All Scripture is breathed out by God
Mon, 31 October, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
In today’s passage, Paul reminds Timothy of the great privilege he had, being raised under the teaching of the Scriptures. Paul tells us that the Scriptures are the word of God, being breathed out by Him. They have great power and value in that they give us wisdom, they teach us how we should behave, they show us our sin, they correct our bad behavior, and they train us in how we should live. Paul sums it up by telling us that the Scriptures equip us to live as God intends us to live.
What do we learn from this?
The Scriptures are verbally inspired by God. This is tremendously important. All Scripture is breathed out by God. It comes from the mouth of God. It is expired by God and it is inspired by God.
We understand that God uses the human authors to write the Scriptures, as each book has its own style of writing and the authors have their own personal voices. But Paul tells us that the words they wrote are the words God intends them to write. The authors aren’t automatons. Their personality comes through in the writing, but the words are breathed out by God.
The words of scripture matter, because they are inspired. It is not just the underlying ideas of scripture that are inspired, but also the words used to express the ideas are inspired. We need to carefully study the very words that make up Scripture. Since most of us can’t read the Scriptures in their original languages, it is important to carefully chose our Bible translation. Some translations are more concerned with accurately translating the original words and some aim to translate the underlying ideas, but not necessarily the words themselves. The desire in translating the ideas is good: the translators want people to understand the idea. But if the words are God breathed, then I think it is important that we try to stick as close as we can to the actual words God breathed. And paraphrases run completely counter to this idea as they give free reign to allow flights of fancy that often depart very far from the original words themselves.
The words of Scripture matter.
Where is Christ in this passage?
Here is another passage that tells us that the Scriptures point us to Jesus Christ. [The] sacred writings, … are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures are empowered to reveal Jesus Christ and the salvation that is for all who come to Him in faith.
As we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures, we are led to Jesus Christ.
