Hermeneutical Procedure and Theological Method in Origen's Exegesis

196 Pages·1986·33.105 MB·English

by  Karen Jo Torjesen

KAREN JO TORJESEN
HERMENEUTICAL PROCEDURE AND
THEOLOGICAL METHOD IN ORIGEN'S EXEGESIS
W
DE
G
PATRISTISCHE TEXTE UND STUDIEN
IM AUFTRAG DER
PATRISTISCHEN KOMMISSION
DER AKADEMIEN DER WISSENSCHAFTEN
IN DER BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND
HERAUSGEGEBEN VON
K. ALAND UND W. SCHNEEMELCHER
BAND 28
WALTER DE GRUYTER · BERLIN · NEW YORK
1986
HERMENEUTICAL PROCEDURE
AND THEOLOGICAL METHOD
IN ORIGEN'S EXEGESIS
BY
KAREN JO TORJESEN
WALTER DE GRUYTER · BERLIN · NEW YORK
1986
Printed on acid-free paper
(ageing-resistant - pH 7, neutral)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publkation Data
Torjesen, Karen Jo, 1945-
Hermeneutical procedure and theological structure in Origen's exegesis.
(Patristische Texte und Studien ; Bd. 28)
Bibliography: p.
Includes indexes.
1. Origen — Contributions in biblical interpretation.
2. Bible — Criticism, interpretation, etc. — History — Early church,
ca. 30-600. I. Title. . Series.
BS500.T671985 230 3 924 85-27376
ISBN 0-89925-133-1 (U.S.)
CIP-KuTZtitelaujhahme der Deutschen Bibliothek
Torjesen, Karen Jo:
Hermeneutical procedure and theological mediod in Origen's exegesis /
by Karen Jo Torjesen. -
Berlin ; New York : de Gruyter, 1985
(Patristische Texte und Studien ; Bd. 28)
ISBN 3-11-0102021-0
NE.-GT
ISSN 0553-4003
© 1985 by Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin 30
Printed in Germany
Alle Rechte, insbesondere das der Übersetzung in fremde Sprachen, vorbehalten.
Ohne ausdrückliche Genehmigung des Verlages ist es auch nicht gestattet, dieses Buch oder Teile
daraus auf photomechanischem Wege (Photokopie, Mikrokopie) zu vervielfältigen.
Satz: Dörlemann-Satz, Lemförde · Druck: Hildebrand, Berlin · Einband: Mikolai, Berlin
To my father

PREFACE
Current interest in the allegorical exegesis of the early church has been largely
stimulated by modern attempts to both understand and define exegesis itself. The
present work is no exception. Examining how the nature and task of exegesis
have been defined in a historical period outside our own offers a unique and
perhaps important vantage point from which to view and question our own
contemporary understanding. It is this achievement of another perspective which
gives special value to a historical study that bears on a contemporary issue.
There are two distinct elements in the historical investigation of allegorical
interpretation. One is a question of the method employed in allegorical exegesis;
the other is a question of the theological basis for allegorical exegesis. All too often
concern with analysis of the method through comparison with the criteria of
modern critical method has led to an eclipse of interest in the theological structure
on which allegorical interpretation is based. Instead of seeking possible correlation
with modern methods of exegesis, allegorical method ought rather to be studied
by examining interrelations between the method and the whole complex of
theological understanding within which it is set. In particular Origen's method of
interpretation is theologically determined by a specific understanding of the form
in which Christ is present in Scripture, the role of Scripture itself in the process of
redemption, and how the individual is related to the biblical text.
Such a study of Origen's exegesis in relation to its own underlying theological
structure can be fruitful for the modern discussion of exegesis by illuminating
from a quite different perspective the theological questions which any method of
exegesis must answer. It is not the method of Origen's allegory which is useful
today - its authority and value presuppose the Hellenistic thought world - but
rather the network of theological assumptions upon which it rests. The set of
questions which those assumptions define provides a unique perspective from
which to view our own methods of exegesis.
I was especially fortunate during the course of this study to participate in the
intellectual life of both the American and the German University. I would like to
thank my American advisors, Dr. Jane Douglass, Dr. Ronald Osborn and Dr.
Burton Mack for valuable critique and fruitful suggestions. To my mentor, Prof.
Ekkehard Mühlenberg, I owe a special debt of thanks for his insightful direction
of my research and his friendly support. A timely completion of this project
would not have been possible without the assistance of Hannelore Arnold who
typed the manuscript and of Jörg Salzmann who checked references and compiled
indices. Lastly I would like to thank the University of Göttingen for the time
made available to me for research alongside my teaching activities as
Wissenschaftliche Assistentin.
Los Angeles
July 1985 Karen J. Torjesen

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface VE
Introduction 1
Definition of the Problem 1
History of the Criticism of Origen 1
The Contemporary Approach to Origen 3
A Strategy for the Study of Origen's Exegetical Practice 12
The Textual Basis 14
Transmission of the Texts 14
Selection of Texts 19
I. Psalm 37: Case Study in Origen's Exegesis 22
Origen's Practice of Exegesis 23
Prologue: Relation of the Psalm to the Hearer 23
Interpretation of the Individual Verse: The Exegetical
Procedure 26
Excursus: The Journey of the Soul in the Psalms 29
Interpretation of the Chapter as a Whole: The Unifying Principle of
Exegesis 32
Origen's Theory of Exegesis 35
Origen's Doctrine of Scripture: De Principiis IV Cap. 1-2 35
The Effectiveness of Scripture 36
The Threefold Usefulness of Scripture 39
The Theological Foundation: Presence of the Logos in Scripture . 43
Π. Procedure of Origen's Exegesis 49
Jeremiah 50
Numbers 52
Song of Songs 54
The Commentary 54
The Homilies 57
Similarities in Exegetical Procedure 59
Gospel 62
The Homilies on Luke , 63
The Commentary on Matthew 64
The New Testament in Origen's Exegesis 66
X Table of Contents
ΠΙ. The Organizing Principle in Origens's Exegesis
Origan's Concept of the Journey of the Soul 70
The Problem of Definition 70
Representative Formulations in Origen 71
The Trinitarian Schema in De Principiis 71
The Order of the Solomonic Books 72
The Exegetical Sequence in Numbers 73
Stages in the Progress of the Soul 77
Purification from Sin 77
Knowledge of the Logos 82
The Final Stage of Perfection 84
Summary: The Journey of the Soul as the Means of
Redemption 85
The Journey of the Soul in Origen's Exegesis 85
Song of Songs: Homilies 87
Song of Songs: Commentary 93
Numbers 96
Jeremiah 100
Gospel 105
IV. Theological Foundations of Origen's
Exegetical Procedure 108
Doctrine of Scripture: Presence of the Logos in Scripture 108
The Image of the Logos in Scripture 109
Analogy of Creation 109
The Spiritual Sense is the Logos Image 110
The Spiritual Sense is Universal Teaching of Christ 110
The Origin and Intent of the Spiritual Sense Ill
Historical Limit of the Spiritual Sense 112
The Mediating Activity of the Logos in Scripture 113
The Analogy of the Incarnation 113
Three Forms of the Mediating Activity of the Logos Γ 113
The Universal Pedagogy of the Logos in the Incarnation ... 114
The Historical Pedagogy of the Logos to the Saints 116
The Contemporary Pedagogy of the Logos through
Scripture 117
Scripture as Logos-Pedagogy for the Individual 118
Doctrine as the Contemporary Form of Divine Pedagogy 119
Doctrine in the Progress of the Soul 121
Theology of Exegesis: Presence of the Logos in Origen's Exegetical
Procedure 124