{His writings} ( ois ekeinou grammasin). Dative case with
pistuete. See Lu 16:31 for a like argument. The authority of
Moses was the greatest of all for Jews. There is a contrast also
between {writings} (grammasin, from graph(935c), to write) and
{words} (
(886d)asin, from eipon). Gramma may mean the mere
letter as opposed to spirit ( 2Co 3:6 Ro 2:27,29 7:6 ), a
debtor's bond ( Lu 16:6f. ), letters or learning ( Joh 7:15 Ac
26:24 ) like agrammatoi for unlearned ( Ac 4:13 ), merely
written characters ( Lu 23:38 2Co 3:7 Ga 6:11 ), official
communications ( Ac 28:21 ), once hiera grammata for the sacred
writings ( 2Ti 3:15 ) instead of the more usual hai hagiai
graphai. Graph(885c) is used also for a single passage ( Mr
12:10 ), but iblion for a book or roll ( Lu 4:17 ) or iblos
( Lu 20:42 ). Jesus clearly states the fact that Moses wrote
portions of the Old Testament, what portions he does not say. See
also Lu 24:27,44 for the same idea. There was no answer from
the rabbis to this conclusion of Christ. The scribes (hoi
grammateis) made copies according to the letter (kata to
gramma).
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