Sensi litterales et spirituales, lignum vitaeque: the literal and spiritual senses of the scriptures with reference to the Tree of Life in the works of Thomas Aquinas

Benko, Winfield Hart (2025) Sensi litterales et spirituales, lignum vitaeque: the literal and spiritual senses of the scriptures with reference to the Tree of Life in the works of Thomas Aquinas. MTh(R) thesis, University of Glasgow and Edinburgh Theological Seminary.

Abstract

“That first meaning, therefore, [in] which words signify things, pertains to the first sense, which is the ‘historical’ or ‘literal’ sense. Then, that second meaning, [in] which things which are signified through words also signify things, is called the ‘spiritual sense’; which is founded upon the ‘literal’, and presupposes it”. (ST Ia.q1.a10.co. My translation).

Thus runs Thomas Aquinas’ theory of meaning of the Scriptures. Wrestling with this seemingly simple statement, however, interpreters of the Angelic Doctor have argued much over what, precisely, Thomas sought to communicate in this pronouncement. Is it truly appropriate to understand Thomas to be speaking of multiple distinct kinds of meaning to be accessible in and through the text of the Scriptures? How much weight, in the friar’s mind, ought the interpreter of the Scriptures to rest on readings following the literal sense of the text, as opposed to those following the spiritual senses communicated through the words on the page? And does Thomas’ method of interpretation, as evidenced throughout his body of work, belie his celebrated statement at the opening of the ST?

This present work holds that Thomas does indeed insist upon the necessity of interpretation of the Scriptures according to both the literal and spiritual senses. The opening of the ST is no mere lip-service to a stock medieval formula. This work bears this thesis out through detailed examination of Thomas’ polymorphic readings of the Scriptural entity of the Tree of Life.

The first chapter of the present work rigorously examines the nature of Scripture itself in Thomas’ thought, focussing upon his understanding of the literal sense (the kind of meaning communicated through conventional signs, i.e., words) and the spiritual senses (the kinds of meaning communicated through the things referred to by the conventional signs which fill the pages of the Scriptures). While the first category of meaning inheres in all texts, regardless of authorship, the second category is the sole province of works authored by both God and man.

The following chapters of the present work demonstrate the significant role which this distinction bears throughout Thomas’ body of work by way of numerous examples. The second chapter outlines Thomas’ readings, which follow the literal sense, of Scriptural passages referencing the Tree of Life. The third chapter examines Thomas’ readings, which follow the spiritual senses, of Scriptural passages referencing the Tree of Life.

• Item Type: Thesis (MTh(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion; B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BR Christianity
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > Theology and Religious Studies
• Supervisor's Name: Purvis, Dr. Zacharay
• Date of Award: 2025
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2025-85368
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 17 Oct 2025 14:10
• Last Modified: 17 Oct 2025 14:12
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.85368
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/85368