Chapter 30
If a Christian is completely new at studying the Bible, where is a good place to start reading it?
A good place for a Christian who is completely next at studying the Bible to start reading it is with one of the Gospels. St. Luke is commonly the first that many Christians like to start with.
All of these senses are based on what?
All of these senses are based on the literal.
Give a few examples of the literal sense of some pieces of Scripture.
An example could be the author of the first creation (Genesis) says it took God six days to create the material world- the literal sense is that God created the world, not how long it took him to create it. Another example could be "This is the body and blood" when we receive or discuss Eucharist. It represents the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and how he sacrificed Himself for all of us.
What is an example of the moral or topological sense?
Christ carrying the cross and allowing himself to die for us.
What is the allegorical or typical sense?
How historical people/events point forward to other items
When we say that the Bible is literature, what do we mean?
It uses literary forms as well as techniques that help convey its meaning.
How does participation at Mass help us to read and understand the Bible
It will become easier to recognize passages in Scripture. Prayer and Scripture also go all together with Mass.
Jesus says in the Gospel of St. Matthew (23:9), "And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven." What is the literalist interpretation of this verse? What is the Catholic sense of this verse?
Never to call anyone but God your real Father; as He is your true father.
What is the analogical sense?
Shows us how we can put to use of the things the heroes of Scripture point upward to (what we will know in Heaven)
What is the moral or topological sense?
Shows us how we can take example from and use things the heroes of Scripture did for our own lives
What are the two ways in which the Word of God comes to us?
The Bible and The Son are two ways in which the Word of God has come to us.
What two practical resources do Catholics have at their disposal to understand the Bible?
The Eucharist and Scripture are two practical resources Catholics have at their disposal to understand the Bible.
What is an example of the analogical sense?
The saying "let there be light" shows us that through Christ, leads to glory.
What is meant by the spiritual sense of scriptural interpretation?
There is a more complex and in-depth meaning behind it, as the Holy Spirit often puts more meaning into a specific passage than what was known to be written by sacred authors.
Since the Bible is also ancient literature what is necessary for us to do if we wish to properly understand it?
We need to understand how the forms and techniques used work in order to understand the deeper meaning that the authors wanted us to take from their books.
What is meant by the literal sense of Scripture?
What the writer wanted to express through the inspiration from the Holy Spirit
What is an example of the allegorical or typical sense?
When Abraham sacrifices Isaac, Isaac would be considered a "type" of Christ. The sacrifice shows God working in a way that would reach ultimate fulfillment in the sacrifice of Christ.