ENCYCLICAL OF
POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
To Our Venerable Brethren,
All Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops,
and Bishops of the Catholic World, in
Grace and Communion with the Apostolic
See.
Venerable Brethren, Health and Apostolic
Benediction
1. The God of all Providence,
Who in the adorable designs of His love
at first elevated the human race to
the participation of the Divine nature,
and afterwards delivered it from universal
guilt and ruin, restoring it to its
primitive dignity, has in consequence
bestowed upon man a splendid gift and
safeguard-making known to him, by supernatural
means, the hidden mysteries of His Divinity,
His wisdom and His mercy. For although
in Divine revelation there are contained
some things which are not beyond the
reach of unassisted reason, and which
are made the objects of such revelation
in order "that all may come to
know them with facility, certainty,
and safety from error, yet not on this
account can supernatural Revelation
be said to be absolutely necessary;
it is only necessary because God has
ordinated man to a supernatural end."(1)
This supernatural revelation, according
to the belief of the universal Church,
is contained both in unwritten Tradition,
and in written Books, which are therefore
called sacred and canonical because,
"being written under the inspiration
of the Holy Ghost, they have God for
their author and as such have been delivered
to the Church."(2) This belief
has been perpetually held and professed
by the Church in regard to the Books
of both Testaments; and there are well-known
documents of the gravest kind, coming
down to us from the earliest times,
which proclaim that God, Who spoke first
by the Prophets, then by His own mouth,
and lastly by the Apostles, composed
also the Canonical Scriptures,(3) and
that these are His own oracles and words(4)
- a Letter, written by our heavenly
Father, and transmitted by the sacred
writers to the human race in its pilgrimage
so far from its heavenly country.(5)
If, then, such and so great is the excellence
and the dignity of the Scriptures, that
God Himself has composed them, and that
they treat of God's marvellous mysteries,
counsels and works, it follows that
the branch of sacred Theology which
is concerned with the defence and elucidation
of these divine Books must be excellent
and useful in the highest degree.
2. Now We, who by the help of
God, and not without fruit, have by
frequent Letters and exhortation endeavoured
to promote other branches of study which
seemed capable of advancing the glory
of God and contributing to the salvation
of souls, have for a long time cherished
the desire to give an impulse to the
noble science of Holy Scripture, and
to impart to Scripture study a direction
suitable to the needs of the present
day. The solicitude of the Apostolic
office naturally urges, and even compels
us, not only to desire that this grand
source of Catholic revelation should
be made safely and abundantly accessible
to the flock of Jesus Christ, but also
not to suffer any attempt to defile
or corrupt it, either on the part of
those who impiously and openly assail
the Scriptures, or of those who are
led astray into fallacious and imprudent
novelties. We are not ignorant, indeed,
Venerable Brethren, that there are not
a few Catholics, men of talent and learning,
who do devote themselves with ardour
to the defence of the sacred writings
and to making them better known and
understood. But whilst giving to these
the commendation they deserve, We cannot
but earnestly exhort others also, from
whose skill and piety and learning we
have a right to expect good results,
to give themselves to the same most
praiseworthy work. It is Our wish and
fervent desire to see an increase in
the number of the approved and persevering
labourers in the cause of Holy Scripture;
and more especially that those whom
Divine Grace has called to Holy Orders,
should, day-by-day, as their state demands,
display greater diligence and industry
in reading, meditating, and explaining
it.
Holy Scripture Most Profitable To
Doctrine and Morality
3. Among the reasons for which
the Holy Scripture is so worthy of commendation-in
addition to its own excellence and to
the homage which we owe to God's Word-the
chief of all is, the innumerable benefits
of which it is the source; according
to the infallible testimony of the Holy
Ghost Himself, who says: "All Scripture,
inspired of God, is profitable to teach,
to reprove, to correct, to instruct
in justice, that the man of God may
be perfect, furnished to every good
work."(6) That such was the purpose
of God in giving the Scripture of men
is shown by the example of Christ our
Lord and of His Apostles. For He Himself
Who "obtained authority by miracles,
merited belief by authority, and by
belief drew to Himself the multitude"(7)
was accustomed in the exercise of His
Divine Mission, to appeal to the Scriptures.
He uses them at times to prove that
He is sent by God, and is God Himself.
From them He cites instructions for
His disciples and confirmation of His
doctrine. He vindicates them from the
calumnies of objectors; he quotes them
against Sadducees and Pharisees, and
retorts from them upon Satan himself
when he dares to tempt Him. At the close
of His life His utterances are from
Holy Scripture, and it is the Scripture
that He expounds to His disciples after
His resurrection, until He ascends to
the glory of His Father. Faithful to
His precepts, the Apostles, although
He Himself granted "signs and wonders
to be done by their hands"(8) nevertheless
used with the greatest effect the sacred
writings, in order to persuade the nations
everywhere of the wisdom of Christianity,
to conquer the obstinacy of the Jews,
and to suppress the outbreak of heresy.
This is plainly seen in their discourses,
especially in those of St. Peter: these
were often little less than a series
of citations from the Old Testament
supporting in the strongest manner the
new dispensation. We find the same thing
in the Gospels of St. Matthew and St.
