Art Toombs Ministries 

Online Bible Commentary

The Bible is the Word of God

2 Timothy 3:14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for 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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul is writing to Timothy, who is helping at the church in Ephesus. False Teaching has infiltrated the church and this letter is the second Paul has sent in an effort to remedy the situation.

Paul is writing from prison in Rome, with Luke being his amanuensis, or scribe. This letter is being written about AD late 65-early 66.

In the previous verse (v. 13) Paul has written of how the false teachers go “from bad to worse”, “deceiving and being deceived” (literal Greek). Paul then instructs Timothy on what he should do differently than these false teachers, by beginning this passage with “But you” (v. 14a).

Paul’s first instruction to Timothy is to “continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of” (v. 14b). This is a reference to all that Timothy had been taught of the Scriptures his whole life.

Paul continues by writing “knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures” (vv. 14c-15a). Timothy’s mother and grandmother brought him up in the Scriptures “from childhood”. He was converted and discipled by Paul, as Paul became a father figure to him.

And Timothy was instructed by God Himself, the Holy Spirit. Timothy had become convinced of the truth of Scripture because of the godly instruction he had received throughout his life.

Timothy saw the godliness they exhibited, first hand, and He knew God, personally. He had received Christ as his Lord and Savior, and had been baptized. He had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Next, Paul writes “which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus”, referring to Scripture (v.15b). Paul turns from confirming Timothy’s foundation in his knowledge of the Scriptures, to the truthfulness of the Scriptures.

He introduces the Scriptures as able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. This faith, or belief, is more than an acknowledgement that Jesus Christ existed.

After all, that is a historical fact, which nobody can deny. This belief is a trust that is revealed by obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Bible itself. Salvation does not come from doing good things, or even baptism. It comes only from faith.

Next, Paul writes “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (v. 16a). Paul explains the divinity of the Scriptures.

The Greek word used here is “theopneustos “. This is a compound word. “theos” means “God”. “pneustos” is derived from “pneo”, which means “to blow (of wind)”.

All Scripture comes from the breath of God, the Holy Spirit. It is God breathed.

All Scripture is the inspired Word of God. The entirety of the Bible is inspired by God, God breathed, and, as such, is the infallible Word of God, without error.

Therefore, the Bible was not written by men. Peter wrote “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 20-21).

The Bible was written by God the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus.

Paul continued by writing “and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (v. 16b). Here, Paul instructs on the proper use of the Bible.

The Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. “Rebuking” means to point out sin. “Correcting” sets forth the way in which sin can be made right. “Training in righteousness” is to train us to live a godly life.

Paul completes this passage with “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (v. 17). The purpose is that Christians be “complete” and “equipped” to do good works.

So, All scripture is God-breathed, inspired by God. The Bible is the Word of God.

God is the author of the Bible. He used men to write down the words, just as God has always used men, good and bad, to accomplish His purposes.

He used them to be His “ghostwriters”. It is God’s autobiography.

The Old Testament tells of the creation, the history of God’s people, Israel, and of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. The New Testament tells of the ministry of Christ, the church age, and the establishment of God’s kingdom on the new earth.

But it is more than God’s autobiography. The Bible is our owner’s manual for life.

It is written by our owner, our maker, Jesus Christ. We should be constantly reading the Bible, because we are constantly living life.