Questions on the Bible

[prolifewife]

Question 1: Is the Bible God’s actual words, like did the prophets and apostles record word for word what God said? Or were they inspired words, like God gave them a revelation through the Holy Spirit of what to write? If so, then how did the apostles and prophets know what to write, and how do know if it was accurate?

Question 2: Why hasn’t another Bible ever been made? Doesn’t God still reveal his Word through peoples inspirations today?

Don’t worry, I’m not anywhere near loosing my faith. I just realized I didn’t know the answers to these questions from a Catholic perspective and I probably should!

 

[Spencerian]

Question 1: Is the Bible God’s actual words, like did the prophets and apostles record word for word what God said? Or were they inspired words, like God gave them a revelation through the Holy Spirit of what to write? If so, then how did the apostles and prophets know what to write, and how do know if it was accurate?

Question 2: Why hasn’t another Bible ever been made? Doesn’t God still reveal his Word through peoples inspirations today?

Don’t worry, I’m not anywhere near loosing my faith. I just realized I didn’t know the answers to these questions from a Catholic perspective and I probably should!

Hi, there.

1. The texts of the ancient books of the Jewish Scriptures, combined with the documented accounts of Christ and his followers, including their letters to specific peoples, is indeed considered as human writing that has been inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit.
2. Catholic teaching believes that the era of public revelation on the Gospel ended with the death of St. John, the last living of the Apostles and the only one not to die a martyr’s death. While God has certainly given some private and not-so-private revelations that are approved or recognized by the Church (Fatima is a good example), the Church does not require (nor does it immediately encourage) the acceptance of the visions or texts of humans that lived after St. John, for these are private revelations of which the character and authenticity may be difficult or impossible to ascertain–or, on the surface, obviously contradict Catholic teaching.

 

[prolifewife]

Hi, there.

1. The texts of the ancient books of the Jewish Scriptures, combined with the documented accounts of Christ and his followers, including their letters to specific peoples, is indeed considered as human writing that has been inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit.
2. Catholic teaching believes that the era of public revelation on the Gospel ended with the death of St. John, the last living of the Apostles and the only one not to die a martyr’s death. While God has certainly given some private and not-so-private revelations that are approved or recognized by the Church (Fatima is a good example), the Church does not require (nor does it immediately encourage) the acceptance of the visions or texts of humans that lived after St. John, for these are private revelations of which the character and authenticity may be difficult or impossible to ascertain–or, on the surface, obviously contradict Catholic teaching.

Oh wow! Thank you. This is very helpful.

So what was different between St. John (and the other apostles), verses a modern saint or visionary? Were they given special exclusive graces that will never again be given to a human? And why are Paul’s letters in the bible, but not other modern Church leader’s documents/letters?

Sorry, I know I should know this, but I don’t.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Check out this thread discussing the Tradition that public revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle. The single deposit of faith is still unfolded and better understood throughout the centuries, so in that sense, we are able to discover “new” doctrines which are rooted in the one deposit.

Also, you may consider reading the Church’s document The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church. It’s a little long, so you may want to skim the headers first to get the subject you’re looking for.

In brief, regarding whether quotes are “exact” in Scripture, I would doubt it. There may be paraphrases which convey the actual meaning intended.

 

[AliciaCL]

Question 1: Is the Bible God’s actual words, like did the prophets and apostles record word for word what God said? Or were they inspired words, like God gave them a revelation through the Holy Spirit of what to write? If so, then how did the apostles and prophets know what to write, and how do know if it was accurate?

Question 2: Why hasn’t another Bible ever been made? Doesn’t God still reveal his Word through peoples inspirations today?

Don’t worry, I’m not anywhere near loosing my faith. I just realized I didn’t know the answers to these questions from a Catholic perspective and I probably should!

Yes, RCC teaching is that the Church, working through the Holy Spirit as the appointed church for mankind, actually decided which writings to include in the Bible in the 4th century. All the Protestant churches basically accepted it and continue to do so. With the exception of Martin Luther (contesting 7 minor books), as far as I know, no other church has ever tried to discern for itself which writings should be included in the Bible. Most Protestants are not aware of this historical fact. It is ironic indeed, that they all partially affirm the authority of the RCC, without even knowing it, because they accept the scriptures as codified by the RCC’s authority. Just last night a guest on the EWTN’s Journey Home TV program gave testimony about how this historical fact ultimately led him to further inquiry and converstion to Catholicism.

