The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Timothy — Section 52

I here 11.re some who make th~mse\ves wiser than God's Word, and think they know hetter about things than God does, nnd so perish by being wise in their own conceit& and refusing to be guid,·d. (c) Uonditioo of efficiency. "Through faith which Is in Ghrist Jesus." The Scriptures cannot do more than make us wise unto salvation; they are not to be put in the place of Christ, whose connection with salvation is more than that of a directory-is of the most intimate nature, who is really the efficient Cause ol salvat.ion, the Receptacle of salvation; and they only do their work when they bring us up to Chri8t, and also induce in ns that state of mind which is hero called f;1.ith, which instrumental,/y appropriates the salvation wl,ich is in him. IV. SUFFICIENCY OF :SCRil'TURE. 1. Ground of sufficiency. "Every Scripture i11spired -◊~ God." _Accor~ing to this transl&tio:i ~ho inspiration of Scripture is taught, 11ot exphc1tly but 1mphc1tly. We are to reg&rd 1t as taken for granted that Scriptute " God-breathed. lnspir&tion extends to every part of Scripture. This is a doctrine of .-ital importance to the Church. Its bearing is that there is not only the absence of error, but the presence uf positive perfection in relation to the whole want of man under the present order of things. Th6 Divine influence, however operating, is guarantee that m :::k, ipture, in its manifoldness, we have all fundamentally tltat needs to be said to m&n on the subject of religion, an,l in the form that is best fitted to have deep and lasting effect up"n his spiritual nature a,; a whole. The difference is very percuptible in the post-apostolic literature. " Even where we recognize a lofty flight of the ~pirit as in the Ignatian Epistles, the inspiration repeatedly is merely &religious enthusiasm, a subjective romance, showing itself in an almost revelling desire for martyrdom, moving and even infectious ; so th&t many who read 11.n Ignatian Epistle for the first tiwe feel themselves doubtless more excited and stirred than by a P11.uline one; but this very feature proves that it is not really inspired; for the i:3pirit who founded the Church does not toltrate the extolling of one isolated tendency in the soul, and cannot bear such subjective ,,artiality of view, be it ever so strong, ever so apparently admirable." 2. Fourfold use. "Is also profitable." In re,,diug the Scriptures what we are to seek above all things is that die truth contained in thew may be brought into contact with our minds for our profit, "For teaching.n There is first a revealing power in the Bible. It teaches us much that we could not otherwi8e have known. It supplies us with whai i~ necessary not only for a correot, but a lofty,conceptiou ofGod. It acquaints us with our fallen state, anJ with Go,,'s deali:igs with us for our salvation. "For reproof." 'l'he reproving puwer of the llible results from its great revealing power, along with the state in which it finds us. 'l'be light it sheas is not for our ju8tification, but for our being convicted of departures both from truth a,,d righteousness. "f<'or correction." 'I he oorreetive power of the Bible starts from our bei11g convicted as out of the straight path. By proper directions, admonitions, -waruin~~, encouragements, it brings us back into tJ.e straight path. "For instruction wbit:h is in righceol:l.8nes~." The disciplinary power of the Bilile is specified as being within the sphere of _r1g~teousness. l~ _tho lof~y demands it makes-the luftier the further we advance-it gives ua the spmtual ·dnll which makes fur riuht habits. 3. Oompl,ef,eness aimed at. "That the mau uf God way be complete, furni81ied completely untu every good work." 'l'he mau of God .is. man according to the Divine idea. Many excellences go to make the complete man, mtel- lectual, emotional, practical God desires to see the comp(ete man; autl he has given , t,e Bible fur that end. The completeness thought of 1s that of man as a worker, producing good thougl1ts, good words, :cood _actions. God desires _to see the completely furnished worker, autl he has giveu the Bible for that end. It 18 ~rue that we come very far &hort of the Divine ideal of our humanity; the reason will be lound to be that we neglect the help provided for us. ~ e do not consult God, but om own p1ejud.iced thoughts. Let us go back to the Bible, to be co1i,·1ctcd of our error, a,.d ,sorre<:ted, and lieVllr<'ly exerci8ed toward ihe cowvlete m,u1.-ll. b',  .fl, IV, 1-22.) THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. &7