Introduction to Introduction to Introduction to Introduction to Sacred ScriptureSacred ScriptureSacred ScriptureSacred Scripture

In the Beginning …

Adult Faith Formation

St. Mark the Evangelist

Divine Revelation …

… is only one source/one font

of Revelation: God who speaks to us

through Word and Deed.

… is that orally transmitted and

handed-down experiences of the

Disciples of Jesus we call Tradition.

Divine Revelation …

… those transmitted and

handed-down experiences of

prophets, priests, leaders and

Apostles preserved in that writing

we call the Bible or Sacred Scripture.

Tradition with a capital T

From the Latin, tredere …

“to hand on.”

That part of the Word of Godtransmitted to the Apostles by Jesus

Christ, transmitted by the successors of

the Apostles and the early Church

under the influence of the Holy Spirit

but not explicit in Scripture.

Tradition …

… is dynamic, not static.

… develops or grows.

Examples:

– Perpetual virginity of Mary.

– Immaculate Conception.

– Assumption.

– Apostolic Succession.

– Papal Infallibility.

Sacred Scripture

… the Bible

Why Catholics don’t read the Bible

Vulgate, Latin translation by St. Jerome,

390-405 A.D.

Douai-Rheims, English language Bible,

16th-17th Century

Jerusalem Bible in English, 1966

Transmission of

Sacred Scripture

Bible literally "the Book" [biblia],Latin.

Borrowed from the Greek “τά

βίβλία, ta biblia" translated "the

books" or "the collected writings."

Transmission of

Sacred Scripture

The parts or books of the Bible,

esp. the Old Testament, were

built up over time, added to

and edited over a long period.

Transmission of

Sacred Scripture

Two major divisions : the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The word "testament" means a contract, or better still a covenant

Transmission of

Sacred Scripture

The Old Testament = covenant relationship between God and his "chosen people."

Old Testament is a record of the Hebrew or Jewish people coming to understand God and their relationship to him.

Transmission of

Sacred Scripture

The New Testament = the

covenant bond est. through

the teaching, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus

Christ.

Transmission of

Sacred Scripture

Human understanding

“evolves” through the

Old Testament.

Number of Writings &

Development

Old Testament = 46 books.

New Testament = 27 parts

or writings.

Number of Writings &

Development

There is no single book of

the Old or New Testament

that survives as an

original or first copy.

Number of Writings &

Development

The oldest and most intact manuscript surviving of the Old Testament is the Scroll of Isaiah [Qumran, Dead Sea Scroll] dating from 250-175 B.C.

Number of Writings &

Development

Oldest New Testament

texts which are complete

come from the 4th century

A.D. [the 300’s]

The Hebrew Bible

… TaNaK

Torah = “the law”

Nebiyim = “the prophets”

Ketubim = “the writings”

Torah … “the law”

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Nebiyim

… “the prophets”

The Former Prophets

Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel,1 & 2 Kings

The Latter Prophets

–Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel

Twelve Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel,

Amos, Malachi, Obadiah, Jonah,

Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,

Haggai, Zechariah,

Ketubim

… “the writings”

Psalms, Proverbs, Song

of Songs, Job, Ruth

Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes)

Lamentations

Esther, Daniel

Ezra-Nehemiah

1 & 2 Chronicles

A total of 39 books or

writings …

… what’s missing?

Apocryphal or Deutercanonical Books

Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon

Sirach, Baruch

1 & 2 Maccabees

Plus:

– Pieces of the Book of Esther

– Chapter 6 of Baruch

– Pieces of the Book of Daniel

The Catholic Bible

Pentateuch (5)/Hexateuch (3)

Historical Books (13)

Wisdom Books/Wisdom Writings (7)

Prophetic Books (18)

Total: 46 books or writings

… in summary.

