VERBUM DOMINI AND THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE MARK KENNEY SM LITTLE OVER a year ago on 11 Nov- Pope believes that the first exegetical princi- ember 2010, Pope Benedict XVI is ple has been well practiced through the use of sued the , Verbum the historical critical method; however, the A1 Domini. This document was the response to second method, the theological method, has the synod on the Word of God which took not been adequately utilised in exegesis. In place in Rome two years earlier from 5-26 order to correct this imbalance, numbers 29 October 2008. Since Verbum Domini ap- to 49 of Verbum Domini directly address the peared, only a few journal articles have issue of the proper exegesis of Scripture. The emerged that address it. Three of these pro- remainder of this article will explore how Ver- vide summaries of the content and themes of bum Domini expresses Pope Benedict’s un- the exhortation.2 One article treats the pasto- derstanding of exegesis. This will be devel- ral aspects of the document.3 The most recent oped in the following way. First, the ‘two publication, a book, presents a summary of the senses’ of Scripture will be discussed. This will proceedings of the synod on the Word of God be followed by an examination of the two ex- followed by an explication of the exhortation.4 egetical methodologies found in . Since these works provide summaries as Third, there will be a presentation of Pope well as discussions of the major issues of Ver- Benedict’s interpretation of Dei Verbum 12. bum Domini, rather than repeat these, this ar- The article will conclude with the Pope’s ap- ticle will concentrate on a single issue of the plication of the twofold exegetical method as document: the interpretation of Scripture. The found in Verbum Domini. reason for selecting this particular issue is that it was the only topic on which the Pope per- The Two Senses of Scripture sonally commented during the course of the synod. During his comment, he also requested We begin with the two senses of Scripture be- that this issue be incorporated into the final cause this is basically where Christian bibli- document on the synod.5 cal interpretation began in the early Church. In his reflection, the Pope stated that the The early Christians saw as the fulfil- Vatican II document, The Constitution on Di- ment of the Old Testament but they wondered vine Revelation (Dei Verbum) 12, called for how the Old Testament spoke about Jesus. Did two methodologies to be used in the exegeti- it refer to Jesus in a literal sense or did it refer cal process. The first is historical criticism and to Jesus in some other way? This question led the second is a theological process that in- to the development of the two senses of Scrip- cludes three aspects. First, the unity of the ture: a literal sense and a more-than-literal must be kept in mind. Second, the pas- sense that is frequently called the spiritual sage being interpreted must be seen in the con- sense of Scripture. text of the living tradition of the Church. Third, The literal sense is the meaning of the text the analogy of faith must be observed.6 The ‘which the human author directly intended and

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which the written words conveyed’.7 The spir- itual sense is not so easy to define. Basically, Fr Mark Kenney is a it is a meaning that goes beyond the literal member of the United States Province of the meaning and which was not originally intended Marists. Formerly he by the human author. Such a definition is open was the Director of to a variety of interpretations. Pope Pius XII’s Formation for the encyclical, , and the Atlanta Province, and Pontifical Biblical Commission’s document of now he lectures in 1993, The Interpretation of the Bible in the Scripture at the Cath- Church, define the spiritual sense as the olic Institute of Sydney. Christological meaning of the Old Testament. The spiritual sense arises from the inspiration come distorted and needs to be corrected. This of the Holy Spirit and is part of the living tra- balance was expressed in Dei Verbum and he dition of the Church.8 is calling for a better application of the inter- The history of biblical interpretation can pretive directives of Dei Verbum in order to be summarised in terms of the use of these two restore the proper balance between the literal senses of Scripture.9 Although both senses are sense of Scripture and the spiritual sense. The essential for a proper interpretation of the Bi- article now turns to an examination of Dei ble, at various times, one has held preference Verbum’s understanding of how exegetes can over the other. During the patristic period (2nd- study the two senses of Scripture while main- 8th centuries) up until the scholastic period (14th taining the unity between them. and 15th centuries), the spiritual sense domi- nated. One