Use of Scripture for Loving Correction and Examples

Use of Scripture

Scripture according to Paul

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

A few of the Greek words and their meanings:

• breathed - θεόπνευστος - inspired by God 
• reproof - ἐλεγμός - expression of strong disapproval
• correction - ἐπανόρθωσις - useful for improvement
• training - παιδεία - the act of providing guidance for responsible living

So in other words, Paul is saying that all of Scripture is inspired by God and can be used for teaching, expressing strong disapproval, improvement and providing guidance for responsible living.  

Peter's Passage on Scripture

"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to Him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,' we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:16-21 

A few of the Greek words and their meanings:

• cleverly - σοφίζω - to be skilled in formulating something in an artful manner, reason out
• eyewitness - ἐπόπτης - to have first hand acquaintance with something
• holy mountain - ἅγιος ἅγιος - referring to Mount of Transfiguration
• carried - φέρω - to be moved by Spirit of God who caused them to follow certain course

In other words, the human authors of the New Testament of the Bible did not formulate and reason out myths.  They had first-hand acquaintance of Christ and saw Him transform on the Mount of Transfiguration.  Peter also states that no prophecy was produced by man's will but that men spoke from God from being moved by the Holy Spirit to follow a certain course.  

Revelation Adding/Taking Away from Scripture

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."  Revelation 22:18-19

Add and take away indicate a warning against deceptive teaching that idolatry was not inconsistent with faith in the God of Israel.  It is similar to a passage in Deuteronomy that states, "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you." (Deuteronomy  4:2).  Deuteronomy also says, "Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it." (Deuteronomy 12:32).  "Therefore, 'adding and taking away' are not general disobedience to the divine word, but adherence to false teaching about the inscripturated word.  Belief in the abiding truth of God’s word is the presupposition for positive obedience to it" (Beale, G., K., 1999).  The adding and taking away refer to warning not to be associated with false teaching.  Idolatry is listed as one of the descriptions in the vice list in Revelation (Beale, 1999).  John writes, "Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 

(Revelation 22:15).

Examples

Paul Opposes Peter

"But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.  For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.  And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.  But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, 'If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?'" Galatians 2:11-14

A few of the Greek words and their meanings:

• with - μετά - to denote the company in which an activity or experience takes place 
• drew - ὑποστέλλω - withdraw
• separated - ἀφορίζω - separate oneself, hold aloof
• Gentile - ἐθνικῶς  - like the rest of the world and not Judean 

In this instance, Peter was eating with the Gentiles before certain men came from James.  He and others withdrawed from eating with the Gentiles and feared the Jews who were circumcised.  Paul called him and the others out on it and basically criticized him for living like the rest of the world and that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel.   

Sadducees Ask About Resurrection

"Jesus said to them, 'Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?  For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.  And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, "‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’"?  He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.'" Mark 12:24-27 

A few of the Greek words and their meanings:

• wrong - πλανάω - to be mistaken in one's judgment, deceive oneself
• power - δύναμις - might, strength, force, capability

In this instance, Jesus is telling the Sadducees that they are mistaken in their judgment on the resurrection. They are also mistaken on God's might, strength, force, and capability.  He quotes from the Old Testament of where God was revealed to Moses in the burning bush as a living God.  According to Wessel (1984), Jesus used a quote from the Pentateuch (first five books of Old Testament) because this was considered authoritative by the Sadducees.  Wessel (1984) also said, "The quotation may be understood as follows: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had long since died when God made the statement to Moses. Nevertheless God said, I am, not I was, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thus the patriarchs were still alive in Moses’ time (v. 27); and if they were alive then, we may be sure that in the Resurrection God will raise up their bodies to share in the blessedness of eternal life" (Wessel, W., W., 1984).

References

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Beale, G. K. (1999). The book of Revelation: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 1151). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press. 

The Holy Bible: ESV. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 

Wessel, W. W. (1984). Mark. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 736). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

References