OceanSide church of Christ

 Previous Return to Articles Next 

A STUDY OF THE WORD “SCRIPTURE” IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (1)

Victor M. Eskew

 

          There are several different types of Bible studies a student of God’s Word can conduct.  One of them is known as a “word study.”  The student simply selects a word that is found in the Bible and examines that word in detail.  He learns the definition(s) of the word.  He examines the word each time it is used in the Bible.  All that he learns about the word is written down in a detailed set of notes.  Sometimes a word is found so many times in the Bible that the study is almost overwhelming.  At other times, a word may only be found once in the Scriptures.  There may or may not be a lot to examine in order to determine how that one word is used in the Bible.

          In this article, we want to begin a study of the word “scripture” as found in the New Testament.  When we look up the word in a concordance, we find the word “scripture” is found 31 times in the New Testament (Mark 12:10; 15:28; Luke 4:21; John 2:22; 7:38, 42; 10:35; 13:18; 17:12; 19:24, 28, 36, 37; 20:9 Acts 1:16; 8:32, 35, Rom. 4:3; 9:17; 10:11; 11:2; Gal. 3:8, 22; 4:30; 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16; James 2:8, 23; 4:5; 1 Pet. 2:6; 2 Pet. 1:20).  The word “scriptures” is also found in the New Testament.  It is recorded 21 times (Matt. 21:42; 22:29; 26:54, 56; Mark 12:24; Mark 14:49; Luke 24:27, 32, 45; John 5:39; Acts 17:2, 11; 18:24, 28; Rom. 1:2; 15:4; 16:26; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 2 Tim. 3:15; 2 Pet. 3:16).

          Having found every reference of the word “scripture” in the New Testament, we now want to look at the definition of the word as used in the Greek language.  Every time the word “scripture is found in the New Testament except one, the Greek work is the same.  It is the word “graphe” (Strong 1124).  Strong defines the word as “document, that is, holy writ.”  Thayer tells us that is means “a writing, or thing written, the Scriptures.”  Vine gives this meaning to the word:  “to write…a writing.”  This word always refers to the things that were written in either the Old Testament or the New Testament.

          The one place a different Greek word is found is in 2 Timothy 3:15.  Paul writes:  “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.”  The Greek word translated “Scriptures” in this verse is not “graphe.”  It is the Greek word “gramma” (Strong, 1121).  This word is similar in meaning to “graphe.”  Strong gives this meaning of the word:  “writing, that is, letter, note, epistle, book, etc.; plural learning.  Thayer provides us with this definition of the word “gramma”:  “a letter, any writing, a document or record, a note of hand, bill, bond, written acknowledgement of debt, an epistle, the sacred writings (of the OT), letter, i.e., learning.”  Vine’s reveals that the word means “that which is written.”  This word is translated in several different ways in the New Testament:  bill (Luke 16:6, 7); letters (Luke 23:38); writings (John 5:47); learning (Acts 26:24); and scriptures (2 Tim. 3:15).

          The next step in studying a word found in the Bible is to look at its use in every place it is found in the Bible.  Let’s start with Matthew 21:42.  “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner:  this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”  The question that we need to ask is:  “What do we learn about the word “Scriptures” from this verse?”  First, we learn that Jesus believed the Scriptures were authoritative in nature.  In a religious discussion, He turned to them for understanding and answers.  Second, we learn that Jesus believed the Psalms were part of the sacred writings of the Old Testament.  He called Psalm 118:22-23 Scriptures.  Third, Jesus believed that this Scripture in the Old Testament was a prophecy of a future event, namely, His rejection by the Jews.  This is easily understood when the verse is put into its context (Matt. 21:33-46).  On a notepad, the student would record these findings.  It might look something like this.

 

A study of the word scripture in the New Testament

 

Matthew 21:42 – Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is come the head of the corner:  this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

 

1.    The Scriptures are authoritative in nature.  We are to turn to them for information and answers to questions.

2.    The Psalms are Scriptures.  Jesus calls Psalm 118:22-23 Scriptures.

3.    The Scriptures of the Old Testament predicted future events.  Here, the Scriptures predicted the rejection of Jesus by the Jews.

 

Having completed the study of this verse, it is time to move on to the second verse. 

          Matthew 22:29 is the next verse in the New Testament that uses the word “scriptures.”  It reads:  “Jesus answered and said unto them, ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.”  Again, we ask:  “What do we learn about the word “scriptures” from this verse?  First, we learn once again that the Scriptures are the divine authority in religious matters.  Jesus appealed to them to answer His critics.  Second, we learn that it is possible for religious leaders to fail to understand the Scriptures.  In the context, Jesus is speaking to the Sadducees (Matt. 22:23).  He said they did not know the Scriptures, that is, have an understanding of them regarding the resurrection.  Third, a failure to understand the Scriptures can cause a person to err.  “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.”  Fourth, the Scriptures reveal to man things that were spoken by God.  Jesus told these men they did not know the Scriptures.  In verse 31, He elaborates further, saying:  “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken by God, saying.”  Jesus plainly tells us that what is found in the Scriptures is that which is spoken by God.  Fifth, we learn that the words recorded by Moses in Exodus 3:6 are Scripture.  In Matthew 22:32, Jesus quotes the Scripture He had referenced earlier.  “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  This is a quote from Exodus 3:6.  Sixth, we learn that we should pay close attention to what is found in Scripture.  In the context, Jesus focuses on the tense of a verb found in Exodus 3:6.  The Scripture records God as saying:  “I am the God of Abraham.”  When those words were spoken to Moses, Abraham was dead.  However, God was still his God because the spirit of Abraham continued to live in the unseen realm of the dead.  With these thoughts in mind, they should be recorded in the individual’s notes.

 

Matthew 22:29 – Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

 

1.    The Scriptures are authoritative.  Jesus appealed to them in answer to his critics.

2.    It is possible to be a religious leader and fail to know the Scriptures.

3.    A failure to understand the Scriptures will cause a person to err.

4.    The Scriptures reveal the things that were spoken by God (See Matt. 22:31).

5.    The words quoted by Moses in Exodus 3;6 are Scripture.

6.    It is important to pay attention to every aspect of the Scriptures when we study them (i.e, the verb tense, I AM, of Exodus 3:6).

 

Having noted these lessons, the student can continue through the New Testament until he has studied all 51 verses.  Once he has done that, he can begin to compile his data so he understands what the Bible teaches about the Scriptures.  Once he understands it, he is in a position to pass that information on to others.