PRINCIPLE. But while we should constantly bear in mind the great
c. The necessary congruity between the revelation of the Logos in the mind of man and his revelation in nature and in Scripture. It is exactly the adaptation of the one to the other that makes all knowledge possible. All revelation, in order to be understood, must be rational. And it would be the height of inconsistency to think that God had revealed himself in a reasonable manner in nature, but not in Scripture, which is said to constitute his most perfect revelation. It would mean that the truth of the Bible could not be investigated by logical methods, nor intellectually comprehended.
d. The character of human language, in which the Bible is written. The logic of the human mind is naturally reflected in the language that is used by man. And it is absolutely foreign to the character of this language that a word should have two, three, or even more significations in the same connection. If this were not so, all communication among men would be utterly impossible.
2. SAFEGUARDS AGAINST MISUNDERSTANDING THIS PRINCIPLE. But while we should constantly bear in mind the great principle that Scripture has but one proper sense, we should guard against several misunderstandings.
a. It is necessary to distinguish between the real sense of a passage of Scripture and the sense ascribed to it by various interpreters. The many interpretations often given to a single passage do not disprove the unity of the sense of Scripture.
b. The distinction should also be borne in mind between the proper sense of a passage and the different ways in which it may be applied. It may be turned to practical use according to circumstances, whether it be for warning or exhortation, encouragement or rebuke.
c. Then, too, it is of great importance to discriminate between the literal and the mystical sense, and to understand that they together do not constitute a double but only a single sense. Several passages of Scripture have, besides their literal, also a symbolical or typical
meaning. The things mentioned are symbols or types of other things. In all such cases, the mystical sense is based on the literal, and constitutes the proper sense of the Word of God.
d. Finally, a careful distinction must be made between a double fulfilment of prophecy and a double sense. Some prophecies are fulfilled in several successive facts or events. In such cases, the earlier fulfilments are partial and typical of those yet to come. And it is only in the final complete fulfilment that the sense of those prophecies is exhausted. But this feature does not give us the right to speak of a double sense of prophecy.
If the question be asked, whether it is permissible to speak of a deeper sense of Scripture (huponoia), an affirmative answer may be given. But it is necessary to guard against misunderstanding. Properly understood, the deeper sense of the Bible does not constitute a second sense. It is in all cases based on the literal, and is the proper sense of Scripture. The real meaning of Scripture does not always lie on the surface. There is no truth in the assertion that the intent of the secondary authors, determined by the grammaticohistorical method, always exhausts the sense of Scripture, and represents in all its fulness the meaning of the Holy Spirit. Many of the Old Testament types pointed ultimately to New Testament realities; many prophecies found their final fulfilment in Jesus Christ, no matter how often they had obtained partial fulfilment; and many of the Psalms give utterance to the joy and sorrow, not merely of the poets, but of the people of God as a whole, and, in some cases, of the suffering and triumphant Messiah. These considerations lead us to what may be called, the deeper sense of Scripture.
QUESTIONS: How could the theory of a double or triple sense arise in connection with the figurative language of the Bible? In connection with types and symbols? In connection with prophecy? How do interpreters often encourage the idea of a double sense? What is the so-called "deeper sense" against which one must be on his guard?