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CFL 3: How should we use the Litteral Sense?

Catholic Foundation Library

Catholic Foundation Library #3 In Matthew 20:29 and following, and Luke 18:35 and following, we read of the healing of the blind man. Trouble is that Matthew tells us that Jesus was entering Jericho and Luke tells us that the Lord was leaving Jericho. It can't be both. Is there a contradiction in Scripture? Obviously we can't take Scripture word-for-word here, so how are we to understand what actually took place? Learn how to apply the literal sense properly. In the second chapter of Mark, we meet Jesus and the disciples walking through a field of wheat. The disciples start plucking the wheat and eating the grain. The Pharisees ask Jesus why he lets his disciples do this on the Sabbath when, according to them, plucking wheat is considered work and thus, unlawful. Jesus asks them if they heard how David went to the high priest, Abiathar, and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat. What's so strange in this passage is that, if you read 1 Samuel 21:2 and following, you find out that it was not Abiathar, the high priest, but his father Ahimelech. It sounds like Jesus got it wrong or Mark got it wrong. There are theologians who would say that this is a mistake but it is a small mistake so it does not matter. I beg to differ. Scripture is inerrant -- no errors. We need to properly read it.