of the most popular forms of the The Interpretation of Scripture in Dei spiritual sense in both periods was the use of Verbum allegorical interpretation in which aspects of Scripture were given meanings outside the bib- The section concerning biblical interpretation lical text. For example, the city of Jerusalem in Dei Verbum is quite short; yet it addresses was understood as the Church of Jesus Christ. both senses of Scripture. In order to determine In the 16th and 17th centuries, the literal sense the meaning intended by the human author, the of Scripture became prominent and the his- exegete must pay particular attention to the torical critical method was developed in or- literary forms used by the writer. In addition, der to arrive at a better understanding of the ‘due attention must be paid to the customary literal sense of the Bible. The 19th and 20th and characteristic styles of feeling, speaking centuries continued to emphasise the literal and narrating which prevailed at the time of sense but within the last 50-60 years there has the sacred writer, and to the patterns men nor- been a renewed interest in the more-than-lit- mally employed at that period in their every- eral sense of Scripture. This has been seen in day dealings with one another.’11 the development of new methodologies such Even though the historical critical method as narrative criticism, rhetorical criticism, psy- is not mentioned by name, it is evident that choanalytical criticism, canonical criticism, the document is referring to this methodology. and advocacy exegesis which includes libera- The Council purposely avoided mentioning a tion and feminist studies.10 specific methodology in order to leave the door This brief outline of the two senses of open for exegetes to use any appropriate meth- Scripture has been provided because it forms odology in determining the literal meaning of the basis of Pope Benedict’s vision of the fu- the biblical text.12 Dei Verbum only cites the ture of biblical interpretation as expressed in elements that are always essential to uncover Verbum Domini. He believes that the balance the literal sense of Scripture. between the two senses of Scripture has be- Dei Verbum then addresses the criteria nec-

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essary for determining the spiritual meaning approach to scriptural interpretation; yet, each of the Bible. First, the exegete must place the person who employs the method brings his or biblical text within the context of the entire her own agenda to the text.16 The historical Bible. For example, Deut 24:1 permits divorce critical method divides the biblical text into but in Mark 10:1-12, Jesus prohibits divorce.13 many parts and fails to see the unity of the Second, the interpreter must take into consid- Bible.17 In attempting to arrive at the original eration the living tradition of the whole sources of the biblical books, many hypotheti- Church. This criterion includes several cal theories are produced that complicate the sources: the teaching office of the Church (the interpretation of Scripture rather than clarify ); the teaching of the fathers of the it.18 In view of these shortcomings, the his- Church; the use of the Scriptures in the liturgy torical critical method, by itself, is inadequate and in prayer; and the testimony of the saints. for the exegetical process. A third and final criterion is that the biblical Cardinal Ratzinger explained that a two- interpretation must be in harmony with the el- fold methodology is necessary for an adequate ements of faith. This means that the biblical exegesis of Scripture: an historical approach interpretation must be in agreement with the as well as a theological approach.19 Despite doctrine of the Church. its inadequacies, the historical critical method remains necessary for exegesis but must also Pope Benedict XVI’s Insight into Biblical be supplemented with other interpretive as- Interpretation pects that include the tradition of the Church as found in patristic and medieval thought.20 The intervention that Pope Benedict gave at A clear description of Pope Benedict’s the synod on the Word of God regarding bib- understanding of comprehensive exegesis can lical interpretation expressed certain growing be found in the Forward to his book, Jesus of concerns that he had with the direction that Nazareth.21 The Pope refers to his methodo- biblical exegesis was taking. He believed that logical process of biblical exegesis as the exegetes had fulfilled quite well the directive ‘hermeneutic of faith’ which is simply the ap- of Dei Verbum regarding the exegesis of the plication of the exegetical process as outlined literal sense of Scripture in using the histori- in Dei Verbum. cal critical method. For the most part, how- The first step in exegesis is historical criti- ever, exegetes had failed to apply the three cism. The