2 Timothy Chapter 3

vs 10

So Paul is not just placing the emphasis of the truth of the gospel on it's own correctness, but on the authority and trustworthiness and reality of its messenger - him! It's not just what he taught(his wording here is most probably a reference to the fact he taught, rather than what he was teaching), but the life and purpose he led.

vs 11

His persecutions also speak loudly in favour of his message, but not just that he suffered - his rescue from his sufferings is also a statement that speaks for his message.

vs 12

The reason Paul's suffering is important is because this will be a universal experience of the Christian life. But not just any old Christian life - the life of a godly person. It is the godly who will be persecuted, and when you put it like that, it's far more obvious a truth.

vs 13

Yes, the evil people will be deceived and do some deceiving of their own - but they aren't the ones getting persecuted. Yes, they might get just punishment for their actions. They might even get ridiculed. But persecution is saved for the godly. This is an Ecclesiastes-type statement - it's not universally going to happen every single time, but you'll recognise that it seems to be a general pattern.

vs 14

Timothy's journey consisted of learning about God and Christ (probably through his grandmother and mother), but then being convinced of it, and also through knowing those who taught it. Obviously a boy is going to trust his ma and his gram-gram, but Timothy obviously also had a deep relationship with Paul, and so could trust his message. The messenger is so important!

vs 15

Obviously Timothy didn't know the Scriptures when he was an infant. Perhaps as a Christian infant (young in the faith I mean). Note the purpose of Scripture here - it is to make you wise for salvation, and that only through Christ Jesus. It is not to teach you science, or history, or geography or sociology or culture or anything else. Sure, there are interesting things you can glean from it in this regard, but its purpose is for your salvation! So next time you're seeking to make a historical point or a scientific argument from the Bible, just remember that it's not what it was built for.

vs 16

Who doesn't have this memorised? Start learnin'. Remember that in greek, spirit and breath have the same root and are basically the same word, pneuma, so God-breathed is also "infused with God's Spirit". I would also think by inference that teaching, correcting, rebuking and training all link to the "in righteousness" - so all these things, once again, are for the growth of righteousness.

vs 17

And it is through your righteousness that you can be equipped for good works that God has prepared for us to do (bit of an Ephesians crossover there). So Scripture is for wisdom to lead you to salvation. It is for growing your righteousness, and that is so you can do good works for God. Do we now understand what the Bible is for?