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joshrp
Guest
Hi,
I was wondering: Where in the Bible does it say how to read and interpret the Bible?
Joshua
I was wondering: Where in the Bible does it say how to read and interpret the Bible?
Joshua
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L
_L
Guest
The Bible does not say, because the Bible is the testimony written by the people of God by the inspiration of God, and it is meant to be understood in the community that is the Church, and so it is the Church aided by the Holy Spirit that interprets.
C
Cranch
Guest
Here is 2Peter 1:20 :
Understanding this first: That no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation.
Here is Bishop Challoner’s note on this verse:
No prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation… This shows plainly that the scriptures are not to be expounded by any one’s private judgment or private spirit, because every part of the holy scriptures were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and declared as such by the Church; therefore they are not to be interpreted but by the Spirit of God, which he hath left, and promised to remain with his Church to guide her in all truth to the end of the world. Some may tell us, that many of our divines interpret the scriptures: they may do so, but they do it always with a submission to the judgment of the Church, and not otherwise.
Personally I believe verse 20 is more about the source of prophecy than about interpreting Scripture. See verse 21:
For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost.
Nevertheless, Bishop Challoner’s point is true.
Understanding this first: That no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation.
Here is Bishop Challoner’s note on this verse:
No prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation… This shows plainly that the scriptures are not to be expounded by any one’s private judgment or private spirit, because every part of the holy scriptures were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and declared as such by the Church; therefore they are not to be interpreted but by the Spirit of God, which he hath left, and promised to remain with his Church to guide her in all truth to the end of the world. Some may tell us, that many of our divines interpret the scriptures: they may do so, but they do it always with a submission to the judgment of the Church, and not otherwise.
Personally I believe verse 20 is more about the source of prophecy than about interpreting Scripture. See verse 21:
For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost.
Nevertheless, Bishop Challoner’s point is true.
B
beth40n2
Guest
Check out this link where Jimmy Aiken talks about the pillar and foundation of truth" of 1 Timothy 3:15
jimmyakin.org/2005/04/iai_pillar_and_.html
Here you can read all the scriptures about the Church and it’s authority
askacatholic.com/holyquotes/documents/_all_catholic_verses.htm#apostolic
jimmyakin.org/2005/04/iai_pillar_and_.html
Here you can read all the scriptures about the Church and it’s authority
askacatholic.com/holyquotes/documents/_all_catholic_verses.htm#apostolic
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Edmundus1581
Guest
Good question! I have observed that most Protestants are anti-Creationism, and generally opposed to literal readings of the Bible, arguing that the Bible is to be interpreted according to the intended literary form (myth, hyperbole etc). I would like to know whether they found that principle in the Bible itself. It seems to me that they just accept the consensus amongst themselves (ie. “the church”).
In some ways, I have more sympathy for biblical literalists (Creationists, etc.) than for those who accept the primacy of scripture, but find their rules for interpretation in “the church” (ie. amongst those they agree with).
In some ways, I have more sympathy for biblical literalists (Creationists, etc.) than for those who accept the primacy of scripture, but find their rules for interpretation in “the church” (ie. amongst those they agree with).
po18guy
Well-known member
Scripture reveals that it must be authoritatively interpreted in Nehemiah 8:1-8, and Acts 8:26-35. Private interpretation of scripture, as has been pointed out, is condemned in 2 Peter 1:20. The results of that private interpretation is given in 2 Peter 3:15-16. All of this is conveniently glossed over by those who interpret apart from Church authority.
J
Jim_Dandy
Guest
It doesn’t. The Bible is a collection of writings by many authors in different locations, written for different audiences and purposes. Judaism was a thousand years old before the first word of the Old Testament was written. The OT is the ongoing written record of the spiritual life of the People of God called Israel – it took another thousand years to write it. The New Testament is the written record of the spiritual life of the Catholic Church – the New Isreal – during the first 50 years or so after her founding by Jesus Christ. The NT consists of 27 of the Church’s own writings
The only rightful, God-given interpreter of the Scriptures is the Catholic Church. But a good book on how to read it is Mark Shea’s Making Senses Out of Scripture - Reading the Bible as the First Christians Did.