Pope emphasises the importance of criteria for interpreting the spiritual sense of historical criticism: Scripture. …the historical critical method—specifically On 27 January 1988 in a lecture entitled because of the intrinsic nature of theology and ‘Biblical Interpretation in Crisis: On the Ques- faith—is and remains an indispensable dimen- tion of the Foundations and Approaches of sion of exegetical work. For it is of the very Exegesis Today’, given in New York City, as essence of biblical faith to be about real his- Cardinal Ratzinger, he presented his misgiv- torical events. It does not tell stories symboliz- ings as to the current direction of biblical ex- ing suprahistorical truths, but is based on his- egesis.14 As much as the historical critical tory, history that took place here on earth… method had contributed to biblical exegesis, If we push this history aside, Christian faith as the method had a number of limitations that such disappears and is recast as some other re- prevented it from being the only method that ligion. So if history, if facticity in this sense, is could be used in biblical interpretation. Most an essential dimension of Christian faith, then faith must expose itself to the historical importantly, the method is based on a philoso- 22 phy that automatically excludes faith and the method—indeed, faith itself demands this. supernatural from the exegetical process.15 Historical criticism is capable of address- Historical criticism claims to be an objective ing the literal meaning of the Bible. Other

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methods are necessary to access the spiritual itual meaning of Scripture which transcends senses of Scripture (number 37). In defining especially those ‘dark’ passages that contain meaning. The first of these is canonical ex- the literal meaning. the literal sense, the exhortation quotes the elements of violence and immorality. These egesis which views the Bible as a unity. It was This, briefly, is what the Pope calls the Catechism of the Catholic Church: the literal require an expertise in the application of his- mentioned above that one way of seeing this ‘hermeneutic of faith’ and how it functions in sense is ‘the meaning conveyed by the words torical-literary methods of interpretation. unity is in the development of themes and the- the interpretation of Scripture. This forms the of Scripture, and discovered by exegesis, fol- b) Verbum Domini addresses the problem ology as in the specific example of divorce in basis of how he envisions the exegetical proc- lowing the rules of sound interpretation’.27 of fundamentalist interpretation of Scripture the Bible. For Pope Benedict, however, the ess in Verbum Domini. We now turn to the Based upon the literal sense, the patristic and in number 44. true unity of the Bible lies in the person of document itself. medieval exegetes developed the three catego- c) A hermeneutic of faith, i.e. a hermeneutic Jesus. It is the Christological dimension that ries of the spiritual sense described above: the that includes both historical and theological unites the Old and New Testaments, a dimen- Biblical Interpretation in Verbum Domini allegorical sense, the moral sense, and the aspects, also has pastoral implications. It sion that can only be appreciated through anagogical sense. In defining the spiritual should foster a close working relationship faith.23 Verbum Domini is divided into three sections: sense, Verbum Domini refers to the Pontifical among pastors, exegetes, and theologians In reading Verbum Domini, it is impossi- the Word of God, the Word in the Church, and Biblical Commission’s definition: ‘the mean- (number 45). ble to miss the number of times the Pope makes the Word in the World. Its teaching on exegesis ing expressed by the biblical texts when read, d) Number 46 explores the importance of reference to the fathers of the Church and the is found in the first section and extends from under the influence of the Holy Spirit, in the biblical interpretation for ecumenism, includ- medieval doctors of the Church.24 This reflects numbers 29 to 49. Number 29 sets the tone context of the paschal mystery of Christ and ing the translation of Scripture into various another important principle that Pope Benedict for all that follows: ‘Interpretation of sacred of the new life which flows from it…’28 languages. sees as essential to theological exegesis – tak- Scripture requires full participation on the part Number 38 explains that ‘the word of God e) Number 47 emphasises that in the prepa- ing into account the living tradition of the of exegetes in the life and faith of the believ- can never simply be equated with the letter of ration of candidates for the priesthood, it is whole Church which includes the fathers of ing community of their own time.’ the text’. This means that different interpre- essential