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Dei Verbum. ‘Dogmatic Constitution on Divine
Revelation’ in The Conciliar and Post-Conciliar Documents, ed. by
A.FLANNERY, Dominican Publications, Dublin 1975, pp. 753-756.
CHAPTER II . THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION
7.
God graciously arranged that the things he had once revealed for the salvation
of all peoples should remain in their entirety, throughout the ages, and be
transmitted to all generations. Therefore, Christ the Lord, in whom the entire
Revelation of the most high God is summed up (cf. 2 Cor. 1:20; 3:16 - , 6)
commandqd the apostles to preach the Gospel, which had been promised beforehand
by the prophets, and which he fulfilled in his own person and promulgated with
his own lips. In preaching the Gospel they were to communicate the gifts of God
to all men. This Gospel was to be the source of all saving truth and moral
discipline.] This was faithfuUy done:-it was done by the apostles who handed
on, by the spoken word of their preaching by the example they gave, by the
institutions they established, what they themselves had received— whether
from the lips of Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they
had learned it at dhe prompting of the Holy Spirit; it was done by those
apostles and other men associated with the apostles who, under dhe inspiration
of the same Holy Spirit, committed the message of salvation to writing.(2)
In
order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church
dhe apostles left bishops as their successors. They gave them “their own
position of teaching authority.’’(3) Thus sacred Tradition, then, and
the sacred Scripture of both Testaments, are like a mirror, in which the
Church, during its pilgrim journey here on earth, contemplates God, from whom
she receives everything, until such time as she is brought to see him face to
face as he really is (cf. Jn. 3:2).
8.
Thus, the apostolic preaching, which is expressed in a special way in the
inspired books, was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until
the end of time. Hence the apostles, in handing on what they themselves had
received, warn the faithful to maintain the traditions which they had learned
either by word of mouth or by letter (cf. 2 Th. 2:15); and they warn them to
fight hard for the faith that had been handed on to them once and for all (cf.
Jude 3).(4) What was handed on by the apostles comprises everything that serves
to make the People of God live their lives in holiness and increase their
faith. In this way the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates
and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she
believes.
The
Tradition that comes from the apostles makes progress in the Church, with the
help of the Holy Spirit.(5) There is a growth in insight into the realities and
words that are being passed on. This comes about in various ways. It comes
through the contemplation and study of believers who ponder these things in
their hearts (cf. Lk. 2:19 and 51). It comes from the intimate sense of
spiritual realities which they experience. And it comes from the preaching of
those who have received, along with their right of succession in the
episcopate, the sure charism of truth. Thus, as the centuries go by, the Church
is always advancing towards the plenitude of divine truth, until eventually the
words of God are fulfilled in her.
The
sayings of the Holy Fathers are a witness to the life-giving presence of this
Tradition, showing how its riches are poured out in the practice and life of
the Chureh, in her belief and her prayer. By means of the same Tradition the
full canon of the sacred books is known to the Church and the holy Scriptures
themselves are more thoroughly understood and constantly actualized in the
Church Thus God, who spoke in the past’ continues to converse with the
spouse of his beloved Son. And the Holy Spirit, through whom the living voice
of the Gospel rings out in the Church—and through her in the
world—leads believers to the full truth, and makes the Word of Christ
dwell in them in all its richness (cf. Col. 3:16).
9.
Sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and
communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same
divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move
towards the same goal. Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down
in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit. And Tradition transmits in its
entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the
Lord and the Holy Spirit. lt transmits it to the successors of the apostles so
that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound
and spread it abroad by their preaching. Thus it comes about that the Church
does not draw her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures
alone. Hence, both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with
equal feelings of devotion and reverence.(6)
10.
Sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture make up a sinile sacred deposit of the
Word of God, which is entrusted to the Church. By adhering to it the entire
holy people, united to its pastors, remains always faithful to the teaching of
the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (cf.
Acts 2:42 Greek). So, in maintaining, practicing and professing the faith that
has been handed on there should be a remarkable harmony between the bishops and
the faithful.(7)
But
the task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in
its written form or in the form of Tradition,(8) has been entrusted to the
living teaching office of the Church alone.(9) Its authority in this matter is
exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. Yet this Magisterium is not superior to
the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to
it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to
this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that
it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single
deposit of faith.
It is
clear, therefore, that, in the supremely wise arrangement of God, sacred
Tradition, sacred Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church are so connected
and associated that one of them cannot stand without the others. Working
together, each in its own way under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they all
contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.
Footnotes
1.
Cf. Mt. 28:19-20 and Mk. 16:15. Council of Trent, Session IV Decree On the
Canonical Scriptures: Denz. 783 (1501)
2.
Cf. Council of Trent, loc. cit.; First Vatican Council, Session IIl,
Dogm. Const on t*c Catholic Paith, c. 2 (on Revelation): Denz.
1787 (3006).
3.
St. Irenaeus, Adv. Hacr., m, 3, 1: PG 7, 848; Elanrey, 2, p. 9.
4.
Cf. Council of Nicea II: Denz. 303 (602). Council of Constantinople IV,
Session X, can. 1: Denz. 336 (650-652).
5.
Cf. First Vatican Council, Dogm. Const. on the Catholic Faith, c. 4 (on
Faith and Reason): Denz. 1800 (3020).
6.
Cf. Council of Trent, Session IV, loc. cit.: Denz. 783 (1501).
7.
Cf. Pius XII, Apost. Const. Muntficentissimus Deus, I Nov. 1950: AAS
42 (1950) 756, takon along with the words of St. Cyprian, Epist. 66,
8, Hartel, III, B, p. 733: ‘4The Church is the people united to its
Priests, the flock adhering to its shepherd."
8.
Cf. First Vatican Council, Dogm. Const. on the Catholic Faith, c. 3 (on
Faith): Denz. 1972 (3011).
9.
Cf. Pius Xll, Encycl. Humani Generis, 12 Aug. 1950: AAS 42 (1950)
568-569. Denz. 2314 (3886).
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