarts (F. H.), Sunday Morning Talks, 184.
Ryle (H. E.), On Holy Scripture and Criticism, 1, 170.
Shelford (L. E.), By Way of Remembrance, 133.
Shillito (E.), Looking Inwards, 80, 85.
Simpson (J. G.), Christian Ideals, 127.
Sinclair (W. M.), Christ and Our Times, 49.
Stuart (S. A.), Children of God, 11.
Vaughan (C. R.), Sermons, 45.
Cambridge Review, viii. No. 184; xxi. No. 536 (G. F. Browne).
Christian World Pulpit, xxxviii. 257 (J. J. S. Perowne); xxxix. 298 (J. Clifford); xl. 275 (W. Briscombe); liii. 241 (R. F. Horton); Leviticus 27 (D. M. Ross); lxxi. 88 (R. F. Horton); lxxiii. 309 (S. Chadwick).
Church of England Pulpit, lxii. 2 (W. P. Roberts).
Expository Times, ii. 54 (J. J. S. Perowne).
Fuente: The Great Texts of the Bible
continue: 2Ti 1:13, 2Ti 2:2, 1Ti 4:16
assured: Act 17:31, Rom 14:5, *marg. Col 2:2, 1Th 1:5, Heb 6:11, Heb 10:22
knowing: 2Ti 3:15, 1Th 2:13
Reciprocal: Joh 5:39 – Search Joh 8:31 – If Act 2:42 – they 1Ti 4:6 – nourished 1Ti 6:20 – keep
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
BIBLE TEACHING
Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 3:14-15
The value of Bible teaching depends upon the teacher. And, if this be so, there are two qualities we must expect and require of those who teach it.
I. The quality of reverence.The teacher must impress the child with the conviction that when he comes to the Bible lesson he is entering holy ground. His words, his method, his very manner must suggest to the child the humility which is due to a sacred Presence. To teach, even to read, the Bible in a tone of flippancy, carelessness, or indifference, is not only to teach badly; it is to give the child from the very first an entirely wrong conception of the place which the Bible holds among the books of the world.
II. We must expect in the teacher the quality of faith.The presence or absence of some faith in the message which the Bible brings is involved in every act of teaching. The way in which the teacher reads the Bible or allows it to be read, the very selections which he makes of the passages which are to be studied, the explanations which he gives, in themselves, and in the very tone in which they are given, reveal inevitably to the quick insight of the child whether or not the teacher speaks from a heart of faith or a heart of indifference or unbelief. Whatever faith a man has he must communicate it to his pupils through the teaching of the Bible. And we Christians cannot be content merely that a man should give the best faith that he has; we must ask for our children that the faith he gives is that faith which is the very essence of the meaning of the Holy Scripturesfaith in Christ Jesus, the Supreme Personality, God and Man. He is the Light which illuminates and gives value to every portion of the Bible. It is in Him that its history culminates; it is towards Him that its prophecies point; it is of Him that the Apostles speak and write; and therefore to teach the Bible from any other point of view than faith in the supremacy of the revelation given in Christ Jesus is to give a wrong conception of the whole meaning and character of the Bible itself. Nay, may we not go further and say that it is to give a wrong conception of the character of our Christian religion?
III. Our plea is for the honour of our Bible.This nation is specially entrusted by the providence of God with the care of the Bible. At its very start, in the early days which seem so far remote, its typical King Alfred laid the foundations of its life by giving it, with the one hand, its body of laws, and with the other hand his translation of the Bible text; and still, at the beginning of the twentieth century, when at the Coronation our nation renewed its covenant with God through its representative the King, the Archbishop representing the Church, the guardian and keeper of Holy Writ, placed the Bible in the hands of the King with these words: Our gracious King, we present you with this book, the most valuable thing that the world affords. Here is wisdom. Here is the Royal law. Here are the lively oracles of God. Let us be jealous with a great jealousy for this trust of the honour of the Bible which has been placed in our hands. We can only be faithful to the trust if we see to it that in the teaching of our schools the children learn to regard their Bibles as sacred writings which are able to make them wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Archbishop Lang.
Illustration
If we are askedWhat is, perhaps, the greatest factor that has kept the public and private life of our nation true to God and its best ideals? we should most of us, and with justice, reply, The Bible. The other day I saw the Biblethe volume which had been the chosen companion through all his lifeof one who had done great service to his country and his Church. There in that volume, one felt as one looked upon itmarked, as it was, by the impress of every stage in the mans history-there was the power, the friendship, which had sustained him in sorrow, uplifted him in joy, strengthened him in temptation, inspired him to labour. Similarly, all through the story of our English nationsince, at least, it first accepted its great destinythe Bible has been the friend and companion of the people. It carries with it into the most distant parts of the globe the most sacred memories of home, so that in his Bible the traveller in the far seas feels that he is one with his parents in the cottage among the hills of the Highlands. The Bible by a thousand of the earliest and tenderest associations has woven a chain that binds every class in English life to the one Father.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Our Guide among the Wreckage
2Ti 1:3-5; 2Ti 2:15-17; 2Ti 3:14-15; 2Ti 4:1-2; 2Ti 4:16-17
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
One of the outstanding marks of spirituality is soundness of mind, soundness in wisdom, in words, in doctrine, in faith.
