In The Obedience of a Christian Man, William Tyndale (who died a martyr’s death in 1536) spent some time talking about the interpretation of Scripture. Along with other Reformers, Tyndale attacked the medieval and papal method of interpreting Scripture in a four-fold sense. Here’s his explanation.
“They [papal doctors] divide the scripture into four senses, the literal, tropological, allegorical, anagogical. The literal sense is becoming nothing at all. For the Pope hath taken it clean away and hath made it his possession. He hath partly locked it up with the false and counterfeited keys of his traditions, ceremonies, and feigned lies. And partly [he] driveth men from it with violence of sword.”
Tyndale goes on to explain how the only literal sense that is acceptable to the papacy is the one that the Pope approves. He also brilliantly calls this four-fold interpretive scheme “chopological” (logic-chopping). Tyndale spoke against the tropological and anagogical senses and emphasized the literal.
“Thou shalt therefore understand that the scripture hath but one sense which is the literal sense. And that literal sense is the root and ground of all, and the anchor that never faileth whereunto if thou cleave thou canst never err or go out of the way. And if thou leave the literal sense thou canst not but go out of the way.”
It is true that Tyndale didn’t throw allegory out. However, his definition and use of allegory is much different than Origin’s or the papacy’s allegorical methods. For Tyndale, allegory meant something like “biblical illustration” or “biblical similitude.” Furthermore, he said allegories should only be based clearly on Scripture and used infrequently (as Paul talked about Sarah and Hagar in an “allegorical” way). Here are a few other helpful quotes about interpreting Scripture. Notice how they emphasize what later Reformers also emphasize – things like the law/gospel distinction, the Christ-centered aspect of Scripture, and staying within the bounds of Scripture.
“All the scripture is either the promises and testament of God in Christ and stories pertaining hereunto, to strengthen thy faith: [or] the law and stories pertaining thereto to fear them from evil doing.”
“The word of prophecy was the Old Testament which beareth record unto Christ in every place, without which record the Apostles made neither similitudes nor arguments of worldly wit. …The scriptures spring out of God and flow unto Christ, and were given to lead us to Christ. Thou must therefore go along by the scripture as by a line, until thou come at Christ, which is the way’s end and resting place.”
“Our duty is to prepare ourselves unto the commandments and to be thankful for that which is opened unto us, and not to search the unsearchable secrets of God. Of God’s secrets we can know no more than he openeth unto us. If God shut, who shall open? …If we shall leave that right use and turn ourselves unto vain questions and to search the unsearchable secrets of God: then no doubt shall the scripture blind us as it hath done our schoolmen and our subtle disputers.”
If you want some background to the Reformation and the interpretation of Scripture, you have to read this longer section near the end of William Tyndale’s The Obedience of a Christian Man. Though the English is not overly easy to read, it is worth the time and effort.
shane lems
