Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church (Sources of Early Christian Thought)

Rating:
Summary: Hermeneutics aren't what they used to be.
Review: Froehlich gives an introduction to the Jewish background, and first four centuries of Christian Bible interpretation. Methods from the pre-christian rabbis to Augustine are examined.

It is surprising to see how different the interpretaions by early theologians are from their counterparts today. Early interpreters saw different levels of meaning in the text. There was a literal surface level for the unspiritual, and a deeper level for the spiritual. Not all interpreters agreed on allegorical interpretation, but all acknowledged the divine author of Scripture put deeper meaning and hidden treasures of revelation in the sacred text.

Translations of eight ancient authors are given in the rest of the book.

Sifra
Ptolemy
Irenaeus
Origen
Papyrus Michigan Inv. 3718
Diodore of Tarsus (2 texts)
Theodore of Mopsuestia
Tyconius

I found the book very intresting and informative. Froehlich does a great job of describing interpretation during those early years.

One just assumes the Bible was always interpreted in a literal fashion like it is today. I think this kind of knowledge is a little hard to find.