that both aspects of biblical interpre- the Church as well as the medieval writers. Numbers 32-34 present a brief summary tive methods are needed to arrive at the literal tation, the historical and the theological, be The importance of the patristic witness is found of the development of Church teaching con- and spiritual meanings of Scripture. The his- included in the curriculum. in its contribution to the development of early cerning biblical interpretation. It cites three of torical critical method is a method to obtain f) The final two numbers, 48 and 49, call Christian thought. The early fathers developed the most important documents on Scripture: the literal meaning that the author intended to attention to the lives of the saints whose lives the canon of Scripture, formed the first creeds Providentissimus Deus by Pope Leo XIII, Di- convey. Number 39 describes one method in dedicated to the living out of the Gospel and developed the form of the liturgy.25 All of vino afflante Spiritu by Pope Pius XII, and achieving the spiritual meaning of Scripture present a unique, living interpretation of the this plays a vital role in the interpretation of Dei Verbum from Vatican II. The benefits and and that is by seeing the intrinsic unity of the word of God. Scripture. Whereas the fathers of the church the necessity of historical critical exegesis are whole Bible with the person of Jesus as the introduced the spiritual meaning of Scripture, brought forward but the twofold interpretive basis of that unity. The patristic writers ex- Closing the medieval period developed this sense by approach of Dei Verbum is emphasised. Ex- pressed this Christological unity of the Bible refining it into three categories: the allegori- egesis must be as concerned with the theologi- in terms of typology. In typology persons, Throughout the history of the Church, the re- cal, the moral and the anagogical.26 cal dimension as it is with the historical di- events, or things in the Old Testament are seen lationship between the two senses of Scrip- Together with the doctrine of the church mension. The following number 35 warns as the prefigurement of persons, events or ture has been at the heart of biblical interpre- that has developed down through the centu- against the danger of neglecting theological things found in the New Testament. At the tation. Dei Verbum presented the two meth- ries, patristic and medieval exegesis forms the exegesis. The result can be an exegetical same time, the persons, events, or things in ods of studying and reflecting upon these two living tradition of the church which is essen- method that denies the divine element in Scrip- the New Testament are seen as the fulfilment senses: the historical method and the theologi- tial in interpreting the Scriptures for the present ture. In order to prevent this from happening, of the persons, events, or things in the Old cal method. Pope Benedict’s contribution to age. This is what the historical critical method Verbum Domini advises that more than one Testament.29 An example of typology is found biblical interpretation in Verbum Domini is the cannot do. The expertise of historical criticism hermeneutical methodology be employed in in Rom 5:14 where Paul calls Adam a type of presentation of the two senses of Scripture as lies in finding the meaning of Scripture in- exegesis. Although historical criticism is nec- Jesus who was to come. necessary, complementary aspects of the one tended by the authors when they wrote - this essary, it is imperative that other methods be This is the basic teaching of Verbum Do- process of interpretation that are never in op- is the literal meaning. Historical criticism is adopted to ensure that a proper and total ex- mini regarding biblical interpretation. The re- position to each other. Furthermore, the ex- unable to provide a meaning for the Christian egesis of the Bible takes place (number 36). maining seven numbers (42-49) of the section hortation attempts to present very practical community of today. This task is the work of The document suggests that a better bal- concerning interpretation discuss some of the ways in which both senses of Scripture can be theological exegesis which includes the three ance between the historical and theological issues and implications of biblical interpreta- both studied and prayed so that the word of aspects of the unity of the Bible, the living tra- interpretations can be achieved by following tion in the life of the Church. God may be of greater value to the individual dition of the church and the harmony of theol- the example of the fathers of the Church who a) Number 42 speaks to those biblical pas- Christian, and thereby, help build up the com- ogy. Theological exegesis arrives at the spir- were able to recognise the literal and spiritual sages that are particularly difficult to interpret, munity of Christ.

