| Can someone please tell about the form of exegesis Cassiodorus used on the
| bible. Everyone in the early middle ages seem to go back to patristic
| exegesis. Any info on the patristic exegesis used or the exegesis
| Cassiodorus wrote about will be a big help.
|
| THANK YOU
| Gerard
|
|
The standard response is that Cassiodorus practiced spiritual
exegesis, and relied heavily on Augustine, but also Hilary of
Poitiers and Jerome. I think this needs clarifying by stating his
exposition is Christological in orientation, and again he developed
this perspective from his sources. While he was certainly aware of
the four senses motif, like most medieval commentators he did not
engage in a wholistic fourfold exposition of scripture: allegory (a
much maligned and misunderstood word, I think) appears to have been
his prime concern.
The best intro to Cass. is the magisterial biography of James
O'Donnell, _Cassiodorus_ (Berkeley, 1979). For the theory and
practice of exegesis, see Beryl Smalley, _The Study of the Bible in
the Middle Ages_ (Notre Dame, 1963), ch.1 and H de Lubac, _Exegese
medievale_ , 4 vols (Paris, 1959-1964).
Cass.'s Expositio Psalmorum has been translated by PG Walsh in
Ancient Christian Writers, vols. 51-53. (New York, 1990).
You can check out J Preus, _From Shadow to Promise: Old Testament
Interpretation from Augustine to Young Luther_ (Cambrige MA, 1969),
but an eminently superior treatment of Patristic exegesis of the
Psalms is M-J Rondeau, _Les Commentaires patristiques du Psautier
(III-Ve siecles), 2 vols. (Rome, 1982-1985), esp vol 2 which deals
with the Latin West.
I think that Cass.'s role in the history of exegesis has been
underestimated (IMHO), and that he was an important source for later
scholastic commentators of the Psalms. After all, if Robert
Grosseteste thought to use him, he must be important. :-)
Cheers
Jim
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James R. Ginther
Dept. of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT
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E-mail: Phone: +44.113.233.6749
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http://www.leeds.ac.uk/trs/trs.html
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