Pdf historical survey of biblical interpretation ron j. The school never recovered and by default the alexandrian school rose in. Proper hermeneutics provide us tools to help ensure that we are basing our. A science because it is guided by rules within a system. Cyril, are all to a greater or lesser extent infected with the predilection for allegory. Sep 03, 2014 patristic hermeneutics ad 100 600 three broad categories alexandrian school school of antioch western school 62. By far, the largest school was the museum, which was founded by ptolemy and became the most famous school in the east. Sep 17, 2017 there appear, therefore, to be at least two definite significations of the title alexandrian school. Alexandrian school interpreted the holy scripture according to the allegorical method of exegesis, which had long been used by the greek philosophers for interpreting the poets. The school of antioch was one of the two major centers of the study of biblical exegesis and theology during late antiquity. The excessive spiritualism of the alexandrian school, in turn, prompted the formulation of the opposing hermeneutic principles, which was initially centered in antioch, but due to con stant scrutiny and accusations of heresy, the school moved its location eastward to edessa and.
The great bulk of egyptian christendom rejected chalcedon and became monophysite. The two great schools of biblical interpretation in the early christian church incorporated. I would recommend that the more serious student acquire and read them along with hermeneutics by bernard ramm and protestant biblical interpretation also by ramm. Allegorical interpretation, a third type of hermeneutics, interprets the biblical narratives as having a second level of reference beyond those persons, things, and events explicitly mentioned in the text. In it, the first system of christian theology was formed and the allegorical method of biblical exegesis was devised. Hermeneutics was initially applied to the interpretation, or exegesis, of scripture, and has been later broadened to questions of general interpretation.
Clement of alexandria and philo represent two adherents to the alexandrian school, which believed that each word in the biblical text was chosen for a precise. The necessity of the study of hermeneutics follows from several considerations. Hermeneutics, derived from a greek word connected with the name of the god hermes, the reputed messenger and interpreter of the gods. A note on allegorical interpretation of scripture when we read the bible, it is important to know how to interpret what we are reading in a way that honors and upholds what the lord intended. His teacher, clement of alexandria, was the first wellknown and respected father to employ allegorism consciously as a system. Alexandrian school clement of alexandria ad 150215 origen ad 185253 threefold sense of scripture allegorical method 63. Greek words for hermeneutics definitions of hermeneutics and related terms reading. The one is the alexandrian school of poetry and science, the other the alexandrian school of philosophy. True reality lay behind the visible, and the true meaning of a text was behind the words. There appear, therefore, to be at least two definite significations of the title alexandrian school. Athanasius interpreted the entire psalm as of christ, while eusebius of caesarea exempted only vv. Alexandrians were allegorical, and antiochians were literalhistorical. Indeed, neither school of interpretation sanctioned the practice of just one exegetical method.
Hermeneutics is usually studied with a view to the interpretation of literature produced in the past. School of antioch spiritual sense is in no way separate from the literal sense. The alexandrian theologians who followed him, from st. The alexandrian and antiochian christological thoughts1. What did the original author say elsewhere on the same subject. Origen and clement of alexandria were two major scholars in this school. Hermeneutics practical rules for biblical interpretation the bible is the infallible word of god. Aparticularlyblatant,andalmosthumorous,examplewillservetoillustrate the influence of this twoschools idea upon us. I have relied heavily on how to understand the bible by w. However, philo of alexandria, a prolific jewish writer and exegete, used. Hermeneutics, alexandria, antioch, exegesis, allegory, literal, typology. Ancient jewish hermeneutics hermeneutics begins following the babylonian captivity they ezra and the levites read from the book, from the law of god, translating to give the sense so that they the people understood the reading nehemiah 8.
The terms hermeneutics and exegesis are sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably. First, we are to understand that all scripture is given by inspiration of god 2 tim. It would be wrong to infer from this that the word denotes the interpretation or exegesis of sacred scripture. These range from the allegorical hermeneutic of the alexandrian school and the medieval church, to the literalhistorical and typological hermeneutic of the antiochene school and the protestant reformers. In the modern world, where a number of sciences are developing daybyday, hermeneutics sprouts as a science of interpretation. It is gods revelation of himself addressed to mans responsibility. Alexandrian and antiochian approaches to hermeneutics as deployed by john chrysostom and gregory of nyssa as they work with the beatitudes typically, the view of alexandrian and antiochian hermeneutics has been one of dichotomy. Because gods word is infallible, scripture cannot contradict what is taught in another scripture on the same subject 2. Today i want to talk about the theological traditions associated with alexandria and antioch.
Dungan, and principles of interpretation by clinton lockhart. He tried to combine scriptural interpretation with platos philosophy. Suppose a friend of yours, a new believer, whom you recently led to the lord, has written to you about the bible. So, in other words, within the bible god has provided the knowledge of who he is and how we are to live in a way that pleases him. As early as the third century, christian hermeneutics began to split into two primary schools. In other words, the two most important tasks for biblical interpreters is exegesis and hermeneutics. Biblical hermeneutics is the science that teaches the principles and methods of interpreting the word of god. A definition hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. Interpret the passage with the help of other scripture 1. Hermeneutics is the art of interpretation we shall not forget that and we will return to it again and again, for that is what hermeneutics is the art of interpretation. Interpret the passage literally according to its natural grammatical, historical and literary context b. Ans pg 40 general hermeneutics is for the entire biblical text and special hermeneutics is for specific literary forms such as parables, types, and prophecy. The school of antioch came on the scene comparatively late. But first of all, just to bring together in your minds some of the information which i have given to you at various times but perhaps hasnt really sort of come together in.
Hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. The alexandrian school with its platonic emphasis was the popular school of its time. In the 1959 edition of the encyclopedia britannica, a church historian writes that origen was the most distinguished and most influential of all the theologians of the ancient church, with the possible exception of augustine. As it were, the problem of the correct understanding becomes all the more insistent as the object of interpretation. Historical implications of allegorical interpretation digitalcommons. And with these kinds of hermeneutics we could draw out which one should be embraced by the church in relation to our. I would recommend that the more serious student acquire and read them along with hermeneutics by bernard ramm and. Hermeneutics true holiness covenant of peace assembly. During the patristic era, the alexandrian and antiochene hermeneutics seem to have laid the history of the hermeneutics that we are using today. Although according to dilthey the art ofhermeneiainterpretation was already practiced in classical greece, it is only with the postclassical alexandrian school of philology that hermeneutics became a selfstanding discipline. Jewish scholars such as the religious philosopher philo also adopted it for the interpretation of the old testament to. They believed that meaning is discovered by using the literal, historicalgrammatical method of interpretation. While the alexandrian school adopted the hypostasis union or the nature union of the. Interpreting scripture according to the scriptures.
The school of alexandria part i an introduction to the. Monothelitism proved to be only a temporary enthusiasm in alexandria. Jul 19, 2011 hermeneutics is a discipline that deals with biblical interpretation. He, being a jew of the diaspora, was not very influential among the rabbis, but had a great impact among the hellenistic intellectuals of alexandria, which was the seat of learning in that day. Alexandrian school, and john chrysostom 350407, associated with antioch, and considers how their homilies on the beatitudes might reflect the two schools. He was a bible teacher in the town of his birth, alexandria, and then later, he established a bible school in caesarea.
The science of biblical hermeneutics in all its varied schools seeks to provide a methodology to answer that question. This group was known by this name because the advocates of this tradition were based in the city of antioch, one of the major cities of the ancient roman empire. Lectures in the school of antioch saint mary coptic. Hermeneutics is a discipline that deals with biblical interpretation. This school taught the principle of single meaning in scripture. Alexandrian school used allegory rooted in platonic philosophy. One was the syrian school of antioch that championed literal and historical interpretation and the other was in north africa at alexandria, egypt, which advocated. Jewish scholars such as the religious philosopher philo also adopted it.
Discovering the original, intended meaning of a given text through careful, systematic study is our primary task, one fee and stuart describe as primarily a. Hermeneutics is a wider discipline which includes written, verbal, and nonverbal communication. Hermeneutics practical rules for biblical interpretation. The alexandrian method was an adaptation of the method of philo, a jewish interpreter who lived from 20 b. Both were strong allegorists, a style that led directly into the three great late church fathers, jerome, vincent, and augustine, who established hermeneutics that would last for more than a thousand years lewis 31. Suppose a friend of yours, a new believer, whom you recently led to. The school of antioch ran into trouble when one of its students was pronounced a heretic. North africa at alexandria, egypt, which advocated an allegorical or spiritual hermeneutic. The term at once is unfamiliar to most of the educated. Chapter 7 historical schools of hermeneutics milton s. Origin of term the word hermeneutics is said to have had its origin in the name hermes, the greek god who served as messenger for the gods. Since all doctrine rests upon interpretation, we must have correct interpretation to develop correct doctrine. Alexandrian school applied the psalm directly and immediately to christ.
Its meaning, nature and scope the h ermeneutics is a term, heard increasingly in the literary field of interpretation. Patristic hermeneutics ad 100 600 three broad categories alexandrian school school of antioch western school 62. Rather, both alexandrian and antiochene theologians were expedient hermeneuts, meaning they utilized whichever exegetical practice. It was not a regular institution with a continuous secession of teachers, like the catechetical school of alexandria, but a theological tendency, more particularly a peculiar type of hermeneutics and exegesis. The final alexandrian tendencies produced schism after chalcedon. The school of alexandria and the use of allegorical method by. The alexandrian school is a collective designation for certain tendencies in literature. We might do well, however, to stare at the word hermeneutics just by way of a starting point. The alexandrian school of biblical interpretation was soon challenged by the leaders of antioch where the antiochene school of interpretation arose. Abulad, svd ermeneutics is the art of interpretation we shall not forget that and we will return to it again and again, for that is what hermeneutics is the art of interpretation. This brings us back to where we were last tuesday with the discussion of christology. Sacred hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation.
The beginnings of the school of antioch seem to have been very modest. Ans pg 40 hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. The primary need of hermeneutics is to determine the meaning of the word of god. But first of all, just to bring together in your minds some of the information which i have given to you at various times but perhaps hasnt really sort of come. Long before the establishment of christianity in alexandria, the city was famous for its many schools. A particular form of allegorical interpretation is the typological, according to which the key figures, main biblical exegesis. The following chapter is part of a collection of essays in. Differentiate between general hermeneutics and special hermeneutics. The alexandrian and antiochian christological thoughts1 many scholars attribute the problem of the christological formula concerning the nature of christ miaphysis and dyophyses to the controversy between the alexandrian and the antiochian theology.