Understanding Authorial Intent Through Historical Cultural Context
Understanding authorial intent in biblical texts involves recognizing the historical and cultural contexts in which they were written, as well as the theological perspectives that shaped their interpretation over time. The author of Holy Writ is God, who can convey meaning not only through words but also through the things themselves that the words signify [2]. This dual signification means that the "first sense" of a word, where it signifies a thing, is complemented by the things themselves also having a signification [2].
Early Christian thinkers, such as Origen, recognized that biblical texts, particularly the prophetic Scriptures, contained historical events recorded with an allegorical purpose [1]. Origen argued that if the logical connection and order of the law had always been preserved in historical accounts, readers might not believe that anything beyond the surface meaning was intended [6]. Therefore, divine wisdom intentionally introduced "stumbling-blocks" or interruptions to the historical meaning to encourage deeper investigation [6]. This approach suggests that the historical details, while factual, also serve a broader, allegorical or spiritual purpose, accessible to those willing to investigate beyond the literal [1].
The Reformed tradition, as exemplified by John Calvin, emphasizes the human factor in the process of revelation, even while affirming divine inspiration [3]. Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion highlights the importance of context for understanding specific passages. For instance, in interpreting God's words to Cain, Calvin explains that the divine purpose was to expose Cain's unjust envy toward Abel, demonstrating that wickedness cannot surpass righteousness in God's favor and highlighting Cain's ingratitude [4]. This shows an emphasis on understanding the immediate narrative and theological purpose within the text. Charles Hodge, another Reformed theologian, discusses different views on inspiration, noting that some hold only certain parts of Scripture to be inspired, while others, like Coleridge, admitted the inspiration of the Law and Prophets but denied it for other parts of the Bible [7]. This indicates a scholarly engagement with the nature and extent of divine authorship and human agency in the biblical text.
Catholic Scholastic thought, particularly through Thomas Aquinas, further elaborates on the concept of authorial intent by distinguishing between different senses of Scripture. Aquinas states that the author of Holy Writ is God, who can signify meaning not only through words but also through the things signified by those words [2]. This leads to the understanding of a literal sense (where words signify things) and a spiritual sense (where the things signified by the words also have a signification) [2]. For Aquinas, intention is primarily an act of the will, signifying a "tending to something" [5]. This intention belongs first and principally to that which moves towards an end, such as an architect moving workers by command [5]. In the context of divine authorship, God's intention is paramount, and understanding it involves discerning both the immediate meaning of the words and the deeper significations of the events and realities they describe.
The concept of divine intention extends to God's providential ordering of events. Charles Hodge notes that God's plan and intentions can be learned from what actually comes to pass [8]. If certain events occur, such as some individuals dying in infancy while others live to old age, or some experiencing prosperity while others face hardship, these are in accordance with God's holy will and appointment [8]. This perspective suggests that the historical unfolding of events, as recorded in Scripture, reflects God's overarching purposes, providing a framework for understanding divine intent not just in written words but in the very fabric of history.
Therefore, understanding authorial intent requires a multifaceted approach: recognizing the allegorical dimensions noted by early Church Fathers like Origen [1, 6], appreciating the human element in inspired writing as highlighted by Calvin [3, 4], and discerning the literal and spiritual senses as articulated by Aquinas [2]. This comprehensive view allows for a richer interpretation of biblical texts, moving beyond a superficial reading to grasp the deeper theological and historical meanings intended by the divine author.
Sources
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XLIX. (part 1): If Celsus had read the Scriptures in an impartial spirit, he would not have said that "our writings are incapable of admitting an allegorical meaning." For from the prophetic Scriptures, in which historical events are recorded (not from the historical), it is possible to be convinced that the historical portions also were written with an allegorical purpose, and were most skilfully adapted not only to the multitude of the simpler believers, but also to the few who are able or willing to investigate matters in a”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Nature and Extent of Sacred Doctrine, Art. 10: Article: Whether in Holy Scripture a word may have several senses? I answer that, The author of Holy Writ is God, in whose power it is to signify His meaning, not by words only (as man also can do), but also by things themselves. So, whereas in every other science things are signified by words, this science has the property, that the things signified by the words have themselves also a signification. Therefore that first signification whereby words signify things belongs to the first sense, t”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 90: with this explanation of the manner in which the body of Old Testament Scripture was formed, this should not be taken to express the mode of Inspiration, but rather to call attention to the result of Inspiration. That this is his intention may be seen in the previous assertion that historical details “are also the composition of prophets,” which assertion takes into account the human factor in the process of the inscripturation of revelation. 576 118 D118 This assertion that the Spirit of Christ “in a manner dictated words to them””
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 41: the context to understand the words as referring to Abel, it being there the purpose of God to point out the injustice of the envy which Cain had conceived against his brother. And this He does in two ways, by showing, first, that it was vain to think he could, by means of wickedness, surpass his brother in the favour of God, by whom nothing is esteemed but righteousness; and, secondly, how ungrateful he was for the kindness he had already received, in not being able to bear with a brother who had been subjected to his authority. B”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of Intention, Art. 1: Article: Whether intention is an act of the intellect or of the will? I answer that, Intention, as the very word denotes, signifies, "to tend to something." Now both the action of the mover and the movement of thing moved, tend to something. But that the movement of the thing moved tends to anything, is due to the action of the mover. Consequently intention belongs first and principally to that which moves to the end: hence we say that an architect or anyone who is in authority, by his command move”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — FROM THE LATIN. (part 1): 15. But as if, in all the instances of this covering (i.e., of this history), the logical connection and order of the law had been preserved, we would not certainly believe, when thus possessing the meaning of Scripture in a continuous series, that anything else was contained in it save what was indicated on the surface; so for that reason divine wisdom took care that certain stumbling-blocks, or interruptions,[3] to the historical meaning should take place, by the introduction into the midst (of the narrat”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 42: for our hopes of salvation. C. Partial Inspiration. Under this head are included several different doctrines. 1. Many hold that only some parts of Scripture are inspired, i.e., that the writers of some books were supernaturally guided by the Spirit, and the writers of others were not. This, as mentioned above, was the doctrine of Coleridge, who admitted the inspiration of the Law and the Prophets, but denied that of the rest of the Bible. Others admit the New Testament to be inspired to an extent to which the Old was not. Others again hol”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 66: his purposes. If this be so, then we can learn with certainty what God’s plan is, what He intended to do or to permit, from what actually comes to pass. If one portion of the inhabitants of a given country die in infancy, and another portion live to mature age; such was, for wise reasons, the purpose of God. If some are prosperous, and others miserable, such also is in accordance with his holy will. If one season is abundant, another the reverse, it is so in virtue of his appointment. This is a dictate even of natural religion. As much as”