Taking the Bible Literally: Hilary, Aquinas, and Modern Academics

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Much is made, in some quarters of Christendom, of taking the Bible "literally". Many pursue this course as an understandable reaction to postmodernism; emphasis on the literal sense of Scripture, it is hoped, will prevent an interpretive pluralism which neuters God's word when it conflicts with the spirit of our age. Unfortunately, many on the progressive wing of evangelicalism use this as a justification to avoid any canonical consciousness when interpreting the Bible. While the great tradition of Christian theology has been to interpret one saying of the apostles or prophets in light of other passages on similar subjects throughout the canonical writings, modern academia does not tolerate the idea that Paul and Isaiah may have been led by the same Spirit.

But taught they were, and taught by God who planned the whole of His inscripturated revelation before time itself was created. Accordingly, the Bible fits together as one marvelous whole. Thomas Aquinas expressed this well, "the literal sense is that which the author intends, and the author of Scripture is God." (ST I.2) Because God is the primary author of Scripture, working in and through men set apart for that purpose, it is completely legitimate to understand any particular text in light of the whole of canonical revelation. Pericopes are not meant to be read in isolation from one another, but as Christ said the whole of Scripture was always intended to bear witness to Him and His work (John 5:39).

A good example of the implications this has for preaching and Biblical interpretation can be found in Hilary of Poitiers's "Homilies on the Psalms". In commenting on Psalm 54, he says:

This [shows] that what was actually being done to David contained a type of something yet to come; an innocent man is harassed by railing, a prophet is mocked by reviling words, one approved by God is demanded for execution, a king is betrayed to his foe. So the Lord was betrayed to Herod and Pilate by those very men in whose hands He ought to have been safe. The Psalm then awaits the end for its true interpretation, and finds its meaning in the true David, in Whom is the end of the Law, that David who holds the keys and opens with them the gate of knowledge, in fulfilling the things foretold of Him by David. (Hilary of Poitiers, "Homilies on the Psalms" NPNF 2/9:243)

Hilary does not deny that the Psalm contains a literal reference to David's historical persecution at the hands of his enemies. Yet nevertheless, this historical point of reference does not make it any less true that its ultimate fulfillment was in the true David, Jesus Christ. While David was king of Israel, a type of God's eschatological Kingdom, Christ is the true King who inaugurated and will consummate this Kingdom in Himself. And this is not a less "literal" interpretation, it is the way Christ intends His bride to receive His word.