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WRESTING WITH THE SCRIPTURE
MONDAY, JUNE 29
2 Peter 3:15-16
Matthew 5:18
 
“The law of the LORD is perfect.”
 
WRESTING WITH THE SCRIPTURE
 
Meddling with the inspired words of the Scripture began in the time of the Apostles. Peter said it very clearly: “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Pet 3:16). He classified Paul’s epistles as Scripture, the inspired Word of God.
 
Then Peter said that some have “wrested” them. The Greek word for “wrest” (streblousin) carries the idea of “twisting,” “stretching on the rack,” “torturing,” etc. In other words, the apostates were meddling with the written Word of God. This certainly suggests that they were altering  the words of the Scripture. They not only did this to the Pauline epistles, but also with other parts of the Scripture.
 
Peter’s statements about the corruption of the words of the Scripture, as early as the first century, must alarm us against blindly agreeing with the textual critics who say that the older the manuscript, the better it is. It is certainly more important to consider the source of the manuscript to know whether it is accurate or corrupt. If a manuscript comes from a people who are known for their perverted beliefs and practices, we can most assuredly conclude that the changes are rather the result of their wresting the Scripture.
 
Though apostate men have tried to “wrest” the Scripture, in his first epistle Peter reminded us that “the word of God … liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet 1:23). He again said, “the word of the Lord endureth for ever” (1 Pet 1:25). Peter boldly stood against the Scripture twisters. He condemned their actions.
 
May we not look at the Scripture with a critical attitude. May our attitude toward the Scripture be characterised by faith rather than by unbelief.
 
THOUGHT: “The Bible stands like a rock undaunted ‘mid the raging storms of time.”
PRAYER: I thank Thee, Lord, for Thy Word, kept pure in all ages.

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