Jewish Scripture = 39 books

Protestant Bible = 66 books

Catholic Bible = 73 books

–Protestants & Catholics agree on

the 27 writings in the New

Testament

The New Testament

The Gospels

MatthewMarkLukeJohn

The Acts of the Apostles

The Letters of St. Paul

Romans

1 Corinthians2 Corinthians

Galatians

EphesiansPhilippians

Colossians1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians1 Timothy

2 Timothy

TitusPhilemon

ALSO …The Letter to the Hebrews

James1 Peter

2 Peter1 John

2 John

3 JohnJude

The Book of Revelation

Language, Translation &

Interpretation

Principle of Correspondenceattempts a word for word translation, maintaining correct grammatical structure in the new language. [NAB & NRSV].

Principle of Dynamic Equivalencya clearer translation of meaning and stronger literary style. [New Jerusalem, Catholic Living Bible.].

What scripture says about itself ….

2 Timothy 3:16-17

[c.55[c.55[c.55[c.55----65 A.D.]65 A.D.]65 A.D.]65 A.D.]

"All scripture is inspired by

God and is useful for teaching, for

refutation, for correction, and for

training in righteousness, so that one

who belongs to God may be

complete, equipped for every good

work."

2 Peter 1:19-21

[c. 60[c. 60[c. 60[c. 60----65 A.D.]65 A.D.]65 A.D.]65 A.D.]

"We possess the prophetic

message that is altogether reliable.... Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God."

Hebrews 1:1-2

[c. 65[c. 65[c. 65[c. 65----75 A.D.]75 A.D.]75 A.D.]75 A.D.]

"In times past, God spoke in

partial and various ways to our

ancestors through the prophets;

in these days, he spoke to us

through a son, who he made

heir of all things and through

whom he created the universe."

Church teaching on Scripture …

General Council

of Florence [1442][1442][1442][1442]

The holy Roman Church

"professes that one and the same

God is author of the Old and New

Testaments ... because by inspiration

of one and the same Holy Spirit the

saints of both covenants have

spoken. She [the Church] accepts

and venerates these books ..."

General Council of Trent,

Fourth Session [1546][1546][1546][1546]

"... for God alone is the author of

both [the Old Testament and the

New Testament.]"

A backward step … start of 400

years of Catholics not reading

the Bible

First Vatican Council First Vatican Council First Vatican Council First Vatican Council

[1870][1870][1870][1870]

… from Dei Filius, the Dogmatic

Constitution on the Catholic Faith

The books of the Old and New Testament

"the Church holds to be sacred and

canonical ... because, having been

written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit,

they have God for their author and have

been delivered as such to the Church."

First Vatican Council First Vatican Council First Vatican Council First Vatican Council

[1870][1870][1870][1870]

The pronouncement of Council of

Trent was renewed:

"Therefore no one is allowed to

interpret the same Sacred Scripture

... contrary to the unanimous

consent of the Fathers."

Decree of Pius X,

Lamentabili [1907][1907][1907][1907]

This document condemned a long list of Modernist ideas, and made it clear that Church teaching held that

"God is really the author of Holy Scripture;"

and that Divine Inspiration extends

"to the whole of Scripture in such a way that each and every part of it is kept free from error."

Encyclical Letter of Pius XIIEncyclical Letter of Pius XIIEncyclical Letter of Pius XIIEncyclical Letter of Pius XII

Divino Afflante Spiritu [1943]1943]1943]1943]

"It is absolutely necessary for the interpreter to go back in spirit to those remote centuries of the East, and to make proper use of the help given by history, archeology, ethnology and other sciences, in order to discover what literary forms the writers of those early ages intended to use and did in fact use. …”

Encyclical Letter of Pius XIIEncyclical Letter of Pius XIIEncyclical Letter of Pius XIIEncyclical Letter of Pius XII

Divino Afflante Spiritu [1943]1943]1943]1943]

“… For, to express what they had

in mind, the ancients of the East did not always avail themselves of the same forms and expressions as we

do today; they used those that were current among people of their own

time and place."

