INTERPRETING
SCRIPTURE: WHOSE AUTHORITY
IS VALID?
Two people
could argue all day over the proper interpretation of a verse in the Bible. In the
end, it all comes down to whose authority the person is using for his or her
interpretation.
As a Catholic,
if I come to a verse that seems confusing, I would look to see what the
constant teaching of the Catholic Church has been as to its correct interpretation.
We believe that just as God protected the New Testament writers from erring in
writing Scripture, God divinely protected the successors of Peter and the
apostles from erring in preserving the truthful interpretation of Scripture,
with the Holy Spirit guiding them “into all truth” (John 16:13)
Now, a
Protestant who encounters a verse he or she is unsure of - I have found from
personal experience - usually ask their Bible study leader or minister how to
interpret it, thus using them as their authority for interpretation. The Bible
study leader or minister, in turn, will usually consult the authority of their
church’s elders, or the writings of Reformers or more recent scholars, for a
final say in Bible interpretation.
Sometimes a
Protestant, when asked how a verse should be interpreted, will open up his big
brown “Bible Knowledge Commentary” book, which instructs people, line by line,
how to interpret each verse.
In the end,
everyone uses some authority to interpret the parts of the Bible which seem
ambiguous or difficult. (which is not to say I haven’t
stumbled across those rare individuals who just try to “wing it” when presented
with a new verse, often generating quite innovative interpretations. )
Protestants will argue that it’s really the Holy Spirit telling them individually how to interpret the Bible. If this method worked 100 percent of the time infallibly, then why would they consult books and friends in the first place?
And more importantly, why is the Holy Spirit giving out conflicting interpretations?
For example, Luther and Calvin, who said the Holy Spirit provided their interpretations, came up with interpretations of the Bible that clashed with one another’s. Some of their interpretations also clash with ones held dearly by my evangelical friends (For eg., Luther taught that Baptism was regenerative whereas evangelicals deny this teaching which many Christians says is straight from the Bible).
St. Augustine, one of the greatest Christians ever, interpreted the Bible MUCH differently than any evangelical I know (for example, he understood the Bible to be teaching the Real Presence in the Eucharist, Baptism necessary for salvation, mortal sins, venial sins, praying for the dead in purgatory, etc., etc., etc.)
The Holy
Spirit, which is the essence of truth, could not be teaching people conflicting
doctrines regarding the same Bible verses.
Catholics
would say that the Holy Spirit certainly does make many spiritual truths clear
to us individually, but that the gift of never interpreting Scripture
incorrectly is only handed down through the Church led by Peter’s successors
(the popes).
The articles
below get to the heart of the issue of authority.
CRISIS OF AUTHORITY IN THE REFORMATION
THE RULE OF FAITH IN PATRISTIC THOUGHT
PAPAL INFALLIBILITY by Jeffrey Mirus, Ph.D.
BY WHAT AUTHORITY? (book by
Mark Shea)
THE AUTHORITY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH (book by
Saint Francis de Sales)
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADITION and
SACRED SCRIPTURE (Catechism of the Catholic Church)
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