Pseudoxristos, the very expression of the sentiment that "all scripture is inspired" i.e. all (christian) writings are inspired, whoever wrote them, would have been the forger's plea or justification to include his own work!
Fast Jehu, I would like to mention that when the text was written, perhaps in the second century CE, whoever wrote it, would likely be referring to writings other than the canonical Hebrew scriptures. Bear in mind that by then the Jews had been defeated and dispersed and thoroughly secularised, Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina by the Romans and out of bounds to Jews. The rabbinic schools were the custodians for textual tradition but religious Jewry was at a low ebb and suffering low status.
If we look at the Koine Greek "all scripture" pasa graphe, could in today's language also be translated as "all literature" with the inference of all writings of a christian or uplifting nature, as opposed to say legal writing, historical records or written documents as a function of the Empire.
The
first thing to remember is that irrespective of meaning, 2 Tim 3;16 cannot possibly be a reference to the Bible, which is a fourth century compilation of texts by the
Catholic Church. (Would the Watchtower please take note!) What was available to the educated christian was much literature which did not get into the Bible canon. Bear in mind too that most but not all christians were humble folk including slaves and therefore could not read.
The following are some of the works available which would therefore constitute "all literature" or "all scripture" to the followers of the Lord. (The name "Jesus" incidentally was not yet attached to the "saviour" in literature until later in the development of christianity). These writings reflect some the promiscuous beliefs of pre-Catholic enforcement of orthodoxy.
- Titus
- Apocalypse of Peter
- Secret Book of James
- Preaching of Peter
- Gospel of the Ebionites
- Gospel of the Nazoreans
- The Shepherd of Hermas.-- and many more.
