28. Of what books does the New Testament consist?
The New Testament consists, 1. Of the four Gospels according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John, which relate the history of Jesus; 2. Of the Acts of the Apostles, by St. Luke; 3. Of fourteen Epistles of St. Paul, and seven by other Apostles, which contain dogmatical and moral instructions; and 4. Of the Apocalypse, or the Revelation of St. John, which foretells the combats and victories of the Church.
The Epistles of St. Paul are: One to the Romans; two to the Corinthians; one to the Galatians; one to the Ephesians; one to the Philippians; one to the Colossians; two to the Thessalonians; two to Timothy; one to Titus; one to Philemon; and one to the Hebrews.
The other Epistles are: One of St. James; two of St. Peter; three of St. John; and one of St. Jude, surnamed Thaddeus.
29. From whom alone can we know the true sense of Holy Scripture?
We can know the true sense of Holy Scripture from the Church alone; because the Church alone cannot err in interpreting it.
30. May no one, then, presume to explain the Scripture contrary to the interpretation of the Catholic Church?
No; for this would be as if he understood the Scripture better than the Holy Ghost, who inspires the Church with the true meaning of it.
31. But is the meaning of the Holy Scripture not clear in itself, and easy to be understood by every one?
No; for the Holy Scripture is a Divine and mysterious book, 'in which,' as St. Peter says, speaking of the Epistles of St. Paul, 'are certain things hard to he understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction' (2 Peter iii. 16).
'What else gives rise to so many heresies, save that the Scripture, which, good in itself, is ill understood?' (St. Augustine.)
32. Is it not, then, true that the Bible alone is the only Rule of Faith? Or, in other words: Is not every private