John and in the Catholic Epistles; and
most remarkably of all in the words
of him who "boasts that he learned
the law at the feet of Gamaliel, in
order that, being armed with spiritual
weapons, he might afterwards say with
confidence, `The arms of our warfare
are not carnal but mighty unto God.'
"(9) Let all, therefore, especially
the novices of the ecclesiastical army,
understand how deeply the sacred Books
should be esteemed, and with what eagerness
and reverence they should approach this
great arsenal of heavenly arms. For
those whose duty it is to handle Catholic
doctrine before the learned or the unlearned
will nowhere find more ample matter
or more abundant exhortation, whether
on the subject of God, the supreme Good
and the all-perfect Being, or of the
works which display His Glory and His
love. Nowhere is there anything more
full or more express on the subject
of the Saviour of the world than is
to be found in the whole range of the
Bible. As St. Jerome says, "To
be ignorant of the Scripture is not
to know Christ."(10) In its pages
His Image stands out, living and breathing;
diffusing everywhere around consolation
in trouble, encouragement to virtue
and attraction to the love of God. And
as to the Church, her institutions,
her nature, her office, and her gifts,
we find in Holy Scripture so many references
and so many ready and convincing arguments,
that as St. Jerome again most truly
says: "A man who is well grounded
in the testimonies of the Scripture
is the bulwark of the Church."(11)And
if we come to morality and discipline,
an apostolic man finds in the sacred
writings abundant and excellent assistance;
most holy precepts, gentle and strong
exhortation, splendid examples of every
virtue, and finally the promise of eternal
reward and the threat of eternal punishment,
uttered in terms of solemn import, in
God's name and in God's own words.
4. And it is this peculiar and
singular power of Holy Scripture, arising
from the inspiration of the Holy Ghost,
which gives authority to the sacred
orator, fills him with apostolic liberty
of speech, and communicates force and
power to his eloquence. For those who
infuse into their efforts the spirit
and strength of the Word of God, speak
"not in word only but in power
also, and in the Holy Ghost, and in
much fulness."(12) Hence those
preachers are foolish and improvident
who, in speaking of religion and proclaiming
the things of God, use no words but
those of human science and human prudence,
trusting to their own reasonings rather
than to those of God. Their discourses
may be brilliant and fine, but they
must be feeble and they must be cold,
for they are without the fire of the
utterance of God(13) and they must fall
far short of that mighty power which
the speech of God possesses: "for
the Word of God is living and effectual,
and more piercing than any two-edged
sword; and reaching unto the division
of the soul and the spirit."(14)
But, indeed, all those who have a right
to speak are agreed that there is in
the Holy Scripture an eloquence that
is wonderfully varied and rich, and
worthy of great themes. This St. Augustine
thoroughly understood and has abundantly
set forth.(15) This also is confirmed
by the best preachers of all ages, who
have gratefully acknowledged that they
owed their repute chiefly to the assiduous
use of the Bible, and to devout meditation
on its pages.
5. The Holy Fathers well knew
all this by practical experience, and
they never cease to extol the sacred
Scripture and its fruits. In innumerable
passages of their writings we find them
applying to it such phrases as "an
inexhaustible treasury of heavenly doctrine,"(16)
or "an overflowing fountain of
salvation,"(17) or putting it before
us as fertile pastures and beautiful
gardens in which the flock of the Lord
is marvellously refreshed and delighted.(18)
Let us listen to the words of St. Jerome,
in his Epistle to Nepotian: "Often
read the divine Scriptures; yea, let
holy reading be always in thy hand;
study that which thou thyself must preach.
. . Let the speech of the priest be
ever seasoned with Scriptural reading."(19)
St. Gregory the Great, than whom no
one has more admirably described the
pastoral office, writes in the same
sense: "Those," he says, "who
are zealous in the work of preaching
must never cease the study of the written
word of God."(20) St. Augustine,
however, warns us that "vainly
does the preacher utter the Word of
God exteriorly unless he listens to
it interiorly;"(21) and St. Gregory
instructs sacred orators "first
to find in Holy Scripture the knowledge
of themselves, and then to carry it
to others, lest in reproving others
they forget themselves."(22) Admonitions
such as these had, indeed, been uttered
long before by the Apostolic voice which
had learnt its lesson from Christ Himself,
Who "began to do and teach."
It was not to Timothy alone, but to
the whole order of the clergy, that
the command was addressed: "Take
heed to thyself and to doctrine; be
earnest in them. For in doing this thou
shah both save thyself and them that
hear thee."(23) For the saving
and for the perfection of ourselves
and of others there is at hand the very
best of help in the Holy Scriptures,
as the Book of Psalms, among others,
so constantly insists; but those only
will find it who bring to this divine
reading not only docility and attention,
but also piety and an innocent life.
For the Sacred Scripture is not like
other books. Dictated by the Holy Ghost,
it contains things of the deepest importance,
which in many instances are most difficult
and obscure. To understand and explain
such things there is always required
the "coming"(24) of the same
Holy Spirit; that is to say, His light
and His grace; and these, as the Royal
Psalmist so frequently insists, are
to be sought by humble prayer and guarded
by holiness of life.
What the Bible Owes to the Catholic
Church
6. It is in this that the watchful
care of the Church shines forth conspicuously.
