Church interprets scripture?
- Thread starter NoelFitz
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BeeSweet
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It’s in the catechism under:
The Interpretation of the Heritage of Faith
2 Peter 1: 20-21 “First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
The Interpretation of the Heritage of Faith
2 Peter 1: 20-21 “First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
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paarsurrey
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Hi
Normally, since the Bible is translated in native language of almost all important languages of the world, anybody who reads it from cover to cover must need no interpretation by anyone. That is the prupose of tranlations. GodAllahYHWH’s Word must be open and clear to everybody who reads it intently, needing no intercession by anyone afterall it is for guidance of the people. This is my opinion, I think everybody would agree with me.
Thanks
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Cranch
Guest
Which do you mean:
- “Everybody would agree that what I just wrote is my opinion.”
- “Everybody would agree with what I just wrote.”
—Dei Verbum 10.2
This passage also reminds us that God’s self-revelation is not confined to the Bible, but has also been handed on through Sacred Tradition in the Catholic Church. That being the case, who else but the Church can serve as the faitful interpreter of God’s Word?
This passage also reminds us that God’s self-revelation is not confined to the Bible, but has also been handed on through Sacred Tradition in the Catholic Church. That being the case, who else but the Church can serve as the faitful interpreter of God’s Word?
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teachccd
Guest
The Church wrote inspired Scripture so why wouldn’t that same Church interpret those Scriptures under the same guidance of the same Spriit in which it was written? Your profile states that you are Catholic so I’m sure that you are seeking out background for this tenet of our faith. Just as the U.S. Supreme Court is the official interpreter of the U.S. Constitution the Catholic Church is the official interpreter of our Sacred Scriptures. Have you checked the Catechism of the Catholic Church for this background?? No.84-95…teachccd
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runandsew
Guest
I would agree that everyone in the world who is literate should be able to read scripture in their own language. And I agree that there are somethings that are understandable for the casual reader, but there are quite a bit of things that are not so easy to understand, especially if you don’t know about the times in which they were written, or what the Old Testament passage being quoted means.
God is truth, and there is only one God, therefore there is only one truth. Scripture cannot teach a truth for one reader, and then teach a contradictory truth for another reader.
Some people claim that the Bible teaches Divorce and remarriage, others don’t. Some claim that the Bible teaches that abortion is OK, others do not. Some claim that the Bible teaches that birth control is OK, others don’t. Some claim that once you are saved, you can’t lose that salvation no matter much you sin, others don’t.
Yes, one can read scripture, but there needs to be someone to infallibly interpret scripture. God left his church to interpret Scripture correctly, to teach the truth that he wanted to convey to us. Truth can not contradict truth.
We see that even in scripture this notion of needing someone to interpret scripture for us is alluded to.
2 Peter 3:18
And count the forbearance of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.
Acts 8:26 – 31
But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert road. And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Can’dace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, "How can I, unless some one guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Even in the English translations, the words are translated differently in the different versions of the Bible, which could give a different meaning to the passage. And some denominations actually add words to make the passage teach something different from what the original author intended.
So in reference to your comment, I would say that most people don’t agree with you.
I would say though, that God’s Word must be open and clear to everybody.
But that is why God left us a Church with an authority to teach with openness and clarity, the true meaning of God’s word.
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Cranch
Guest
The Catechism of the Catholic Church constantly references scripture to support it’s teaching. The copy available in the U.S. (maybe the same in Ireland?) has a fantastic tool in the back called the Index of Citations. With this index you can look to see if the particular scripture passage of interest to you has been cited in the Catechism. If so, it will tell you the exact paragraph in the Catechism where the passage has been expounded on or used in reference to a Church teaching. That in turn can shed light back on the verse.
About your P.S.– Scripture is the written Word of God, the Bible.
By the way, welcome to CAF!
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1ke
Guest
It doesn’t work like that.
First, there isn’t some official Church commentary on every verse of Scripture. Through the Church’s doctrine and documents there is a synthesis of teaching.
Only a very few verses have been defined definitively regarding interpretation. Catholics have much latitude to interpret Scripture from within the context of the Tradition of the Church and the doctrines defined by the Church.
A Catholic could not interpret Scripture to mean something that contradicts doctrine.
There is nothing to distinguish. The Bible is the book that contains all of Christian scripture. These terms are, for all practical purposes, synonyms.
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Eileen_T
Guest
I’m a bit confused? Are you looking for something like Haydock’s Catholic Bible Commentary perhaps? haydock1859.tripod.com/
I do not distinguish between scripture and the Bible, to me the terms are interchangeable.
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BeeSweet
Guest
The New American Bible has some very helpful notes for interpreting certain verses of scripture. If there’s something you’re really wanting to understand better, the Sacred Scripture forum here on CAF is a good place to ask specific questions to get some (name removed by moderator)ut from CAF members. I usually find the most help in the catechism and the notes of the NAB though.
Sacred Scripture is the Bible.
