Third session on the study of the Bible in the middle ages.
Listen online [here] part 1!
Listen online [here] part 2!
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The Study
of the Bible in the Middle Ages
Adult
Faith Formation Series, October 2022
Session 3:
The Division of the Text
Class Schedule, Thursdays, from 7
to 8 pm
October 6th –
Introduction to the “senses” of Scripture
October 13th – St
Thomas’ Biblical Commentaries
October 20th – the
Division of the Text
October 27th – St
Thomas’ Commentary on the Gospel of John
I. Review: The Literal Sense and the Intention of the
Human Author
Biblical
Inspiration does not mean that the human author had no part in the writing of
the Scripture, but that all that he wrote was inspired by God and he wrote only
that which God inspired him to write. Still, the personality and intention of
the human author comes through in every portion of the Bible.
Divine
Inspiration does not nullify human authorship, but neither does human
participation limit divine inspiration. This is why we must say that the Bible
is inerrant.
For the
Scholastic Doctors, the primary goal in interpreting Scripture is to discern
the intention of God who inspired Scripture. However, this is not to say that
the human intention is not important, but only that it follows upon and is
revealed within the bigger picture of Divine Revelation.
The
Literal Sense of Scripture, which is the foundation of theology, is the meaning
which the words themselves indicate. This is not based so much on the intention
of the human author, but really on the words themselves and what the words
signify. The spiritual senses are the
additional meaning that the things (historical realities, etc) signify.
II.
What is the Divisio Textus – Division of the Text?
The
division of the text of Scripture guided St Thomas and the other scholastics in
how they interpreted and commentated on the Bible. The intention of the human
author guided this division of the text – and allowed the scholastic doctor to
bring out the inherent logic of the sacred text by identifying the theme of a
given book and then subdividing the text into smaller and smaller logical
units. Each of these units (sometimes as small as one word) stand in relation
to those around it and to the entire book, indeed, ultimately in relation even
to Bible as a whole.
How do
we know whether a particular division of the text is correct? For the
scholastics, this is more of an art than a strict science (although the
approach looks and sounds very scientific in practice) – the real proof/test of
a division is how well it succeeds in “making sense” of the order of a book.
Does it provide an explanation that seems credible and sufficiently accounts
for the text itself?
III.
Examples in Theological Works
From
the beginning Summa Theologica of St Thomas:
“Because
the chief aim of sacred doctrine is to teach the knowledge of God, not only as
He is in Himself, but also as He is the beginning of things and their last end,
and especially of rational creatures, as is clear from what has been already
said, therefore, in our endeavor to expound this science, we shall treat: (1)
Of God; (2) Of the rational creature's advance towards God; (3) Of Christ, Who
as man, is our way to God.
“In
treating of God there will be a threefold division, for we shall consider: (1)
Whatever concerns the Divine Essence; (2) Whatever concerns the distinctions of
Persons; (3) Whatever concerns the procession of creatures from Him.
“Concerning
the Divine Essence, we must consider: (1) Whether God exists? (2) The manner of
His existence, or, rather, what is NOT the manner of His existence; (3)
Whatever concerns His operations---namely, His knowledge, will, power.
“Concerning
the first, there are three points of inquiry: (1) Whether the proposition
"God exists" is self-evident? (2) Whether it is demonstrable? (3) Whether God exists?”
From
the Third Part of the Summa:
“Forasmuch
as our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to "save His people from
their sins" (Mat. 1:21), as the angel announced, showed unto us in His own
Person the way of truth, whereby we may attain to the bliss of eternal life by
rising again, it is necessary, in order to complete the work of theology, that
after considering the last end of human life, and the virtues and vices, there
should follow the consideration of the Saviour of all, and of the benefits
bestowed by Him on the human race.
“Concerning
this we must consider (1) the Saviour Himself; (2) the sacraments by which we
attain to our salvation; (3) the end of immortal life to which we attain by the
resurrection.
“Concerning
the first, a double consideration occurs: the first, about the mystery of the
Incarnation itself, whereby God was made man for our salvation; the second,
about such things as were done and suffered by our Saviour---i.e. God
incarnate.”
The
divisio compared to the method of distinction, as seen in ST III, q.46, a.5.
Whether Christ endured all suffering?:
“I
answer that, Human sufferings may be considered under two aspects. First of
all, specifically, and in this way it was not necessary for Christ to endure
them all, since many are mutually exclusive, as burning and drowning; for we
are dealing now with sufferings inflicted from without, since it was not
beseeming for Him to endure those arising from within, such as bodily ailments,
as already stated (III:14:4). But, speaking generically, He did endure every
human suffering. This admits of a threefold acceptance. First of all, on the
part of men: for He endured something from Gentiles and from Jews; from men and
from women, as is clear from the women servants who accused Peter. He suffered
from the rulers, from their servants and from the mob. He suffered from friends
and acquaintances, as is manifest from Judas betraying and Peter denying Him.
“Secondly,
the same is evident on the part of the sufferings which a man can endure. For
Christ suffered from friends abandoning Him; in His reputation, from the
blasphemies hurled at Him; in His honor and glory, from the mockeries and the
insults heaped upon Him; in things, for He was despoiled of His garments; in
His soul, from sadness, weariness, and fear; in His body, from wounds and
scourgings.
