History of Biblical Interpretation, Volume 1: From the Old Testament to Origen

by Henning Graf Reventlow

Publisher:

Society of Biblical Literature (SBL)

, 2009

Overview

The interpretation of Scripture determined the development of both early Judaism and the first centuries of the Christian church. This first volume of History of Biblical Interpretation demonstrates how the earliest interpreters of the Bible made the Scriptures come alive for their times. Author Henning Graf Reventlow explores the contexts that influenced early biblical interpretation—Hellenism, Stoicism, and Platonism. He pays close attention to inner biblical interpretation and the interpretive practices reflected in the translation of the Septuagint and the writings of Qumran, Philo, the early rabbis, the apostolic fathers, and early Christian leaders such as Justin Martyr, Marcion, Irenaeus, and Origen.

Contents

Top Highlights

“If the writings of Moses, therefore, contain the truth, they must be interpreted according to that which resides behind the wording of the text in order for the actual meaning of the text to come forth.” (Page 41)

“In the twenty-first century, we have become adjusted both to the epistemology of the Enlightenment and to the concurrent development of historical consciousness. Subsequently, we are not able to relate to the earlier methods customarily used in interpretation as though they are self-explanatory. Indeed, our consciousness of history requires us to retain certain judgments that do not take into consideration the conditions of a bygone era. We are, ourselves, certainly dependent upon conceptual presuppositions that are conditioned to a large extent by the time in which we live, presuppositions that we consider to be self-evident. We should not separate the methods of the Christian interpretation of the Bible in the first centuries of the Common Era from their own environment.” (Page 3)

“The ancient church reaches the end of this first period with Origen. With Origen, the early church had established the essential groundwork for its interpretation of Scripture. The major rules of hermeneutics were developed during this formative period.” (Page 3)

“The Scriptures are for the rabbis ‘rich’ in the meaning of each passage. Each text offers statements that are able to explain other biblical passages. There are also other passages that are ‘poor.’ Their meaning must be sought elsewhere, usually outside of the Torah.” (Page 116)

Product Details

• Title: History of Biblical Interpretation, Volume 1: From the Old Testament to Origen
• Author: Henning Graf Reventlow
• Series: Society of Biblical Literature Resources for Biblical Study
• Volume: 1
• Publisher: Society of Biblical Literature (SBL)
• Print Publication Date: 2009
• Logos Release Date: 2015
• Era: era:Contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible › Criticism, interpretation, etc.--History
• ISBNs: 9781589832022, 9781589834552, 9781589834590, 9781589834606, 9789004146730, 9789004177956, 9789004177963, 9789004177970, 1589832027, 1589834550, 1589834593, 1589834607, 9004146733, 9004177957, 9004177965, 9004177973
• Resource ID: LLS:HSTBBLCLTSRGN01
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:02:14Z

About Henning Graf Reventlow

Henning Graf Reventlow is professor emeritus of Old Testament exegesis and theology, faculty of Protestant theology, University of the Ruhr, Bochum, Germany.