​First in a series of studies of 2 Timothy 3:14-17
 
“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
“and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
 
Set amid strong warnings against being influenced by those who are basically traitors to the faith and enemies of Jesus, Paul here emphasizes to the young preacher Timothy the importance of continuing to be steadfast in following what he has been taught.
 
Paul has already established that it was Timothy’s mother and grandmother who instilled the faith of Christ into Him when he was just a boy; so, here he plants a seed of reassurance about the purpose of the scriptures: they provide the instruction needed to teach one about salvation.
 
In saying “Holy Scriptures,” Paul refers to Old Testament teaching; and, then, he ties that teaching with “faith which is in Christ Jesus” in the New Testament. Thus, at some point, Timothy realized that the Old Testament scriptures pointed to Jesus, the real source of salvation. Timothy is not to turn away from that teaching.
 
Love,
Joe

“Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them” (Hebrews 13:9).
 
In this closing section of the Hebrew letter, the writer realizes some Jews who have been converted to Jesus are discouraged in their new faith; so, he makes yet one more effort to try to persuade them not to leave Him and go back to the Law of Moses nor to be influenced by any other doctrine they might hear of.
 
The writer has just made the point that Jesus will remain the same as the Savior of the world until the end of time; thus, they should not mix the doctrine of Christ with other doctrines. “Heart” means the will of the Christian, and “grace” essentially refers to the system of grace under which the Christian lives. Then the writer refers to “foods,” referring to trying to mix some of the ceremonial requirements of the Old Law with the new law of Christ. 
 
This verse is a re-enforcement of the point made in the previous verse about Jesus remaining the same forever. We, under Jesus, are not at liberty to change His doctrine nor to mix elements of another doctrine with His. Jesus is all we need.
 
Love,
Joe

“So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John 19:30).
 
Having declared that He was thirsty, Jesus receives a sponge full of sour wine from those who are crucifying Him, an act that becomes the last straw in their rejection of Him. He then dies.
 
In His death, He becomes the sacrifice for the sins of every individual who has ever lived. Included in this group, of course, are those of us living today with the hope of heaven within our hearts—all because of Him.
 
His unspeakable sacrifice should stimulate each of us to take stock of our lives as well as our attitudes: with His willingness to give up heaven for a time, to suffer all kinds of humiliation and pain, and to die the excruciating death on the cross, surely we are led to submit ourselves in humility to His will in order to gain the reward that He made possible.
 
Love,
Joe

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God’ ” (Matthew 22:29).
 
When the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, attempt to trick Jesus with a question about the state of man in the next life, He provides the response in this verse, certainly one they did not expect.
 
By telling the Sadducees they did not even know the Scriptures nor the power of God, Jesus clearly rebukes them as He sets Himself up to provide a direct answer to their question: After the resurrection, life will be quite different—there will be no human activities at that time.
 
In providing clarification to the Sadducees, Jesus also provides clarification for all who have lived since that time: the afterlife will not be the same as life here. Those who receive the reward can expect a place of perfection while those who receive condemnation for their lack of obedience to the Lord in this life can expect eternal punishment.
 
Love,
Joe