There are some people who are forever mocking Christianity with the words that, “So and so went crazy on religion.” It is not true. People may go crazy when they turn aside to fads and fancies and fanaticism, but not when they walk in the Spirit. People who go crazy, may talk wildly about religious conceptions and spiritual things, but it was not the Spirit nor spiritual life which made them crazy.
A real Spirit-taught and Spirit-led believer will be recognized by the sanity of his statement, and the strength of his word. Carnality gives birth to a great many things which are erratic, and which are classed by some people under the realm of spiritualities.
Whenever there is disorder in the churches, and confusion in the house of God, we may be sure that God Is not supreme, as He is the God of order. God’s universe moves in a rhythmic order, that knows no jar and feels no uncanny sense of confusion.
Let us look at the words which mark spiritual life.
1. A sound speech. Young people need to show themselves a pattern in good works, and in gravity and sincerity. They need to use sound speech that cannot be condemned. Paul wrote to Timothy that young men should be sober-minded, that young women should be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, and obedient to their own husbands.
Idle chatter and giddy talk should not be the assets of a believer. We recognize that a hearty laugh doeth good like medicine, but a hearty laugh and a clean joke is not contrary to “sound speech.” Sound speech is speech that is sane on the one hand, and clean and incorrupt on the other. Sound speech is not polluted. It dwells upon the things that are pure, holy, clean, and of good report.
2. Sound Doctrine. A sound doctrine is a doctrine that is true to the Faith. It carries a tenet which is builded upon the Word of God. It is free from error. It is based upon the positive Word of Scripture.
People who are sound in doctrine, are ready to give a reason for the hope that is in them, with fear and trembling. They do not follow after every strange doctrine that may arise; they do not care to put forth the dreams of their own heads, as a basis for their Faith. They are unwilling to follow a creed or statement of faith, merely because it voices the convictions of some certain sect or class. Sound doctrine, must be based on a “thus saith the Lord.”
3. Sound mind. A sound mind is, of necessity, an instructed mind, that is, a mind that knows the Truth. It is a mind that is taught of God, inasmuch as no other mind can be sound in the Faith, or sound in speech, or sound in wisdom.
A sound mind is one that is well balanced in the Faith. Not only a mind rightly taught, but fully taught. A mind that does not run off on hobbies, placing stress on one phase of Truth, to the neglect of other just as important Truth.
A sound mind is a mind that is not erratic, and not given to excesses in statements. A sound mind neither goes beyond, nor lags behind that which is written. A sound mind places the emphasis where God places it. Let young; people seek to be “sound” in all things.
I. THE GLORY OF UNFEIGNED FAITH (2Ti 1:3-5)
1. The faith of Timothy was passed down from his mother and grandmother. The Bible does not teach that the faith of a parent will save the child. It does teach that the child will imbibe the spirit of faith which their parents held. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house,” is a promise which is true to facts.
Joshua said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Abraham was approved of God because God said, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord.” We cannot over-emphasize the value and the power of child-training in the home.
2. The admonition to “hold fast” to the form of sound words. Paul knew that there would be efforts made to swerve Timothy from the Faith, therefore, he urged upon him the necessity of holding the pattern which had been delivered unto him, by his mother Eunice, his grandmother Lois, and by Paul himself.
When God commits the Truth into the keeping of His saints, He wants them to guard that Truth through the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in them. The Truth is a sacred trust and we must keep our tryst.
3. The warning of some who had turned away. The Apostle warns Timothy how all they who were in Asia had turned away from him, and he specifies Phygellus and Hermogenes. This warning is particularly needed today. We are living in the times of the great apostasy, and we need to be rooted and grounded in the Word of God. We would not ask young people to cling tenaciously unto decadent dogmas, but we would urge them to remain faithful to the Faith which has been given by holy men, as they were breathed upon by the Holy Ghost. We would urge them to hold fast to sound words-words which are wholesome and established; words which are true and God-given.
II. THE STUDY OF THE WORD OF TRUTH (2Ti 2:15-17)
4. Knowing the Truth is pre-requisite to holding to the Truth. They who leave the Truth and turn aside to fables, are they who have never known the Truth in any vital way.
The Apostle was not afraid to advise young Timothy to delve into the depths of the things of God. The Bible is not a book which cannot live through the glaring light of research. The more we study it, the more we realize its eternal verities. The more we delve into the depths of its message, the more we discover that it was written by the finger of God.
2. Rightly dividing the Truth is pre-requisite to an approved workman. Of course, we cannot rightly divide the Truth until we have studied the Truth, and have known the Truth. However, having studied the Word, and proved ourselves diligent in the acquiring of the knowledge of the Word, we want to set ourselves to the dispensing of the Word. We do not study merely to obtain knowledge, but to impart that knowledge unto others. For this cause we should be workmen who need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. We must give to every one his portion.