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CompassIssue 2012-1B.p65 # 4 2012 text.indd 6 6 7/03/2012, 11:34 AM 7/03/2012 12:54:14 PM Issue 2012-1B.p65 7 7/03/2012, 11:34 AM COMPASS VERBUM DOMINI AND THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE methods are necessary to access the spiritual itual meaning of Scripture which transcends senses of Scripture (number 37). In defining especially those ‘dark’ passages that contain meaning. The first of these is canonical ex- the literal meaning. the literal sense, the exhortation quotes the elements of violence and immorality. These egesis which views the Bible as a unity. It was This, briefly, is what the Pope calls the Catechism of the Catholic Church: the literal require an expertise in the application of his- mentioned above that one way of seeing this ‘hermeneutic of faith’ and how it functions in sense is ‘the meaning conveyed by the words torical-literary methods of interpretation. unity is in the development of themes and the- the interpretation of Scripture. This forms the of Scripture, and discovered by exegesis, fol- b) Verbum Domini addresses the problem ology as in the specific example of divorce in basis of how he envisions the exegetical proc- lowing the rules of sound interpretation’.27 of fundamentalist interpretation of Scripture the Bible. For Pope Benedict, however, the ess in Verbum Domini. We now turn to the Based upon the literal sense, the patristic and in number 44. true unity of the Bible lies in the person of document itself. medieval exegetes developed the three catego- c) A hermeneutic of faith, i.e. a hermeneutic Jesus. It is the Christological dimension that ries of the spiritual sense described above: the that includes both historical and theological unites the Old and New Testaments, a dimen- Biblical Interpretation in Verbum Domini allegorical sense, the moral sense, and the aspects, also has pastoral implications. It sion that can only be appreciated through anagogical sense. In defining the spiritual should foster a close working relationship faith.23 Verbum Domini is divided into three sections: sense, Verbum Domini refers to the Pontifical among pastors, exegetes, and theologians In reading Verbum Domini, it is impossi- the Word of God, the Word in the Church, and Biblical Commission’s definition: ‘the mean- (number 45). ble to miss the number of times the Pope makes the Word in the World. Its teaching on exegesis ing expressed by the biblical texts when read, d) Number 46 explores the importance of reference to the fathers of the Church and the is found in the first section and extends from under the influence of the Holy Spirit, in the biblical interpretation for ecumenism, includ- medieval doctors of the Church.24 This reflects numbers 29 to 49. Number 29 sets the tone context of the paschal mystery of Christ and ing the translation of Scripture into various another important principle that Pope Benedict for all that follows: ‘Interpretation of sacred of the new life which flows from it…’28 languages. sees as essential to theological exegesis – tak- Scripture requires full participation on the part Number 38 explains that ‘the word of God e) Number 47 emphasises that in the prepa- ing into account the living tradition of the of exegetes in the life and faith of the believ- can never simply be equated with the letter of ration of candidates for the priesthood, it is whole Church which includes the fathers of ing community of their own time.’ the text’. This means that different interpre- essential that both aspects of biblical interpre- the Church as well as the medieval writers. Numbers 32-34 present a brief summary tive methods are needed to arrive at the literal tation, the historical and the theological, be The importance of the patristic witness is found of the development of Church teaching con- and spiritual meanings of Scripture. The his- included in the curriculum. in its contribution to the development of early cerning biblical interpretation. It cites three of torical critical method is a method to obtain f) The final two numbers, 48 and 49, call Christian thought. The early fathers developed the most important documents on Scripture: the literal