The Tools of the Trade

In the fields of apologetics and Biblical study, there are certain tools which we can use in order to interpret Biblical passages soundly, and dig out gems of truth out of the Sacred Scripture. Always look at Sacred Scripture with a spiritual/devotional standpoint as well as a doctrinal/apologetic one. What follows are many tools you can use in apologetics, Bible study, or just learning about the Faith on your own.

But first, a word from our sponsor (The Catholic Church):

"In Sacred Scripture, God speaks to man in a human way. To interpret Scripture correctly, the reader must be attentive to what the human authors truly wanted to affirm and to what God wanted to reveal to us by their words" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 109)

"It is the task of exegetes to work, according to these rules, toward a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture in order that their research may help the Church to form a firmer judgment. For, of course, all that has been said about the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgment of the Church which exercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God" (CCC 119)

"Be especially attentive ‘to the content and unity of the whole Scripture.’ Different as the books which comprise it may be, Scripture is a unity by reason of the unity of God’s plan, of which Christ Jesus is the center and heart, open since his Passover

  1. The phrase "heart of Christ" can refer to Sacred Scripture, which makes known his heart, closed before his Passion, as the Scripture was obscure. But the Scripture has been opened since the Passion; since those who from then on have understood it, consider and discern in what way the prophecies must be interpreted.
  1. Read the Scripture within ‘the living Tradition of the whole Church.’ According to a saying of the Fathers, Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records, for the Church carries in her Tradition the living memorial of God’s Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who gives her the spiritual interpretation of the Scripture (‘according to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church’).
  2. Be attentive to the analogy of faith. By ‘analogy of faith’ we mean the coherence of the truths of faith among themselves and within the whole plan of Revelation." (CCC 112-114)

 

"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.

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.’

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.
    2. 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.’
    3. 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" (CCC 115-117)

Now back to our regularly scheduled tract…

Now what do those quotes from the Catechism mean? Let’s look at each one, and what "tools" the Church endows us with in her timeless wisdom:

CCC 109- Scripture is speaking in a human way. We must determine what the inspired authors wanted to affirm, taken into account the human manner of communication.

CCC 119- The Church has the job of watching over and interpreting the Word of God. Always, always, always, interpret a given text in light of how the Magisterium and Sacred Tradition have understood it.

CCC 112- Protestants always say this, "Scripture interprets Scripture", to which Catholics should shout, "Amen!". Scripture contains God’s plan, and therefore, every piece of the puzzle must be understood in relation to the others. Go for the "Big Picture". This idea will be expanded upon further later in the tract.

CCC 113- Interpret Sacred Scripture by using Sacred Tradition as your guide. Do your homework and find out what the Fathers and Doctors of the Church had to say about a particular passage. Examine a text or passage in light of liturgy too which is a way in which Sacred Tradition is passed on (CCC 1124).

CCC 114- Watch for how truths in Scripture are related to each other, and how they fit in to the "whole plan of Revelation".

 

Senses of Scripture (CCC 115-117)

Literal sense: what we learn from using sound Biblical interpretation (context, genre, etc...) . What does the passage say when taken literally?

Allegorical sense: significance in light of Christ, and the New Covenant

Moral sense: how a particular passage teaches us to live

Anagogical sense: Significance in light of Eternity, the "Big Picture"

Keep this in mind: we often ask (and God wants us to), "How does this apply to me in my life?" Before we can answer that question, we must establish a firm foundation by examining the literal sense. Remember what is said in CCC 115: "All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal".

Put these tools into your Biblical toolbox:

 

Context

  1. Literary (what type of book is it? General Letter? Gospel? Prophecy? Pastoral Letter?)
  2. What are the reoccurring themes in this passage?
  3. What is the historical context? What’s going on in this period of history? What was life like in those days?
  4. Cultural Context (How did the people in question live? What culture sets the scene for this event/passage?)
  5. Watch for Old Testament Context and background (especially in Gospels)

Consistency

  1. Apply possible interpretation of a passage to others that use the same phrases, words, or themes
  2. Examine also passages that deal with the same concepts alongside the one you’re looking at now.

Cross-examinations

  1. Weigh in the strengths and weaknesses of possible interpretations

Who

  1. who is speaking
  2. who is being spoken about
  3. who is being spoken to
  4. who is involved in a particular passage

What

  1. what is/isn’t being said
  2. what is/isn’t being done
  3. what just took place
  4. what is the sequence of events
  5. what is the author’s purpose

Where

  1. Take into account things like political divisions and geography
  2. Watch for how the author addresses different regions/churches

Why

  1. Why is something right/wrong
  2. Why does this event take place
  3. Why is he/she writing/speaking, or doing some other action?
  4. Why didn’t something else happen?
  5. Why is this person commanding, telling, or recommending someone else to do something?

How

  1. How does the author/speaker make his/her case?
  2. How did someone achieve his/her ends?
  3. How is a specific command followed out and obeyed?
  4. How did this particular incident happen?
  5. How did God respond?
  6. How was God’s will accomplished?

Keep an eye (or two) out for these special types of relationships between concepts in Scripture:

Cause-and-Effect: Usually set off by the words "because", "therefore", and "since"

Conditional: Usually set off by the word "if"

Pay attention to the inspired author’s train of thought as the author moves from one thought to another. Watch for Old Testament allusions and references too.

Milkstool Theology:

If you forget any of the above, just remember this: Scripture, Tradition, and Magisterium, and you should do just fine as you study Sacred Scripture.

 

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