Topic- Interpretation in the Middle Ages

Nemmuankim. [Link]-1 Submitted to - Dr. Saju Thomas

Introduction

The Middle Ages is generally considered to have begun in 590 A.D., after the fall of the
Roman Empire till the reformation period. It is often regarded as a challenging period for the Church
and biblical interpretation, marked by scriptural ignorance and a moral decline in the church. Despite
this, the rise of Scholasticism and the works of Thomas Aquinas and Peter Abelard contributed to
significant developments in biblical interpretation, which will be explained concisely in the paper.

1. Characteristics of the Medieval Church

The Medieval Ages is a significant era for the Roman Catholic Church, beginning with
Roman Bishop Gregory 1, the Church played a crucial role in social and spiritual life.1 The Pope was
considered sovereign, he made moral and spiritual laws, but this period saw a lack of spiritual
education and Christianity became ritualistic.2 The Church tradition stands supreme. The Scriptures
and collections of the Church fathers’ sayings were offered as support for tradition.3 Biblical
hermeneutics was dominated by ecclesiastical authority, limiting access to the Bible.4 The Church
practice should align with the scriptures, but the pursuit of power has diminished the integrity of the
Church.

2. Interpretation in the Middle Ages

The interpretation during Middle Ages can be traced back by examining the method of
Scholasticism and the contributions of Thomas Aquinas and Peter Abelard.

1
Earl E. Cairns, Christianity through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 165.
2
F. Hrangkhuma, An Introduction to Church History, 3rd ed. (Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 2002),
129, 132.
3
A. Berkeley Mickelsen, Interpreting the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company,1981), 35.
4
Joel Joseph, Biblical Hermeneutics Rediscovered – 32: Methodological Issues in Interpreting the Old
Testament Passages (Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2020), 19.

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 2.1. Roots of Scholasticism

The term Scholasticism comes from the Latin schola, meaning “school.” It began in
cathedrals and monastic schools.5 At the end of the 11th century, the word was applied to the
method of teaching in the medieval universities of Western Europe.6 It is a philosophical system
that rationalize theology in order to support faith by reason.7 This system helps individuals
engage in critical analysis and thoughtful interpretation.

Scholastic interpretation relied on the Glossa ordinaria, which is an explanatory note

written in the margins and between the lines of biblical text. The glosses were drawn from the
church fathers and early Christian scholars to explain a text. Scholastic interpreters created a new
Bible edition, which was published in Paris with chapter and paragraph division.8 The division of
the Bible provides an ample advantage for the readers. The Glossa ordinaria might be biased and
depending solely on the commentary could lose the true meaning of the Bible.

2.2. Peter Abelard’s contribution

Peter Abelard is a prominent medieval theologian and he approaches biblical

interpretation by applying reason and the dialectical method to interpretation. He highlights the
position of reason in the development of truth and believes that doubt would lead to inquiry into
truth. He explained that death on the cross was to impress man with the love of God so that man
would be morally influenced to surrender their life to God .9 He focused on the literal meaning of
Paul’s writing, particularly in the book of Romans. In his commentary on the book of Romans,
he noted that the Son of God became man to set an example on how to live.10 The Bible vividly
demonstrated that the basis for the death of Christ was a substitutionary act for the forgiveness of
sins and justifying sinners before God (Matt. 20:28; Rom. 3:24-25) not merely a moral example.

5
Jack B. Rogers and Donald K. McKim, The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible: An Historical
Approach (San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1979), 36.
6
F. L. Cross., ed. “Scholasticism,” The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (New York: Oxford
University Press, 1997), 1465.
7
Cairns, Christianity through the Centuries, 251.
8
Christopher Ocker, “Scholastic Interpretation of the Bible,” in A History of Biblical Interpretation: The
Medieval through the Reformation Periods, eds., Alan J. Hauser and Duane F. Watson, (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 2: 261-262.
9
Cairns, Christianity Through the Centuries, 230-231.
10
Gerald Bray, Biblical Interpretation: Past & Present (Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1996), 138.

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 2.3. Thomas Aquinas’ contribution

Thomas Aquinas was an influential theologian in the Middle Ages. He demonstrated that
the literal sense of Scripture is an author’s intended meaning, which involves understanding the
text in the historical context.11 Aquinas’s most influential work was Summa Theologica, he
systematically explains Christian theology and employs Aristotelian philosophy to argue the
existence of God.12 Aquinas compiled a verse-by-verse commentary on the four gospels, made
up of exegetical passages from early church fathers and arranged it to provide an interpretation
of biblical passages. It is known as Catena Aurea or Golden chain.13 This commentary provides
an invaluable resource for understanding the gospel. Aristotle’s ideas may have been valid for
Aquinas but it posed a challenging concept for Christians.