We must know the message of God in its relationship to various classes-to the Jew, to the Gentile, and to the Church of God. We must be able, for example, to divide the prophetic Scriptures, showing that portion of Scripture which refers to Christ’s first coming, and that which anticipates His Second Coming. We must understand that there are various ages, to each of which God had a special and fitting message.
In doing all of this, however, we must not fail to remember that all Scripture is profitable, and that all Scripture has a message for everybody.
3. The warning against missing the mark concerning the Truth. Verses sixteen to eighteen tell us to shun profane and vain babblings. It tells us that such babblings eat as doth a canker. It gives us the example of Hymenaeus and Philetus, who, concerning the Truth, erred-missed the mark. It tells us of how these two men failed to rightly divide the Word of Truth, saying, “That the resurrection is passed already,” and how they overthrew the faith of some.
Let us be just as careful in shunning error, as we are in conserving Truth. When error begins to grip the mind and to take root in the life, there is no telling to what extent it may grow, to what vagaries it may lead, and what harm it may accomplish.
The statement of verse seventeen is very graphic: “Their word will eat as doth a canker.” The only thing to do with false doctrine is to immediately cut it off, as soon as it shows its head.
III. THE FAITHFUL CONTINUANCE IN THE TRUTH (2Ti 3:14-15)
1. A lifelong knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. The Apostle reminds Timothy that from a child he had known the Holy Scriptures, which were able to make him wise unto salvation. He reminds him that all Scripture is God-inspired and is profitable; that the Word of God not only makes one wise unto salvation through faith in Christ, but that it also throughly furnishes him unto all good works. Timothy, from a child, had known these Scriptures. He had been taught them and was therefore well versed, at least, in the letter of the Word.
2. A plea to continue in what he had learned, and in that of which he had been assured. The Apostle reminds Timothy from whom he had obtained his knowledge of the Truth. It had come to him not only from his mother and grandmother, but it had come to him through holy men of God, and from the Apostle Paul, a peer of preachers.
Apostates need to consider how they are turning away, not only from God, and from Truth, but also from saints whose faithful lives and testimony stand unimpoverished by the march of years. Apostates are leaving the paths of light, to wander in the darkness of an impenetrable night; they are leaving Truth, for error; Christ, for the antichrist; the only hope of eternal life, for the certainty of eternal death.
Let us continue in what we have learned, not because we learned it, but because of them from whom we learned it.
3. A warning concerning the last days. The third chapter, from which we take our theme, begins with warnings of conditions which shall prevail in the last days. These conditions are now upon us. It seems almost impossible that a more accurate detailment of present-day world-attitudes could have been delineated; yet, when we remember that this detailed delineation of our day was written down in the Word of God nineteen centuries ago, we are amazed, and wonder. We know that God must have spoken.
The things written, that we want to note just now, are these:
(1) A warning of “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” This is just what we have today. Old-time creeds are still left on the books, and in many places they are still memorized in old-time creedal fashion, however, the old-time power is lacking.
The Spirit is emphasizing that it is not enough to merely hold the Truth, or even to merely rightly divide the Word of Truth: we must also hold the power of the Truth-a Truth that effectually worketh in those who believe.
It is not when the Word of Truth is intellectually gripped by us, that the victory is reached; it is when the Word grips us, molds us, leads us, vitalizes us in word, and testimony, that victory ensues.
(2) A warning against resisting the Truth. The Spirit brings forth an example of two men, Jannes and Jambres, to illustrate his warning. He says, “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these men resist the Truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the Faith.” Heretofore we have seen no more than a passive denial of the Faith, or, a languid failure to know the power of the Faith. Now, we have an active resistance to the Faith.
The age is fast passing by mere denials of God and of His Word; it is sweeping on toward an aggressive warfare against the Faith. The enemy is girding himself for war, and a war to the finish.
In Russia the battle against God is on in all of its fury. The State is saturated with atheism, and is setting itself, at any cost, to wipe Christianity from the face of the Russian empire, and from the world, if that is possible. It will prove to be all but possible. Christ said, “When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?”
Antagonism to truth will finally head up in the antichrist, who will exalt himself above God, and all that is called God. They who follow with him will not receive the love of the Truth; and, for this cause, God will send them a strong delusion that they may believe a lie.
IV. THE PREACHING OF THE WORD OF TRUTH (2Ti 4:1-2)
1. A solemn charge. Paul had instructed Timothy to study the Truth, and to continue in the Truth; now he tells him to preach the Truth.
The Gospel of God is not a Gospel to be hid away, or wrapped in a napkin; it is a Gospel to be preached, Paul did not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, and so he had a right to urge Timothy to follow in his steps.
(1) The preaching of the Word should be accomplished in the light of the Coming of the Lord, and of the preacher’s appearance before the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the raptured living and the raised dead.
(2) The preaching of the Word should be carried on in season and out of season, with all long-suffering and doctrine. Nothing should deter the one who labors in the Truth, from pressing home his mission to a happy conclusion.
2. A noble example. Paul, after urging Timothy to preach the Word under all conditions, set forth how he had, himself, fought a good fight, kept the Faith, and finished his course.
