Which term describes the meaning conveyed by the literal words of Scripture?

• A. Allegorical sense
• B. Moral sense
• C. Anagogical sense
• D. Literal sense of Scripture

Answer: (D)

The meaning conveyed by the literal words of Scripture is called the literal sense. This focuses on what the text says in its plain, ordinary language, taking into account the author’s intent as expressed through grammar, vocabulary, genre, and historical context. In other words, it’s the message the author intended to communicate through the actual words on the page. Other ways of reading Scripture look beyond that surface—allegorical senses seek symbols that point to Christ, moral sense draws out how to live rightly, and anagogical sense looks toward ultimate destiny. So the literal sense is the straightforward meaning of the text as written.