Daily Bible Nugget #297, 2 Timothy 3:15

The Nugget:

2Ti 3:15 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.

My Comment:

Does the Bible teach that it is understandable? Most definitely it does. The Bible must be understandable or it could not be taught to children! That doesn’t mean that a child can understand everything in the Bible. It certainly does mean that a child can understand the Bible well enough to recognize his or her need of salvation, and through faith in Christ Jesus can be made wise unto salvation.

That is plainly what this text of Scripture at 2 Timothy 3:15 says.

There are individuals, groups, churches, denominations, and religious organizations who argue otherwise.

One popular argument is that their church or organization is the only authorized teaching authority available today. Nonsense. The Holy Spirit is the authorized teaching authority when it comes to understanding the Bible.

Another argument is that even among those who believe in the perspicuity of Scripture–the fancy term for saying the Bible says it is understandable to the ordinary hearer or reader–among those who believe this doctrine there are serious differences about what the Bible teaches even about basic issues.

That argument is a non-issue, because when two interpreters of the Bible disagree about what the Bible says or means, the differences can be carefully studied out to determine whose view, if either, is correct. Usually, by doing Real Bible Study as advocated here the correct answer can be found from the Bible.

For example, I have placed 23 Rules of Interpretation in the October, 2010 archives found at the right. A correct interpretation does not violate any of those rules or principles.

A very well-known poster, Dave Armstrong, raised the issue of baptism on this site as an example of an issue upon which sincere people come to different conclusions.

I thanked him for choosing that example (because thanks to my elderly friend, Uncle Frank, I have had the opportunity to study the issue extensively). We discussed issues about baptism for a brief time, and I sincerely believe I demonstrated my point, particularly about disagreements over John 3:5. Mr. Armstrong posted a segment from Marvin Vincent’s excellent work, Word Studies in the New Testament, in refutation of my claim. Well, go read the discussion yourself if you have the patience to follow an extended, detailed argument, or if you have had experience in forensic debates in school or college (it is posted to the right in the Category, “Dave Armstrong Discussions”). I believe I fully refuted the position of Mr. Marvin Vincent on that subject at John 3:5. I was on the debate team for Cass Technical High School when I was a student there and was a member of the two-person debate team which won the city championship in debate. I also participated in debate for four years in college. So I am interested in debate, if you have not already noticed!

My point was, and I believe I demonstrated my point completely, that for most issues about which there are differences, a careful study of the Bible evidence will indicate what the correct view ought to be.

Therefore, I affirm that the Bible is understandable, because the Bible itself says it is understandable, and must be if it can be taught to children such that they can be brought to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on pages 1413-1414 for 2 Timothy 3:15.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1434 or in Logos 5 Bible software for 2 Timothy 3:15.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

2 Timothy 3:15. from. *+2 Tim 1:5. Ge 17:7. +*Ge 18:19. 41:38, 46. Ex 10:2. 12:26, 27. 13:8, 14-16. *Dt 4:9, 10. *Dt 6:6, 7, 9, 20-25. *Dt 11:19. 31:13. 32:46, 47. Jsh 24:15. 1 S 1:27, 28. 2:11, 18, 19, 26. 3:1. 17:33, 37. 1 K 18:12. 2 K 10:1. 11:12, 21. 1 Ch 27:32. 2 Ch 24:1, 2. +*2 Ch 26:4. *2 Ch 34:1-3. +*Jb 1:5. Ps 34:11. *Ps 71:5, 17. 74:20. **Ps 78:1-8. 103:13. 105:8, 9. +*Ps 119:9, 33, 105. Pr 1:7. 4:7. *Pr 8:17. 9:10. 13:24. *Pr 17:10. **Pr 22:6. 23:13, 14. 30:17. 31:1. *Ec 12:1, 13. Is 10:19. +*Is 28:9, 10. +*Is 38:19. 49:23. Zc 8:5. Mt 11:16-18. Lk 1:15. *Lk 2:40, 49. Jn 7:14, 15. 21:15. +*Ep 6:4. child. Gr. brephos (S#1025g, Lk 18:15), an infant (properly unborn) literally or figuratively (Strong). T#1071, T#1110. **2 Tim 1:5. Nu 3:15. Dt 31:12. 1 S 1:27, 28. Ps 34:11. Pr 31:28. Song 8:2. Mt 19:14, 15. Mk 10:14. +*Lk 18:15 (*S#1025g, infants). **Ac 16:1, 2. *Ep 6:4n. 1 Tim 5:10. known. Gr. oida, Jn 8:55n. T#1065. +*2 Tim 2:15. **Dt 17:19. 31:12. Pr 18:15. +**Mk 12:24. the holy. Gr. hieros (S#2413g, only here and 1 Cor 9:13), sacred (Strong). **Dt 17:19. *Da 10:21. +Mt 21:42. *Mt 22:29. +*Lk 24:27, 32, 44, 45. +*Jn 5:24, 39, 46. 15:3. Ac 3:18, 24. 10:43. +*Ac 17:2. Ro 1:2. *Ro 10:17. +**Ro 15:4. *Ro 16:26. +*1 Cor 15:3, 4. Col 1:5, 6. *Col 3:16. 1 Th 1:5. **1 Th 2:13. *James 1:18. *1 P 1:23. **2 P 1:20, 21. 3:16. scriptures. Gr. gramma (S#1121g, Lk 16:6). Ps 147:19. Pr 4:4. **+Is 8:20n. Je 8:9. +*Lk 16:29. Ac 8:28. +**Ac 17:11. Ro 2:18. 3:2. Ga 3:8. Col 3:16. which are able. Gr. dunamai (S#1410g, Mt 3:9). *Ps 19:7. +*Ps 119:99. Da 9:2. +**Jn 5:39, 40. +*Ac 10:43. *Ac 13:29, 38, 39. **+1 Th 2:13. +**James 1:21. 1 P 1:10-12. **1 J 5:11, 12. Re 19:10. wise. Gr. sophizō (S#4679g, only here and 2 P 1:16), to render wise; in a sinister acceptation, to form “sophisms,” that is, continue plausible error (Strong). T#1023. *Dt 4:6. +*Ps 19:7. 49:3. 111:10. +*Ps 119:24, 98, 99, 130. Pr 1:2. 2:7. 14:8. 22:20. 28:26. +*Da 11:33. +*Da 12:3. Lk 11:36. +**Jn 5:39. Ro 16:19. 1 Cor 1:30. Col 2:3. James 1:21. unto salvation. **Jn 20:30, 31. +*Ro 1:16. *Phil 2:12, 13n. 2 Th 2:13. 1 Tim 1:15. *1 P 1:8-11. through faith. Ro 3:22. 4:5. **Ro 10:17. **He 11:6. 1 P 1:5. which is in. **Jn 14:6. **Ac 4:12. Ep 1:13. +1 Tim 1:14. Christ Jesus. +Ac 19:4.

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One Response to Daily Bible Nugget #297, 2 Timothy 3:15

  1. ken sagely says:

    2 tim 3.15 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.

    cross refs
    psm 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the
    Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

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