3. A prophecy of a coming time. Timothy is urged to fidelity to the Faith in view of the fact that the time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine. That time has come in many large and influential churches.
Moreover, the time will come, says the Spirit, when men will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; who will turn their ears from the Truth, and unto fables. That time has also come. The pew is given to saying, “Prophesy unto us smooth things.”
Throwing of bouquets, scented with flattery, is the fad of the hour in many circles. Darkness is called light; and light, darkness. Preachers with oiled lips are prophesying peace, when there is no peace. With their mouths they speak great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration. They walk in the imagination of their hearts, saying, “No evil shall come upon you.”
It is a sad day when prophets prophesy lies, and when the people love to have it so, willingly following after their pernicious ways.
V. THE LORD STOOD WITH ME (2Ti 4:16-17)
We have come to the final word for today. It is a word of encouragement for young Timothy. Paul has delivered his charge to this Christian youth; he has fully warned him of the dangers in the way. In all of this the Spirit was speaking forcefully to young men and women of today.
By way of encouragement the Apostle recounts how God had stood by him in the hour of his trouble, and had strengthened him, so that through him the Gospel might be made known to the Gentiles.
Paul related how God had delivered him out of the mouth of the lion. Then, with an eye of faith, the great preacher cried, “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His Heavenly Kingdom.”
There are just a few conclusions we would like to offer:
1.How many from among our young people will this day consecrate themselves to a faithful service for God?
2.Who will make plain the fact that they are distinct from those who deny the Faith?
It is more than interesting to note in the two Epistles addressed to Timothy, how the expressions are used differentiating between Timothy and those who swerve from the Faith. We will give you one or two examples of this.
“Men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2Ti 3:8).
“Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse” (2Ti 3:13).
“They will not endure sound doctrine”; * * “they * * shall be turned unto fables” (2Ti 4:4).
“But thou hast fully known my doctrine” (2Ti 3:10).
“But continue thou in all the things which thou hast * * been assured of” (2Ti 3:14).
“But watch thou in all things; * * make full proof of thy ministry” (2Ti 4:5).
The above contrast suffices to establish our thought. The more that others drift from the Faith, the more we should stand strong and secure and aggressive for the Faith.
3. Why should we fear? God has given us His promise that He will-stand with us and preserve us, even as He did the Apostle Paul.
Paul, having obtained help of God, continued unto the end of his journey, expounding and testifying “The Kingdom of God,” and persuading men concerning the Lord Jesus.
AN ILLUSTRATION
THIRSTY MEN DRINKING WITHOUT LOOKING
“As men in a deep thirst swallow their drink before they know the nature of it, or discern the taste of it; so when we are under a great thirst, or under great famishment as to spiritual comfort, and have great troubles upon us, we take up with comfortable notions of Christ and salvation by Him, and easily drink in these and other truths, catching at them without looking into the grounds or reasons of them. Afterwards we see the need of care and watchfulness of soul, to strengthen our assent and fortify ourselves against these doubts of mind which shake us. Then we desire to settle our hearts in those supreme truths which in our necessity we accepted without discussion.” “This is a very natural figure. See how the thirsty man turns up the cup and drinks the contents at a draught; he cares little what it is, so that it quenches his raging thirst. ‘Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.’ But now, mark him in cooler moments! He is careful of his drinking, lest he be made top-heavy, or become nauseated. A simple, receptive faith is a fine thing for the speedy removal of the soul’s thirst; but if it were not soon qualified by spiritual discernment it would lead to credulity, and the man would be ready to take in anything which might be set before him. The rapid believer would soon become the victim of superstition. The more study of the Scriptures, and testing of doctrines thereby, the better. Careful investigation may save the mind from being injured by poisonous teaching, and it will certainly endear the Truth to us, and strengthen our confidence in it.
“What a draught was that which some of us had at the first! Little enough we know; but our enjoyment of what we did know was intense! Lord, thou hast now revealed to us the ingredients of that Divine cup; grant that this may give us a new and deeper joy; but do not allow us to forget the bliss of satisfied thirst because we are gifted with fuller knowledge. Such a gain would be a loss most serious.”
Fuente: Neighbour’s Wells of Living Water
2Ti 3:14. This verse is an exhortation for Timothy not to be swerved from the course of truth that had influenced him all his life. The assurance of being right is based on the reliable source of his information, of which he was fully aware. His mother and grandmother had taught him the scriptures, which is the subject of the rest of this chapter. (See chapter 1:5.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Ti 3:14. Thou hast learned, and hast been assured of. As in other cases, the English perfect hides the force of the Greek. Better, Thou didst learn and wast persuaded of.
From whom. The received text gives the singular, the better MSS. the plural, The former would point to St. Paul, the latter to Lois and Eunice as well, perhaps (looking to the from a child of the next verse) to them chiefly.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Several arguments are here made use of, by St. Paul, to press Timothy to the duty of perseverance in the doctrine of Christ, contained in the holy scriptures; the first is drawn from the authority of the person from whom he had received that doctrine, to wit, St. Paul himself, an inspired apostle of Jesus Christ.
