Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture # 50
50. The Church’s Doctrine Must Be Drawn from the Word’s Literal Sense and Verified by It
In the preceding section we showed that in its literal sense the Word is in its fullness, in its holiness, and in its power. And because the Lord embodies the Word — inasmuch as He is the totality of the Word — it follows that the Lord is most present in that sense, and that He teaches and enlightens a person in the light of it.
This, however, needs to be demonstrated according to the following outline:
1. The Word is not understood apart from doctrine.
2. Doctrine must be drawn from the Word’s literal sense.
3. However, Divine truth, of which doctrine ought to consist, is apparent only to people who are enlightened by the Lord.
Isaiah 5:3-6
3
"Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, please judge between me and my vineyard.
4
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Why, when I looked for it to yield grapes, did it yield wild grapes?
5
Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away its hedge, and it will be eaten up. I will break down its wall of it, and it will be trampled down.
6
I will lay it a wasteland. It won't be pruned nor hoed, but it will grow briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it."