By admirable laws and regulations, she
has always shown herself solicitous
that "the celestial treasure of
the Sacred Books, so bountifully bestowed
upon man by the Holy Spirit, should
not lie neglected."(25) She has
prescribed that a considerable portion
of them shall be read and piously reflected
upon by all her ministers in the daily
office of the sacred psalmody. She has
ordered that in Cathedral Churches,
in monasteries, and in other convents
in which study can conveniently be pursued,
they shall be expounded and interpreted
by capable men; and she has strictly
commanded that her children shall be
fed with the saving words of the Gospel
at least on Sundays and solemn feasts.(26)
Moreover, it is owing to the wisdom
and exertions of the Church that there
has always been continued from century
to century that cultivation of Holy
Scripture which has been so remarkable
and has borne such ample fruit.
7. And here, in order to strengthen
Our teaching and Our exhortations, it
is well to recall how, from the beginning
of Christianity, all who have been renowned
for holiness of life and sacred learning
have given their deep and constant attention
to Holy Scripture. If we consider the
immediate disciples of the Apostles,
St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of
Antioch, St. Polycarp - or the apologists,
such as St. Justin and St. Irenaeus,
we find that in their letters and their
books, whether in defence of the Catholic
Faith or in its commendation, they draw
faith, strength, and unction from the
Word of God. When there arose, in various
Sees, Catechetical and Theological schools,
of which the most celebrated were those
of Alexandria and of Antioch, there
was little taught in those schools but
what was contained in the reading, the
interpretation and the defence of the
divine written word. From them came
forth numbers of Fathers and writers
whose laborious studies and admirable
writings have justly merited for the
three following centuries the appellation
of the golden age of biblical exegesis.
In the Eastern Church, the greatest
name of all is Origen - a man remarkable
alike for penetration of genius and
for persevering labour; from whose numerous
works and his great Hexapla almost all
have drawn that came after him. Others
who have widened the field of this science
may also be named, as especially eminent;
thus, Alexandria could boast of St.
Clement and St. Cyril; Palestine, of
Eusebius and the other St. Cyril; Cappadocia,
of St. $asil the Great and the two St.
Gregories. of Nazianzus and Nyssa; Antioch,
of St. John Chrysostom, in whom the
science of Scripture was rivalled by
the splendour of his eloquence. In the
Western Church there were many names
as great: Tertullian, St. Cyprian, St.
Hilary, St. Ambrose, St. Leo the Great,
St. Gregory the Great; most famous of
all, St. Augustine and St. Jerome, of
whom the former was so marvellously
acute in penetrating the sense of God's
Word and so fertile in the use that
he made of it for the promotion of the
Catholic truth, and the latter has received
from the Church, by reason of his pre-eminent
knowledge of Scripture and his labours
in promoting its use, the name of the
"great Doctor."(27) From this
period down to the eleventh century,
although Biblical studies did not flourish
with the same vigour and the same fruitfulness
as before, yet they did flourish, and
principally by the instrumentality of
the clergy. It was their care and solicitude
that selected the best and most useful
things that the ancients had left, arranged
them in order, and published them with
additions of their own - as did S. Isidore
of Seville, Venerable Bede, and Alcuin,
among the most prominent; it was they
who illustrated the sacred pages with
"glosses" or short commentaries,
as we see in Walafrid Strabo and St.
Anselm of Laon, or expended fresh labour
in securing their integrity, as did
St. Peter Damian and Blessed Lanfranc.
In the twelfth century many took up
with great success the allegorical exposition
of Scripture. In this kind, St. Bernard
is pre-eminent; and his writings, it
may be said, are Scripture all through.
With the age of the scholastics came
fresh and welcome progress in the study
of the Bible. That the scholastics were
solicitous about the genuineness of
the Latin version is evident from the
Correctoria Biblica, or lists of emendations,
which they have left. But they expended
their labours and industry chiefly on
interpretation and explanation. To them
we owe the accurate and clear distinction,
such as had not been given before, of
the various senses of the sacred words;
the assignment of the value of each
"sense" in theology; the division
of books into parts, and the summaries
of the various parts; the investigation
of the objects of the writers; the demonstration
of the connection of sentence with sentence,
and clause with clause; all of which
is calculated to throw much light on
the more obscure passages of the sacred
volume. The valuable work of the scholastics
in Holy Scripture is seen in their theological
treatises and in their Scripture commentaries;
and in this respect the greatest name
among them all is St. Thomas of Aquin.
8. When our predecessor, Clement
V., established chairs of Oriental literature
in the Roman College and in the principal
Universities of Europe, Catholics began
to make more accurate investigation
on the original text of the Bible, as
well as on the Latin version. The revival
amongst us of Greek learning, and, much
more, the happy invention of the art
of printing, gave a strong impetus to
Biblical studies. In a brief space of
time, innumerable editions, especially
of the Vulgate, poured from the press
and were diffused throughout the Catholic
world; so honoured and loved was Holy
Scripture during that very period against
which the enemies of the Church direct
their calumnies. Nor must we forget
how many learned men there were, chiefly
among the religious orders, who did
excellent work for the Bible between
the Council of Vienne and that of Trent;
men who, by the employment of modern
means and appliances, and by the tribute
of their own genius and learning, not
only added to the rich stores of ancient
times, but prepared the way for the
succeeding century, the century which
followed the Council of Trent, when
it almost seemed that the great age
of the Fathers had returned. For it
is well known, and We recall it with
pleasure, that Our predecessors from
Pius IV. to Clement VIII. caused to
be prepared the celebrated editions
of the Vulgate and the Septuagint, which,
having been published by the command
and authority of Sixtus V. and of the
same Clement, are now in common use.