Continue in the things which thou hast learned; that is, from me, and by me as an authorized apostle. All the servants of God, but especially the ministers of God, must continue constant in the faith, and steadfast in the truth received.
The second argument of Timothy’s adhering to the doctrine of the scriptures, is drawn from his long acquaintance with the scriptures, even from his childhood, yea, from his infancy: From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, &c. And the argument lies thus, “Thou, O Timothy, hast learnt the scriptures from thy infancy; now what a shame would it be for thee, who hast been taught so early the true religion, to turn from it and forsake it; from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, from a suckling, as the word signifies.”
From whence learn, That it is the duty of parents to instruct their children betimes in the holy and good word of God; we read before of the care that Timothy’s mother and grandmother took in that matter,
Observe, 2. The title given to the word of God, – the holy scriptures; they are holy in their author, holy in their matter, holy in their penman, holy in their end and design, which is to make us holy, Joh 16:17. The word of God is not only pure but purifying, not only clean but cleansing.
Observe, 3. the high commendation given of the word, It is able to make thee wise unto salvation; no knowledge can bring us to salvation without the knowledge of the holy scriptures; the philosophers will teach you moral wisdom, but not a word of salvation by a Redeemer, without whom our salvation is impossible; it is here added, -wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Learn, thence, that the holy scriptures, though they instruct us in the way of salvation, yet cannot save us without faith in Christ Jesus.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
2Ti 3:14-15. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned That is, continue to believe and obey them; and hast been assured of Namely, of their absolute certainty and infinite importance; knowing of whom thou hast learned them And what convincing evidence I have given thee that I have been commissioned by God to attest and teach them. And that from a child , from an infant; thou hast known the Holy Scriptures Of the Old Testament, which only were extant when Timothy was an infant. The apostle calls them holy or sacred Scriptures, or writings, because they were given by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, through the instrumentality of holy men, because they treat on holy things, contain holy doctrines, precepts, and promises, and are designed and calculated to make people holy. It must be remembered, that Timothys mother and grandmother, being pious Jewish women, had trained him up from his childhood in the knowledge and belief of the writings of Moses and the prophets. And their care in thus instructing him, being commended by the apostle, shows us that little children ought to be made acquainted with the Scriptures as early as possible; and that they may derive much benefit even from that imperfect knowledge of them, and of the principles of religion, which they are capable of attaining in their tenderest years. Which are able to make thee wise unto salvation Even the Scriptures of the Old Testament were able to make men thus wise, through faith in the Messiah, before he came. How much more are those of the Old and New Testaments, taken together, able, in Gods hand, to make us more abundantly wise unto salvation, through faith in him actually come, even such a salvation as was not known before Jesus was glorified? See 1Pe 1:10-12.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Week 10
2Ti 3:14-17; 2Ti 4:1-2
A FAITHFUL SERVANT IS WORKED
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them]; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 4:1 I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them];
No matter this stuff Ive been relating to you, YOU continue in what you know to be right and proper.
I suspect Paul may have had a play on words in mind here in the previous verse he mentions as the evil continue deeper into their evil and deception, so you continue ever deeper into what you know to be right and true.
There are three items on which Paul builds – “what thou has learned”, those things “thou hast been assured of”, and “whom thou hast learned.” You know truth, you have been assured that it is truth, and you learned it from me! Hold fast to that which you know to be truth!
We all know what we know individually, but are we totally convinced that it is all truth? We all know who has been teaching us but are we totally convinced that they are firmly grounded in the Word.
When I am on some of the internet boards I read long diatribes from people that think they know it all, but have obviously taken in truth from men they ought not to have been listening to. Often times these people when confronted with the truth of Scripture will melt into the background to be heard from no more their truth has been found lacking I trust they are considering what they believe and who it was that taught them.
As a practical application of this verse take some time this week and consider those people that you have listened to in your life. Are they really as well grounded in the Word as you thought they were? Are all those truths you soaked up really true? Have you been too accepting of the teaching of others?
Just because those messages/lessons sound good, there may be a lot of falsehood lurking within. In my college days we had a great preacher for our president. We really thought he was the cream of the crop. His chapel messages were always tops! However, years later when going over my notes from his messages, I found little that he said was in a particular passage was actually there. I had always been glad that I had such good notes from this man, but as I went through the notes, I found that there was little worth saving for future use. Not that he was all that unbiblical, but he was seldom preaching from the right passage.
No, I dont think he was teaching falsehood, but he was certainly less than a prepared preacher. For him to dig out the correct passages for his points would have taken longer than it was worth, it would seem.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
1. Adherence to the truth 3:14-17
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
In his personal life Timothy should continue living as he had rather than turning aside to follow the example of the evil men Paul just mentioned. Timothy’s conduct grew out of what he had learned that gave him personal convictions.
"Jewish parents were expected to teach their children the Law from the age of five onwards." [Note: Kelly, p. 201. Cf. Mishnah Pirke Aboth 5:21.]