In his commentary on the book of Romans, he depicts Pauline doctrines of justification

by faith. His commentary on Ps. 1-54 is described as Christocentric, as he indicates the ways in
which the Psalm prefigures Christ and his church.14 He view Job as a real historical figure who is
sinful despite his advanced wisdom and interprets the book of Job in a literal or historical
sense.15 The literal interpretation adapted by Aquinas ensures the intended meaning of the
Scriptures is understood.

Reflection

The Medieval interpretation witnessed the role of critical thinking and reason in the study
of the Bible and it led to significant advancements in theological understanding. The scholastic
interpreters generally believe that rational inquiry can lead to a deeper understanding of divine
truths however, it is a challenge for the laity people, as one cannot always reconcile their faith
practice with reason. Aquinas's method of harmonizing different interpretations was widely used
but concern arose that this approach could obscure the true meaning of the scriptures because he

11
David S. Dockery, Biblical Interpretation: Then and Now (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House,
1992), 159.
12
Henning Graf Reventlow, From Late Antiquity to the End of Middle Ages. Vol. 2 of History of Biblical
Interpretation, trans. James O. Duke (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009), 193-194.
13
K. Froehlich, “Thomas Aquinas.” Dictionary of Major Biblical Interpreters, ed. Donald K. McKim.
(Nottingham: Inter- Varsity Press, 2007), 981.
14
Michael W. Rota, “Thomas Aquinas,” in Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, ed. Kevin
J. Vanhoozer (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2006), 799-800.
15
Lindsay Wilson, “Job Book of,” in Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, ed. Kevin J.
Vanhoozer (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2006), 385.

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relies heavily on early Church practices. Abelard’s interpretation of Christ’s death as a moral
example contrasts with the prevailing belief in Christendom because Christ’s death was for the
redemption of mankind. While medieval brought a significant change, it also revealed challenges
such as interpretations influenced by Church authorities that served institutional purposes rather
than revealing the true meaning of a text.

Conclusion

The Medieval period marked a transformative era in biblical interpretation. The period
saw the rise of scholasticism, a method wisely used by the interpreters to deepen their
understanding of the scriptures. The contributions of Thomas Aquinas and Peter Abelard led to
important advancements in biblical interpretation and laid the groundwork for ecclesiastical
reforms. Their work highlighted the importance of using reason and critical thinking in the study
of the Bible. For Christians, it is always essential to question and rationally investigate our
beliefs to have a deeper understanding of God’s word.

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Bibliography
Books
Bray, Gerald. Biblical Interpretation: Past & Present. Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1996.
Cairns, Earl E. Christianity through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.
Dockery, David S. Biblical Interpretation: Then and Now. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book
House, 1992.
Hrangkhuma, F. An Introduction to Church History. 3rd ed. Bangalore: Theological Book Trust,
2002.
Joseph, Joel. Biblical Hermeneutics Rediscovered – 32: Methodological Issues in Interpreting
the Old Testament Passages. Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2020.
Mickelsen, A. Berkeley. Interpreting the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: WM. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1981.
Ocker, Christopher. “Scholastic Interpretation of the Bible,” In A History of Biblical
Interpretation: The Medieval through the Reformation Periods. Edited by, Alan J. Hauser
and Duane F. Watson. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 2009.
Reventlow, Henning Graf. From Late Antiquity to the End of Middle Ages. Vol. 2 of History of
Biblical Interpretation. Translated by James O. Duke. Atlanta: Society of Biblical
Literature, 2009.
Rogers, Jack B. and Donald K. McKim. The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible: An
Historical Approach. San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1979.
Dictionaries
Cross, F. L. Ed. “Scholasticism,” The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York:
Oxford University Press, 1997.
Froehlich, K. “Thomas Aquinas.” Dictionary of Major Biblical Interpreters. Edited by Donald K.
McKim. Nottingham: Inter- Varsity Press, 2007.
Rota, Michael W. “Thomas Aquinas.” In Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible.
Edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2006.
Wilson, Lindsay. “Job Book of.” In Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible. Edited
by Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2006.