At this time, moreover, were carefully
brought out various other ancient versions
of the Bible, and the Polyglots of Antwerp
and of Paris, most important for the
investigation of the true meaning of
the text; nor is there any one Book
of either Testament which did not find
more than one expositor, nor any grave
question which did not profitably exercise
the ability of many inquirers, among
whom there are not a few - more especially
of those who made most use of the Fathers
- who have acquired great reputation.
From that time downwards the labour
and solicitude of Catholics has never
been wanting; for, as time went on,
eminent scholars have carried on Biblical
study with success, and have defended
Holy Scripture against rationalism with
the same weapons of philology and kindred
sciences with which it had been attacked.
The calm and fair consideration of what
has been said will clearly show that
the Church has never failed in taking
due measures to bring the Scriptures
within reach of her children, and that
she has ever held fast and exercised
profitably that guardianship conferred
upon her by Almighty God for the protection
and glory of His Holy Word; so that
she has never required, nor does she
now require, any stimulation from without.
How to Study Holy Scripture
9. We must now, Venerable Brethren,
as our purpose demands, impart to you
such counsels as seem best suited for
carrying on successfully the study of
Biblical science.
10. But first it must be clearly
understood whom we have to oppose and
contend against, and what are their
tactics and their arms. In earlier times
the contest was chiefly with those who,
relying on private judgment and repudiating
the divine traditions and teaching office
of the Church, held the Scriptures to
be the one source of revelation and
the final appeal in matters of Faith.
Now, we have to meet the Rationalists,
true children and inheritors of the
older heretics, who, trusting in their
turn to their own way of thinking, have
rejected even the scraps and remnants
of Christian belief which had been handed
down to them. They deny that there is
any such thing as revelation or inspiration,
or Holy Scripture at all; they see,
instead, only the forgeries and the
falsehoods of men; they set down the
Scripture narratives as stupid fables
and lying stories: the prophecies and
the oracles of God are to them either
predictions made up after the event
or forecasts formed by the light of
nature; the miracles and the wonders
of God's power are not what they are
said to be, but the startling effects
of natural law, or else mere tricks
and myths; and the Apostolic Gospels
and writings are not the work of the
Apostles at all. These detestable errors,
whereby they think they destroy the
truth of the divine Books, are obtruded
on the world as the peremptory pronouncements
of a certain newly-invented "free
science;" a science, however, which
is so far from final that they are perpetually
modifying and supplementing it. And
there are some of them who, notwithstanding
their impious opinions and utterances
about God, and Christ, the Gospels and
the rest of Holy Scripture, would faro
be considered both theologians and Christians
and men of the Gospel, and who attempt
to disguise by such honourable names
their rashness and their pride. To them
we must add not a few professors of
other sciences who approve their views
and give them assistance, and are urged
to attack the Bible by a similar intolerance
of revelation. And it is deplorable
to see these attacks growing every day
more numerous and more severe. It is
sometimes men of learning and judgment
who are assailed; but these have little
difficulty in defending themselves from
evil consequences. The efforts and the
arts of the enemy are chiefly directed
against the more ignorant masses of
the people. They diffuse their deadly
poison by means of books, pamphlets,
and newspapers; they spread it by addresses
and by conversation; they are found
everywhere; and they are in possession
of numerous schools, taken by violence
from the Church, in which, by ridicule
and scurrilous jesting, they pervert
the credulous and unformed minds of
the young to the contempt of Holy Scripture.
Should not these things, Venerable Brethren,
stir up and set on fire the heart of
every Pastor, so that to this "knowledge,
falsely so called,"(28) may be
opposed the ancient and true science
which the Church, through the Apostles,
has received from Christ, and that Holy
Scripture may find the champions that
are needed in so momentous a battle?
11. Let our first care, then
be to see that in Seminaries and Academical
institutions the study of Holy Scripture
be placed on such a footing as its own
importance and the circumstances of
the time demand. With this view, the
first thing which requires attention
is the wise choice of Professors. Teachers
of Sacred Scripture are not to be appointed
at hap-hazard out of the crowd; but
they must be men whose character and
fitness are proved by their love of,
and their long familiarity with, the
Bible, and by suitable learning and
study.
12. It is a matter of equal
importance to provide in time for a
continuous succession of such teachers;
and it will be well, wherever this can
be done, to select young men of good
promise who have successfully accomplished
their theological course, and to set
them apart exclusively for Holy Scripture,
affording them facilities for full and
complete studies. Professors thus chosen
and thus prepared may enter with confidence
on the task that is appointed for them;
and that they may carry out their work
well and profitably, let them take heed
to the instructions We now proceed to
give.
13. At the commencement of a
course of Holy Scripture let the Professor
strive earnestly to form the judgment
of the young beginners so as to train
them equally to defend the sacred writings
and to penetrate their meaning. This
is the object of the treatise which
is called "Introduction."
