Catholics do not interpret the Scriptures as the full message of God but as a component — the written message that must be interpreted together with the oral traditions passed down to us by the apostles. Through the example of their lives and work, their preaching after Jesus' death, and the institutions they established, the apostles continued to pass on the Gospel. Today's Church leaders are direct successors to the apostles, passing down through the ages the wisdom learned in earlier times.

Church tradition and acquired belief is just as important as words written in the Bible. Alone, the Bible is not sufficient for understanding the full Christian message. Catholics must also listen to the teaching of the Church to make sense of the Scriptures. The Catholic Church does not insist on the literal meaning of the Bible, but it looks behind the words for the intent of the Great Author.

Church tradition includes a long and rich heritage of biblical interpretation. Catholics believe the interpretation provided by the Church in any era is the best received wisdom of the time. Thus the Holy Spirit speaks to Church fathers to help them interpret the Bible, but they can only understand within the bounds of current human knowledge.

Who Says What It Means

The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or as tradition, is entrusted to the Church, a living, teaching office instituted by Jesus Christ. In the Church, the authority of interpretation rests with the bishops and the pope. The role of ordinary Catholics is to accept and understand these teachings and submit to their authority.

According to the Catholic Church, the Bible does not contain all of God's truth. The role of the Church is to reveal God's truth throughout the ages, and so the Church itself is an instrument to proclaim the Word of God. It is a witness and guardian of revelation and thus more qualified than individuals to determine the meaning of the Divine Word.

Apostolic Tradition

In its insistence on balancing Scripture and tradition, the Catholic Church continued a Jewish tradition of oral interpretation, or elaboration, of the law. In making Peter the rock on which he built his Church, Jesus set in motion a hierarchy. The pope or Bishop of Rome is the successor to Peter. Each of these Church leaders is seen as having power and access to the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church continues this tradition of apostolic succession up to the present day.

How Significant Is the Bible

Catholics share the conviction that the Bible is the Word of God. The Holy Spirit inspired and spoke through the writers of Scripture. Although they were ordinary men who acquired knowledge through ordinary channels, they speak with divine authority. The Word of God is transmitted through their pens. The Bible is a constant source of revelation as Church fathers return to it to reinterpret God's Word for the modern age. It is also a constant mystery, as human understanding does not extend to the full power of God's message.