Sensus plenior

In Biblical exegesis, the phrase sensus plenior is used to describe the "deeper meaning intended by God" but not intended by the human author.

The phrase originates from the Latin, and means "fuller sense". The implication is that more meaning can be found within Scripture than that which derives from understanding the circumstances in which the original was written. It corresponds to Rabbinical interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures — remez ("hint"), drash ("search"), and/or sod ("secret") — whereby 'deeper meaning' is drawn out or derived from the text.

Conservative Christians have used this term to mean the larger or whole teaching of scripture.

References

* 'The Jerome Biblical Commentary' Vol. 1 1971, Geoffry Chapman Publishers, London, pp. 605–23.

* David H. Stern, 'Jewish New Testament Commentary' 1992, Maryland, pp. 11–4.