BIBLICAL CRITICISM

HISTORY ► Catholic, Protestant and Jewish interpreters of the Bible use the historical-critical method of studying Scripture. Its origins are ancient dating back to the Hellenistic period. Its methods were first applied to the ancient Greek writings like the Homeric epics. Even in its primitive form it was a critical effort to determine the correct form of ancient texts and the philological meaning of those texts. Eventually it was applied to the sacred writings of the Jews and Christians.

Precriticism to the 20th century CONTRIBUTORS: ► 1. MARCION - (c. 150 a.d.) heretic of the second century. He produced a bogus New Testament that prompted the Church to officially determine the New Testament canon. ► TATIAN – (c. 175 a.d.) He attempted a critical look at the New Testament. He wrote the Diatesseron which was an attempt to harmonize the gospels.

CONTRIBUTORS ► ORIGEN (c. 185 – 254) - He was the head of the famous school at Alexandria. He made two contributions to the study of scripture a) Hexapla – which was the earliest attempt at textual criticism a) Hexapla – which was the earliest attempt at textual criticism b) he showed the importance of hermeneutics and the use of allegory in the gospels. b) he showed the importance of hermeneutics and the use of allegory in the gospels.

CONTRIBUTORS ► EUSEBIUS - (C A.D.) He was a Church historian. He provided valuable information on the NT – he divided the gospels into small numbered sections and developed a set of tables to show parallels between the gospels.

CONTRIBUTORS ► AUGUSTINE – (354 – 430 A.D.) He wrote De Consenso Evangelistarum (400). His work affected the treatment of the synoptic gospels. He was aware that the order of the gospel narratives sometimes reflects general recollections rather that pure history. Augustine understood that the words of Jesus reflect their sense or meaning rather that being verbatim.

MIDDLE AGES ► THERE WERE NO MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION DURING THIS PERIOD. ► THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTION OF THIS AGE WAS IN THE DISCIPLINE OF TEXTUAL CRITICISM. THROUGHOUT EUROPE MONKS COPIED MANUSCRIPTS PRESERVING THE WORD OF GOD

BIBLICAL MANUSCRIPTS

RENAISSANCE ► In more modern times, the roots of the historical-critical method can be traced to this period. The main focus was to get back to the original sources and the original languages.

THE REFORMATION PERIOD ► There was an increased interest in the Bible during this time especially in the Reformed Churches. This interest was more dogmatic that critical. The most significant contribution came from Martin Luther ( ). His principle of Sola Scriptura was the hallmark of Protestantism. ► Luther’s contributions: ► 1) he emphasized the study of Scripture in the original languages ► 2) He emphasized attention to literary and historical details. ► 3) The Bible should be widely distributed to the people. ► 4) He translated the Bible into German.

MARTIN LUTHER

18th – 19th Centuries ► This is the time when rationalism and the scientific method prevailed in scholarship. When both were applied to the study of Scripture hence, historical criticism was born. The great historical and archaeological finds of the 18th and 19th centuries contributed to the development of this method. Events and facts of the ancient world help the student of the Bible better understand these sacred writings. ► The encyclical PROVIDENTISSIMUS DEUS by Pope Leo XIII explains how inspiration affected the biblical writer.

…”By supernatural power God so moved and impelled them to write. He was so present to them, that they first rightly understood, then willed faithfully to write down, and finally expressed in apt words and with infallible truth the things which He ordered, and those only.” Leo XIII also established the Pontifical Biblical Commission (1902) that promoted biblical studies.

20th Century: ► In 1943 Pope Pius XII promulgated an encyclical entitled Divino Afflante Spiritu. This encyclical gave Catholic biblical scholars the freedom to study the bible critically, therefore using this method to study Scripture.

Pope Pius XII insisted on: 1.the study of the Bible in its original language 2.the proper use of textual criticism 3.the interpretation of the Bible according to its ancient texts and not just the Vulgate 4.the interpretation of the Bible according to its literal sense 5.the character of the sacred human writer 6.the proper use of ancient literary forms 7.The application to the biblical text of modern discoveries in anthropology and archaeology.

There was rapid growth in the area of Biblical criticism among Catholic scholars DURING THE 20 TH CENTURY.

TOOL USED IN THE INTRPRETATION OF SACRED SCRIPTURE ► LITERARY CRITICISM - this tool analyzes the literary and stylistic character of the Biblical text. ► SOURCE CRITICISM - seeks to determine the prehistory of a biblical book, in other words to determine the sources used in the writing of the sacred text. ► FORM CRITICISM - seeks to determine the literary form used by the sacred writer. For Example: is it poetry or history or law or myth? For Example: is it poetry or history or law or myth?

TOOLS ► REDACTION CRITICISM - in simple terms it is the editing of the sacred text. ► TEXTUAL CRITICISM - establishes a standard text in order to do exegesis. text in order to do exegesis. ► HISTORICAL CRITICISM - uses historical evidence to support or to question Biblical material. ► TRADITION HISTORY CRITICISM - identifies Themes and traditions during OT times and how they have been related in the books of Scripture. Themes and traditions during OT times and how they have been related in the books of Scripture.

TERMS EXEGESIS- from the Greek meaning to draw out. Its aim is to draw out from a book or text the meaning of its words and phrases and to explain its text as a whole.

TERMS ► HERMENEUTICS – determining the message of God’s revelation ►...interpreting the message of Sacred Scripture.

SENSES OF SCRIPTURE ► literal sense – determining what the author meant while paying attention to its literary forms. ► Spiritual Sense – realities and events that bear significance and truth for our Spiritual life. ► Allegorical Sense – information that broadens our ► understanding of Jesus. ► (Ex. The crossing of the Red Sea prefigures Christ’s crossing from death to life in His Paschal Mystery.) Moral Sense - Scripture instructs us as how to lead a holy life ► therefore acting justly toward God and Others. Anagogical Sense – Scripture was written to lead us to ► Salvation thus revealing God’s plan. ► (Ex. Info and reflection on death, judgment, heaven and hell)