scripture – Faith Unto Ages

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.

The Sins of the Tongue and Eternal Damnation – St. John Chrysostom

“Since then “He hath purged our sins,” (Hebrews 1:3), let us continue pure; and let us receive no stain, but preserve the beauty which He hath implanted in us, and His comeliness undefiled and pure, “not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” ( Ephesians 5:27). Even little sins are “a spot and a wrinkle,” such a thing, I mean, as Reproach, Insult, Falsehood.

Nay, rather not even are these small, but on the contrary very great: yea so great as to deprive a man even of the kingdom of Heaven. How, and in what manner? “He that calleth his brother fool, is in danger” (He saith) “of hellfire.” (Matthew 5:22.) But if it be so with him who calls a man “fool,” which seems to be the slightest of all things, and rather mere children’s talk; what sentence of punishment will not he incur, who calleth him malignant and crafty and envious, and casteth at him ten thousand other reproaches? What more fearful than this?

Sermon: “Whose Name is On the Coin?”

When our Lord was teaching in the temple (Matthew 21:23), He was interrupted by the chief priests & elders who had lots of envy and hatred towards Him. One way by which they had shown this was by calling into question His Authority (Matthew 21:23). In an attempt to discredit Jesus, and even “ensnare Him in His speech” as the Bible says (Matthew 22:15), the Pharisees have sent spies to Jesus from a group known as the Herodians. The gospel of Matthew says:

“Then the Pharisees going, consulted among themselves how to insnare him in his speech. And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians” (Matthew 22:15-16).

The Herodians are believed by scholars to have been a Jewish political group that favored giving taxes to the Romans, their colonizers, who had control over all Judea. They were called Herodians because they were named after Herod the Great who was appointed by the Roman Empire as being the regional king of Judea. The Pharisees despised the Herodians because they were regarded as being sell-outs, or traitors of the Jewish people given that they were in favor of taxing their own kind on behalf of the Roman Empire, which was regarded as a form of humiliation. However, the Pharisees have collaborated with this group which they despised since, as discussed previously, they wanted to ensnare, or trap Jesus with a question regarding taxes which was the Herodian’s expertise.