Is an Infallible Interpretation of the Bible necessary?

[Mark01]

As a Catholic I believe that the Church, more specifically through the Magisterium of the Church, that I have a source that I can turn to when I have a question concerning the Bible or morals and faith, and through the protection of the Holy Spirit I can be pretty darn sure that the answers to my questions are correct.

I’ll give a quote, even though I don’t like to quote scripture as “proof”, because my interpretation may be different from others, and I’m not trying to prove anything.
Just asking a question to gain perspective.

Matthew 18:15-17 (NIV)

15"If your brother sins against you,** go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Though this passage is not about a question being ask for clarification on a scriptual question, but rather a moral or possibly a social issue, it tells me that the church is the final arthority on the issue at hand.

Where does one, not of the Catholic faith, turn when they have a question? What assurance do they have what they are being told is being guided by the Holy Spirit and not something else?**

 

[shawn38]

Matthew 18:15-17

17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector

…this passage…tells me that the church is the final arthority on the issue at hand

Where does one, not of the Catholic faith, turn when they have a question?

In the Baptist church, you go to the deacons.

What assurance do they have what they are being told is being guided by the Holy Spirit and not something else?

What assurance? The assurance of God’s word found in the Bible for 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The deacons, like the Bereans of Acts 17:11, will look to scripture for the answer, not an institution.

 

[Mark01]

Thanks for the reply Shawn38. In the Catholic faith we are taught the Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magesterium make up the Deposit of Faith. All three compliment each other and that none of the three can stand without the other. The best way I can describe this is looking at it kind of like a checks and balance system. Each part does not stand alone, nor can it.

This is what the Catholic Chruch teaches regarding the Bible:
CCC 131-133
Hence “access to Sacred Scripture ought to be open wide to the Christian faithful.”…Therefore, the study of the sacred page should be the very soul of sacred theology…The Church "forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful…to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.

We are very similiar in our beliefs then, The Baptist rely upon the teachers of the church, deacons, to provide members of their congregation, in conjuntion with the Holy Bible to decern questions of faith. Catholics rely upon the teachers of the church, Magesterium, to provide members of the church in conjunction with the Holy Bible to decern questions of faith.

 

[GeorgeSword]

The deacons, like the Bereans of Acts 17:11, will look to scripture for the answer, not an institution.

What happens when the one deacon can’t agree with the other deacon about what they are reading?

 

[abenassi]

For a Catholic, we can interpret scripture on our own without worrying about needing to be infallible. The word of God is living and speaks to us in so many ways. The only thing that is important is that, however we interpret scripture, that our interpretation does not contradict that which the Catholic Church teaches. This leaves an openness for the word of God to work in our lives without needing to be afraid of personal weakness (that is, being personally fallible).

That is why it is so critical to believe that everything the church teaches is true. It is so freeing to have this assurance. There are many who like to disagree with the Vatican on some points. But one point means that now, they cannot have that assurance in everything.

Jesus Christ gave us the Catholic Church, and sent the Holy Spirit to keep its teachings on morals and faith free from all error. What an amazing gift. It allows us to truly be free and truly hear God and not ourselves.

God Bless,

Andre

 

[Bill_Pick]

As a Catholic I believe that the Church, more specifically through the Magisterium of the Church, that I have a source that I can turn to when I have a question concerning the Bible or morals and faith, and through the protection of the Holy Spirit I can be pretty darn sure that the answers to my questions are correct.

I’ll give a quote, even though I don’t like to quote scripture as “proof”, because my interpretation may be different from others, and I’m not trying to prove anything.
Just asking a question to gain perspective.

Matthew 18:15-17 (NIV)

15"If your brother sins against you,** go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Though this passage is not about a question being ask for clarification on a scriptual question, but rather a moral or possibly a social issue, it tells me that the church is the final arthority on the issue at hand.

Where does one, not of the Catholic faith, turn when they have a question? What assurance do they have what they are being told is being guided by the Holy Spirit and not something else?**

Any one can see what this verse is saying,unles they just do not belief the teaching of the Church Most will believe this verse but do not believe the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ,This is My body,This Is My Blood.

 

[Mark01]

Jesus Christ gave us the Catholic Church, and sent the Holy Spirit to keep its teachings on morals and faith free from all error. What an amazing gift. It allows us to truly be free and truly hear God and not ourselves.

I agree 100% , my intentions in making this post was to gain a little insight into other faith beliefs. I have found in my studies in reading articles commentaries, papers and the such concerning other faith beliefs, that most of these authors draw on information from sources other than the Bible. I think anyone who is earnestly studying his or her faith will do the same.

I am thankful as a Catholic that when in my research I come across something written by an author that I question, particularly when it is an Apologist article. I have somewhere to turn to to as a means to check whether or not it is an acceptable teaching. As a Catholic, by going to the Church with those questions we can be well rest assured that there has been an enormous amount of research and thought put into those answers that the Church provides not by any one individual, but by all who are entrusted with and called to the discipline. The answers are not someone’s opinion that fit my own, some of the answers to be honest with everyone here on these boards I might not like, but I do believe they are the answers according to God.

I’m asking to whom do my “other” Christian Bretheren turn to to resovle the questions they have. Many claim the Holy Spirit, ok I’ll accept that as an answer, but what if it’s a not so holy spirit?