Catholic Bible teacher Monica Welsh returns to The Catholic Morning Show with guest host Sam Halligan to explain the four senses of Scripture and why the Church gives Catholics a framework for reading the Bible. She breaks down the literal and spiritual senses — literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical — using vivid examples like Jesus' teaching to "cut off your hand" and Adam as a figure of Christ. Listeners discover how genre, historical context, and the Church's teaching authority unlock the layered, intentional meaning of God's living and active Word.
What Are the Four Senses of Scripture? Monica Welsh describes the four senses as a lens for drawing out the deeper meaning of God's inspired Word, which always has more than one layer. They fall into two categories: the literal sense and the spiritual sense (which includes the allegorical, moral, and anagogical senses), together giving a "360-degree view" of any passage.
Start with the Literal — the Foundation Like the foundation of a house, the literal sense is what the human author intended to convey — and it isn't always obvious for 21st-century readers of an ancient text. Monica points to genre, literary devices, metaphor, and especially historical and cultural context as keys. Her example: when Jesus says "if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off," the surrounding sermon, His rabbinic teaching style, and His audience make clear He is speaking metaphorically about sin, not literally.
Why a Teaching Authority Matters Reading Scripture in isolation can lead to misinterpretation, which is why the teaching authority of the Catholic Church is so important for interpreting the Word faithfully. Monica shares how the "wrathful" Old Testament God once troubled her as a teenager — until the literal lens revealed how ancient writers expressed power and authority, dissolving the false idea that the God of the Old Testament differs from the God of the New.
The Bible Points to Jesus Monica recounts the "lightbulb moment" with her ninth-grade students studying Adam and Eve: the Tree of Life bearing fruit for eternal life prefigures Jesus on the tree of the Cross, who says "eat me and you will have eternal life." As the Letter to the Hebrews teaches, the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword — and it is layered, intentional, and ultimately all about Christ.
Go Deeper with Monica's Courses Explore Monica's casual, audio-guided Old Testament and New Testament courses — made for the everyday Catholic and everyday learner — at The Catholic Bible Class with Mon. Hear more on The Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7:00 AM Central — stream at IowaCatholicRadio.com or on the Iowa Catholic Radio app.
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