Book 3, chapter 10, verse 15 of St. Augustine's book called "Christian Doctrine" deals with one's "honesty" involved in Scripture interpretation. Following is my commentary on the text:
The text of St. Augustine treats of the honesty that is necessary and fundamental for the correct interpretation of Scripture and condemns the false attitude of prejudice and discrimination that adulterates the Word of God. For example, if I am a person who does not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the priesthood of the Apostles, the authority of Peter or the establishment of the Church by Christ, then every time I come across a phrase in the Bible dealing with these themes, I will end up interpreting the words in a figurative way. I will do this because they do not agree with my "a priori" thinking and beliefs. I already possess pre-established thoughts and will judge the Word of God in their light. I am not interested in reading the Bible in an objective, honest and open way (as it naturally presents its truths), but want to conform the Word of God to my personal concepts. As St. Augustine says, we want to change the Word of God to fit our erroneous minds. Of course that is something dishonest and shows that whoever is reading Scripture in this way has no real interest to learn the truths it is presenting. He is, on the contrary, trying to manipulate the Word as an instrument to reinforce his personal beliefs and ideas. This is a violent, perverted, dishonest, criminal way to read and interpret the Sacred Word of God.
Martin Luther committed this crime. When he saw, for example, that the letter of James did not agree with his teachings on good works, he decided to eliminate the Scripture text altogether. He was the type of person that decided to cut the toes of a foot to fit into the shoe, instead of changing the shoe size to match the feet. Luther wanted the Word of God to conform to him and not vice-versa. People, therefore, of pre-established beliefs, when coming across a phrase that does not agree with their thinking will say: "Oh, that is just some figure or symbol of what Jesus is saying, He did not really mean what you might think He did.... He really did not mean it in that way it is said, but refers to something else...this is just a symbol, etc, etc, etc," These interpreters have a hard time and difficulty in receiving the truth, since their discriminating and obstinate spirit is a profound obstacle to it.
The important truth that St. Augustine is trying to bring across concerns the distinction between two types of Bible interpreters: those who read and interpret the Word of God in an objective, simple, open way free of any prejudices and discriminations, and those who already have it in mind and determined in not allowing it to modify anything that is pre-established within them. The first group will profit greatly from Scripture, the second will simply end up lost, confused and losing their minds, receiving no advantage or profit from the Word of God. If I do not like Chinese, Italian, or French cooking, then I will rip out the pages or modify the recipes of a cookbook containing these particular ones. My cookbook will really look nice after all that. Why should I even bother to buy such a book if I already possess my customary tastes and dislikes of which this manual will not influence me at all? I am really wasting my time in reading it. It will add nothing to what my prejudiced mind has already decided once and for all.
Father Anthony Mellace
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