ARK Sacred Scripture and Biblical Interpretation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Pentateuch refers to the first five books of the Bible. Which book is NOT part of the Pentateuch?
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Joshua
Joshua is the sixth book of the Old Testament and begins the section known as the Historical Books, not the Pentateuch.
Question 2: Which term describes the scholarly study of the original meaning of biblical texts in their historical and cultural context?
- Eisegesis
- Exegesis (Correct answer)
- Hermeneutics
- Typology
Correct answer: Exegesis
Exegesis is the critical explanation or interpretation of a text, drawing meaning out of the original context rather than reading foreign ideas into it.
Question 3: What is the 'anagogical sense' of Scripture in Catholic interpretation?
- The moral guidance derived from biblical stories
- The historical meaning of biblical events
- The eternal or eschatological significance pointing toward heavenly realities (Correct answer)
- The symbolic connection between Old and New Testaments
Correct answer: The eternal or eschatological significance pointing toward heavenly realities
The anagogical sense reads biblical realities as pointing toward eternal life and heavenly realities, the ultimate goal of Christian hope.
Question 4: Which principle of Catholic biblical interpretation emphasizes reading each passage in light of the whole Bible?
- The Rule of Faith
- The Unity of Scripture (Correct answer)
- Apostolic Succession
- Sensus Plenior
Correct answer: The Unity of Scripture
The Unity of Scripture principle holds that because God is the ultimate author, the Bible forms a coherent whole and each part must be read in light of the whole.
Question 5: In the ARK exam context, what does the 'typological' reading of Scripture involve?
- Analyzing the original Greek and Hebrew texts
- Seeing Old Testament persons and events as prefiguring New Testament realities (Correct answer)
- Applying Scripture to contemporary moral questions
- Identifying the literary genre of each biblical book
Correct answer: Seeing Old Testament persons and events as prefiguring New Testament realities
Typology reads Old Testament 'types' (persons, events, institutions) as prefiguring their fulfillment in Christ and the New Covenant.
Question 6: Which of the following correctly describes the 'sensus plenior' in biblical interpretation?
- The plain meaning of a biblical text understood by average readers
- A deeper meaning intended by God but not fully grasped by the human author (Correct answer)
- The consensus interpretation agreed upon by Church councils
- The literal translation preferred by scholars
Correct answer: A deeper meaning intended by God but not fully grasped by the human author
Sensus plenior ('fuller sense') refers to the deeper meaning God intended that transcends what the human author fully understood when writing.
ARK Sacred Scripture and Biblical Interpretation 2
The Pentateuch refers to the first five books of the Bible.
Which book is NOT part of the Pentateuch?