Timothy’s convictions grew stronger because Paul’s life had backed up the truth that Timothy had learned from him. Furthermore they were consistent with the sacred Scriptures that he had known all his life (i.e., the Hebrew Scriptures, cf. 2Ti 1:5). These inspired writings convey wisdom and lead to personal salvation from sin because they point to Christ. Thus they are reliable and powerful.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
B. Conduct in the last days 3:14-4:5
Paul identified two of Timothy’s duties in the last days to impress him with what was of highest priority.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Chapter 34
THE PERILS OF RATIONALISM AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A LIFELONG CONTACT WITH TRUTH-THE PROPERTIES OF INSPIRED WRITINGS. – 2Ti 3:14-17
FOR the second time in this paragraph the Apostle puts his faithful disciple in marked contrast to the heretical teachers. A few lines before, after comparing the latter to the Egyptian magicians, he continues, “But thou () didst follow my teaching.” And in the passage before us, after saying that “evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse,” he continues, “But abide thou ( ) in the things which thou hast learned.” Here there is a double contrast; first between Timothy and the impostors, and secondly between his abiding in the truth and their going away from it, and so from bad to worse, first as deceivers and then as being deceived. They begin by being seducers and end in being dupes, and the dupes (very often) of their own deceptions; for deceit commonly leads to self-deceit. Such a result may well act as a warning to Timothy and those committed to his charge of the peril of trifling with the fundamentals of religious truth.
The articles of the Christian faith are not like the commodities in a bazaar from which one can pick and choose at pleasure, and of which one can take three or four without in any way affecting ones relation to the remainder, or reject three or four, without in any way affecting the security of ones hold upon those which one decides to take. With regard to the truths of religion, our right to pick and choose has very strict limits. When the system as a whole has presented its credentials to the reason and the conscience, and these have decided that the bearer of such credentials must be the representative of a Divine Being, then the attempt to pick and choose among the details of the system becomes perilous work. To reject this or that item, as being mere fringe and setting rather than a constituent element, or as being at any rate unessential, may be to endanger the whole structure. We may be leaving an impregnable position for an exposed and untenable one, or be exchanging a secure platform for an inclined plane, on which we shall find no lasting resting place until the bottom is reached. And this was what the men, against whom Timothy is warned, had done.
They had left the sure position, and were sometimes sliding, sometimes running, further and further away from the truth.
In other words, there is a right and a wrong use of reason in matters of faith. The wrong use is sometimes spoken of as “Rationalism,” and (adopting that term as convenient) the following clear statement, borrowed from another writer, will show in a striking way where it was that St. Paul wished Timothy to part company with the principles of his opponents. “As regards Revealed Truth,” wrote J. H. Newman in 1835, “it is not Rationalism to set about to ascertain, by the exercise of reason, what things are attainable by reason, and what are not; nor, in the absence of an express Revelation, to inquire into the truths of Religion, as they come to us by nature; nor to determine what proofs are necessary for the acceptance of a Revelation, if it be given; nor to reject a Revelation on the plea of insufficient proof; nor, after recognizing it as Divine, to investigate the meaning of its declarations, and to interpret its language; nor to use its doctrines, as far as they can be fairly used, in inquiring into its divinity; nor to compare and connect them with our previous knowledge, with a view of making them parts of a whole; nor to bring them into dependence on each other, to trace their mutual relations, and to pursue them to their legitimate issues. This is not Rationalism. But it is Rationalism to accept the Revelation, and then to explain it away; to speak of it as the Word of God, and to treat it as the word of man; to refuse to let it speak for itself; to claim to be told the why and the how of Gods dealings with us, as therein described; and to assign to Him a motive and a scope of our own; to stumble at the partial knowledge which He may give us of them; to put aside what is obscure, as if it had not been said at all; to accept one half of what has been told us, and not the other half; to assume that the contents of Revelation are also its proof; to frame some gratuitous hypothesis about them, and then to garble, gloss, and color them, to trim, clip, pare away and twist them, to order to bring them into conformity with the idea to which we have subjected them.”
Timothy is to abide in those things which he has “learned and been assured of.” He has experienced the result which St. Luke wished to produce in Theophilus when he wrote his Gospel: he has attained to “full knowledge of the certainty concerning the things wherein he had been instructed.” {Luk 1:4} And he is not to allow the wild teaching of his opponents, thoroughly discredited as it is and will be by equally wild conduct, to shake his security. Not everything that is disputed is disputable, nor everything that is doubted doubtful. And if the fruits of the two kinds of teaching do not fully convince him of the necessity of abiding by the old truths rather than by the suggestions of these innovators, let him remember those from whom be first learnt the truths of the Gospel, -his grandmother Lois, his mother Eunice, and the Apostle himself. When it comes to a question of the authority of the teachers, which group will he choose? Those who established him in the faith, or those who are trying to seduce men away from it?