Encyclical Letter, Pius XIIEncyclical Letter, Pius XIIEncyclical Letter, Pius XIIEncyclical Letter, Pius XII

Humani Generis [1950][1950][1950][1950]

"It was clearly laid down ... that the first eleven chapters of Genesis ... do nevertheless come under the heading of history; in what exact sense, it is for the further study of the exegete to determine. …”

Encyclical Letter, Pius XIIEncyclical Letter, Pius XIIEncyclical Letter, Pius XIIEncyclical Letter, Pius XII

Humani Generis [1950][1950][1950][1950]

“… These chapters have a naive, symbolic way of speaking, well suited to the understanding of primitive people. But they do disclose to use certain important truths, upon which the attainment of our salvation depends, and they do also give a popular description of the origin of the human race and of the chosen people.”

Second Vatican Council

Dogmatic Constitution on Divine

Revelation Dei Verbum, [1965] The fact

of divine inspiration is reaffirmed but is

expressed as a cooperative process

between God and those He employed.

Although the Council continues to insist

that Scripture is free from error, inerrancy

is expressed in a new, more positive

manner …

Second Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican Council

Dogmatic Constitution on

Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum), [1965]

… the truth of scripture is not that of

natural science or profane history, but

rather

"Truth for the sake of our

salvation."

Divine Inspiration …

… is a charism or

supernatural grace given to the

believing community

… is given to all who

collaborate in the production of

the inspired writings.

Divine Inspiration …

… involves two actions: first, it enlightens

the human mind to understand religious

truth & the resulting message; second, it

moves the human will to communicate

that message to the community by oral or

written means. It is a cooperative action

between God and human, not one of

operator and automaton.

The Bible is a documentary witness

authorized by God. All of what is stated or reported has a specific goal: to witness to the unfolding character of God's revealed Word and to the response of human beings. There is a progressive character to this unfolding both in the divine action and human faith.

The Bible exists to give the foundational understanding of faith. Its inspired and normative character is recognized by the believing community enlightened by God. In the Catholic community this recognition by the community is validated by the authoritative statement of the Magisterium or teaching office of the Church.

Catholic Principles for

Interpreting the Bible

-Writers’ original intention

-Interpret in context

-Recognize issue or axe being ground

-Idioms & styles don’t always translate

easily

-View through the lens of 2000 yrs. of

Christianity

Once I find my Bible…

(and dust it off) how do I read it?

Chapter divisions were made by

Stephen Langton, Archbishop of

Canterbury in 1226 … to make it

easier to read.

Verses were numbered by Robert

Estienne in 1551.

How a Reference Works...

Gen. 2:4 means Book of Genesis,

chapter 2, verse 4.

Hyphen as in Gen. 2-4 means

chapters 2 to 4 inclusive; as in

Gen 2:4-15a means chapter 2,

verses 4 through the first half of

verse 15.

How a Reference Works…

The colon separates chapter from

verse, as in Gen. 1:5

The semi colon separates two

different chapter references, as in

Gen. 2; 5.

A comma separates different

verses, as in Gen. 2: 5, 7, 9.

How a Reference Works….

The lower case letter f or ff after

verses, as in Gen. 2:4f, meaning

Genesis, chapter 2, verse 4 and

those following verses …

indeterminate number.

How a Reference Works…

Try this one:

Gen. 2:4-6, 8; 3:5f; 4:1-6, 8

Genesis, chapter 2, verses 4 to 6

and verse 8, then chapter 3, verse 5 and following verses; chapter 4, verses 1 through 6, and verse 8.

Other reference tools…

The titles of chapters and

sections have all been added

in the past 500 years, thus

First Story of Creation is an

addition, not Revelation.

Other reference tools…

Superscript numbers or

asterisks and letters are

used for footnotes and

cross references.

Other reference tools…

The asterisk after the title First Creation Story refers the

reader to the first footnote at

the bottom of the page.

Other reference tools…

The superscript letter a following

the word earth in verse one

refers the reader to other parts

of the Bible that repeat the idea

in verse one.

Translation and

language difficulties.

Genesis, Chapter 1, verse 2

Ruah elohim

Pneuma

Spirit of God … mighty or divine

wind … breath of God

Next time ….

Structure, Literary Forms,

History & Geography