1ke
Well said.
I fully agree with you.
A Catholic, whether an ignorant lay person or a brilliant scholar is free to study and interpret the Bible, as he sees fit, provided (s)he does not contradict Church dogma.
Personal interpretation of the Bible is fully allowed for Catholics.
Well said.
I fully agree with you.
A Catholic, whether an ignorant lay person or a brilliant scholar is free to study and interpret the Bible, as he sees fit, provided (s)he does not contradict Church dogma.
Personal interpretation of the Bible is fully allowed for Catholics.
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Klydewannab
Guest
You may also want to try the Ignatian Study Bible Series. I’ve read the one for Acts and it was wonderful. The footnotes put everything in context. Some give background or historical context, others put the passage into context of the whole of Sacred Scripture, others point out key supports for Catholic doctrines. I found it very helpful, even more so than my Catholic Study Bible.
BeeSweet
Am I right in thinking that Catholics often refer to Scripture and Protestants to the Bible?
Both the NAB and CAF express views of individual people and have no official authority. The CCC is not a Biblical Commentary.
Quot homines, tot sententia; suus cuique mos.
(Terence, Phormio 454)
Am I right in thinking that Catholics often refer to Scripture and Protestants to the Bible?
Both the NAB and CAF express views of individual people and have no official authority. The CCC is not a Biblical Commentary.
Quot homines, tot sententia; suus cuique mos.
(Terence, Phormio 454)
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BeeSweet
Guest
The words can be used interchangeably, I’ve heard Protestants often refer to the Bible as Scripture. It may depend on the culture in which you live. Also, the protestant faiths are so many, it could be the culture of a particular faith that prefers one term over another. I once heard a woman on television refer to the entire Bible as the Gospel, beginning with Genesis.
One tool that helps is the stamp of the diocese Censor, and Bishop on a particular work, the stamps “Nihil Obstat” and “Imprimatur”. They tell you that the work is at least free of doctrinal error. We are the church, so we look to each other for interpretation, but authority comes from our interpretation being in agreement with the Magisterium (I think I said that right…).
BeeSweet
I appreciate your reply.
Where in the Bible does it say:
The apostles entrusted the “Sacred deposit” of the faith (the depositum fidei), contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, to the whole of the Church.
This is a Sacred Scripture Forum.
When the Apostles were alive 27 books of the Bible were not written and Tradition (whatever this means) had not been established.
“Nihil Obstat” and “Imprimatur” only tells one that there is nothing contrary to faith in the book and let it be printed.
I appreciate your reply.
Where in the Bible does it say:
The apostles entrusted the “Sacred deposit” of the faith (the depositum fidei), contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, to the whole of the Church.
This is a Sacred Scripture Forum.
When the Apostles were alive 27 books of the Bible were not written and Tradition (whatever this means) had not been established.
“Nihil Obstat” and “Imprimatur” only tells one that there is nothing contrary to faith in the book and let it be printed.
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BeeSweet
Guest
I think understand the nature of your thread a little better now. It might be more appropriately placed in the apologetics forum rather than the Sacred Scripture sub-forum though, as you appear to be asking for the scriptural basis for the authority of the church to interpret scripture, rather than asking about specific Scriptures themselves, and how they are interpreted by the church. That’s just my opinion of course.
The exact words from the catechism you quoted above are not in Scripture. Some evidential scriptures behind this section of the catechism are:
Mt 28:18-20 (Jesus delegates all power to the Apostles) And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.
Jn 20:23 (power to forgive sin) Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
1Cor 11:23-24 (power to offer sacrifice ~ Eucharist) For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Lk 10:16 (power to speak with Christ’s voice) “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
Mt 18:18 (power to legislate) Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mt 18:17 (power to discipline) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
1 Cor 11:2 (hold fast to traditions I handed on to you) "I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you. "
2 Thess 2:15 (hold fast to traditions, whether oral or by letter) So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.
2 Thess 3:6 (shun those acting not according to tradition) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.
Jn 21:25 (not everything Jesus said is recorded in Scripture) But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
1 Pet 1:20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Don’t know if that’s what you’re really looking for, but I gave it my best shot!
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guanophore
Guest
No paarsurrey, everyone does not agree with you. The scripture was never intended to be separated from the Sacred Tradition from which it emerged. Those entrusted with the keeping of the covenants of God are those empowered to interpret the scripture correctly. The method you describe, where each interprets in a manner that is right in his own mind, is what has caused the divisions that exist today.
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guanophore
Guest
I thought that is what you meant, NoelFitz. Much of this can be found in the catechism, where the official teaching of the Church is set out with the appropriate references. I hear there is an excellent Catholic commentary out called the Navarre, but I have not seen it yet. I presume you are looking for a commentary that will help you distinguish between the Protestant and Catholic understandings of scripture? And no, there is no distinction made between the Bible and the scripture, but the Protestants have taken some books out of the “Bible” that Jesus and the Apostles were using.
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