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No.2.
The History of Interpretation.
pp. 211 - 215
Having seen that the only safe approach to Scripture is that of the literal, with due
consideration being given to symbols, figures of speech and types, it may be helpful to
give an outline of interpretation in the past, because this will show up wrong conceptions
which have led to the misunderstanding of God's Word, and so will help to guard us
against similar errors. To trace past interpretation in detail from Ezra's day right down to
the present time would be an enormous task and not possible within the limits of The
Berean Expositor. To those who wish to do so, we recommend Dean Farrar's History of
Interpretation, which, in spite of his liberalism, is an outstanding work on this subject.
Other volumes which may be consulted with profit are the Bible in the Church by
R. M. Grant; Prophecy and Authority by K. Fullerton; The Study of the Bible in the
Middle Ages by B. Smalley.
The Greek School of Allegorism.
Inasmuch as the Greek allegorical method was adopted both by Jew and Christian at
the beginning, it is necessary to commence here. The Greeks had a religious heritage in
Homer and Hesiod. To question or doubt them was considered an irreligious or atheistic
act. Yet the stories of the gods were often fanciful, absurd, or immoral, which was an
offence to the philosophical mind. How was this tension to be resolved? The answer is,
by allegorizing. The stories were not to be taken literally, but a secret underlying
meaning was to be sought. The important thing to notice is that this Greek allegorical
method spread to Alexandria, where there was a large Jewish population and eventually a
Christian population of considerable size. The Alexandrian Jew was bound to face up to
Greek philosophical tradition which held sway there, especially that of Plato, and for him
the problem was to reconcile this with his own national Scriptures (the Old Testament).
His solution was identical with the Greek. Dean Farrar writes:
"The Alexandrian Jews were not, however, driven to invent the allegorical method for
themselves. They found it ready to their hands" (History of Interpretation, p. 134).
He continues on page 135:
"By a singular concurrence of circumstances, the Homeric studies of pagan
philosophers suggested first to the Jews and then through them to the Christians, a
method of interpretation before unheard of, which remained unshaken for more than
fifteen hundred years."
Apparently the first writer in this Jewish allegorical way was Aristobulus (B.C.160).
He asserted that Greek philosophy borrowed from the Old Testament and that, by using
the allegorical method, the teachings of Greek philosophy could be found in Moses and
the prophets. The outstanding Jewish allegorist was Philo (about B.C.20-54A.D.). He
had strong leanings toward the philosophy of Plato and Pythagoras. By an elaborate
system of allegorizing, he reconciled his loyalty to his Hebrew faith and his regard for