Celebrating Bible Sunday (July 13, 2014) The Evergreen Priceless Treasure

Who can decide or guarantee the authenticity of the correct interpretation of the Scriptures? Down through the centuries, people from various Christian denominations and religions and even atheists have offered many versions of interpretation of the Scriptures.

Jun 27, 2014

Seeking the Treasure
Who can decide or guarantee the authenticity of the correct interpretation of the Scriptures? Down through the centuries, people from various Christian denominations and religions and even atheists have offered many versions of interpretation of the Scriptures. Is interpretation of the Scriptures a personal matter based upon personal inspiration and claiming it as “Holy Spirit- inspired messages” or as “messages from Christ himself”? Should the Bible and its interpretation be “updated”, “rewritten” or “re-interpreted” according to modern changing situations, in line with contemporary human thinking so as to make it “relevant” and “acceptable” tothe present human diverse life styles and needs? Is interpretation a matter of Gnosticism or relativism or scholasticism or secularization or subjectivism?As a response, the 2013 Bible Sunday message explained “THE SENSES OF SCRIPTURE IN INTERPRETATION”.

Now who has the authority to interpret the Scriptures and guarantee the authenticity of the interpretation? Is the Bible alone sufficient? For this purpose, the 2014 Bible Sunday message focuses on the relationship between the Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Magisterium or Teaching Office of the Church.

Need of a Guide to seek the Treasure
In Luke 24:25-27, 44-47 the Risen Christ Himself explained and interpreted to the two disappointed disciples on the way to Emmaus and His Apostles, the events happening to Himself from the Law of Moses and the writings of the Prophets. In Acts 8:26-40, an Ethiopian Eunuch on his way home after his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, was reading Isaiah about the Suffering Servant of Yahweh (Isaiah 53:7-8). Now Philip, led by the Holy Spirit, approached him and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How could I unless I have someone to guide me?” Philip then began to explain the Good News of Jesus to him. The response was immediate. The Eunuch asked to be baptised there and then.

Jesus, at the Last Supper, told His disciples, “I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you to bear. However when the Spirit of truth comes, He will lead you to complete truth. He will glorify me, since all He will reveal to you, will be taken from what is mine. He will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you”(John 14:26; 16:13-14.). And before His ascension, the Risen Christ told His Apostles to remain in Jerusalem and said; “You will receive the power of the Holy Spirit and then you will be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:4,8)

Just as our Lord Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit came down upon the early Church and Peter gave the first inspired preaching explaining the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The response was overwhelming! Three thousand people were baptised that very day! Since then the Holy Spirit has been with the early Church, inspiring and guiding it in its faithful “witness to Jesus beginning from Jerusalem, to Samaria, Judaea and to the ends of the world” just as Jesus has instructed in Acts 1:8. The same Holy Spirit continues to lead and guide the same Church of Christ built on the Rock, Peter, and ensuring that it faithfully hands down the same Gospel messages it has received from the Apostles in such a way that it remains intact, unchanged but remains always relevant and effective in each succeeding generation (cf 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5; 2 Timothy 3:14-17).This remains so because God has seen to it that what He had revealed for the salvation of all nations would abide perpetually in its full integrity and be handed on to all generations. (CCC 74; Dei Verbum Ch 2 No.7)

--Continued next week

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