What Is the Bible? - Saint Mary's Press

to mysteriously hint at something, but they are a particular kind of apocalypticliterature that uses code language to say more about the time inwhich they were written than about the future. Don’t expect to fi nd in theBible clues about when the world will end. Jesus told us only the Fatherknows the day and the hour (see Mt 24:36).Myth 5: God dictated the Bible to humans who wroteit down word for word.Fact: God did author the Scriptures by inspiring humans to write thetruth that God intended. But at the same time, those writers and editorsremained true authors with all the limitations and experiences that accompanybeing human in a specifi c time, place, and culture. Though wecan always trust the truth the Bible teaches, we cannot expect the Bibleto be a science or history book. If occasionally the Bible doesn’t seemto coincide with what we expect today from scientifi c or historical truth, itdoesn’t mean that God’s truth doesn’t shine through the Bible. However, inorder to discern God’s truth, we need to understand the contexts in whichthe authors were writing.How to Read and Study the BibleWhat Does the Bible Have to Do with Me?The Bible was written by many authors representing many time periods,all of them long ago. The culture of each of those time periods was differentfrom our own in so many ways. But the God who inspired the originalauthors inspires us as we read them. Sometimes when you pick up theBible, you’ll want to study and learn—you’ll want to read for your head.Sometimes you’ll be hungry to grow closer to God and experience God’spresence in your life—you’ll want to read for your heart. Whether you readfor your head or your heart, God will bless you!The PRIMA ProcessPrima is Latin for “fi rst.” Use this process when you read the Bible to keepGod fi rst in your life:Pray before you start to read.Read, trusting that God will help you learn and grow.Imagine what was going on when the passage wasfi rst written. (See the “Consider the Contexts” section.)Meditate on what you have read and on God’s messagefor you.Apply what you have read to your life. Live it!Consider the ContextsIn interpreting the meaning of any particular Scripture passage, it is importantto understand it in light of the larger context in which it was writtenand within the living Tradition of the Church. The process of interpretinga passage is called exegesis. You’re going to need help with this. Wesuggest that you fi nd an edition of the Bible with good notes and chapterintroductions, like The Catholic Youth Bible ® .The following are things to consider when interpreting the Scriptures:• The historical and cultural context: In order to understand theauthor’s or editor’s intention in a specifi c Scripture passage, it is importantto know the historical situation and cultural biases during the timethe author or editor wrote.• The literary form or device used: Was a certain passage intendedto be history, poetry, prophecy, a letter, a Gospel, or another literaryform? Did the passage use metaphors, parables, symbols, or other literarydevices? How were these forms and devices used during the timethe author or editor wrote?• The unity of the whole Bible: It may be tempting to look at a singleverse or Scripture passage and presume that we know everything thereis to know on that subject without reading further. But it is important toread the Scriptures within the context of the whole chapter or book. Infact, the old saying “use the Bible to interpret the Bible” calls us to seespecifi c Scripture passages within the larger context of God’s messagethroughout the whole Bible.• The sacred Tradition of the Church: In order to understand God’sword, we must read it within the living Tradition of the Church. We interpretthe Bible in light of what we know to be true about our faith and inlight of God’s whole plan of salvation. In the Catholic Church, bishopshave been given the ultimate responsibility for properly interpreting theBible, although Scripture scholars and others share in this responsibility.When in doubt, ask a priest, minister, parish leader, teacher, or parentfor help. They are God’s gifts to you.Making Sense of the ScripturesThe Church teaches that there are two main senses to interpretScripture (see Catechism, no. 117):• The literal sense: This is the meaning conveyed directly by the wordson the page.• The spiritual sense: Besides the text, events reported in the Scripturesalso convey meaning. The Catechism lists three senses: (1) allegorical—eventsare understood “by recognizing their signifi cance inChrist” (e.g., the Israelites’ crossing of the Red Sea is a sign of Baptismand Christ’s victory over death), (2) moral—events are interpretedby how they “lead us to act justly,” and (3) anagogical—events areviewed in light of “their eternal signifi cance” (e.g., the Church is a signof God’s heavenly Kingdom).(The quotations are from the English translation of the Catechism of theCatholic Church for use in the United States of America, number 117.Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.)Glossary of Bible BasicsAD Anno Domini, Latin for “the Year of the Lord.” Calendar yearscounting from the birth of Jesus.BC Before Christ. Calendar years counting down to the birthof Jesus.dogma Those teachings that are recognized as central to Churchteaching, defi ned by the Magisterium, and accorded the fullest weightand authority.exegesis A Greek word meaning “to draw out” or “to explain,” it isthe scholarly work of interpreting the Scriptures using various methodsto understand the languages, symbols, culture, history, and meaningsintended by those who wrote the Bible. Catholics interpret the Scripturesin union with the Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church.fundamentalism An interpretation of the Bible and Christian doctrinebased on the literal meaning of the words and without regard to thehistorical setting in which the writings or teachings were fi rst developed.heresy The conscious and deliberate rejection of a dogma ofthe Church.idolatry Worship of other beings, creatures, or material goods in away that is fi tting for God alone.inerrancy The fact that the books of the Scriptures are free from errorregarding the spiritual and religious truth that God wishes to revealthrough them for the sake of our salvation.inspiration, biblical The guidance of the Holy Spirit in the developmentof the Scriptures, whereby the Spirit guided the human authorsto teach without error those truths of God that are necessary for oursalvation. It is on the basis of inspiration that we can call the Bible theword of God.law (1) The will of God revealed to humans. (2) The Ten Commandments.(3) The collection of legal codes found in the Bible. (4) The fi rstfi ve books of the Bible (also called the Books of Moses, the Torah, orthe Pentateuch).Magisterium The name given the offi cial teaching authority of theChurch, whose task it is to interpret and preserve the truths of theChurch revealed in both the Scriptures and Tradition.Additional ResourcesThe Catholic Youth Bible ® , Revised. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 2005. Available in both the NAB and the NRSV translations, it includes helpfulbackground information and study aids.Jenkins, Simon. The Bible from Scratch, Catholic Edition. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 2007.O’Connell-Roussell, Sheila. Saint Mary’s Press ® Essential Bible Dictionary. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 2005.Saint Mary’s Press ® Essential Bible Concordance. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 2004. Available in the NAB and NRSV translations.Saint Mary’s Press ® Essential Quick Charts: Salvation History. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 2007.Singer-Towns, Brian, et al. The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 2004.New Law The Law of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is a law of love,grace, and freedom. It is distinguished from the Old Law, or the Law ofMoses.New Testament (1) The New Covenant. This refers to the work ofJesus Christ, whose life, death, and Resurrection show God’s grace tohumankind. (2) The last 27 books of the Bible. These books (originallywritten in Greek) record the life of Christ and early Christianity.Old Law The Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments. It contrasts tothe New Law of the Gospel.Old Testament (1) The Old Covenant. This refers to the work of Godin the life of the Hebrew nation. (2) The fi rst part of the Bible; Catholicbibles have 46 books, while Protestant bibles have 39 books. Thesebooks (most of them originally written in Hebrew) record the story ofGod’s people before Christ.oral tradition In the ancient world, storytellers preserved the sacredwisdom, parables, regulations, and rules of life revealed to the ancestorsand passed down across the ages. Many of the stories and teachings inboth the Old and New Testaments were passed on by oral tradition for ageneration or more before they were written down.parable A story intended to convey a religious truth or particular teachingthrough the use of metaphors; a central feature of Jesus’s teachingministry.Revelation God’s self-communication and disclosure of the divineplan to humankind through Creation, events, persons, and, most fully, inJesus Christ.Scripture(s) Generally, the term for any sacred writing. For Christians,the Old and New Testaments that comprise the Bible and are recognizedas the word of God.Tradition The central content of Catholic faith contained in both theScriptures and Church doctrines and dogmas, as well as the process bywhich that content is faithfully passed on from generation to generationunder the guidance of the Holy Spirit.Copyrighted Material(Portions of this glossary are adapted and taken from The Catholic FaithHandbook for Youth and Saint Mary’s Press ® Essential Bible Dictionary.)ISBN 978-0-88489-942-6 $5.954330Author: Gary DreierEditor: Virginia HalburReviewer: Lorraine KilmartinPhotos: Dennis Kurtz© 2007 by Saint Mary’s Press