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Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty · Catechism · 57

Faith Q&A › Catechism › 4. The Holy Bible

What is St. Clement’s justification for the use of allegorical interpretation?

The answer

In St. Clement’s view, allegory drives believers to discover hidden meanings in the Holy Bible. According to some scholars, the authors of the books of the Holy Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit to use symbols in order to conceal the most sublime doctrines from simple readers whose intellect was not equipped to grasp them, while at the same time inspiring the curiosity in the souls of the more spiritually and intellectually mature. Discovering the deeper hidden meanings in Scripture is a gradual process whereby God guides the souls to whom He has chosen to reveal Himself, conveying them from the sensible realm to the spiritual realm. In this way, by contemplating the most obscure texts of Scripture, the true Gnostic (one who possesses knowledge) is transported from the present world to connect to the other world.

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty, Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Volume 1, Books 1–3. First English Edition, 2023. Published by St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Sporting, Alexandria, and Queen St. Mary & Prince Tadros Coptic Orthodox Church, South Brunswick, NJ. Copyright © 2023. Translation and Editing: Youth of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Arabian Gulf, and Egypt.