senses of scripture
what is literal sense
This sense helps us discover
facts, such as people and
events, and basic meanings
what is allegorical sense
This sense helps us look for
deeper meanings to
understand the significance of details
what is moral sense
This sense helps us
understand the actions that
Jesus commands us to take.
what is anagogical sense
This sense helps us look for
the signs that lead us to
God’s kingdom in Heaven.
what is literal sense
literal sense is the basic straightforward, and most concrete meaning of a word or text as opposed to any figurative metaphorical or symbolic interpretation. For example the literal sense of the children are swimming is that the children are physically moving through water. It is the meaning directly conveyed by the words themselves without adding deeper layers of symbolism.