Expert: Edward Bode - 6/16/2004

Question
Do you believe that the Bible is true and proves true (Proverbs 30:5), that it is God-breathed and inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), that it is the word of God (John 10:35), that it is the words of God (Revelation 17:17), and that God never lies (Titus 1:2)?

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Followup To
Question -
My question concerns Exodus 15:3.  If a person holds to a literal method of biblical interpretation, should they then hold the belief that God is a man?  Also, should they not also discard the doctrine of Trinity in light of the biblical assertion of the seven spirits of God?  I realize many people ascribe symbolic meaning to this but a person who interprets the Bible literally couldn't justifiably do so.
Answer -
As a library, the bible contains many styles of writing, not all of which are intended to be understood literally.  The poem of Exodus speaks of God as a warrior -- we use human language to attempt a description of the divine.  I see no problem with understanding the intended message of the inspired author, who is certainly not trying to say that God is a man.  
The Trinity is the distillation of several centuries of scholars and theologians trying to understand the many references of the New Testament to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The analysis was sanctioned by several general councils of the Church.  The Trinity has been an accepted doctrine for more than 1600 years.  
If you are referring to the seven gifts of the Spirit as described in Isaiah, they can be well understood in light of the New Testament as characteristics of the Holy Spirit.
In short, some of the bible is to be understood literally, some is not.  The interpreation depends, among many factors, especially on the intended literary style of the human author.
I hope, Jesse, that my thoughts are of help to you.  If not, please feel free to write again.

Answer
Of course!
The bible teaches firmly, faithfully, and without error that truth which God wanted put in the sacred writings for the sake of our salvation.  For that end, we humans need to be sure that we understand what the sacred writer intended and what God wanted to manifest through their words.  For that purpose, we must pay attention to the customary and characteristic styles of perceiving, speaking, and narrating which prevailed at the time of the sacred writer and to the customs people normally followed at that time in their dealings with one another.  Also, one must pay attention to the content and the unity of the whole of sacred scripture.
Thanks, Jesse, for writing again.  I hope these thoughts help to explain my thinking, which reflects the teaching of the Catholic Church.
Best wishes.