Jim Dandy
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joshrp
Guest
Thanks for all your replies. I thought of this question while reading St. Augustine’s “Christian Doctrine” here: newadvent.org/fathers/1202.htm
It goes into how to interpret Scripture. I recommend everyone read it. It is possibly one of, if not my new favorite work of theology.
It goes into how to interpret Scripture. I recommend everyone read it. It is possibly one of, if not my new favorite work of theology.
P
panevino
Guest
Acts 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,…30 And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
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Jesus_123
Guest
+This is a Catholic Answers forum . . . below is the Catholic answer from our Holy Mother Church’s Magesterium stated in the The Catechism of the Catholic Church . . . who . . . like the Blessed Apostle Phillip in the previous post . . . clearly open up revelation regarding Sacred :bible1: Scripture . . . and share that the Holy :bible1: Bible is **multi-dimensional **and can be believed on two (2) levels . . . not just one . . . it is not an either/or situation . . . but a **both/and ** type of understanding that is revealed . . . with the second level of knowledge being divided up into three sublevels of perceiving revelations of truth . . . and the literary genre doesn’t affect the truth of the revelation in any way . . .
The Multi-dimensional Nature of :bible1: Scripture Interpretation
. . . :coffeeread: . . .
The Multi-dimensional Nature of :bible1: Scripture Interpretation
. . . :coffeeread: . . .
The senses of Scripture
115 **
According to an ancient tradition, one can distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal** and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral, and anagogical senses. The profound concordance of the four senses guarantees all its richness to the living reading of Scripture in the Church.
**116 **
The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation: "All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal."83
**117 **
The spiritual sense. Thanks to the unity of God’s plan, not only the text of Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can be signs.
God is the author of Sacred :bible1: Scripture . . . and it contains infallible truth (truth without error) . . .The senses of Scripture
115 **
According to an ancient tradition, one can distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal** and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral, and anagogical senses. The profound concordance of the four senses guarantees all its richness to the living reading of Scripture in the Church.
**116 **
The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation: "All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal."83
**117 **
The spiritual sense. Thanks to the unity of God’s plan, not only the text of Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can be signs.
1. The allegorical sense. We can acquire a more profound understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ; thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ’s victory and also of Christian Baptism.84
The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny.87
**119 **
"It is the task of exegetes to work, according to these rules, …
- The moral sense. The events reported in Scripture ought to lead us to act justly. As St. Paul says, they were written "for our instruction."85
- The anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, “leading”). We can view realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, leading us toward our true homeland: thus the Church on earth is a sign of the heavenly Jerusalem.86118 **
A medieval couplet summarizes the significance of the four **senses:
The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny.87
**119 **
"It is the task of exegetes to work, according to these rules, …
. . . :coffeeread: . . .
II. Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture
**105 **
God is the author of Sacred Scripture. "The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit."69
"For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author and have been handed on as such to the Church herself."70
**106 **
God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more."71
107
The inspired books teach the truth. "Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit,** we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures**."72
**105 **
God is the author of Sacred Scripture. "The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit."69
"For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author and have been handed on as such to the Church herself."70
**106 **
God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more."71
107
The inspired books teach the truth. "Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit,** we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures**."72
. . . all for Jesus+
. . . thank You Gracious Lord+
. . . thank You Gracious Lord+
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Ignatius
Guest
It isn’t. One of the principal purposes of Sacred Tradition is the correct understanding and interpretation of Holy Scripture. That’s why Jesus Christ founded His Church which is the very Pillar and Foundation of Truth.
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fisherman_carl
Guest
It wouldn’t because the books of the bible were assembled into a canon much later than the individual books contained within were written. In addition, if you wrote a book would you include a section in your book on how to interpret the book you just wrote? probably not. The interpretation of any book is done by the interpreter, not the book itself. No book interprets itself, nevermind teaching its reader how to interpret itself.
Which is why the interpretation of scripture requires an outside interpreter. But, how good is an infallible bible if you have someone fallible interpreting it? That is why an infallible interpretation is necessary. And that can only come through the Holy Spirit working through His Church. With the Holy Spirit maintaining a consistent message throughout history. Because truth does not change.
J
jochoa
Guest
Matthew 22:36-40
[BIBLEDRB]Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
36Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?
Code:
37Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.
38This is the greatest and the first commandment.
39And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.[/BIBLEDRB]I hope this helps, and have a good day!
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