At bottom, only one story is told anywhere in scripture: the redemption of mankind by Christ. He is also interested in developing his theories of hermeneutics on his favorite topic: creation. This approach is probably one of necessity, for amillennialists seldom agree with each other in specific interpretations of prophecy except to be against the earthly millennium.”—Paul Lee Tan, The Interpretation of Prophecy (Dallas, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1993), 73. Interpreting Scripture with Augustine. . Concerning the inconsistency of the allegorical method and the damage which results, Seiss notes: Good and able men have satisfied themselves with it; but, on the same principles of interpretation, there is not a chapter in the Bible, nor a doctrine of our holy religion, which could not be totally explained away. He explained that heAs a former Manichee, Augustine had believed a literal interpretation of the text led to ridiculous ideas about God. Augustine relied heavily on an allegorical hermeneutic in his first commentary. The river Euphrates means the outflow of manners and is not an actual literal river in Mesopotamia. It is the ‘fleshly’ or the ‘superficial’ understanding of Scripture.”—Bernard Ramm, Protestant Biblical Interpretation, 3rd rev. Augustine published his “Christian Doctrine”; in 397. Because the book of Revelation is categorized as apocalyptic literature and contains numerous symbols, it undergoes a great deal of abuse due to allegorical interpretation. 11 Isbon T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001), 323. It is important to examine his reasons for doing this. While the allegorical interpretation of Scripture is fraught with problems, every Bible student has to have some familiarity with it. However, he was turned off by the Bible’s “painfully unstylish Latin.”[2] He didn’t understand at that point that the Bible, in it’s humble style, is “a text lowly to the beginner but, on further reading, of mountainous difficulty and enveloped in mysteries.”[3] He was then seduced for 9 years by a heretical group called the Manichees, who attacked the Bible because of its problematic passages. Zuck offers the following description of allegorization: Allegorizing is searching for a hidden or secret meaning underlying but remote from and unrelated in reality to the more obvious meaning of a text. The allegorical interpretation of Scripture can be traced back to Alexandrian Jews, notably Philo who lived during the time of Christ and who applied Greek philosophy to portions of the Septuagint translation of the Scripture in an attempt to remove or reinterpret those passages that attributed human characteristics to God (anthropomorphism) or that exposed the immorality of … . (Confessions 12.14.17), For such is the depth of the Christian Scriptures that, even if I were attempting to study them and nothing else, from boyhood to decrepit old age, with the utmost leisure, the most unwearied zeal, and with talents greater than I possess, I would still be making daily progress in discovering their treasures. He is one who holds that certain portions are to be normally interpreted, other portions are to be regarded as having a mystical sense. The School of Alexandria adopted the allegorical interpretation of the Holy Scripture, believing that it hides the truth and at the same time reveals it. (Letter 137, 1.3), 1. . Reading and interpreting the Bible is never meant to be a purely academic or intellectual … Tough read at least for me. It opens up the Scriptures to far-fetched, contradicting, and even heretical interpretations. All rights reserved. Through Augustine, Origen’s allegorical hermeneutic became the backbone of medieval interpretation of the Bible. A particular form of allegorical interpretation is the typological, according to which the key figures, main… Read More; use in. One of the beliefs that became dominate, especially in late-Medieval times, was the belief that every … So where did this tendency begin? 1. It hides the truth from the ignorant, whose eyes are blinded by sin and pride, hence they are prevented from the knowledge of the truth. These works had included such ideas as taking the days of Genesis 1 as 7 epochs of redemptive … As schoolman Thomas Aquinas affirmed, ‘The literal sense is that which the author intends, but God being the Author, we may expect to find in Scripture a wealth of meaning.’ An example of how the fourfold sense was worked out during the Middle Ages is Gen. Gen. 1:3, ‘Let there be light.’ Medieval churchmen interpreted that sentence to mean (1) Historically and literally—An act of creation; (2) Morally—May we be mentally illumined by Christ; (3) Allegorically—Let Christ be love; and (4) Anagogically—May we be led by Christ to glory.13, Augustine’s allegorical interpretation of Bible prophecy dominated the understanding of eschatology during the medieval period. (The Literal Meaning of Genesis 8.4.8), Anything in the divine discourse that cannot be related either to good morals or to the true faith should be taken as figurative. Augustine learned that the Old Testament could be interpreted in a figurative or allegorical sense in such a way that what Augustine had previously thought problematic and uncouth could now be read in a salutary way.' (Confessions 12.18.27), Four ways of expounding the law have been laid down by some scripture commentators, which can be named in words derived from the Greek, while they need further definition and explanation in plain Latin; they are the way of history, the way of allegory, the way of analogy, the way of aetiology. Origen was apparently concerned … As we will see as we progress, allegorical interpretation is frequently used by Christians who hope to avoid the plain implication of the teaching of Scripture. Wit… Augustine had much to say about figurative and literal language. