When the bible references "the scriptures"..

[celticpiping]

ok, this has been stuck in my head for some time..
There are of course, many passages in the NT of our bible that reference "the scriptures"

e.g.
Matthew 22:29
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
John 5:39
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

My question, I guess, is how are we to rightly understand how to integrate and reconcile the various references to "scripture", with our current version of the bible, which is commonalty known to Christians today as, "the scriptures"?
Is it not true to say that in Paul's time, when the term "scriptures" was invoked, it was referring to the writings of the OT? (or some subset of them)

thanks for reading,
R

 

[HTacianas]

ok, this has been stuck in my head for some time..
There are of course, many passages in the NT of our bible that reference "the scriptures"

e.g.
Matthew 22:29
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
John 5:39
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

My question, I guess, is how are we to rightly understand how to integrate and reconcile the various references to "scripture", with our current version of the bible, which is commonalty known to Christians today as, "the scriptures"?
Is it not true to say that in Paul's time, when the term "scriptures" was invoked, it was referring to the writings of the OT? (or some subset of them)

thanks for reading,
R

References to scripture in the new testament do in fact mean the old testament except in one controversial place:

2Pe 3:16 - As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

The writer says "other scriptures" meaning that Paul's letters were considered scripture at the time, which is not likely the case.

 

[tampasteve]

In general it is referring to the Tanak/h/Tanach - what Christians call the "Old Testament" or "Jewish Scriptures". Overall it is the same books as the Protestant canon, although organized and named somewhat differently. Specifically it usually refers to the Torah and more specifically the Pentateuch (first five books). In broader terms it likely is also referring to the Targums, but that is another matter.

 

[tdidymas]

ok, this has been stuck in my head for some time..
There are of course, many passages in the NT of our bible that reference "the scriptures"

e.g.
Matthew 22:29
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
John 5:39
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

My question, I guess, is how are we to rightly understand how to integrate and reconcile the various references to "scripture", with our current version of the bible, which is commonalty known to Christians today as, "the scriptures"?
Is it not true to say that in Paul's time, when the term "scriptures" was invoked, it was referring to the writings of the OT? (or some subset of them)

thanks for reading,
R

The Greek word for "scriptures" simply means "writings." But in context of what Jesus and the apostles were talking about, they meant "sacred writings of the Jews" which is the OT Bible we have today. We know this by the fact that they quoted them or referred to their content. We commonly call both the OT and the NT "the word of God" since Christians consider them writings that are inspired of God.
TD