THE BIBLE SCRIPTURE
When interpreted like any other book, by
the same rules of evidence and the same canons of criticism, the Bible will
still remain unlike any other book its beauty will be freshly seen, as of a
picture which is restored after many ages to its original state; it will create
a new interest and make for itself a new kind of authority by the life which is
in it. .No one can form any notion from what we see
around
us, of the power which Christianity might have if it were at one with the
conscience of man, Though separated from their original context, and republished
after so long an interval, it is believed that these writings will be found to
have a lasting value.
It is a strange, though familiar fact,
that great
Differences of opinion exist respecting
the Interpretation
Of Scripture All Christians receive the
Old and
New Testament as sacred writings, but they
are not
Agreed about the meaning which they
attribute to
Them the book itself remains as at the first;
the
Commentators seem rather to reflect the
changing
Atmosphere of the world or of the Church,
Different
Individuals or bodies of Christians have a
different
Point of view, to which their
interpretation is
Narrowed or made to conform. It is
assumed, as
Natural and necessary that the same words
will
Present one idea to the mind of the
Protestant, another
To the Roman Catholic; one meaning to the
German, another to the English interpreter
the
Ultramondane or Anglican divine is not
supposed to
Be impartial in his treatment of passages
which afford
An apparent foundation for the doctrine of
purgatory
Or the primacy of St. Peter on the one
hand, or the
Three orders of clergy and the divine
origin of episcopacy
On the other it is a received view with
many,
That the meaning of the Bible is to be
defined by
That of the Prayer-book; while there are
others who
Interpret the Bible and the Bible only with
a silent
Reference to the traditions of the
Reformation Philosophical
Differences are in the background, into
which
The
differences about Scripture also resolve themselves.