There is a little doubt about the word “of whom thou hast learned them.” The “whom” is probably plural () but a reading which makes it singular () is strongly supported. The plural must include all Timothys chief instructors in the faith, especially the earliest, as is clear from the nature of the case and from what follows. If the singular is adopted, we must refer it to St. Paul, in accordance with “the things which thou hast heard from me the same commit thou to faithful men” (2Ti 2:2). It is possible that the words just quoted have influenced the reading in the passage under consideration, and have caused the substitution of the singular for the plural.
But there is a further consideration. There are not only the character of the doctrine on each side, and the fruits of the doctrine on each side, and the teachers of whom Timothy has had personal experience, and about whose knowledge and trustworthiness he can judge; there is also the fact that from his tenderest infancy he has had the blessing of being in contact with the truth, first as it is revealed in the Old Testament, and then as it is still further revealed in the Gospel. The responsibilities of those who from their earliest days have been allowed to grow in the knowledge of God and of His government of the world, are far greater than the responsibilities of those who have had no opportunity of acquiring this knowledge until late in life.
Old habits of thought and conduct are not extinguished by baptism; and the false opinion and vicious behavior of many of those who are vexing, or will hereafter vex, the Church in Ephesus, may be traced to influences which had become dominant in them long before they came into contact with Gods revealed law. No such allowance can be made for Timothy. He has had the inestimable privilege of knowing the sacred writings from his earliest childhood. It will be his own fault if they do not “make him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
The expression “sacred writings” () occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The usual expression is “the scriptures” ( ); and once {Rom 1:2} we have “holy scriptures” ( ). Here both substantive and adjective are unusual. The adjective occurs in only one other passage in the New Testament, a passage which throws light upon this one. “Know ye not that they who perform the sacred rites, from the sacred place get their food?” (“Speakers Commentary,” on 1Co 9:13) And just as in that passage “the sacred rites” are the Jewish sacrifices, and “the sacred place” the Jewish temple, so here “the sacred writings” are the Jewish Scriptures. It is utterly improbable that any Christian writings are included. How could Timothy have known any of these from infancy? Even at the time when St. Paul wrote this farewell letter, there was little Christian literature, excepting his own Epistles: and he was not likely to speak of them as “sacred writings,” or to include them under one expression with the Old Testament Scriptures. The suggestion that Christian writings are included, or are mainly intended, seems to be made with the intention of insinuating that this letter cannot have been written by the Apostle, but by some one of a later age. But would even a writer of the second century have made such a blunder as to represent Timothy as knowing Christian literature from his childhood?
With the use of the substantive “writings”; () in this passage, should be compared the use of the same word in Christs discourse at Jerusalem after the miracle at the pool of Bethesda, where he shows the Jews how hopeless their unbelief is, and how vain their appeal to Moses, who is really their accuser. “But if ye believe not his writings () how shall ye believe My words?” The Jews had had two opportunities of knowing and accepting the truth; the writings of Moses, and the words of Jesus. So also Timothy had had two sets of instructors; the holy women who had brought him up, whose work had been completed by the Apostle, and the sacred writings. If the authority of the former should seem to be open to question, there could be no doubt of the sufficiency of the latter. They “are able to make him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
It must be observed that the Apostle uses the present tense and not the past () in expressing the power of the sacred writings in communicating a saving wisdom to him who uses them aright. This power was not exhausted when the young Timothy was brought to the ampler truths of the Gospel. However far advanced he may be in sacred knowledge, he will still find that they are able to make him increase in the wisdom which enlightens and saves souls.
But Scripture confers this life-giving wisdom in no mechanical manner. It is not a charm, which has a magical effect upon every one who reads it. The most diligent study of the sacred writings will do nothing for the salvation of a man who does not prosecute his researches in something more than the mere spirit of curious enquiry. Therefore St. Paul adds, “through faith which is in Christ Jesus”: It is-when this is added to the soul of the enquirer that the sacred writings of the Old Covenant have their illuminating power; without it, so far from leading to the salvation won for us by Christ, they may keep those who study them away from the truth, as in the case of the Jews to this day. The pillar of fire becomes a pillar of cloud, and what should have been for wealth becomes an occasion of falling.
“Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness.” This is the Revisers rendering. Besides one or two smaller changes, they have made two important alterations of the A.V.
(1) They have substituted “every scripture” for “all scripture,” without allowing the old rendering even a place in the margin.
(2) They have inserted the “is” (which must be supplied somewhere in the sentence) after instead of before “inspired by God”; thus making “inspired by God” an epithet of Scripture and not something stated respecting it. “Every scripture inspired by God is also profitable,” instead of “is inspired of God and profitable”: but they allow the latter rendering a place in the margin.
