14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of Goda may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(2 Timothy 3:14-17)
Thoughts: Paul is writing to Timothy about trusting the tradition and faith that was passed down to him. He was to trust it because his mother and grandmother trusted it with their lives and bore fruit in their lives through their belief. Paul was appealing to Timothy's experience of transforming grace that the scriptures made him wise for salvation by his faith in Christ. Timothy had been taught to trust scripture from infancy and it had proved him well in experience. He also would find scripture useful for equipping for every day use. But the real authority of scripture is not our experience or even our own salvation through scripture- but that God gave us scripture as a gift to reveal Himself to us and to help us in this life is the true authority.
The King James Version says "all scripture is inspired" but the Greek word is exousia- meaning coming out of God's breath- more than in from God's breath. The NIV translates this rightly, "God-breathed." The scripture spoken of here was the Old Testament- but it could easily apply to the words of the disciples. Scripture is authoritative not only because it is inspiring, but it is inspired in and of itself. It is the light bulb through which the light of God shines- but it is the God-created and God-used light bulb.
Prayer: Lord, help me be inspired and trusting in your word. Keep me reading it daily and truly.
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