“Foundation for the Inerrancy of the Scriptures” – 2 Timothy 3:16

2 Timothy, according to scholars, is the last thing that Paul wrote. He was in prison in Rome at the time.
2 Timothy 4:9-13
2 Timothy 3:1-5, 8-9
In the context of the inevitable persecutions, reliance on scripture becomes critically more important.
2 Timothy 3:10-17
The reason Timothy can trust the scriptures is that the people in his life who have handed down the scriptures to him are trustworthy.
2 Timothy 1:3
Paul praises the faith of Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and mother, Eunice.
2 Timothy 3:16
Ultimately, you can trust scripture because all scripture comes from God.

In the same way that the Old Testament scriptures are validated by Paul in the above verses, we can apply the same reasoning to validate the New Testament scriptures as well. You have to start with faith in those who came before us to deliver the scriptures to us.

Throughout the history of the early church, everyone held to the doctrine of the inerrancy of scripture, even the heretics.

Clement of Rome – “You have searched the scriptures, which are true, which were given by the Holy Spirit. You know that nothing unrighteous or counterfeit is written in them.”

Irenaeus – “If, however, we cannot discover explanations of all those things in scripture which are made the subject of investigation, yet let us not on that account seek after any other god besides Him who really exists; for this is the greatest impiety. We should leave the things of that nature to God, who created us, being most properly assured that the scriptures were indeed perfect since they were spoken by the Word of God and His Spirit.”

Tertulian – “What is written cannot but have been.”

Origin – “We must in order to establish the positions which we have laid down adduce (offer as proof) the testimony of the holy scriptures, and this testimony may produce a sure and unhesitating belief either with regard to what we still have to advance or to what has already been stated.”

Hippolitus – “What then? Does the scripture speak falsely? God forbid!”

Cyprian – “For he labors thus because he believes, because he knows that what is foretold by God’s Word is true and that the holy scriptures cannot lie.”

Augustin – “For it seems to me that the most disastrous consequences must follow upon our believing that anything false is found in the sacred books; that is to say that the men by whom the scripture has been given to us and committed to writing did put down anything in these books that was false. It is one question whether it may be at any time the duty of a good man to deceive but it is another question whether it can have been the duty of a writer of holy scripture to deceive. Nay. It is not another question; it is no question at all.”

Anselm – “But remember with what condition I undertook to answer your inquiry visa vie that if I say anything not upheld by greater authority though I appear to demonstrate it, yet it should be received with no further certainty than as my opinion for the present until God makes some clear revelation to me; for I am sure that, if I say anything which plainly opposes the holy scriptures, it is false. And, if I am aware of it, I will no longer hold it.”

“Uncleanness of the Heart makes a Man Unclean” – Mark 7:1-23

The monastics were engaged in a radical search for authenticity.

Rationale for the rise of monasticism: When Christians started becoming
complacent and focused on self-fulfillment in the ease of living in the era of
state-sanctioned Christianity, some sought, through self-imposed hardship, to
return to the Christ-centered focus, brought by the hardship of persecution
in earlier times.

Isaiah 29:13

Mark 7:20
It’s what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.

See related lesson

“Jesus: Lord God of the Exodus – Jesus Walks on Water” – Mark 6:45-52

“A hope deferred makes the heart sick.” – Proverbs 13:12
It also brings out what is in the heart.

Exodus 16:4-5 – The Lord provides bread.
Exodus 16:11-16 – The Lord provides meat.

Jesus, in feeding the 5000, showed Himself to be the Lord God who provided the bread & quail to the Israelites in the desert.

Psalm 78:29; 105:40 refer to the above passages in Exodus.

Mark 6:45-52
Jesus walks on water to the boat carrying the disciples and they are terrified.

Psalm 77:19 Isaiah 43:16
These passages each speak of the Lord making a path through the water.

Job 9:8 – “He alone spreads out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.”
Job 38:16

Jesus, in walking on the water, again declares Himself to be the Lord God.

Be content in Christ whether you have little or have much or whether you are in the midst of a storm or in the midst of calm.

“Gratefulness is a Polar Opposite to Envy – The Davidic Covenant” – 2 Samuel 7:1-29

“Gratefulness is the key to a happy life.”
“Marvin Olasky – “Hatred led me into the communist party. Envy leads to class warfare. I became a Christian in 1976, but many of my sinful tendencies have remained; it has been a 35 year struggle to corral them. But one instantly disappeared – class envy.”

2 Samuel 7 is the pivotal chapter of the Bible because of its revelation that the Messiah would unconditionally come through David’s line.

Psalm 89:3-4 refers to the Davidic Covenant.

“God Budgets His Power in this Age – Feeding of 5000” – Mark 6:30-44

Background for the lesson: Ezekiel 34:1-3, 11-24
The Lord directs Ezekiel to speak against the leaders of Israel, pointing out their unwillingness to shepherd the people.
Then the Lord tells Ezekiel that He Himself will lead his sheep and lead them to rich pastures on the hills of Israel and judge those who muddy the water for His sheep.

“We are Family” – Mark 3-6

“The Struggle to Believe/John the Baptist beheaded” – Mark 6:14-29

We all struggle with doubts.
A lack of virtue is at the root of unbelief.

“The Nature of Leadership: Aaron and the Golden Calf” – Exodus 32:1-14

Jim Collins, in his book, Good to Great, revealed that good leaders were humble and put those who were under them first.

Exodus 25 – 31 tells us in detail how God wants to be worshiped.

But the Israelites decide to represent God as a golden calf.

Moses had a similar experience to Jesus when Jesus was led out into the desert for forty days & nights, without food or water and tempted by the devil.
Moses also went without food or water for forty days & nights and was in the desert. Moses, while on a mountain top like Jesus, was tested to see if he would prefer to allow himself to be exalted in place of the Israelites, to become the founder of his own nation. In the case of Jesus, He was tempted to exalt Himself by taking all the kingdoms of the earth for Himself without the humility of the cross. Moses offered his own life to atone for his people, but God rejected his offer because he was not a suitable sacrifice; it required a totally righteous person to make that sacrifice; it remained for Jesus to do that.

“You have to know what is meant by the Name, Jesus” – Mark 6:1-13

Mark 3:20
The last time Jesus was in His home town, His family thought He was crazy.

To refer to Jesus as Mary’s son was an insult in that culture.

Mark 6:7 – Jesus sends out the twelve.
He requires them to take nothing but a single tunic and sandals and authority to cast out demons.

“Jairus’ Daughter & a Woman with an Issue of Blood” – Mark 5:21-43

The number, 12, figures in both stories.

A woman with an issue of blood had suffered with the problem for 12 years.
Leviticus 12 & 15 – The law of Moses concerning this woman’s condition.
Jesus, rather than shunning the woman for making Him ceremonially unclean under the law, responds kindly in informing her that her faith has brought her healing.

Jesus continues to Jairus’ house where his 12-year-old daughter lies dead.
Jesus speaks of the child as only being asleep, a term used widely in the scriptures to describe a pre-resurrection state. Where there is faith in Jesus, death is merely dosing.

If you are unclean, Jesus has time for you; if you are dead, He has words for you.