> According to BDF#275.3 PAS with an anarthrous substantive means
>"every(one)"--so that here PASA GRAFH ought to mean "every (passage of)
>scripture."
> Accordingly I'd read it like 2 above, but make it "Every (section/passage
>of) scripture is divinely-inspired and also useful for ..." I really prefer
>(2), but frankly I think either of the alternatives is consistent with
>either an early OR a late dating. I don't think the dating hangs on this
>verse at all. I think, moreover, that the intent of this particular
>assertion is that passages of scripture, since they are inspired, may be
>profitably employed for the purposes indicated. That is, the writer is
>explaining HOW and WHY scripture may be used appropriately within the
>church.
This makes a lot of sense to me, and I know I've learned a *lot* by
grappling with this in detail. It is always amazing to see how much I have
to learn about passages I thought I understood!
>>1. Is GRAFH used for NT canonical writings in the first few centuries? If
>>so, what are the earliest instances of this usage?
>
>This is a larger question that would need to be checked very carefully in
>relevant patristic texts. The problem, however, with the way you've
>formulated it, Jonathan, is that we can't really talk about a "canon" for
>the first three centuries or so, although it is clear that the question
>about which Christian writings ought to be considered authoritative is
>first raised (if I remember rightly) by Marcion in the middle of the second
>century. I think we might be able to discover by carefully studying
>contexts just when and where in patristic writings GRAFH is being used of
>distinctly Christian writings deemed to be authentic. I'm not sure,
>however, that this will offer any definitive guidance regarding 2 Tim 3:18.
Point taken. I don't have any patristic texts in Greek - is anybody out
there able to do a search for GRAFH in the patristic writings?
>>I was hoping this would be easier than Ephesians ;->
>
>But it IS! Don't you think?
Actually, the syntax is *much* easier than Ephesians.
Jonathan
***************************************************************************
Jonathan Robie
POET Software, 3207 Gibson Road, Durham, N.C., 27703
Ph: 919.598.5728 Fax: 919.598.6728
email: jwrobie@mindspring.com, jonathan@poet.com
http://www.poet.com <--- shockwave enabled!
***************************************************************************