The Scriptures

 

 

  

Once in the Old Testament

And only in the singular term,

From scripture or the scriptures

There is much we can learn.

 

Between the two terms I learnt

There are 53 references in all

And the first, which is found in Daniel,

Speaks to a special call.

 

A call out to the prophet Daniel,

Who had been mourning a while;

For twenty-one days to be exact

Which heaven kept on file.

 

I am referencing the KJV-

Re the others, I cast no aspersion,

Just so you know these 53 references

Are in the King James Version.

 

Noted in the “scripture of truth”

All the way back in Daniel,

God gives the assurance to His prophet

That He will deliver His people.

 

Only once in the Old Testament

But fifty-two times in the New

These terms “scripture or scriptures”

Come shining through.

 

Don’t make light of this

For indeed, the Psalmist did not,

God’s Word was a lamp and light to him

And for sure, regulated his lot.

 

 

The term “scripture of truth’

Appears to indicate the total Word,

It was already completely established

Before its written form occurred.

 

Jesus highlighted portions from it

On several occasions

But after all, he was the living Word

In his earthly incarnation.

 

Thirteen references I counted

In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,

All these were attributed to Jesus:

Every single one.

 

So, one from the prophet Daniel,

Thirteen from our Lord, Jesus Christ

And, with the other 39 from the apostles,

These should more than suffice.

 

‘Scripture’ is found 32 times

While ‘scriptures’ is seen 21,

That makes a total of fifty-three

So, let’s be moving on.

 

It appears to me, therefore,

That before a single word was written,

The scriptures had been compiled

In the heaven of heavens.

 

God moved on men He made holy

To write the Holy Word,

It was not of their own choosing-

Please, do not be absurd!

 

Today, we say the Bible

But it’s found nowhere in the Book

From where did this word come?

Perhaps we could have a look.

 

The earliest use of the word

Has been traced to the 4^th Century AD,

John Chrysostom, an Early Church Father,

Known for his ascetic sensibilities.

 

Another source gives its first usage

As early as the 3rd Century AD,

Ta Biblia, which is the Greek for books

Or by extension, library.

 

Some say it came from Europe

Out of the Roman Catholic Church;

Not from Jesus and the apostles

But from religious experts.

 

“The Bible” is seen as erroneous

When used in place of “the scriptures”,

The fact it is not found in the Word

Paints a misleading picture.

 

Maybe it is full time now,

We adopt the term “the scriptures”,

I know it won’t be easy

For “the Bible” is a fixture.

 

How do you feel about this?

Is it really that important?

Have we been committing a serious sin

And thus, should be repentant?

 

Tell me what you think,

I’d be glad to know your thoughts

For when I listen to certain people,

They appear quite distraught.

 

 

Search the scriptures, Jesus said,

Notice he did not say the Bible

So, I guess we ought to say similarly

And not be misguided.

 

It is “the scriptures” he fulfilled

And not the Bible, as we say,

So, given those fifty-three references,

Drop the Bible right away.

 

Ye do err, not knowing the Bible,

No, not knowing the scriptures,

The Bible seemingly falls amazingly short

Of the divine picture.

 

Apollos was mighty in “the scriptures”

“The Bible” was not in his time,

Maybe the two are vastly different;

That’s what comes to my mind.

 

Like the two on the Emmaus Road-

What did Jesus open to them?

It was “the scriptures” says the Word,

But Bible would be a problem.

 

 

Aren’t we splitting hairs

And into meaningless semantics?

Might it not be one of Satan’s lures

Or another of his divisive tricks?

 

Whether the scriptures or the Bible,

Let it be the Word of God

And concerning its life-giving message,

Let us tell it abroad.

 

Stewart Russell © May 23, 2023