‘Thirdly,
it may be considered with regard to His bodily members. In His head He suffered
from the crown of piercing thorns; in His hands and feet, from the fastening of
the nails; on His face from the blows and spittle; and from the lashes over His
entire body. Moreover, He suffered in all His bodily senses: in touch, by being
scourged and nailed; in taste, by being given vinegar and gall to drink; in
smell, by being fastened to the gibbet in a place reeking with the stench of
corpses, "which is called Calvary"; in hearing, by being tormented
with the cries of blasphemers and scorners; in sight, by beholding the tears of
His Mother and of the disciple whom He loved.
IV.
Examples in the Scriptural Commentaries
St
Thomas’ Division of the Letters of St Paul, from the Commentary on Romans:
“For he
wrote fourteen letters, nine of which instructed the church of the gentiles;
four, the prelates and princes of the church, i.e., kings; and one to the
people of Israel, namely, the letter to the Hebrews. For this entire teaching
is about Christ’s grace, which can be considered in three ways:
“In one
way, as it is in the Head, namely, Christ, and in this regard it is explained
in the letter to the Hebrews.
“In
another way, as it is found in the chief members of the Mystical Body, and this
is explained in the letters to the prelates.
“In a
third way, as it is found in the Mystical Body itself, that is, the Church, and
this is explained in the letters sent to the gentiles. These last letters are
distinguished from one another according to the three ways the grace of Christ
can be considered: in one way, as it is in itself, and thus it is set out in
the letter to the Romans; in another way, as it exists in the sacraments of
grace, which is explained in the two letters to the Corinthians—in the first of
these the nature of the sacraments is treated; in the second, the dignity of
the minister—and in the letter to the Galatians, in which superfluous
sacraments are rejected against certain men who wanted to join the old
sacraments to the new ones. In a third way, Christ’s grace is considered in
regard to the effect of unity it produces in the Church.
“Hence,
the Apostle deals first with the establishment of ecclesial unity, in the
letter to the Ephesians; second, with its consolidation and progress, in the
letter to the Philippians; third, of its defense against certain errors, in the
letter to the Colossians; against existing persecutions, in the first letter to
the Thessalonians; and against persecutions to come, especially in the time of
anti-Christ, in the second letter to the Thessalonians.
“He
instructs the prelates of the Church, both spiritual and temporal. He instructs
the spiritual prelates of the Church about establishing, preserving, and
governing ecclesial unity in the first letter to Timothy; about resistance
against persecutors in the second; and about defense against heretics in the
letter to Titus. He instructs temporal lords in the letter to Philemon.
“And
thus the division and order of all the epistles is clear.”
St
Thomas’ Division of the Letter of St Paul to the Hebrews:
“He
wrote this epistle against the errors of those converts from Judaism who wanted
to preserve the legal observances along with the Gospel, as though Christ’s
grace were not sufficient for salvation. Hence it is divided into two parts.
“In the
first he extols Christ’s grandeur in order to show the superiority of the New
Testament over the Old; in the second part, he discusses what unites the
members to the head, namely, faith, at now, faith is the substance (Heb
11:1).
“But he
intends to show the New Testament’s superiority over the Old by proving
Christ’s preeminence over three sacred persons of the Old Testament, namely,
the angels, by whom the law was handed down: the law was ordained by
angels in the hand of a mediator (Gal 3:19); Moses, by whom or through
whom it was given: the law was given by Moses (John 1:17); there
arose no more a prophet in Israel like unto Moses (Deut 3:10); and the
priesthood, by which it was administered: into the first tabernacle,
the priests indeed always entered, accomplishing the offices of sacrifices (Heb
9:6).
“First,
therefore, he favors Christ over the angels;
“second,
over Moses, at wherefore, holy brethren (Heb 3:1);
“third,
over the priesthood of the Old Testament, at for every high priest (Heb
5:1).
“In
regard to the first, he does two things:
“first,
he favors Christ over the angels in this chapter
“second,
he defines what kind of reverence should be given to the new law, at therefore
ought we more diligently to observe (Heb 2:1).
“Concerning
the first he does two things:
“first,
he shows the excellence of Christ;
“second,
he proves that this is true of Christ, and thus, that the angels fall short of
that excellence, at being made so much better (Heb 1:4).
“Moreover,
it is unique in this epistle that every word has a separate meaning and keeps
its order.
“In
regard to the first, he indicates Christ’s excellence in four matters:
“first,
as to his unique origin, by calling him the true natural Son of God, when he
says he has spoken to us by his Son;
“second,
as to the extent of his rule, at whom he has appointed heir of all
things;
“third,
as to the power of his activity, at by whom also he made the world;
“fourth,
as to the sublimity of his glory, at who being the splendor of his
glory (Heb 1:3).
“But
because he intends to extol Christ so that it redounds to the glory of the New
Testament, this favors the New Testament over the Old. About which he mentions
five things:
“first,
how it was promulgated, in many ways and in diverse manners;
“second,
the time, when he says once;
“third,
the author or giver, God;
“fourth,
to whom it was given, to the fathers;
“fifth,
by which ministers, in the prophets.”
