Lunchtime Food for Thought: How Do Catholics Interpret the Bible?

When a lawyer asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus asked him “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” Jesus’ questions point out that the Bible does not interpret itself. There are different ways to interpret it. Let’s review some of the main points from Pope Benedict XVI’s Verbum Domini, exploring the rules of how to read the Bible well. We will discuss the four levels of meaning of Scripture, the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament, and the “dark passages” of human sin–among many others.