The Importance of Studying Scripture

St. Paul tells us: “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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

In light of the Apostle’s words, the study of scripture is evidently of great significance; considering if our goal is to grow in holiness and come to the knowledge of God, His love for us, and His Divine Will — i.e. our very salvation.

The Jewish scribe and prophet Jesus Ben Sirach tells us:

“How different is the man who devotes himself To the study of the law of the Most High. He will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients And be occupied with their prophecies. He will preserve the discourse of notable men And penetrate the subtleties of parables. He will seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs And be engaged in the riddles of parables. He will serve in the midst of great men And will appear before rulers. He will travel through the land of foreign nations And test the good and evil among men. He will give his heart to rising early Before the Lord who created him, And will make supplication to the Most High; And he will open his mouth in prayer And make supplication for his sins. If the great Lord wills, He will be filled with the Spirit of understanding. He will pour forth words of His wisdom, And in prayer he will give thanks to the Lord. He will direct his counsel and knowledge aright, And he will reflect on His hidden things. He will reveal instruction in his teaching And boast in the law of the Lord’s covenant.” (Wisdom of Sirach 39:1-8).

There are also several church fathers that speak on the relevance of studying scripture.

St. John Chrysostom stated that it is through Holy Writ that we receive spiritual nourishment:

“Yes, rather the reading of the divine Scriptures is not a meadow only, but a paradise; for the flowers here have not a mere fragrance only, but fruit too, capable of nourishing the soul.”

~ Homilies on the Statues 1.2 (NPNF I/9:331) amended.

He also says that through reading the Scriptures, we receive wisdom since we contemplate Heaven from which it comes:

“Reading the Holy Bible is very useful, it makes the soul wise, guides the spirit towards the heaven, directs the human towards thanksgiving, destroys the desire for earthly things, and lets our minds constantly contemplate the other world.”

~ Dr. Adnan Tarabulsi: Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew by St. John Chrysostom, (1996): p. 5.

St. Augustine of Hippo is also in agreement with these words, for he said:

“Now the open teaching of wisdom is like honey; like the honeycomb which is squeezed to exude the deeper mysteries, as if from cells of wax, by the mouth of the teacher, as if he were chewing it: but it is sweet to the mouth of the heart, not to the mouth of the flesh.”

~ Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 119.103 (NPNF I/8:577) amended.

St. Basil the Great also speaks upon its medicinal affects:

“Indeed, many safeguards against the evil would you find in the divine Scripture, and many remedies which from destruction bring salvation: the mysteries of death and resurrection; the words of the terrible judgment and everlasting punishment; the doctrines of repentance and the forgiveness of sin [by the blood of Christ]; those innumerable examples of conversion [via medicines]; the drachma, the sheep, the son who spent his livelihood with harlots, was lost and found, was dead and alive again. Let us use these safeguards against evil [that they me be our witnesses]; through them, let us heal our soul.”

~ Letter 46 (FOTC 13:125).

This same remedial language is used by St. Jacob of Sarug who wrote:

“The divine Scriptures are the life of the soul, and he who lives by them—his life is higher than that of Nature … The scriptures are cures for the sick soul, their words may be used like fine medicaments.”

– On Naboth the Jezreelite, I.13–14, 19–20, in Jacob of Sarug’s Homilies on Elijah: Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug, trans. S. A. Kaufman (Gorgias Press, 2009): pp. 176, 178.

Let us therefore equip ourselves with the words of scripture, for:

“The divine books are the harbors of life; arise, you who are discernible among the waves, and rest in the harbors … here are the treasures stored in the divine volumes, and whoever wants, takes riches without limit.”

~ St. Jacob of Sarugh, Memre 66 on the tree of knowledge of good and evil, alms and poverty (see the text of Paul Bedjan and Dr. Behnam Sony).

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