meaning that the author intended to attention to the lives of the saints whose lives the canon of Scripture, formed the first creeds Providentissimus Deus by Pope Leo XIII, Di- convey. Number 39 describes one method in dedicated to the living out of the Gospel and developed the form of the liturgy.25 All of vino afflante Spiritu by Pope Pius XII, and achieving the spiritual meaning of Scripture present a unique, living interpretation of the this plays a vital role in the interpretation of Dei Verbum from Vatican II. The benefits and and that is by seeing the intrinsic unity of the word of God. Scripture. Whereas the fathers of the church the necessity of historical critical exegesis are whole Bible with the person of Jesus as the introduced the spiritual meaning of Scripture, brought forward but the twofold interpretive basis of that unity. The patristic writers ex- Closing the medieval period developed this sense by approach of Dei Verbum is emphasised. Ex- pressed this Christological unity of the Bible refining it into three categories: the allegori- egesis must be as concerned with the theologi- in terms of typology. In typology persons, Throughout the history of the Church, the re- cal, the moral and the anagogical.26 cal dimension as it is with the historical di- events, or things in the Old Testament are seen lationship between the two senses of Scrip- Together with the doctrine of the church mension. The following number 35 warns as the prefigurement of persons, events or ture has been at the heart of biblical interpre- that has developed down through the centu- against the danger of neglecting theological things found in the New Testament. At the tation. Dei Verbum presented the two meth- ries, patristic and medieval exegesis forms the exegesis. The result can be an exegetical same time, the persons, events, or things in ods of studying and reflecting upon these two living tradition of the church which is essen- method that denies the divine element in Scrip- the New Testament are seen as the fulfilment senses: the historical method and the theologi- tial in interpreting the Scriptures for the present ture. In order to prevent this from happening, of the persons, events, or things in the Old cal method. Pope Benedict’s contribution to age. This is what the historical critical method Verbum Domini advises that more than one Testament.29 An example of typology is found biblical interpretation in Verbum Domini is the cannot do. The expertise of historical criticism hermeneutical methodology be employed in in Rom 5:14 where Paul calls Adam a type of presentation of the two senses of Scripture as lies in finding the meaning of Scripture in- exegesis. Although historical criticism is nec- Jesus who was to come. necessary, complementary aspects of the one tended by the authors when they wrote - this essary, it is imperative that other methods be This is the basic teaching of Verbum Do- process of interpretation that are never in op- is the literal meaning. Historical criticism is adopted to ensure that a proper and total ex- mini regarding biblical interpretation. The re- position to each other. Furthermore, the ex- unable to provide a meaning for the Christian egesis of the Bible takes place (number 36). maining seven numbers (42-49) of the section hortation attempts to present very practical community of today. This task is the work of The document suggests that a better bal- concerning interpretation discuss some of the ways in which both senses of Scripture can be theological exegesis which includes the three ance between the historical and theological issues and implications of biblical interpreta- both studied and prayed so that the word of aspects of the unity of the Bible, the living tra- interpretations can be achieved by following tion in the life of the Church. God may be of greater value to the individual dition of the church and the harmony of theol- the example of the fathers of the Church who a) Number 42 speaks to those biblical pas- Christian, and thereby, help build up the com- ogy. Theological exegesis arrives at the spir- were able to recognise the literal and spiritual sages that are particularly difficult to interpret, munity of Christ.

