Which statement describes a principle of Catholic biblical exegesis (historical-critical approach)?

• A. Relying on personal experience alone.
• B. Assuming timeless meaning without historical context.
• C. Using historical context, literary form, and original languages.
• D. Ignoring Tradition and the Magisterium.

Answer: (D)

Catholic biblical exegesis relies on a careful study of the text in its historical setting, including the literary form and the original languages, because understanding what the biblical authors were communicating requires knowing how they wrote and to whom they spoke. But for Catholics this historical grounding isn’t the end of the story—interpretation takes place within the living Tradition of the Church and under the guidance of the Magisterium. This means that insights from history and literature are tested against the deposit of faith entrusted to the Church and taught by its teaching authority, so interpretation remains faithful to what God has revealed and how the Church has understood it over time.

So the best description is using historical context, literary form, and original languages, while keeping in view Tradition and the Magisterium. Relying on personal experience alone misses the text’s broader meaning shared by the community of faith; assuming a timeless meaning without context ignores how culture and genre shape message; and ignoring Tradition and the Magisterium runs contrary to Catholic practice, which anchors interpretation in the Church’s living teaching authority.