bible – Faith Unto Ages

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.

The world teaches that it is necessary to live a life of comfort; one free of struggle, hardship, and misfortune. It considers one that is free of these as having a ‘successful’ life, because suffering is viewed by it as being something completely alien to goodness. Because tribulations come in many different forms – be it poverty, hunger, famine, war, sickness, or death; those with a carnal mind either conclude that there must therefore be no God. Others suggest that if one does exist, that He is either too far from us or unconcerned with our condition, and therefore unloving.

On the contrary, Christianity views suffering with great joy and a sign of God’s love for us. When we suffer, especially for His sake, it is pleasing to Him, not because He is a monster who delights in torturing or punishing us for sin, but because through it we become partakers of His own suffering.