When Jesus said "the Scripture," He was referencing the same writings that the Jews held to be Divinely authoritative as the word of God.
It was already understood among the Jews in Jesus’ day what writings were of Divine authority.
Peter wrote of the Divine origin of Scripture: 2 Peter 1.20-21: no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, ... holy men of God spoke ...moved by the Holy Spirit. Divine authority determined whether the writing was Scripture, and that authority was determine by the human author, whether he was a prophet of God.
“Canon” is a transliteration of the Greek word “Kanon” that means “rule” or “measuring rod.” Those writings which belong to the "canon" of Scripture are those which measure up, having Divine authority according to authorship by a prophet.
The Scriptures in Jesus’ time was the same 39 books of our Old Testament [OT], but they were grouped differently as 22 or 24 books.
Flavius Josephus (First Century Jewish Historian) writes:
For we have not an innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from and contradicting one another [as the Greeks have], but only twenty-two books, which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be divine.
Other early witnesses:
Eusebius (AD325): 22 books
Jerome: 22-24
Origen (AD250): 22
Tertullian (AD200): 24
Melito (AD170): 22
Talmud: 24
These counts reflect the counting of two books as one, such as 1st and 2nd Samuel as one book; other combinations were made, including the 12 minor prophets as one book.
The Apocrypha are 11 books written during the time between 200 BC and the time of Christ that mainly give a history of the Jews. The Roman Catholic Church accepted them in 1546 at the Council of Trent, but they were never considered by the Jews, Jesus, or the early church as part of the inspired OT.
(39) and of them five belong to Moses, which contain his laws and the traditions of the origin of mankind till his death. This interval of time was little short of three thousand years; (40) but as to the time from the death of Moses till the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, who reigned after Xerxes, the prophets, who were after Moses, wrote down what was done in their times in thirteen books. The remaining four books contain hymns to God, and precepts for the conduct of human life. (41) It is true, our history hath been written since Artaxerxes very particularly, but hath not been esteemed of the like authority with the former by our forefathers, because there hath not been an exact succession of prophets since that time.
The OT in Jesus’ time was the same 39 books of the English OT, but it was grouped differently as 22 or 24 books. There were 3 classifications for the writings. The Law of Moses was set as the first 5 books, while the Prophets and Psalms or writings were the other two. There was some flexibility as to which writings belonged in the Prophets and Psalms.
In Luke 24.44, Jesus mentioned the 3 classifications of Scripture: the Law, the prophets, and the Psalms.
Sometimes, all Scripture is identified by only two classifications: the Law and the Prophets: Mat 22.40: On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
In another case, a quote from the Psalms is identified as the "Law": Is it not written in your law, "I said, 'You are gods?'"
And so, Scripture could be grouped into the 3 categories or 2, or all could be designated the Law.
John 10.35: The Scripture can not be broken.
"Broken" in the Greek is “luo” which means to “loose,” but it can mean to annul or deprive of authority (dismiss or disregard). The same word is used in Mat 5.19: Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments.
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matt 5.18
This simply means the entire divine purpose prophesied in Scripture must take place. Likewise the meaning of Luke 24.44: The Scriptures must be fulfilled.
Jesus:
You pore over the scriptures, believing that in them you can find eternal life; it is these scriptures that testify to me, and yet you refuse to come to me to receive life! John 5:39-40
Expositors commentary says concerning John 5.39-40:
After the destruction of the temple of Solomon in 586 B.C., the Jewish scholars of the Exile substituted the study of the Law for the observance of the temple ritual and sacrifices. They pored over the OT, endeavoring to extract the fullest possible meaning from its words, because they believed that the very study itself would bring them life. By so doing they missed the chief subject of the OT revelation. Jesus claimed the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Writings) as witnesses to his person and claims (Luke 24:44). He rebuked his hearers for their inconsistency in studying the Scriptures so diligently while rejecting his claims, which were founded on those same Scriptures.
Jesus:
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. MAT 5:17
For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. MAT 5:18
Jesus came to fulfill the Scriptures.
The Divine authority of Scripture in every detail is recognized.
Christ shall fulfill it in every detail, whether it is the demands of the Law against sin or it is prophecy.
The Old Testament is as enduring as heaven and earth, though elsewhere, Jesus said His words would outlast both, Mat 24.35.
Most of Scripture pertains to this creation. I don’t think it has a role in the new creation.
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