Here the student is taught how to prove
the integrity and authority of the Bible,
how to investigate and ascertain its
true sense, and how to meet and refute
objections. It is needless to insist
upon the importance of making these
preliminary studies in an orderly and
thorough fashion, with the accompaniment
and assistance of Theology; for the
whole subsequent course must rest on
the foundation thus laid and make use
of the light thus acquired. Next, the
teacher will turn his earnest attention
to that more fruitful division of Scripture
science which has to do with Interpretation;
wherein is imparted the method of using
the word of God for the advantage of
religion and piety. We recognize without
hesitation that neither the extent of
the matter nor the time at disposal
allows each single Book of the Bible
to be separately gone through. But the
teaching should result in a definite
and ascertained method of interpretation-and
therefore the Professor should equally
avoid the mistake of giving a mere taste
of every Book, and of dwelling at too
great length on a part of one Book.
If most schools cannot do what is done
in the large institutions-that is, take
the students through the whole of one
or two Books continuously and with a
certain development-yet at least those
parts which are selected should be treated
with suitable fulness; in such a way
that the students may learn from the
sample that is thus put before them
to love and use the remainder of the
sacred Book during the whole of their
lives. The Professor, following the
tradition of antiquity, will make use
of the Vulgate as his text; for the
Council of Trent decreed that "in
public lectures, disputations, preaching,
and exposition,"(29) the Vulgate
is the "authentic" version;
and this is the existing custom of the
Church. At the same time, the other
versions which Christian antiquity has
approved, should not be neglected, more
especially the more ancient MSS. For
although the meaning of the Hebrew and
Greek is substantially rendered by the
Vulgate, nevertheless wherever there
may be ambiguity or want of clearness,
the "examination of older tongues,"(30)
to quote St. Augustine, will be useful
and advantageous. But in this matter
we need hardly say that the greatest
prudence is required, for the "office
of a commentator," as St. Jerome
says, "is to set forth not what
he himself would prefer, but what his
author says."(31) The question
of "readings" having been,
when necessary, carefully discussed,
the next thing is to investigate and
expound the meaning. And the first counsel
to be given is this: That the more our
adversaries contend to the contrary,
so much the more solicitously should
we adhere to the received and approved
canons of interpretation. Hence, whilst
weighing the meanings of words, the
connection of ideas, the parallelism
of passages, and the like, we should
by all means make use of such illustrations
as can be drawn from apposite erudition
of an external sort; but this should
be done with caution, so as not to bestow
on questions of this kind more labour
and time than are spent on the Sacred
Books themselves, and not to overload
the minds of the students with a mass
of information that will be rather a
hindrance than a help.
Holy Scripture and Theology; Interpretation;
the Fathers
14. The Professor may now safely
pass on to the use of Scripture in matters
of Theology. On this head it must be
observed that in addition to the usual
reasons which make ancient writings
more or less difficult to understand,
there are some which are peculiar to
the Bible. For the language of the Bible
is employed to express, under the inspiration
of the Holy Ghost, many things which
are beyond the power and scope of the
reason of man-that is to say, divine
mysteries and all that is related to
them. There is sometimes in such passages
a fulness and a hidden depth of meaning
which the letter hardly expresses and
which the laws of interpretation hardly
warrant. Moreover, the literal sense
itself frequently admits other senses,
adapted to illustrate dogma or to confirm
morality. Wherefore it must be recognized
that the sacred writings are wrapt in
a certain religious obscurity, and that
no one can enter into their interior
without a guide(32); God so disposing,
as the Holy Fathers commonly teach,
in order that men may investigate them
with greater ardour and earnestness,
and that what is attained with difficulty
may sink more deeply into the mind and
heart; and, most of all, that they may
understand that God has delivered the
Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that
in reading and making use of His Word,
they must follow the Church as their
guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus
long since laid down, that where the
charismata of God were, there the truth
was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture
was safely interpreted by those who
had the Apostolic succession.(33) His
teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers,
is taken up by the Council of the Vatican,
which, in renewing the decree of Trent
declares its "mind" to be
this - that "in things of faith
and morals, belonging to the building
up of Christian doctrine, that is to
be considered the true sense of Holy
Scripture which has been held and is
held by our Holy Mother the Church,
whose place it is to judge of the true
sense and interpretation of the Scriptures;
and therefore that it is permitted to
no one to interpret Holy Scripture against
such sense or also against the unanimous
agreement of the Fathers."(34)
By this most wise decree the Church
by no means prevents or restrains the
pursuit of Biblical science, but rather
protects it from error, and largely
assists its real progress. A wide field
is still left open to the private student,
in which his hermeneutical skill may
display itself with signal effect and
to the advantage of the Church. On the
one hand, in those passages of Holy
Scripture which have not as yet received
a certain and definitive interpretation,
such labours may, in the benignant providence
of God, prepare for and bring to maturity
the judgment of the Church; on the other,
in passages already defined, the private
student may do work equally valuable,
either by setting them forth more clearly
to the flock and more skilfully to scholars,
or by defending them more powerfully
from hostile attack. Wherefore the first
and dearest object of the Catholic commentator
should be to interpret those passages
which have received an authentic interpretation
either from the sacred writers themselves,
under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost
(as in many places of the New Testament),
or from the Church, under the assistance
of the same Holy Spirit, whether by
her solemn judgment or her ordinary
and universal magisterium(35) - to interpret
these passages in that identical sense,
and to prove, by all the resources of
science, that sound hermeneutical laws
admit of no other interpretation. In
the other passages, the analogy of faith
should be followed, and Catholic doctrine,
as authoritatively proposed by the Church,
should be held as the supreme law; for,
seeing that the same God is the author
both of the Sacred Books and of the
doctrine committed to the Church, it
is clearly impossible that any teaching
can by legitimate means be extracted
from the former, which shall in any
respect be at variance with the latter.