This treatment of the passage appears to be very satisfactory, so far as the second of these two points is concerned. Certainty is not attainable in either. Yet, as regards the second, the probabilities are greatly in favor of the Apostles meaning that “inspired scripture is also profitable,” rather than “scripture is inspired and profitable.” But with regard to the first point, it may be doubted whether the balance is so decidedly against the translation “all scripture” as to warrant its exclusion. No doubt the absence of the article in the Greek ( and not ) is against the old rendering; but it is by no means conclusive, as other instances both in the New Testament and in classical Greek prove. Nevertheless, there is the further fact that in the New Testament “the scripture” generally means a particular passage of Scripture. {Luk 4:21; Joh 19:24; Joh 19:28; Joh 19:36-37; Act 8:32; Act 8:35} When Scripture as a whole is meant, the word is commonly used in the plural, “the scriptures”. {Mat 21:42; Mar 12:24 Joh 5:39} In the passage before us the meaning is not seriously affected by the change. It matters little whether we say “the whole of scripture,” or “every passage of scripture.” “Every scripture inspired by God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for discipline () which is in righteousness”: i.e. , is of use both for doctrinal and for practical purposes, for informing both faith and conduct. It is because it is “inspired by God,” because Gods Spirit breathes through the whole of it, making every passage of it to be a portion of a living whole, that Scripture possesses this unique utility. And if the Apostle can say this of the Old Testament, much more may we affirm it of the New Testament. From the two together, everything that a Christian ought to believe, everything that a Christian ought to do, may be learned. But while this declaration of the Apostle assures us that there is no passage in Holy Writ, which, when properly handled, does not yield Divine instruction for the guidance of our minds, and hearts, and wills, yet it gives no encouragement to hard-and-fast theories as to the manner in which the Spirit of God operated upon the authors of the sacred writings. Inspiration is no mechanical process. It is altogether misleading to speak of it as Divine dictation, which would reduce inspired writers to mere machines. There are certain things which it clearly does not do.
1. While it governs the substance of what is written, it does not govern the language word by word. We have no reasons for believing in verbal inspiration, and have many reasons for not believing in it. For no one believes that copyists and printers are miraculously preserved from making verbal mistakes. Is it, then, reasonable to suppose that God would work a miracle to produce what He takes no care to preserve. Of the countless various readings, which are the words which are inspired?
1. Inspiration does not preserve the inspired writers from every kind of mistake. That it guards them from error in respect to matters of faith and morality, we may well believe; but whether it does more than this remains to be proved. On the other hand it can be proved that it does not preserve them from mistakes in grammar; for there is plenty of unquestionably bad grammar in the Bible. Look for instance at the Greek of Mar 6:8-9; Act 15:22; Act 19:34; Eph 4:2; Col 3:16; Rev 7:9; etc., etc. And it may be doubted whether inspiration preserves the inspired writer from all possibility of error as regards matters of fact, as to whether there were two men healed or only one; as to whether the healing took place as Christ entered the city or as he left it; as to whether the prophecy quoted comes from Jeremiah or Zechariah, and
2. the like. Can there be any reasonable doubt that St. Matthew has made a slip in writing “Zechariah the son of Barachiah” instead of “Zechariah the son of Jehoiada?” And is there any honest method of bringing St. Stephens speech into complete harmony with statements in the Old Testament respecting all the facts mentioned? Must we not suppose that there is error on one side or the other? If, as is quite certain, inspiration does not make a man a grammatical scholar, or give him a perfect literary style, ought we to conclude that it will make him a faultless historian or chronologer? A Divine Revelation through a series of inspired writers has been granted in order to save our souls. We have no right to assume that it has been granted in order to save us trouble. Those saving truths about God and our relations to Him, which we could never have discovered without a revelation, we may expect to find set forth without taint of error in the sacred writings. But facts of geology, or history, or physiology, which our own intelligence and industry can discover, we ought not to expect to find accurately set forth for us in the Bible: and we ought to require very full evidence before deciding that in such matters inspired writers may be regarded as infallible. St. Luke tells us in the Preface to his Gospel that he took great pains to obtain the best information. Need he have done so, if inspiration protected him from all possibility of mistake?
Inspiration does not override and overwhelm the inspired writers personal characteristics. There appears to be no such thing as an inspired style. The style of St. John is as different from that of St. Paul as the style of Bishop Butler is from that of Jeremy Taylor. Each inspired writer uses the language, and the illustrations, and the arguments that are natural and familiar to him. If he has an argumentative mind, he argues his points; if he has not, he states them without argument. If he has literary skill, he exhibits it; if he has none, inspiration does not give it to him. “No inspiration theory can stand for a moment which does not leave room for the personal agency and individual peculiarities of the sacred authors and the exercise of their natural faculties in writing” (Schaff, “Apostolic Christianity,” p. 608).
What inspiration has not done in these various particulars is manifest to every one who studies the sacred writings. What it has done is scarcely less manifest, and is certainly much more generally recognized. It has produced writings which are absolutely without a parallel in the literature of the world. Even as regards literary merits they have few rivals. But it is not in their literary beauty that their unique character consists. It lies rather in their lofty spirituality; their inexhaustible capacities for instruction and consolation; their boundless adaptability to all ages and circumstances; above all, in their ceaseless power of satisfying the noblest cravings and aspirations of the human heart. Other writings are profitable for knowledge, for advancement, for amusement, for delight, for wealth. But these “make wise unto salvation.” They produce that discipline which has its sphere in righteousness. They have power to instruct the ignorant, to convict the guilty, to reclaim the fallen, to school all in holiness; that all may be complete as men of God, “furnished completely unto every good work.”