Thread by @catholicpat

The Bible has 4-dimensions

800 years ago, a Franciscan friar wrote a guide map for how you should read it.

Here is what he said... 🧵

St. Bonaventure was a Franciscan friar in the 1200s

He went to college with St. Thomas Aquinas

His book, the Breviloquium, is less read than the Summa Theologica

But it contains invaluable wisdom for how to read the Bible

St. Bonaventure spotted an overlooked verse in Ephesians 3:18

It says we need to understand "the width, length, height, and depth" of God's word

Bonaventure sees these as the four dimensions of scripture

The four dimensions of scripture are:

1. Width is the plain meaning of the text
2. Depth is Jesus Christ hidden in the text
3. Height is what the text says about eternity
4. Length is how the text applies to daily life

All of the bible contains these four dimensions

Take the story of the Crossing of the Red Sea

1. Moses frees the Israelites from slavery through water
2. Jesus saves you from sin through the water of Baptism
3. God will bring His people to the promised land at the end of time
4. God will intervene to save you from sin

Or the prophecy in Zechariah 6:13, that the temple will be rebuilt

1. Cyrus will rebuild the temple in 538 BC
2. Christ will die and rebuild the temple of His Body
3. Christ will build the eternal temple in Heaven
4. Christ will make you a temple of the Spirit

Sometimes these ways "contradict," but that's ok

Ex: A man finds a pearl and sells everything to buy it

Length: Jesus is the pearl and you are the man, so give up everything for Him

Depth: Jesus is the man and you are the pearl. He gave everything to purchase you.

There are no "right" or "wrong" answers

As long as your interpretation isn't heretical, it's fine

When you read the Bible, ask:

• What does this say about Jesus?
• What does this say about my life?
• What does this say about heaven?

It will make you a better reader of Scripture.

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