I would call St. Faustina’s a semi-personal revelation in the 1930’s. She’s the Polish nun who wrote a diary of her many, many visions and discussions with Christ himself. The main point of her revelation was to inform the world of Christ’s “divine mercy” that all sinners need only ask for mercy and it will be granted. Christ comissioned her to have an artist paint the Divine Mercy portrait of Jesus with red and white rays coming out of his heart and the words “Jesus I trust in you.” Approximately 50 yrs after her death the RCC acknowledged her and incorporated Divine Mercy Sunday into its liturgical calendar, (first Sunday after Easter). Faustina’s diary, which you can purchase online, states that Christ told her to be his secretary and write down all of the visions and conversations. This was intended to be relayed to the world but one could also say, the core of the message, is not new. The diary is really profound.

Although there isn’t any other “new” Word, the RCC does evaluate the writings of some people. I am not sure of the process but I think individual bishops have authority to give a church imprimatur to a published work. If an author obtains such an imprimatur, it means the church has determined that there is nothing in the writing that conflicts with official teachings. Their authority to do this runs back to Peter and Christ himself.

 

[djeter]

Probably more answers than you want:

payingattentiontothesky.com/2009/09/02/how-is-scripture-the-word-of-god/

Fr. Aidan Nichols in a graduate level text answers the question How Is Scripture the Word of God.

dj

On a much more human level, why we read the Bible:

payingattentiontothesky.com/2010/01/26/rabbi-david-wolpe-on-reading-the-bible/

A spoiler:

The Bible In Life
Many times I have sat by the bedside of someone who is sick and read the Psalms. Psalms are the personal prayers addressed to God, often by one who is in trouble or peril. They act as a remarkable channel for the anxieties and hopes of one who is ill.

When the time came for me to be the one in the bed, not beside the bed, I turned to the same source: Knocked out by the chemotherapy and unable to carry on the usual tasks of the day, one verse kept recurring in my mind, Psalm 118:5. It is usually translated “from out of the depths I called unto God; He answered me and set me free.” But the “depths” can be translated as “narrowness” and free as “expansively.” A literal translation is – “From my narrowness I called to God and I was answered by breadth, O God.” My world grew through pain and the increasing recognition of the ways in which it both opened my heart and helped me draw closer to others in pain. A single verse offered a world and way of seeing that gave me strength and the breadth promised by the verse itself.

My spirit opened to an infinitely larger Spirit. When in pain, we tighten up like a fist. It is easy to push others away — after all, they are not feeling the pain — and to turn increasingly inward. Only I matter; only my pain is real. The Psalm urged me to expand, allowing me to embrace others, to understand that pain need not always be private, unshared. Open up, the Psalmist taught; both in heaven and on earth you are not alone.

The Psalmist also connected my pain to the human community throughout the ages. Thousands of years ago a poet gave words to what was deep within me. A hand reached across the generations to take my own. That, too, seemed like more than just a human gift; it was a gift from God.

Biblical sufferers touch us through their shared pain. In our fractured and difficult lives, reading a chronicle of difficulty and failure can be encouraging and even healing. The heroes of the Bible are not perfect, their marriages are not storybook, their relations with children not friction-less. All of us who struggle with real problems of families, of work, can look to the Bible not as one looks at a fairy tale, but with the recognition that everything has changed since the time of Abraham and Sarah except human nature

 

[PJM]

=prolifewife;6700122]Question 1: Is the Bible God’s actual words, like did the prophets and apostles record word for word what God said? Or were they inspired words, like God gave them a revelation through the Holy Spirit of what to write? If so, then how did the apostles and prophets know what to write, and how do know if it was accurate?

Question 2: Why hasn’t another Bible ever been made? Doesn’t God still reveal his Word through peoples inspirations today?

Don’t worry, I’m not anywhere near loosing my faith. I just realized I didn’t know the answers to these questions from a Catholic perspective and I probably should!

1. No the bible was not dictated; however it is Divinely Inspired [2 Tim. 3:16-17] which means that all of the ideas, lessons, mandates,that God desired be included; are, in the words of the author. It is the “message” God Inspired, not the precise words.
2. There is no need for another Bible as the one we have is sufficient along with Catholic Tradition and common sense, to teach us all that we need to know to get to heaven.
3. Yes God does still reveal His Word; but always and everytime it conforms to what is already in the Bible.

Love and prayers,

Pat

 

[diggerdomer]

So what was different between St. John (and the other apostles), verses a modern saint or visionary?

Time.

Were they given special exclusive graces that will never again be given to a human?

No,

And why are Paul’s letters in the bible, but not other modern Church leader’s documents/letters?

Paul is not a modern Church leader.