Exegesis

Exegesis an explanation or interpretation and is often applied to biblical studies. Cuddon states “In Roman times the exegetes were professional and official interpreters of charms, omens, dreams, sacred law and oral pronouncements” (315). A variorum edition (q.v), for example, contains a great deal of exegesis. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines variorum as an edition or text of a work containing notes by various persons or variant readings of the text.

Baldick states, “As far as literature is concerned, it covers critical analysis and the elucidation of difficulties in the text. (294).

Exegesis also defined in Dr. Wheeler’s website article Literary Terns and Definitions “As a scholarly or theological interpretation of the bible” Discussion: Fourfold Interpretation.

FOURFOLD INTERPRETATION: In the twelfth century, fourfold interpretation was a model for reading biblical texts according to one of four possible levels of meaning. The idea had a profound influence on exegesis and theology, but its principles also influenced medieval literature and medieval writers. Dante (c. 1300), for instance, claimed that his writings can be interpreted according to four possible levels of meaning (The Divine Comedy being the classic example). The text can be read as (1) a literally or historically true and factual account of events (2) an allegorical text revealing spiritual or typological truths, (3) a tropological lesson that makes a moral point, or (4) an anagogical text predicting eschatological events in the last days or revealing truths about the afterlife. Often medieval interpreters saw a single passage or verse as operating on multiple levels simultaneously. For instance, consider the following Biblical excerpt: While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body" [Matthew 26:26]. Here, when Christ takes the piece of bread and offers it to his disciples, many readers would argue we could not read his words literally. (Christ is not saying, "I am literally a piece of bread" or "My body is made up of bread," or even "Engage in cannibalism by eating my body while I hand you this piece of bread.") The statement is not meant to be understood that way, according to certain theologians and exegetes, but rather it is symbolic in meaning. The passage symbolically indicates events yet to come, a prefiguration of both (1) Christ's crucifixion, in which his body would be broken and torn upon the cross, and (2) the coming ritual of Eucharist, in which the disciples will eat communion bread in commemoration of that sacrifice. Dr. Wheeler’s Website Article.

Works Cited:

Cuddon, J.A. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. 4th ed. London: Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 1998.

Baldick, Chris. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.

Wheeler, L. Kip. "Literary Terms and Definitions." Dr. Wheeler's Website. 1998. Carson-Newman College. 22 Feb. 2006 <http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit-terms-E.html>.