Hence it follows that all interpretation
is foolish and false which either makes
the sacred writers disagree one with
another, or is opposed to the doctrine
of the Church. The Professor of Holy
Scripture, therefore, amongst other
recommendations, must be well acquainted
with the whole circle of Theology and
deeply read in the commentaries of the
Holy Fathers and Doctors, and other
interpreters of mark.(36) This is inculcated
by St. Jerome, and still more frequently
by St. Augustine, who thus justly complains:
"If there is no branch of teaching,
however humble and easy to learn, which
does not require a master, what can
be a greater sign of rashness and pride
than to refuse to study the Books of
the divine mysteries by the help of
those who have interpreted them?"(37)
The other Fathers have said the same,
and have confirmed it by their example,
for they "endeavoured to acquire
the understanding of the Holy Scriptures
not by their own lights and ideas, but
from the writings and authority of the
ancients, who in their turn, as we know,
received the rule of interpretation
in direct line from the Apostles."(38)
The Holy Fathers "to whom, after
the Apostles, the Church owes its growth-who
have planted, watered, built, governed,
and cherished it,"(39) the Holy
Fathers, We say, are of supreme authority,
whenever they all interpret in one and
the same manner any text of the Bible,
as pertaining to the doctrine of faith
or morals; for their unanimity clearly
evinces that such interpretation has
come down from the Apostles as a matter
of Catholic faith. The opinion of the
Fathers is also of very great weight
when they treat of these matters in
their capacity of doctors, unofficially;
not only because they excel in their
knowledge of revealed doctrine and in
their acquaintance with many things
which are useful in understanding the
apostolic Books, but because they are
men of eminent sanctity and of ardent
zeal for the truth, on whom God has
bestowed a more ample measure of His
light. Wherefore the expositor should
make it his duty to follow their footsteps
with all reverence, and to use their
labours with intelligent appreciation.
15. But he must not on that
account consider that it is forbidden,
when just cause exists, to push inquiry
and exposition beyond what the Fathers
have done; provided he carefully observes
the rule so wisely laid down by St.
Augustine-not to depart from the literal
and obvious sense, except only where
reason makes it untenable or necessity
requires;(40) a rule to which it is
the more necessary to adhere strictly
in these times, when the thirst for
novelty and unrestrained freedom of
thought make the danger of error most
real and proximate. Neither should those
passages be neglected which the Fathers
have understood in an allegorical or
figurative sense, more especially when
such interpretation is justified by
the literal, and when it rests on the
authority of many. For this method of
interpretation has been received by
the Church from the Apostles, and has
been approved by her own practice, as
the holy Liturgy attests; although it
is true that the holy Fathers did not
thereby pretend directly to demonstrate
dogmas of faith, but used it as a means
of promoting virtue and piety, such
as, by their own experience, they knew
to be most valuable. The authority of
other Catholic interpreters is not so
great; but the study of Scripture has
always continued to advance in the Church,
and, therefore, these commentaries also
have their own honourable place, and
are serviceable in many ways for the
refutation of assailants and the explanation
of difficulties. But it is most unbecoming
to pass by, in ignorance or contempt,
the excellent work which Catholics have
left in abundance, and to have recourse
to the works of non-Catholics - and
to seek in them, to the detriment of
sound doctrine and often to the peril
of faith, the explanation of passages
on which Catholics long ago have successfully
employed their talent and their labour.
For although the studies of non-Catholics,
used with prudence, may sometimes be
of use to the Catholic student, he should,
nevertheless, bear well in mind-as the
Fathers also teach in numerous passages(41)
- that the sense of Holy Scripture can
nowhere be found incorrupt outside of
the Church, and cannot be expected to
be found in writers who, being without
the true faith, only gnaw the bark of
the Sacred Scripture, and never attain
its pith.
16. Most desirable is it, and
most essential, that the whole teaching
of Theology should be pervaded and animated
by the use of the divine Word of God.
This is what the Fathers and the greatest
theologians of all ages have desired
and reduced to practice. It was chiefly
out of the Sacred Writings that they
endeavoured to proclaim and establish
the Articles of Faith and the truths
therewith connected, and it was in them,
together with divine Tradition, that
they found the refutation of heretical
error, and the reasonableness, the true
meaning, and the mutual relation of
the truths of Catholicism. Nor will
any one wonder at this who considers
that the Sacred Books hold such an eminent
position among the sources of revelation
that without their assiduous study and
use, Theology cannot be placed on its
true footing, or treated as its dignity
demands. For although it is right and
proper that students in academies and
schools should be chiefly exercised
in acquiring a scientific knowledge
of dogma, by means of reasoning from
the Articles of Faith to their consequences,
according to the ules of approved and
sound philosophy - nevertheless the
judicious and instructed theologian
will by no means pass by that method
of doctrinal demonstration which draws
its proof from the authority of the
Bible; "for (Theology) does not
receive her first principles from any
other science, but immediately from
God by revelation. And, therefore, she
does not receive of other sciences as
from a superior, but uses them as her
inferiors or handmaids."(42) It
is this view of doctrinal teaching which
is laid down and recommended by the
prince of theologians, St. Thomas of
Aquin;(43) who, moreover, shows - such
being the essential character of Christian
Theology - how she can defend her own
principles against attack: "If
the adversary," he says, "do
but grant any portion of the divine
revelation, we have an argument against
him; thus, against a heretic we can
employ Scripture authority, and against
those who deny one article, we can use
another. But if our opponent reject
divine revelation entirely, there is
then no way left to prove the Article
of Faith by reasoning; we can only solve
the difficulties which are raised against
them."(44)' Care must be taken,
then, that beginners approach the study
of the Bible well prepared and furnished;
otherwise, just hopes will be frustrated,
or, perchance, what is worse, they will
unthinkingly risk the danger of error,
falling an easy prey to the sophisms
and laboured erudition of the Rationalists.
