Authorial Assumptions in Allegorical Interpretation of Scripture
Allegorical interpretation of Scripture involves understanding a text as having a meaning beyond its literal sense, where one thing is represented to excite the representation of another [1]. This approach has been a significant, though often debated, method throughout Christian history.
One of the earliest and most influential proponents of allegorical interpretation was Origen, whose methods, however, drew criticism from later theologians. John Calvin, for instance, explicitly rejected Origen's extensive use of allegory, stating that Origen "corrupts the whole Scripture" by "hunting everywhere for allegories" [3]. Calvin argued that such an approach distorts the simplicity of Scripture and extracts "smoke out of light" [3]. Despite this, Calvin himself acknowledged instances where biblical texts, such as the story of Sarah and Hagar in Galatians 4, are presented allegorically by the biblical authors themselves [3].
The Apostle Paul's use of allegory in Galatians 4:24, where he states that the accounts of Hagar and Sarah "are an allegory," is a key passage for understanding the concept [4, 5]. John Gill notes that Philo the Jew had allegorized Sarah and Hagar before Paul, with Sarah representing virtue and Hagar representing arts and sciences [4]. Paul, however, allegorizes them in relation to the two covenants: Hagar representing the covenant from Mount Sinai, leading to bondage, and Sarah representing the free covenant of promise [5]. This demonstrates that allegorical interpretation, when explicitly indicated by the biblical author, is a legitimate hermeneutical tool.
The Catholic tradition, as articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, distinguishes between the literal and spiritual senses of Scripture. The spiritual sense is further subdivided into the allegorical, moral, and anagogical senses [9]. Thomas Aquinas, a foundational figure in Catholic scholasticism, explained that God, as the author of Holy Writ, can signify meaning not only through words but also through the things themselves that the words signify. This means that the things signified by the words can themselves have further signification, leading to multiple senses in Scripture [6]. The allegorical sense, in this framework, refers to how events in the Old Testament can prefigure Christ or the Church [9].
Eastern Orthodox figures like John Chrysostom also engaged in interpreting the Old Testament, though his exegetical approach was sometimes limited by his reliance on the Septuagint (LXX) and his lack of Hebrew knowledge. He would occasionally make use of verbal suggestions in the Greek text that did not have a basis in the Hebrew [2]. Nevertheless, his commentaries on the Old Testament share characteristics with his New Testament exegesis, suggesting a consistent interpretive method [2].
The practice of allegorical interpretation has been a point of contention and development throughout Christian history. Tertullian, an early Church Father, noted that critics like Celsus found allegorical explanations of the Law of Moses "shameful and absurd," particularly those found in the works of Philo [8]. This highlights that even in early Christianity, the application of allegory was not universally accepted or understood.
In contrast to approaches that seek multiple layers of meaning, some traditions emphasize the primary importance of the literal sense. The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) implicitly prioritize a straightforward reading of Scripture, though they do not explicitly condemn allegorical interpretation [10]. Similarly, Reformed theology, as exemplified by Calvin, generally favors a grammatical-historical approach, seeking the author's intended meaning in the text [3]. Charles Hodge, a prominent Old Princeton theologian, discussed different views on inspiration, noting that some hold only parts of Scripture to be inspired, or that the New Testament is inspired to a greater extent than the Old [7]. This focus on the nature and extent of inspiration often underpins discussions about how to interpret the text, including the role of allegory.
