On the Canon
Michael J. Kruger (Canon Fodder) teases out the implications of this fact about the New Testament: “Some NT writers quote other NT writers as scripture.” From 2 Peter 3:15-16 and 1 Tim 5:18 we can conclude that:
- There were already collections of Paul’s letters that both Peter and his audience knew about.
- Peter would probably have expected his own letters to be received as Scripture.
- Apostolic letters had a scriptural status in early Christianity.
- The New Testament canon “was not a later ecclesiastical development, but something early and innate to the early Christian faith.”
On Application
John Piper says our goal in reading the Bible is to be amazed by God, not to come away with a list of things to do (Ask Pastor John).