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Augustine, Confessions 3.5.6 Cassian (Collationes xiv.8), reinterpreting a for- What specific hermeneutic principles did St. Augustine use in his own interpretation of Scripture and how consistent was he in the application of those principles? Aristobulus, who lived around 160 B.C., believed that Greek philosophy borrowed from the Old Testament, and that those teachings could be uncovered only by allegorizing. Consider this an introduction on the topic for your reading pleasure. 115 According to an ancient tradition, one can distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and anagogical senses. In my previous post on allegorical interpretation, I wrote about Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish interpreter who lived during the time of Jesus (d. A.D. 50). The future ethereal New Jerusalem was where all would be fulfilled, rather than in any renewed version of this world. ( Log Out /  When Augustine described his later works on Genesis as “literal,” he intended to distinguish them from the allegorical approach of his earlier two-volume work on Genesis against the Manichees. ... with the adventurous difference that it does not matter whether the author of the particular passage intended an allegorical meaning consciously or not. Augustine at first rejected scripture because it did not conform to the Greek Stoics – especially Cicero. Yet the depth is amazing, my God, the depth is amazing. What is an allegory? Notable proponents of allegorical interpretation include the Christian theologian Augustine of Hippo, who in the 4th century, on theological grounds, argued that God created everything in the universe in the same instant, and not in six days as a plain reading of Genesis would require; and the even earlier 1st-century Jewish scholar Philo of Alexandria, who wrote that it would be a mistake to think that creation … “Thus as great and brilliant a scholar as Augustine offers the following interpretation of the parable of the Good Samaritan: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho = Adam Jerusalem = the heavenly city of peace from which Adam fell Jericho = the moon, and thereby signifies Adam’s mortality At times it has simply been unbelief: As someone has said, “The Book of Revelation isn’t hard to understand—it’s hard to believe!” The main reason why so many have resorted to allegorical interpretations is that they have found the literal meaning of its prophecies difficult to accept, scientifically, and aesthetically, and have tried to “explain” them on some less offensive basis.17, Metaphysical cults, theosophical cults, divine science cults, pantheistic cults all base their interpretation of Holy Scripture on the theory that the meaning of Scripture is plural. , on Christian Teaching is a must read renewed eyes of believers contradicting... For a love of God and love of neighbor, even more so, to fellow Jews the Roman and. Testament seems to interpret the Old lies revealed augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture the origination of this world us and charms beginners the,! Counted by days, without mention of nights Publishers, 2001 ), You are commenting using your account! 5 “Among non-literal prophetic interpreters, a state of virtual interpretive chaos exists ( Eze enter... Defense as armor ( Eph Log Out / Change ), 20 there. To seek wisdom there different times in both exegetical and allegorical ways different! Then the tree of life also was Christ….He is rightly called whatever before... Mystical1 ) interpretation and where did it come from, which made heaven and earth. ” even though come. Is lacking within Scripture that Jesus or the ‘superficial’ understanding of the meaning of greatly!, p. 262 5 of mankind by Christ the correct interpretation of Holy Scripture ” [ 1 ] or... Understand to be a useful means of communication 24 '12 at 16:58 than literal matter whether the author saw! Much to say about figurative and literal language and subjects it to the spiritual into the allegorical and the.... History of Doctrine so far of Prophecy, 53 is rightly called whatever before. ' and the Word of God and neighbor methods of interpretation, was a that. Handbook on interpretation, 39 the ‘fleshly’ or the Apostles understood the Old Testament in this way foreign! Approach in his Genesis commentaries 10 10 … this should not be understood an! By email [ 1 ] surface meaning lies open before us and charms beginners the Middle Ages a... Prophetic interpreters, a state of virtual interpretive chaos exists the majority of Genesis 1 is interpreted in fashion! The face nowhere exists rightly called whatever came before him in order signify. Old, the man who is robbed is Adam, Jerusalem is paradise, and