BENEDICT DE SPINOZA: Theological-Political Treatise

On the interpretation of Scripture
a wise man. 13 Euclid, who wrote nothing that was not eminently straightforward
and highly intelligible, is easily explained by anyone in any language.
In order to see his meaning and be certain of his sense there is no
need to have a complete knowledge of the language in which he wrote, but
only a very modest, even schoolboy, acquaintance with it, nor does one
need to know the life, interests and character of the author, nor in what
language he wrote, to whom and when, nor the subsequent fate of his book
or its variant readings, nor how or by what Council it was authorized.
What is true of Euclid we may also say about all who have written about
things that are intelligible via their own nature.We thus conclude that we
can readily discover the meaning of the Bible’s moral teaching from the
history of it that we are able to reconstruct, and can be certain about its
true sense. For the teachings of true piety are expressed in the most
everyday language, since they are very common and extremely simple and
easy to understand. And since true salvation and happiness consists in our
intellect’s genuine acquiescence [in what is true] and we truly acquiesce
only in what we understand very clearly, it most evidently follows that we
can securely grasp the meaning of Scripture in matters necessary for salvation
and happiness. Consequently, there is no reason why we should be
concerned to the same extent about the rest, given that for the most part
we are unable to grasp it by reason or the intellect and it is therefore
something more curious than useful.
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[18] I have now explained, I think, the true method for interpreting
Scripture, and su⁄ciently expounded my view of it. Moreover, I do not
doubt that everyone now sees that this method requires no other light than
that of natural reason. For the special character and excellence of this light
chie£y consists in deducing and concluding by valid inferences from
things known or accepted as known, matters that are imperfectly understood
and this is all that our method requires. Admittedly, this procedure
does not su⁄ce to achieve certainty about everything in the biblical books,
but this is due not to any defect in our methodology but because the path it
shows to be the true and right one was never cultivated, or even ventured
on, by men, so that owing to the passage of time, it became arduous and
almost impassable, as is eminently clear, I think, from the di⁄culties that
I have pointed out.
13 Terence, Phormio 541, Plautus, Persa 729.
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