God has given us His word that we may become acquainted with its teachings and know for ourselves what He requires of us. When the lawyer came to Jesus with the inquiry, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” the Saviour referred him to the Scriptures, saying: “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” Ignorance will not excuse young or old, nor release them from the punishment due for the transgression of God's law; because there is in their hands a faithful presentation of that law and of its principles and claims. It is not enough to have good intentions; it is not enough to do what a man thinks is right or what the minister tells him is right. His soul's salvation is at stake, and he should search the Scriptures for himself. However strong may be his convictions, however confident he may be that the minister knows what is truth, this is not his foundation. He has a chart pointing out every waymark on the heavenward journey, and he ought not to guess at anything. GC 598.1 I…
"He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?"
The EGW passage directly quotes Luke 10:26 and references the context of the lawyer's question to Jesus. This is a clear and explicit allusion.
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
Both passages emphasize the importance of searching the scriptures for oneself. The EGW passage encourages individuals to 'search the Scriptures for himself,' echoing the command in John 5:39. While not a direct quote, the principle is directly derived from the Bible verse.
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."
Both passages address the importance of knowledge of God's law and the consequences of lacking it. EGW emphasizes personal study of scripture, while Hosea speaks of destruction due to lack of knowledge and rejection of God's law. The connection is thematic, focusing on the necessity of understanding God's word.
"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God."
The EGW passage uses the phrase "wandering in error," which is a common concept, but the Matthew verse uses the word "err" in the context of not knowing the scriptures. It's a possible connection, but not a strong one.