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 complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)
In 2 Timothy 3:16a, the Apostle Paul writes, “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” All Scripture (πᾶσα γραφὴ; pasa graphe) means the whole content of God’s Word. Scripture refers to the holy writings.
Notice the universal positive statement by the apostle. There are no exceptions regarding a particular group of writings which are identified as being Scripture. Therefore, the Bible does not become the Word of God, neither is there only a portion of the Bible identified as God’s Word, but rather God declares all Scripture to be His inspired Word.
Scripture means writing. The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia explains, “The term “scripture” is derived from the Latin “scriptura”. Almost invariably this word occurs with the definite article “the” indicating the authoritative written matter of the Bible itself.”
Paul used the Greek word graphe. Within this context, it refers to the Old Testament. However, as the canon of Scripture was completed, it also came to refer to this passage, along with the entire New Testament. The crucial factor in this text is the usage of the word “all.” The clearest understanding is God inspired all and every separate part of Scripture.
The phrase “breathed out by God” is a single word in the Greek; (θεόπνευστος / theospneustos). It literally means divinely inspired.
Dr. William Hendriksen explains, “The word God-breathed, occurring only here indicates that “all scripture” owes its origin and contents to the divine breath, the Spirit of God. The human authors were powerfully guided and directed by the Holy Spirit. As a result, what they wrote is not only without error but of supreme value for man. It is all that God wanted it to be. It constitutes the infallible rule of faith and practice for mankind.”
“The Spirit, however, did not suppress the personality of the human writer, but raised it to a higher level of activity (John 14:26). And because the individuality of the human author was not destroyed, we find in the Bible a wide variety of style and language. Inspiration, in other words, is organic, not mechanical.”
Dr. Charles Ryrie defines biblical inspiration as “God’s superintendence of the human authors so that, using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in the words of the original autographs.”
Dr. Warren Wiersbe writes, “The Holy Spirit of God used men of God to write the Word of God (2 Peter 1:20–21). The Spirit did not erase the natural characteristics of the writers. In fact, God in His providence prepared the writers for the task of writing the Scriptures. Each writer has his own distinctive style and vocabulary. Each book of the Bible grew out of a special set of circumstances. In His preparation of men, in His guiding of history, and in His working through the Spirit, God brought about the miracle of the Scriptures.”
Dr. John MacArthur explains, “It is important to note that inspiration applies only to the original autographs of Scripture, not the Bible writers; there are no inspired Scripture writers, only inspired Scripture. So identified is God with His Word that when Scripture speaks, God speaks (Romans 9:17; Galatians 3:8). Scripture is called “the oracles of God” (Romans 3:2; I Peter 4:11) and cannot be altered (John 10:35; Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 6:17; Revelation 22:18-19).”
Dr. R. C. Sproul states, “Paul is saying that Scripture is “expired” or “breathed out” by God. This is not a mere quibble. It is obvious that for inspiration to take place there must first be expiration. A breathing out must precede a breathing in. The point is that the work of divine inspiration is accomplished by divine expiration. Since Paul says that Scripture is breathed out by God, Scripture’s origin or source must be God himself.”
Scripture alone is the believer’s final authority. The church must remain committed to this truth. Why is a commitment to Sola Scriptura so necessary? What benefit does a commitment to Sola Scriptura present to the church? This is what we will examine in the days to come.
More to come. May all true believers in Christ remain committed to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura.
Soli deo Gloria!
