Of "making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh" (Ecclesiastes 12:12). But since all books except one are of human origin, a wise person will endure "weariness of the flesh" for extended study in the one book that is of heavenly origin. Moses characterized the first five books of the Bible to the Israelites as "your life" (Deuteronomy 33:47). Paul characterized every word of Scripture as "God breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16). Peter wrote that the human authors of Bible books were moved "by the Holy Spirit" as they "spoke from God" (2 Peter 1:20-21). It is no wonder that Job could exclaim, "I have treasured the words of" the Lord’s "mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12).

The dictionary says that an oracle is a "divine announcement." Bible words are "living oracles" (Acts 7:38; Romans 3:2; Hebrews 5:12). Uninspired Christians are to speak as "the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11). When they quote Scripture verses they are attempting to pass on "the oracles of God."

A startling example of verbal inspiration, "words taught by the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:13), is the word politeuomai, "behave as citizens" (Philippians 1:27). Inspired letters were written to Timothy, to the Hebrews, to "the scattered strangers throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappacocia, Asia, and Bithynia" (1 Peter 1:1), and to the Christians in Thessalonica, Colosse, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and to Philippi, but to none of these would the word politeuomai (Philippians 1:27) be accurate. Only the Philippians could be told to "behave as citizens."

The inhabitants of other cities and districts were all subjects of Rome, but not citizens. On the contrary, the inhabitants of Philippi were citizens of Rome as if they lived in the seven-hilled metropolis. Philippi had been designated by Julius Caesar in 42 B.C. a Roman colony, to which Luke referred in Acts 16:12. A city designated as a colony of Rome was allowed self-government (libertas), freedom from imperial taxes (immunitas), and enjoyed the same rights as Italian citizens (jus Italicum, INTERPRETER’S BIBLE, Acts 16:12). Citizens of Philippi took pride in saying that they were "Romans" (Acts 16:21), though they were some 300 miles distant. Was Paul’s singular use of the word politeuomai accidental? Or should one simply stand in amazement at the preciseness of verbal inspiration (1 Corinthians 2:13)?

Paul used a form of politeuomai a second time in the Philippian letter, not to teach them how to behave as citizens of Rome, but, building on their political citizenship, to emphasize their spiritual enfranchisement in a commonwealth better by far that the Roman: "our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20). On this earth, Philippi who were Christians were also "a colony of heavenly citizens" (Dibellus, BGD, ^*^), "a colony of Heaven" (James Moffatt).

Paul’s word "our" (hemon, Philippians 3:20) apparently puts him in a class to himself among the apostles, and is another example of the preciseness of verbal inspiration. He is the only one of the twelve known to be a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), and so the only one of the twelve with a dual citizenship, one in Rome and one in heaven. Paul was united with the Philippian Christians, both being enfranchised in the city of Rome and in the city of God (Civitas Dei, "the Heavenly Commonwealth," Augustine, cited by David Smith, THE LIFE AND LETTERS OF ST. PAUL, 512).

After the above diversion to emphasize verbal inspiration, I return to the over all purpose of the Bible. It is God’s divine plan that we "all be taught of God" (Isaiah 54:13: John 6:45). In his loving desire that nobody be lost (2 Peter 3:9), he had made the plan of salvation so plain that "the simple will not stray from it" (Isaiah 35:8, NIV footnote). Accordingly, writes an apostle, "Be not foolish, but understand what is the Lord’s will" (Ephesians 5:17). One sermon was enough to lead an Ethiopian black man and a Philippian jailor and his whole family to salvation (Acts 8:26-39; 16:25-34).

But for some reason, unknown to us, there are things written in the 66 books that are not plain and simple. Daniel was an inspired prophet, yet some things that he wrote, he himself did not understand. Of one revelation given to him, he wrote, "I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding" (Daniel 8:27, NIV). Moreover, the apostle Peter said that the 13 books written by Paul "contain some things difficult to understand" (2 Peter 3:16).

If Peter had lived (2 Peter 1:14) to read the book of Revelation he would have said it contains many things "difficult to understand." The scholarly Adam Clarke, in his preface to the book of Revelation, wrote:

But that man who said he would like a Bible published without the book of Revelation was a fool. He was criticizing God. God had the book of Revelation written, and said,

Yes, there are difficult passages in sacred Scripture, but I rejoice that they are not in the plan of salvation (Ephesians 5:17). A careful study of them will make us better acquainted with the divine mind, and make us better prepared to enjoy heaven. At present we must learn to be patient, knowing that in heaven there will be plenty of time to ask God for more information about Bible difficulties.

The quotation, "Study to show thyself approved unto God" (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV), is often used to encourage Bible study, but a translation of the verse, just as accurate, shows that Bible study is not mentioned: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him" (NRSV). It is true that one is not approved by God unless he is a daily Bible reader (Psalm 1:2; 119:97), but the verse in 2 Timothy 2:15 goes beyond Bible study, including everything it takes to make one a good Christian.

Paul told Timothy to "apply yourself to reading" (1 Timothy 4:13). Apparently he practiced what he wrote, for on death row in Mamertine Prison he asked that "the scrolls, especially the parchments," be brought to him (2 Timothy 4:13).