“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 3:15 (KJV)
Greek Text.
καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βρέφους τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.
Key Greek Words…
ἀπὸ βρέφους (apo brephous) “from infancy,” “from a baby,” or “from earliest childhood.”
βρέφος (brephos) refers to an infant, newborn, or very young child.
The phrase emphasizes that Timothy’s exposure to Scripture began at the earliest possible age.
τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα (ta hiera grammata) “the sacred writings” or “holy Scriptures.”
At the time Paul wrote this, this primarily referred to the Old Testament Scriptures (Tanakh).
The Jewish Context
Timothy was raised in a Jewish household through his mother and grandmother:
“When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice…”
2 Timothy 1:5
His mother was Jewish:
“A certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.”
Acts 16:1
In Jewish practice, children were taught the Scriptures from a very young age. The command comes from:
“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…”
Deuteronomy 6:6–7
This passage reflects the Jewish pattern of covenant instruction, where parents continually taught God’s Word in daily life. Timothy’s knowledge of Scripture “from infancy” is therefore a fulfillment of this biblical model of discipleship.
Related Passage.
Paul’s statement echoes the Jewish conviction expressed in:
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
Thus, ἀπὸ βρέφους (apo brephous) highlights that Timothy was instructed in the Scriptures from infancy according to the Jewish practice of diligently teaching God’s Word to children within the home.
And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures,… And therefore must know that the doctrines he had learned were agreeable to them; and so is another reason why he should continue in them. The Jews very early learned their children the holy Scripture. Philo the Jew says (w), εκ πρωτης ηλικιας “from their very infancy”; a phrase pretty much the same with this here used. It is a maxim with the Jews (x), that when a child was five years of age, it was proper to teach him the Scriptures.
Timothy’s mother being a Jewess, trained him up early in the knowledge of these writings, with which he became very conversant, and under divine influence and assistance, arrived to a large understanding of them; and it is a practice that highly becomes Christian parents; it is one part of the nurture and admonition of the Lord they should bring up their children in: the wise man’s advice in Pro_22:6 is very good.
From hence the apostle takes occasion to enter into a commendation of the sacred writings; and here, from the nature and character of them, calls them the
holy Scriptures; to distinguish them from profane writings; and that because the author of them is the Holy Spirit of God; and even the amanuenses of him, and the penmen of them, were holy men of God; the matter of them is holy, both law and Gospel; and the end of writing them is to promote holiness; the precepts, promises, and doctrines contained in them are calculated for that purpose; and even the account they give of the sins and failings of others, are for the admonition of men: and next these Scriptures are commended from the efficacy of them:
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. Men are not wise of themselves; they are naturally without an understanding of spiritual things; and the things of the Spirit of God cannot be known by natural men, because they are spiritually discerned; particularly they are not wise in the business of salvation, of which either they are insensible themselves, and negligent; or foolishly build their hopes of it upon their civility, morality, legal righteousness, or an outward profession of religion: but the Scriptures are able to make men wise and knowing in this respect; for the Gospel is one part of the Scriptures, which is the Gospel of salvation, and shows unto men the way of salvation. The Scriptures testify largely of Christ, the Saviour; and give an ample account both of him, who is the able, willing, suitable, complete, and only Saviour, and of the salvation which is wrought by him; and describe the persons who do, and shall enjoy it: not that the bare reading of the Scriptures, or the hearing of them expounded, are able to make men wise in this way; but these, when accompanied with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, are; when he who endited the Scriptures removes the veil from their eyes, opens their understandings, and gives them light and knowledge in them: and then may persons be said to be wise unto salvation, when they not only have a scheme of it in their heads, but are in their hearts sensible of their need of it, and know that there is salvation in no other but in Christ; and when they look to him for it, to his righteousness for justification, to his blood for peace, pardon, and cleansing, to his sacrifice for atonement, and to his fulness of grace for a continual supply, and to him for eternal life and glory; when they rejoice in him and his salvation, and give him all the glory of it: the apostle adds,
Gill.
Looks like the best cure for “AI-phobia” is a healthy dose of actually using it, right brother? Age 5 a good place to start teaching our children?
J.
