All of the arguments put forth so far have come from the Bible. How do we know that the Bible is accurate? After all, wasn't it written by sinful men and full of historical and scientific inaccuracies?

We know that the Bible is our only entirely reliable authority, not simply because it was written over a period of some 1600 years by over 40 different authors from many different walks of life (kings, fishermen, shepherds, etc.) - yet with one central theme - God's salvation plan! But also because of the self-authenticating testimony of Scripture itself, the only Book in all the world which literally claims to be "the Word of the living God!"

It is important to note that the early Church, through the careful and prayerful deliberation of a number of early Church Councils, did not "create" the canon of Scripture (Genesis - Revelation), but rather, the Church recognized the God-breathed authority of the 66 Books of the Bible (39 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament). The Council of Jamnia (90AD and 118AD) gave final confirmation to the Old Testament canon, and the Council of Carthage (397AD) gave final confirmation to the New Testament canon.

Historically, as lead by the Holy Spirit of God, the Church was able to determine which books were "canonical", that is, which should be included in the "canon" of Scripture, the Bible, and which ought to be excluded from the Bible by applying the following so-called "Tests of Canonicity": (please note that the "Apocryphal" books, for example, were rejected even by Jerome, the author of the Latin Vulgate, and though written approximately 200-100 BC during the intertestamentary period, they only received "canonical status" by the Roman Catholic Church as part of the Counter-Reformation Council of Trent in 1546 AD ).

Tests for Canonicity:

1. Is the book under consideration "authoritative"? That is, does it come with a "Thus saith the Lord" authority?

2. Is it "prophetic"? That is, was it written by a man of God?

3. Is it "authentic"? That is, is there a question as to it's authorship and authenticity. They operated by the rule of thumb: "If in doubt, throw it out!"

4. Is it "dynamic"? That is, does it come with life-transforming power?

5. Was it accepted by the people of God as the Word of God?

6. Is it consistent in its teaching and doctrine with other Books of the Bible?

(See also Belgic Confession Articles 4-6)

Also, according to Unger's Bible Dictionary , the Apocryphal books were rejected by the early Church as being authentic for the following reasons:

1. They abound in geographical and historical inaccuracies.

2. They teach doctrines which are false and foster practices which are at variance with inspired Scripture.

3. They display an artificiality of subject matter and styling out of keeping with inspired Scripture.

4. They lack distinctive elements of inspired Scripture (see, for example, the "Tests for Canonicity" listed above).

Historical Context (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Paul emphasis upon the inspiration of scripture is partly motivated by his desire to encourage Timothy, his young son in the faith, to continue in what he had learned from his godly grandmother, Lois, and his godly mother, Eunice, since infancy. Paul well knew that Timothy's belief in the inspiration of scripture and his ability to depend upon it completely and without question would serve him well throughout the entire course of his lifetime.

Study Questions (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

1. Where does this passage state that all scripture comes from?

2. At the time that this verse was written, what (at that time) was considered to be the Scriptures?

3. If the Scriptures were considered to be what we now call the 'Old Testament', does this passage make you think differently about the value of the Old Testament books in a New Testament era?

Cross References (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Commentary (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

It is important for us to notice that 2 Timothy 3:16 is a "self-authenticating text" concerning the inspiration of Scripture. Paul writes that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (in the Greek the term is "theopneustos" - literally, "God-breathed"). In other words, speaking, writing and working through sinful, finite man, our sinless, almighty, eternal, all-powerful, infinte God "breathed out" the Sacred Scriptures, Genesis through Revelation, and then the "canon" (meaning, literally, "a measuring rod, or standard; an officially accepted list of books") of Scripure was closed. (Please also see Belgic Confession Articles III, IV, and V).

Historical Context (2 Peter 1:20-21)

A primary emphasis in the Second Epistle of Peter is his denunciation of false prophets and false teachings. A primary means of distinguishing between true and false prophets and teachers is their adherence and faithfulness to the Word of God in its entirety.

Study Questions (2 Peter 1:20-21)

1. What do you suppose is meant by the phrase 'prophecy of the scripture'?

2. What do you suppose is meant by the phrase 'private interpretation'?

3. What is the significance of the fact that prophecy is not simply a revelation of 'the will of man', but rather 'the Word of God'?

4. What part did the Holy Spirit play in the writing of the Holy Scriptures?

5. Do you consider the scriptures to be trustworthy?

Commentary (2 Peter 1:20-21)

It is interesting to note that in 2 Peter 1:21, the term "moved by" (or, "carried along by") in the Greek text is the verb "pheromenoi" - the very same term used in Acts 27:15 where the Scriptures speak of the ship on which Paul was traveling to Rome "being driven" (or, "borne along") by the wind.