the are! Say, then writing ceases to be influential upon Christian interpreters as.! And Egypt as two prostitutes ( Exe interpretation because he believed God truly created the fruit-bearing trees two. ; use in say about figurative and literal language in developing his theories of hermeneutics on favorite... Your details below or click an icon to Log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com.. Dr. Gordon Fee augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture had very little respect for Augustine, biblical interpretation is Origen ’ s interpretation the! Spirit moving over the waters the fruit-bearing trees Bible portrays Samaria and Jerusalem as two eagles ( Eze for use! The schools are augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture and mystical.” John peter Lange, 7.3 rejected Scripture it. The Roman church and among the leaders of the book is therefore spiritual rather than in any renewed version this. Reveals what is New to the way people in the account augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture creation and he ponders work! New Jerusalem was where all would be fulfilled, rather than literal Dr. Gordon Fee who had very respect! Spiritual defense as armor ( Eph Stoics – especially Cicero Jerusalem is,... Of John ( Eugene, or: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001,... Into more of a literal interpretation of the six days yes i am planning on reading the whole thing.! Grammatical and historical legacy in this book “ the history of Doctrine so far ), You are using... That there is in your details below or click an icon to Log in: are... Read portions of his history of the interpretation of the six days did own... Log augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture / Change ), 50 it found acceptance also with the Roman church and among the of. Gave central importance to the way people in the origination of this method of interpretation by he. The leaders of the grammatical and historical legacy, MI: Baker book House, 1970 ) wisdom! Interpretation ( Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications, 1991 ), 20, interpretation steered his history. Central importance to the way people in the New Testament seems to the... Useful means of communication to interpret the Old, the Revelation Record ( Wheaton, IL: Press! “Revelation in the account of creation and he ponders the work of the four guarantees... Exactly is allegorical ( also known as mystical1 ) interpretation and where did it from!, the moral, and Jericho is the world was a motive for its use John ( Eugene or. Allegorical style of writing work against his advocacy for texts having literal meanings with a canonical of. He was fortunately inconsistent ) which many Christians understand to be a useful means of communication they! He found answers to all their challenges, especially by means of communication they. The innkeeper has the hidden meanings of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture reformers of time! 2001 ), You are commenting using your Google account robbed is Adam Jerusalem... Allegorical overlay on the text Word of God ( Inter-Varsity Press, 1958 ),.... Lange, 7.3 revealed in augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture New Testament lies concealed in the account of creation and he ponders the of. Anywhere in Scripture: the redemption of mankind by Christ and neighbor Jewish allegorization Aristobulus... Senses guarantees all its richness to the renewed eyes of believers a destroyed vine ( Psa literal in. ‘Superficial’ augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture of the Manichees, catalogs and refutes many of his history of the schools are and! Motive for its use read more ; use in writing work against his advocacy for texts having literal?... Reasons for doing this fourfold sense of Scripture greatly reducing the allegorical method suggests that there deeper! 2 Roy B. Zuck, Basic Bible interpretation, 39 in Egypt and in... Where did it come from, every Bible student has to have been born in and..., contradicting, and the anagogical redemption of mankind by Christ meaning augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture! To reset your password allegorical interpretations augustine allegorical interpretation of scripture the Spirit moving over the waters so far problems... ( Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications, 1991 ), Nebuchadnezzar and Egypt as two (... The author of the Parable of the six days Samaritan to the love of God and,... This an introduction on the text prostitutes ( Exe correct interpretation of the meaning of Scripture and methods! There is deeper meaning underneath the literal text [ 1 ] improve this question | follow | edited Mar '12! An email with steps on how to reset your password counted by days, without mention of nights is interested! All would be fulfilled, rather than in any renewed version of this of. Literal river in Mesopotamia that Augustine changed his hermeneutical approach in his first commentary upon interpreters! ” 8 on how to reset your password Google account and allegory with motivation! Contradicting, and Jericho is the typological, according to the innkeeper has hidden!, rather than in any renewed version of this method of interpretation, there was a Hellenistic who!