The best preparation will be a conscientious
application to philosophy and theology
under the guidance of St. Thomas of
Aquin, and a thorough training therein
- as We ourselves have elsewhere pointed
out and directed. By this means, both
in Biblical studies and in that part
of Theology which is called positive,
they will pursue the right path and
make satisfactory progress.
The Authority of Holy Scripture;
Modern Criticism; Physical Science
17. To prove, to expound, to
illustrate Catholic Doctrine by the
legitimate and skilful interpretation
of the Bible, is much; but there is
a second part of the subject of equal
importance and equal difficulty - the
maintenance in the strongest possible
way of its full authority. This cannot
be done completely or satisfactorily
except by means of the living and proper
magisterium of the Church. The Church,
"by reason of her wonderful propagation,
her distinguished sanctity and inexhaustible
fecundity in good, her Catholic unity,
and her unshaken stability, is herself
a great and perpetual motive of credibility,
and an unassailable testimony to her
own Divine mission."(45) But since
the divine and infallible magisterium
of the Church rests also on the authority
of Holy Scripture, the first thing to
be done is to vindicate the trustworthiness
of the sacred records at least as human
documents, from which can be clearly
proved, as from primitive and authentic
testimony, the Divinity and the mission
of Christ our Lord, the institution
of a hierarchical Church and the primacy
of Peter and his successors. It is most
desirable, therefore, that there should
be numerous members of the clergy well
prepared to enter upon a contest of
this nature, and to repulse hostile
assaults, chiefly trusting in that armour
of God recommended by the Apostle,(46)
but also not unaccustomed to modern
methods of attack. This is beautifully
alluded to by St. John Chrysostom, when
describing the duties of priests: "We
must use every endeavour that the `Word
of God may dwell in us abundantly'(47)
and not merely for one kind of fight
must we be prepared-for the contest
is many-sided and the enemy is of every
sort; and they do not all use the same
weapons nor make their onset in the
same way. Wherefore it is needful that
the man who has to contend against all
should be acquainted with the engines
and the arts of all-that he should be
at once archer and slinger, commandant
and officer, general and private soldier,
foot-soldier and horseman, skilled in
sea-fight and in siege; for unless he
knows every trick and turn of war, the
devil is well able, if only a single
door be left open, to get in his fierce
bands and carry off the sheep."(48)
The sophisms of the enemy and his manifold
arts of attack we have already touched
upon. Let us now say a word of advice
on the means of defence. The first means
is the study of the Oriental languages
and of the art of criticism. These two
acquirements are in these days held
in high estimation, and therefore the
clergy, by making themselves more or
less fully acquainted with them as time
and place may demand, will the better
be able to discharge their office with
becoming credit; for they must make
themselves "all to all,"(49)
always "ready to satisfy every
one that asketh them a reason for the
hope that is in them."(50) Hence
it is most proper that Professors of
Sacred Scripture and theologians should
master those tongues in which the sacred
Books were originally written; and it
would be well that Church students also
should cultivate them, more especially
those who aspire to academic degrees.
And endeavours should be made to establish
in all academic institutions - as has
already been laudably done in many -
chairs of the other ancient languages,
especially the Semitic, and of subjects
connected therewith, for the benefit
principally of those who are intended
to profess sacred literature. These
latter, with a similar object in view,
should make themselves well and thoroughly
acquainted with the art of true criticism.
There has arisen, to the great detriment
of religion, an inept method, dignified
by the name of the "higher criticism,"
which pretends to judge of the origin,
integrity and authority of each Book
from internal indications alone. It
is clear, on the other hand, that in
historical questions, such as the origin
and the handing down of writings, the
witness of history is of primary importance,
and that historical investigation should
be made with the utmost care; and that
in this matter internal evidence is
seldom of great value, except as confirmation.
To look upon it in any other light will
be to open the door to many evil consequences.
It will make the enemies of religion
much more bold and confident in attacking
and mangling the Sacred Books; and this
vaunted "higher criticism"
will resolve itself into the reflection
of the bias and the prejudice of the
critics. It will not throw on the Scripture
the light which is sought, or prove
of any advantage to doctrine; it will
only give rise to disagreement and dissension,
those sure notes of error, which the
critics in question so plentifully exhibit
in their own persons; and seeing that
most of them are tainted with false
philosophy and rationalism, it must
lead to the elimination from the sacred
writings of all prophecy and miracle,
and of everything else that is outside
the natural order.
