2 Timothy 3:16

2 Timothy 3:16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. The Greek sentence leaves the verb to be understood, and this leaves the sentence ambiguous. ‘ All Scripture God-inspired also profitable.' According to the position which we assign to the omitted verb, we have (1) All Scripture is God-inspired, and is profitable, etc.; or (2) All Scripture God-inspired is also profit-able, etc. Of these two, the former has been more commonly adopted, probably on account of the doctrine as to inspiration which it was supposed to confirm. The latter has, however, been adopted by many commentators, appears in the Revised Version of the New Testament, and on internal grounds has most to commend it. We can hardly think that St. Paul found it necessary to impress the abstract doctrine on the mind of Timothy. What was necessary was to impress on him the practical end to which every inspired writing ought to minister. Every Scripture, so far as it is inspired, works for the completeness of ‘the man of God,' of the minister of Christ, and of his work.

For doctrine, i.e. as before, teachings in all its width. The words appear purposely chosen to describe the work of Scripture both on the individual character of the reader and on his pastoral work. It will be noticed that the points on which stress is laid are precisely those to which Timothy had been urged

the work of teaching (1Ti 1:3; 1 Timothy 4:11; 1 Timothy 4:13); of reforming (1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:15); of correcting (2 Timothy 2:25). It is as though he said, ‘It is of small use acknowledging the inspiration of Scripture as a dogma, unless you use it for its appointed work.'