No one can doubt either that Justification by Faith lies very near to the heart of the apostle's doctrine, or that the

revelation concerning the Person of Christ, found in his epistles, is of the first importance. The doctrine, however,

that seems to call for consideration before all else, is that concerning the inspiration of the Scriptures. We therefore

devote this chapter to the discovery of a form of sound words, that shall embrace the apostle's doctrine concerning

the Scriptures.

First let us examine that text found in the second epistle to Timothy, where the truth of inspiration is

categorically stated; then we shall be in a position to supplement our findings by observing the ways in which the

apostle handled the Scriptures:

`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. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,

for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all

good works' (2 Tim. 3:15-17).

Observe the scope of this statement. It begins with a `child', it ends with a `man of God'; it opens with

`salvation', it closes with `service'; it leads to both `faith' and `good works'. Within this compass the whole

pathway of faith can be plotted, and at every step - from the first breathing of repentance to the closing doxology of

a life of service - the Scriptures are found to be all-sufficient.

Two words are used by the apostle, which are both translated by the word `Scripture', the only observable

difference is that in the first occurrence the word is in the plural, whereas in the second it is in the singular. There is,

however, an underlying difference in the two words used in the original.

`Holy Scriptures' (Hiera Grammata), or `Sacred Letters'.- This deals with the elements of the Book, the `letters',

and fits the reference to the `child'.

`Scripture' (Graphe), or `Writing'.- This considers the books as a whole and gives to them the name of

`Scripture' or `writing' par excellence. The word occurs fifty-one times in the Greek New Testament and is used in

thirteen books, and although `writing' is such a common subject, and graphe could rightly be used of any sort of

writing, the fact remains that not one of these thirteen books uses the word graphe with any meaning other than that

of `The Scriptures'.

Limiting our investigation to the ministry of Paul we find that he used the word graphe `Scripture', fourteen

times in his epistles, where it is found in Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.  The

apostle's citation of Scripture embraces the whole canon of the Old Testament, and includes quotations in full,

selected portions, and even isolated words. In Romans 15:3 the apostle quotes Psalm 69:9, introducing the quotation

with the formula `it is written', and following it up in verse 4 by saying, `For whatsoever things were written

aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope'. In

Romans 4:3, the words of Genesis 15:6 are quoted as `Scripture', while in Galatians 3:16 the apostle's whole

argument depends upon the very fine point that the word `seed' rather than `seeds' is used in Genesis 13:15.

The formula `It is written' occurs forty-two times in Paul's epistles, and the following summary of those which

come in Romans provides a good example of the way the apostle uses the quotation, and the doctrines they are cited

to support.

ROMANS

CITES

DOCTRINE SUPPORTED.

Hab. 2:4

Justification by Faith.

Ezek. 36:20

Name of God blasphemed.

Psa. 51:4

God justified in His sayings.

Psa. 14:1-3 &c.

Universality of sin.

Gen. 17:5

Abraham, father of many nations.

Psa. 44:22

Prevalence of persecution.

Mal. 1:2,3

Election of Jacob, not Esau.