Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Genesis 2:7 (RSV)
All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (RSV)
Christians are not of one mind on the nature of Scripture. Some regard it as inerrant in all its pages and words. They can see no error or contradiction between its covers. In the extreme, they declare that the earth is only about six thousand years old by the count of years within the Bible.
On the other pole of biblical interpretation, some regard the Bible as an interesting collection of myths, poetry, and stories that may or may not have any historical facts within its pages.
Lutherans fall all along that spectrum. The oft-repeated joke goes, 'Put ten Lutheran Biblical Scholars in a room, suggest a topic, and you will instantly have at least fifteen different opinions on what the text means.'
It is more useful to talk about what the Scriptures do. A helpful understanding of the purpose of Scripture begins with the creation of Adam. After God shaped Adam out of the dust of the ground, He breathed into Adam the breath of life. The divine breath gave Adam life, able to know and relate to God.
St. Paul writing to Timothy, says that God inspires all Scripture. Some take this to regard the Bible as if it were made of words inscribed on stone. The 'God-breathed' Scriptures are a living Word just as Adam was a living human being. They both have the breath of God within themselves.
By God's breath, Adam (and all created in the image of God) was blessed to be able to know God and live in relationship to Him. By God's breath, the Scriptures become a living Word whose purpose is to witness to Jesus, nourishing the faith given by the Holy Spirit.
Luther was clear on this that the Scripture is to preach Christ. From the opening syllable of Genesis to the 'Amen' of the Revelation to St. John, Scripture is a witness to Jesus.
Read the Bible, let the words of grace and truth in its pages wash over you like a healing flood. Hear and trust the promises of God imprinted within to be a living witness to the Risen Lord.