18. In the second place, we
have to contend against those who, making
an evil use of physical science, minutely
scrutinize the Sacred Book in order
to detect the writers in a mistake,
and to take occasion to vilify its contents.
Attacks of this kind, bearing as they
do on matters of sensible experience,
are peculiarly dangerous to the masses,
and also to the young who are beginning
their literary studies; for the young,
if they lose their reverence for the
Holy Scripture on one or more points,
are easily led to give up believing
in it altogether. It need not be pointed
out how the nature of science, just
as it is so admirably adapted to show
forth the glory of the Great Creator,
provided it be taught as it should be,
so if it be perversely imparted to the
youthful intelligence, it may prove
most fatal in destroying the principles
of true philosophy and in the corruption
of morality. Hence to the Professor
of Sacred Scripture a knowledge of natural
science will be of very great assistance
in detecting such attacks on the Sacred
Books, and in refuting them. There can
never, indeed, be any real discrepancy
between the theologian and the physicist,
as long as each confines himself within
his own lines, and both are careful,
as St. Augustine warns us, "not
to make rash assertions, or to assert
what is not known as known."(51)
If dissension should arise between them,
here is the rule also laid down by St.
Augustine, for the theologian: "Whatever
they can really demonstrate to be true
of physical nature, we must show to
be capable of reconciliation with our
Scriptures; and whatever they assert
in their treatises which is contrary
to these Scriptures of ours, that is
to Catholic faith, we must either prove
it as well as we can to be entirely
false, or at all events we must, without
the smallest hesitation, believe it
to be so."(52) To understand how
just is the rule here formulated we
must remember, first, that the sacred
writers, or to speak more accurately,
the Holy Ghost "Who spoke by them,
did not intend to teach men these things
(that is to say, the essential nature
of the things of the visible universe),
things in no way profitable unto salvation."(53)
Hence they did not seek to penetrate
the secrets of nature, but rather described
and dealt with things in more or less
figurative language, or in terms which
were commonly used at the time, and
which in many instances are in daily
use at this day, even by the most eminent
men of science. Ordinary speech primarily
and properly describes what comes under
the senses; and somewhat in the same
way the sacred writers-as the Angelic
Doctor also reminds us - `went by what
sensibly appeared,"(54) or put
down what God, speaking to men, signified,
in the way men could understand and
were accustomed to.
19. The unshrinking defence
of the Holy Scripture, however, does
not require that we should equally uphold
all the opinions which each of the Fathers
or the more recent interpreters have
put forth in explaining it; for it may
be that, in commenting on passages where
physical matters occur, they have sometimes
expressed the ideas of their own times,
and thus made statements which in these
days have been abandoned as incorrect.
Hence, in their interpretations, we
must carefully note what they lay down
as belonging to faith, or as intimately
connected with faith-what they are unanimous
in. For "in those things which
do not come under the obligation of
faith, the Saints were at liberty to
hold divergent opinions, just as we
ourselves are,"(55) according to
the saying of St. Thomas. And in another
place he says most admirably: "When
philosophers are agreed upon a point,
and it is not contrary to our faith,
it is safer, in my opinion, neither
to lay down such a point as a dogma
of faith, even though it is perhaps
so presented by the philosophers, nor
to reject it as against faith, lest
we thus give to the wise of this world
an occasion of despising our faith."(56)
The Catholic interpreter, although he
should show that those facts of natural
science which investigators affirm to
be now quite certain are not contrary
to the Scripture rightly explained,
must nevertheless always bear in mind,
that much which has been held and proved
as certain has afterwards been called
in question and rejected. And if writers
on physics travel outside the boundaries
of their own branch, and carry their
erroneous teaching into the domain of
philosophy, let them be handed over
to philosophers for
Inspiration Incompatible with Error
20. The principles here laid
down will apply cognate sciences, and
especially to History. It is a lamentable
fact that there are many who with great
labour carry out and publish investigations
on the monuments of antiquity, the manners
and institutions of nations and other
illustrative subjects, and whose chief
purpose in all this is too often to
find mistakes in the sacred writings
and so to shake and weaken their authority.
Some of these writers display not only
extreme hostility, but the greatest
unfairness; in their eyes a profane
book or ancient document is accepted
without hesitation, whilst the Scripture,
if they only find in it a suspicion
of error, is set down with the slightest
possible discussion as quite untrustworthy.
It is true, no doubt, that copyists
have made mistakes in the text of the
Bible; this question, when it arises,
should be carefully considered on its
merits, and the fact not too easily
admitted, but only in those passages
where the proof is clear. It may also
happen that the sense of a passage remains
ambiguous, and in this case good hermeneutical
methods will greatly assist in clearing
up the obscurity. But it is absolutely
wrong and forbidden, either to narrow
inspiration to certain parts only of
Holy Scripture, or to admit that the
sacred writer has erred. For the system
of those who, in order to rid themselves
of these difficulties, do not hesitate
to concede that divine inspiration regards
the things of faith and morals, and
nothing beyond, because (as they wrongly
think) in a question of the truth or
falsehood of a passage, we should consider
not so much what God has said as the
reason and purpose which He had in mind
in saying it-this system cannot be tolerated.
For all the books which the Church receives
as sacred and canonical, are written
wholly and entirely, with all their
parts, at the dictation of the Holy
