The Good Work

The Off-Road Pastor makes this observation

What is the good work scripture is talking about [in 2 Timothy 3:17]? The work of God in and through us.

It is encouraging when someone ignores the secondary applications and gets to the point of a passage. Often, and sometimes to extremeism 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is used as justification for arguing that all scripture is inspired. Yet a clear reading of the passage in context indicates that inspiration without purpose is irrelevant. Scripture is inspired in order that the thoroughly/perfectly/adequately/competently/completely equipped man might be prepared for the good work of...

And here is where I think the Off-Road Pastor falls short. To the question What are the good works 2 Timothy 3:17 is talking about? He replies:

We cannot assume that we will become closer to God, understand His calling for us, or even do His calling for us if we are not looking into His word on a regular, daily basis for instruction and encouragement. We cannot be equipped or competent unless we go to the source of truth: God. And what better way to hear from God than through His Word which is right in front of our face.

An important statement, even foundational. However, I don't find anything which indicates, that "calling", "instruction", or "encouragement" are equivalent to the "good work" at the end of 2 Timothy 3:17. (The KJV translation of παιδεια as "instruction" not withstanding. παιδεια being better understood in English if it retains it's παιδιa "child" root, hence ESV/NIV's "training". The Bible in Basic English has "education in righteousness" which I find intriguing.) Not to belabor the issue but it is important to get a handle on what Paul means by the "good work" that he feels Timothy will be able to accomplish through the scriptures. Before we can understand calling, competence or even inspiration it must be clear what "good works" Paul is commissioning Timothy with.

What I do find is that Paul's charge to Timothy is couched in between two statements about apostasy:

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. -2 Timothy 3:12-13

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. -2 Timothy 4:3-4

In face of deceivers Paul reminds  Timothy of the truth of what he has learned. And, when Paul begins to give Timothy his core instructions about the scriptures he declares not that he is simply to "use" them towards secondary purpose or calling or for some other work, but, in no uncertain terms, he declares the scriptures themselves the "good work" you are to do. Notice that Paul follows 3:17 with this charge:

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. -2 Timothy 4:1-2

Which sounds strangely like "profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness." The scriptures which make us wise unto salvation, and which train us up into righteousness, become the God-breathed life-blood which flows in a Christian's veins and beats within his heart. They are the muscles, tendons and bones by which we walk and fight and work and stand.  In face of difficulty, persecution, godlessness and suffering what work could we possibly accomplish? What hope do we have on our own? Before a blinded and deceived world of liars and impostors our "good work" is to declare and reveal, rebuke and exhort, with the same life-giving God-breathed power of divine truth that burns like fire with in us. God calls all men to no less a task. What other work is there?

Ehud and Jesus

The story of Ehud has always fascinated me. 

ESV, Judges 3:15-26

The people of Israel cried out to the LORD, and the LORD raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes. And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." And he commanded, "Silence." And all his attendants went out from his presence. And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." And he arose from his seat. And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out. Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them. When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, "Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber." And they waited till they were embarrassed. But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them, and there lay their lord dead on the floor. Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah.

When Luke comments on Jesus "Beginning with Moses and the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." Or when Matthew says that Jesus "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

How are Ehud and Jesus related?

Is all Scripture a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation or are there parts of  Scripture that do not rise to the full level of Christ.? I would like to confirm the latter, but Ehud and the mildew laws and the strange story of Noah getting drunk or of Rehoboam's claim, all tend to push the envelope of being a "testimony to Christ".