Jewish tradition also employs methods of interpretation that go beyond the literal. The Babylonian Talmud, for instance, discusses verbal analogies ("gezerah shavah") where terms that are superfluous in their immediate context are used to establish connections between different verses, thereby deriving new meanings or laws [11]. This demonstrates a recognition that texts can carry deeper or interconnected meanings beyond their surface level.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Allegory — a figure of speech, which has been defined by Bishop Marsh, in accordance with its etymology as, "a representation of one thing which is intended to excite the representation of another thing." ("A figurative representation containing a meaning other than and in addition to the literal." "A fable or parable; is a short allegory with one definite moral."--Encyc. Brit.) In every allegory there is a twofold sense--the immediate or historic, which is understood from the words, and the ultimate, which is concerned with the things signified by the words. The alle”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew: Owing to his ignorance of Hebrew, Chrysostom was not properly equipped for the work of expounding the Old Testament. He treats the LXX. as though it were of final authority, save in a few instances where the variations of other Greek versions have occasioned discussion. Frequently he makes use of verbal suggestions of the Greek that have no warrant in the Hebrew text. Yet, where he is not thus misled, his comments on the Old Testament present the same characteristics as those on the New. The most marked peculiarity of Chrysostom as an exegete is his compar”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 25.13: But because I have before declared, that this history is more profoundly considered by Paul, the sum of it is here briefly to be collected. In the first place, he says, that what is here read, was written allegorically: not that he wishes all histories, indiscriminately to be tortured to an allegorical sense, as Origin does; who by hunting everywhere for allegories, corrupts the whole Scripture; and others, too eagerly emulating his example, have extracted smoke out of light. And not only has the simplicity of Scripture been viti”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 4:23: Which things are an allegory,.... Or "are allegorized": so Sarah and Hagar were allegorized by Philo the Jew (p), before they were by the apostle. Sarah he makes to signify virtue, and Hagar the whole circle of arts and sciences, which are, or should be, an handmaid to virtue; but these things respecting Hagar and Sarah, the bondwoman and the free, and their several offspring, are much better allegorized by the apostle here. An allegory is a way of speaking in which one thing is expressed by another, and is a continued metaphor; and the apostle's meaning is, that t”
- Galatians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Galatians 4:24: are an allegory--rather, "are allegorical," that is, have another besides the literal meaning. these are the two covenants--"these [women] are (that is, mean; omit 'the' with all the oldest manuscripts) two covenants." As among the Jews the bondage of the mother determined that of the child, the children of the free covenant of promise, answering to Sarah, are free; the children of the legal covenant of bondage are not so. one from--that is, taking his origin from Mount Sinai. Hence, it appears, he is treating of the moral law (Gal 3:19) chiefly”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Nature and Extent of Sacred Doctrine, Art. 10: Article: Whether in Holy Scripture a word may have several senses? I answer that, The author of Holy Writ is God, in whose power it is to signify His meaning, not by words only (as man also can do), but also by things themselves. So, whereas in every other science things are signified by words, this science has the property, that the things signified by the words have themselves also a signification. Therefore that first signification whereby words signify things belongs to the first sense, t”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 42: for our hopes of salvation. C. Partial Inspiration. Under this head are included several different doctrines. 1. Many hold that only some parts of Scripture are inspired, i.e., that the writers of some books were supernaturally guided by the Spirit, and the writers of others were not. This, as mentioned above, was the doctrine of Coleridge, who admitted the inspiration of the Law and the Prophets, but denied that of the rest of the Bible. Others admit the New Testament to be inspired to an extent to which the Old was not. Others again hol”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. LI.: Celsus appears to me to have heard that there are treatises in existence which contain allegorical explanations of the law of Moses. These however, he could not have read; for if he had he would not have said: "The allegorical explanations, however, which have been devised are much more shameful and absurd than the fables themselves, inasmuch as they endeavour to unite with marvellous and altogether insensate folly things which cannot at all be made to harmonize." He seems to refer in these words to the works of Philo, or”
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, 3. Be attentive to the analogy of faith.82 By "analogy of: 3. Be attentive to the analogy of faith.82 By "analogy of faith" we mean the coherence of the truths of faith among themselves and within the whole plan of Revelation. The senses of Scripture 115 According to an ancient tradition, one can distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and anagogical senses. the profound concordance of the four senses guarantees all its richness to the living reading of Scripture in the”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Acclamations: Acclamations Acclamations Alternative Dismissal An Act of Penitence Blessings Blessings Confession Extended Preface Extended Preface Gospel Acclamation Gospel Acclamation Intercession Intercessions Introduction Introduction to Pentecost Introduction to the Season Introductions to the Peace Introductions to the Peace Invitations to Confession Invitations to Confession Kyrie Confession Kyrie Confessions Notes Prayer at the Preparation of the Table Prayer at the Preparation of the Table Prefaces Prefaces Seasonal Material for use fr”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 40b.4: The Gemara explains: This is not an association based on conceptual similarity alone; rather, we learn one from the other based on a verbal analogy employing the words “diligently” and “diligently.” “Diligently” is used in all three verses. The Gemara comments: And this verbal analogy must be free, i.e., these terms must be superfluous in their context. The Torah included them for the express purpose of establishing the verbal analogy. A verbal analogy that is based on otherwise extraneous terms cannot be logically refuted. This is because if these terms are”