Page:The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII.djvu/279



THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 273

and piety and learning we have a right to expect good re- sults, to give themselves to the same most praiseworthy work. It is Our wish and fervent desire to see an increase in the number of the approved and persevering laborers in the cause of Holy Scripture; and more especially that those whom divine grace has called to holy orders should, day by day, as their state demands, display greater dihgence and industry in reading, meditating, and explaining it.

Among the reasons for which the Holy Scripture is so worthy of commendation â€” ^in addition to its o'^m excellence and to the homage which we owe to God's Word â€” the chief of all is, the innumerable benefits of which it is the source; according to the infallible testimony of the Holy Ghost Himself, who says: All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice: that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work. That such was the purpose of God in giving the Scripture to men is shown by the example of Christ our Lord and of His apostles. For He Himself who "obtained authority by miracles, merited belief by au- thority, and by behef drew to himself the multitude" ^ was accustomed, in the exercise of His divine mission, to appeal to the Scriptures. He uses them at times to prove that He is sent by God, and is God Himself. From them He cites instructions for His disciples and confirmation of His doctrine. He vindicates them from the calumnies of objectors; He quotes them against Sadducees and Phari- sees and retorts from them upon Satan himself when he dares to tempt Him. At the close of His life His utterances are from the Holy Scripture, and it is the Scripture that He expounds to His disciples after His resurrection, until He ascends to the glory of His Father. Faithful to His pre- cepts, the apostles, although He Himself granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands,^ nevertheless used with the greatest effect the sacred writings, in order to

1 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17, ^^ S. Aug. de util. cred. xiv 32.

s Act xiv. 3.