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INTERPRETATION AND STUDY OF THE BIBLE 

Ancient Interpretations.  Ancient Jews
and Christians believed their
Scriptures to be inspired by God and
intended to guide all generations.  The
interpretative method called MIDRASH
sought to make the biblical message
relevant to the actual needs of the
community, to remove obscurities and
contradictions, to find fulfillments of
prophecies, and to answer questions not
raised in the Bible by discovering
allegorical meanings.  This process is
seen in the DEAD SEA SCROLLS, the
paraphrases, or targums, of the Old
Testament, and the writings of the
philosopher PHILO;  and it has
influenced New Testament theology.  The
RABBIS used midrash to settle legal
problems;  it appears in the TALMUD as
well as in the Midrashim, or
homiletical commentaries. 

Christians were influenced both by
Jewish tradition and by philosophers
who explained Greek myths as
allegories.  The Alexandrian scholar
ORIGEN distinguished literal and
allegorical meanings in the Old
Testament, and his followers found
three or four ways to interpret a
specific text.  The school of Antioch,
represented by commentators such as
THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA and the great
preacher John CHRYSOSTOM, insisted on
the natural and literal meaning of
Scripture.  During the Middle Ages the
allegorical method largely prevailed. 

Modern Study.  During the RENAISSANCE,
a revival of the study of Greek and
Latin classics occurred that led
Christian scholars to study Hebrew. 
Literary and historical criticism,
which had been carried on in ancient
times, now received a new impetus. 
Although the allegorical method never
died out in Catholicism and
Protestantism, the new learning
influenced the study of the Bible, and
in the 18th century the techniques of
classical studies began to be employed
systematically. Improved dictionaries
and grammars were part of this process.


Textual criticism is an important part
of biblical interpretation.  This is
the comparison of manuscripts of the
Bible in the original languages and
versions, including quotations by
ancient authors, to determine as nearly
as possible the original wording. 
Literary criticism is the study of the
document itself in comparison with
other books--biblical and
nonbiblical--to disclose the method,
style, and purpose of the author;  his
identity;  the written and oral sources
he used;  and the date and place of the
writing.  This has led to theories
regarding sources of the Pentateuch and
the Gospels, the dating of Paul's
letters, and the distinctions between
parts of Isaiah. 

Form criticism studies the oral
tradition behind a document. Every oral
tradition is modified by the life

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