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NOTES 1 Verbum Domini can be found at the Vatican website: 11 Dei Verbum, 12. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/ 12 A Grillmeier. (1969), ‘The Divine Inspiration and apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben- the Interpretation of Sacred Scripture’, in Commen- xvi_exh_20100930_verbum-domini_en.html (the tary on the Documents of Vatican II, Vol. 3, ed. Herbert paragraphs are not numbered in this text). This paper Vorgrimler. Herder and Herder, New York. 220. will cite the following edition in which the paragraphs 13 Since Vatican II, this has developed into a new are numbered: Pope Benedict XVI. (2010), Verbum interpretive methodology known as ‘canonical criti- Domini. St. Paul’s Publications, Strathfield. cism’. The seminal work is by BS Childs. (1979), 2 RD Witherup, ‘Deo Gratias for Verbum Domini: Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture. SCM Benedict XVI’s teaching on the Word of God’, The Press, London. Childs also addresses the canon of Pastoral Review 7, no. 1 (January/February 2011): 12- the New Testament: (1984), The New Testament as 17. RE McCarron, ‘‘Proclaimed, Accepted, Celebrated, Canon: An Introduction. SCM, London. and Meditated Upon’: Benedict XVI on the Word of 14 For the full text of the lecture see, RJ Neuhaus. God’,New Theology Review 24, no. 1 (February 2011): (1989), Biblical Interpretation in Crisis: The 69-71. K O’Gorman, ‘This is the Word of the Lord’, Ratzinger Conference on Bible and Church. Furrow 62, no. 3 (March 2011): 162-170. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. 1-23. 3 A Graffy, ‘Verbum Domini – the pastoral impli- 15 Ibid. 2, 15. cations’, The Pastoral Review 7, no. 2 (March/April 16 Ibid. 8. 2011): 4-9. 17 Ibid. 2. 4 JC Okoye. (2011), Scripture in the Church: The 18 Ibid. 2. Synod on the Word of God. Liturgical Press, 19 Ibid. 5. Collegeville. 20 Ibid. 22. 5 For the complete text, see ‘Intervention of Pope 21 Pope Benedict XVI. (2007), Jesus of Naza- Benedict XVI at the synod of Bishops on Tuesday, reth. Doubleday, New York. xi-xxiv. 14 October: Modern exegesis necessary for a living 22 Ibid. xv. On page xvi, the Pope reiterates the im- faith today’. L’Osservatore Romano (weekly edition portance of the historical critical method in exegesis. in English). #43. Wednesday, 22 October 2008. 13. 23 Ibid. xix. 6 Dei Verbum 12, (2009), The Documents of Vati- 24 Okoye (Scripture in the Church, 128) cites 61 can II, with Notes and Index. Vatican Translation. references. St. Paul’s Publications, Strathfield. 25 L Boeve and G Mannion, eds. (2010), The 7 RE Brown and SM Schneiders. (1990), Ratzinger Reader: Mapping a Theological Jour- ‘Hermeneutics’, in The New Biblical Com- ney. T&T Clark, London. 22. mentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, et al. Prentice 26 The allegorical sense has already been discussed. Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 1148. The moral sense interprets Scripture in terms of the 8 JA Fitzmyer. (2008), The Interpretation of Scrip- spiritual life of the individual believer; therefore, once ture. Paulist Press, New York. 92. again using Jerusalem as an example, Jerusalem 9 The size of this paper cannot adequately treat the would be interpreted as the human soul. The richness of the history of biblical interpretation. The anagogical sense refers to future heavenly or interested reader is directed to the following works; eschatological realities. Using this third spiritual AJ Hauser and DF Watson, eds. (2003), A History sense, Jerusalem is the heavenly city that will be of Biblical Interpretation. Vols. 1 and 2. Eerdmans, manifested at the end time. For more information Grand Rapids; and H Wansbrough. (2010), The Use pertaining to the three aspects of the spiritual sense and Abuse of the Bible: A Brief History of Biblical of Scripture, see Brown, ‘Hermeneutics’, 1153-1162, Interpretation. T&T Clark, London. and Fitzmyer, The Interpretation of Scripture, 91-97. 10 Okoye (Scripture in the Church, 78-83) pro- 27 Catechism of the Catholic Church, 116, (1994), vides a comprehensive list of current exegetical St. Pauls, Homebush. methodologies along with a description and evalu- 28 The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, ation of each. This list is based on the Pontifical page 85. Biblical Commission’s document, The Interpreta- 29 RN Soulen and RK Soulen, eds. (2001), Hand- tion of the Bible in the Church. (1993), Pauline book of Biblical Criticism, 3rd ed. Westminster Books and Media, Boston. John Knox Press, Louisville. s.v. ‘Typology’.

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