How do I understand the Bible?

[dizzy_dave]

How do we know as Catholics we are understanding the Bible verses we read correctly, the Protestants all seem to have a different opinion of what a verse means, how do we Catholics know our understanding is right? I mean is there a big book that I can go to that gives the meaning of each verse? Is that what a concordance is or does?

 

[Ryan_King]

As Catholics, we believe that the Bible, in total, was inspired by God. That is, not one sentence, not one word, not one paragraph, is in error. That does not mean we take all of it literally, as there is metaphorical and metaphysical truth as well. To understand the Bible, one must look to the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church, which, together with Scripture, makes up the Magisterium. This Tradition can be found in the teachings of ecumenical councils, papal encyclicals, the writings of Church Fathers, the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you haven’t time to read all of that, I reccommend the Catechism, as well as the writings of a reliable modern-day writer, such as Scott Hahn.

I hope this helps,
Ryan King

 

[ktm]

I second everything Ryan said. Also, if you want a good study Bible (Scriptures with commentary), consider investing a few bucks in the compact edition of the Navarre Bible. I have some of the expanded version of the Navarre Bible, but I understand the compact version is also very good and a bit cheaper. It contains the RSV-CE translation with commentary from the popes, saints, Catechism, Church councils, Church documents, etc. Highly recommended.

 

[BLB_Oregon]

Fr. Richard Rohr has a series of tapes entitled “Great Themes of Scripture” that I found very helpful.

 

[Highwayman]

I find letting the Holy Spirit open my understanding to what is in the Bible not only gives me God’s perspective but also helps me tie each part of the Bible to the Bible as a whole.
This did not come easy for me I began reading the New Testament in 1971 after I was several years out of school.
I went 9 years to Catholic School and had much foundational understanding but it did not become important till I gain a personal faith in what God had to say in the Bible.
We seem to go through many growth times in our live. First we grow in a natural understanding of the world around us till we develope a personnality to form a Soul this personality of our Soul then looks to who we are in relationship to God.
I see these three personalities in the lives of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Marhtha is much like those who see only in the natural but Mary is one who’s Soul has matured to see into the Spiritual realm but is a child in this areana that is why she looked to Jesus the master to lead her into this New Kingdom.
Then there is Lazarus who’s name means " God’s helper" who is a forshadowing of the born again experiance of the sinner into a saint. He laid down 4 days to symbolize the four thousand years of mankind walking in darkness not knowing the revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven. When we are born again of the Spirit of God we see far beyound this world and this worlds wisdom. Paul said eye has not seen and ear has not hear, and he when on to say the Spirit man can see the natural and the Spiritual but the natural man can only see the natural.
I think in this simple narative of Martha, Mary and Lararus, Jesus was giving one of the greatest parables of the paradine shift of mankind into Spiritual life that he wept not for the death of Lararus but rather for how many would never make the leap of faith and enter into this Kingdom that He spoke about because they would fail to grasp being born again of the Spirit as stated in John 3,3.
Jesus called to Lazarus and He came out bound still in grave cloth but Jesus said lose him and let him go.
So also it is the Churches job to help the new memebers of the Church who are baptised into Christ and are new creatures in Christ to know the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
So why is this so poorly done in so many Churches ?
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead the old order felt that not only Jesus was a threat but this Lazarus who was leading the whole world to Jesus “John 12, verse 19.”
It is so appropreit that this is in chapter 12 where Jesus again talks about the 12 hours of light. In the Old Testament when they cross over the river Jordan into the promise land they leave 12 stones in the river to be covered and the river that backed up all the way to a city called Adam would then come back and cover them thus leaving the 12 hours of darkness covered in this symbol of Baptism but they also left 12 stones on the side of the promise land to remind them that they would now walk in the light as children of the light. God Bless