by Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
The annual meeting of the Pontifical Biblical Commission this year was devoted to the topic of “the inspiration and truth of the Bible.” The Holy Father gave a brief comment to the commission members on April 18. This theme of inspiration and truth is needed for a correct interpretation of the Bibles's message. The Bible itself is a product of the Church and Tradition; it was not first written and then the Church appeared. The Church appeared in an organized way. It subsequently recalled and recorded the essential teaching of the Christ and the apostles. The ultimate origin of the Bible is not human but is found in the Logos, in the Word of God. But this origin does not prevent God also from using human instruments. This is what Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul are about.
Inspiration is an “act of God” in such a manner that the human words express the words of God. Inspiration is decisive in any adequate approach to Holy Scripture. More is found here than simply the words of men, though human words are there. If we only look at the human words, we do not see what is most important and precious about them. We do not see that they “come from God.” They teach us about the beginning and the end and the ways inbetween.
In Verbum Domini, the Pope remarked that the Council fathers placed the idea of inspiration in the context of truth in Scripture. The latter is not just a series of stories or disparate texts. It is a whole. If we attend to inspiration, we will also pay more attention to the truth found in Scripture. The notion that we can have a Scripture that is in opposition to truth undermines the very notion of what Scripture if about.
Comments