About
“The sensus plenior is that additional, deeper meaning, intended by God but not clearly intended by the human author, which is seen to exist in the words of a biblical text (or group of texts, or even a whole book) when they are studied in the light of further revelation or development in the understanding of revelation.”
(Raymond E. Brown, The Sensus Plenior of Sacred Scripture, p. 92.)
In other words, God hid a message in the Bible that was unknown to the human author.
“Holy Writ by the manner of its speech transcends every science, because in one and the same sentence, while it describes a fact, it reveals a mystery.”
(Moral. xx, 1; Pope Gregory, 540-604 AD)
It is how the boy Jesus learned who and what he was, and what he was to do.
It is the mystery of the ages which has been revealed in Christ Jesus.
It is the language of prophecy, and a prophecy of Christ Jesus.
It is riddle hidden in double entendre discerned using Biblical rules which prevent free-for-all allegory.
It is an intimate look into the relationships between the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and the bride of Christ.
What Sensus Plenior is NOT
It is not Jewish Midrash which can only discover riddles.
It is not Cabala which perverts Hebrew scriptures into the occult.
It is not Gnosticism which teaches polytheism.
It is not secret wisdom required for salvation.
Jesus criticizes an hermeneutic
Mt 22:23 ¶ The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
Mt 22:24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
Mt 22:25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
Mt 22:26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
Mt 22:27 And last of all the woman died also.
Mt 22:28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
Mt 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Mt 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Using your hermeneutic, where in the OT does it say:
1. that there is no marriage in heaven?
2. that marriage does not endure death and persist into heaven?
3. that angels are either genderless, not physical, or don’t get married?
If your hermeneutic can’t answer these, Jesus says, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Sensus plenior is not a novelty.
Proper exegesis of it is required to know the scriptures and the power of God.
Does your hermeneutic contradict your belief?
Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Mt 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Using your hermeneutic, where in the OT does it say that Jesus will be called a Nazarene? Does your hermeneutic cause you to have a contradiction?
1. Did we lose the scripture that prophesies that Jesus would be called a Nazarene?
2. Is your hermeneutic insufficient to see that the law of the Nazarite is a prophecy that he will be called a Nazarene?
There are three possible realities of sensus plenior:
1. Sensus plenior does not exist.
2. It exists but cannot be discerned reliably.
3. It exists and can be discerned reliably.
Those who would claim the first as truth find themselves in the same logical position as the atheist. It is a position that can only be asserted, not proven.
Those who would claim that the second is true find themselves in the same logical position as the agnostic. It also is a position that can only be asserted, not proven.
Those who claim that the third is true, that sensus plenior exists and can be discerned reliably, fall under the burden of providing evidence of such.
That is the purpose of this blog. The claim made is an extraordinary claim, specifically:
1. God intended to communicate a particular message in the text of scripture that is different than the literal, intended message of the human author,
2. and that since the human author’s message is also God’s message, the hidden message does not contradict the literal,
3. and that the hidden message may be reliably discerned in such a manner as to give it the same authority as the literal.
The skeptics line “Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof” is acknowledged while making the claim.
Since the claim is a complex one, evidences and argument will address one or more specific points:
God’s intention:
A1. God states that he intends to speak in a hidden fashion.
A2. Jesus confirms that God has spoken in a hidden fashion.
A3. The apostles confirm that God has spoken in a hidden fashion.
A4. Suitable number of examples are presented to demonstrate that the phenomenon is not accidental.
A5. Plausible reason is given for hiding the message.
The author’s intention:
B1. Facts are presented in a hidden form that the author could not have known about in advance, short of receiving divine knowledge.
B2. Methods are used that could not have been invented by the human author.
B3. NT authors confirm that that the authors did not fully understand what they wrote.
B4. The hidden message is different than the literal, but not contradictory.
No theological contradiction
C1. The method for discerning the hidden message will be shown to be self-correcting.
C2. The New Testament authors’ use of the Old Testament will be shown to be a plausible example of the use of the method.
C3. Jesus’ use of the Old Testament will be shown to be a plausible example of the use of the method.
C4. No contradicting message will be discerned.
C5. No contradicting message will be proven to be discernible by the use of the method.
Be sure to read the Rules.
There is also a wiki to accompany theis blog at wiki.sensusplenior.net
As a blog, the order of articles may be scrambled, but the new comer to the blog will benefit from reading the oldest articles first. Once you are acclimated to the blog, the tools and projects pages may be found to be helpful.