Allegorical Interpretation
Reading Scripture for a hidden meaning beneath the letter
Allegorical interpretation reads Scripture for a spiritual meaning beyond the plain words, often pointing to Christ; Paul uses such a reading in Galatians 4, and Origen and the Alexandrian school developed it. This approach stands in lasting tension with the Antiochene school, which favored the literal and historical sense. The two represent an enduring exegetical debate over how far meaning may move beyond the text's surface.
How it traveled
- GalatiansEphesus · c. 67 CEexplains
- Dialogue with TryphoRome · c. 165 CEapplies
- Hortatory Address to the GreeksRome · c. 165 CEexplains
- Against Heresies: Book ILyons · c. 202 CEapplies
- Against Heresies: Book VLyons · c. 202 CEexplains
- On the Resurrection of the Flesh.— · c. 220 CEexplains
- The Epistle of BarnabasAlexandria · c. 220 CEapplies
- The Church History of EusebiusCaesarea · c. 339 CEexplains
- Answer to Eunomius' Second BookNyssa · c. 395 CEexplains
- Exposition of the Christian FaithMilan · c. 397 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John ChrysostomConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. JohnConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- Homilies on First CorinthiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and EphesiansConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the RomansConstantinople (Istanbul) · c. 407 CEexplains
- Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of RufinusAquileia · c. 411 CEapplies
- The Letters of St. JeromeBethlehem · c. 420 CEexplains
- Jerome and Gennadius. Lives of Illustrious MenBethlehem · c. 420 CEexplains
- Against JovinianusBethlehem · c. 420 CEapplies
- Expositions on the Book of PsalmsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- The ConfessionsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- On Christian DoctrineHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Reply to Faustus the ManichæanHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. JohnHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- City of GodHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- The Harmony of the GospelsHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Letters of St. AugustinHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New TestamentHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- On the Profit of BelievingHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- A Treatise on the Soul and its OriginHippo Regius · c. 430 CEexplains
- The Conferences of John Cassian. Part II. Containing Conferences XI-XVIIMarseille · c. 435 CEexplains
- The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the GreatRome · c. 604 CEexplains
- Treatise on the Work of the Six Days (qq[65]-74)Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Treatise on Sacred Doctrine (Q[1])Paris · c. 1274 CEexplains
- Commentary on GalatiansWittenberg · c. 1546 CEexplains
- Discussion: Second PartWittenberg · c. 1546 CEchallenges
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
- Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the GospelGeneva · c. 1564 CEexplains
- Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New EnglandNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEapplies
- A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three PartsNorthampton, Massachusetts · c. 1758 CEapplies
Key passages(20)
Each passage is tagged by what it does with the idea: explains it, applies it in practice, redefines it with a new meaning, or challenges it. Relevance shows how directly the passage is about this idea.
The Church History of Eusebius · Eusebius of Caesarea
Origen was not the first to interpret the Scriptures allegorically. The method began among the Alexandrian Jews some time before the Christian era, the effort being made to reconcile the Mosaic revela
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City of God · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 27.—Of the Ark and the Deluge, and that We Cannot Agree with Those Who Receive the Bare History, But Reject the Allegorical Interpretation, Nor with Those Who Maintain the Figurative and Not t
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Commentary on Galatians · Martin Luther
The allegory which Paul is about to bring is taken from the Book of Genesis which he calls the Law. True, that book contains no mention of the Law. Paul simply follows the custom of the Jews who inclu
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
Psalm CIV. Lat. CIII. At Carthage, in his old age. 1. …“Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Let the soul of us all, made one in Christ, say this. “O Lord my God, Thou art magnified exceedingly!” (ver. 1). W
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
11. For it follows, “All the beasts of the wood shall drink” (ver. 11). We do indeed see this also in the visible creation, that the beasts of the wood drink of springs, and of streams that run betwee
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
Circumstantia sui exponuntur. [He adds, “If thou hast heard the first letter in the word Deus, and thinkest it must always belong to it alone, thou wilt blot it out in the word Diabolus. For the word
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Expositions on the Book of Psalms · Augustine of Hippo
Psalm LXXXIV. Lat. LXXXIII. 1. This Psalm is entitled, “For the winepresses.” And, as you observed with me, my beloved (for I saw that you attended most closely), nothing is said in its text either
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These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.
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Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John · Augustine of Hippo
Tractate IX. Chapter II. 1–11 1. May the Lord our God be present, that He may grant us to render you what we promised. For yesterday, if you remember, holy brethren, when the shortness of the time p
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Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John · Augustine of Hippo
4. Now let us see what He intended to signify in the case of that one whom He Himself, keeping the mystery of unity, as I said before, deigned to heal out of so many sick folk. He found in the number
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Melito, the Philosopher. · Remains of the Second and Third Centuries
IX. Head of the Lord—His simple Divinity; because He is the Beginning and Creator of all things: in Daniel. The white hair of the Lord, because He is “the Ancient of Days:” as above. The eyes of th
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On Christian Doctrine · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 10.—How We are to Discern Whether a Phrase is Figurative. 14. But in addition to the foregoing rule, which guards us against taking a metaphorical form of speech as if it were literal, we mus
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On Christian Doctrine · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter 22.—Rule Regarding Passages of Scripture in Which Approval is Expressed of Actions Which are Now Condemned by Good Men. 32. Therefore, although all, or nearly all, the transactions recorded i
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On the Profit of Believing · Augustine of Hippo
8. For that both history of the Old Testament, and ætiology, and analogy are found in the New Testament, has been, as I think, sufficiently proved: it remains to show this of allegory. Our Redeemer Hi
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Reply to Faustus the Manichæan · Augustine of Hippo
14. Omitting therefore many passages in these Books where Christ may be found, but which require longer explanation and proof, although the most hidden meanings are the sweetest, convincing testimony
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Reply to Faustus the Manichæan · Augustine of Hippo
Book XXII. Faustus states his objections to the morality of the law and the prophets, and Augustin seeks by the application of the type and the allegory to explain away the moral difficulties of the
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Reply to Faustus the Manichæan · Augustine of Hippo
93. It requires closer examination to see the meaning of the first action of Moses in burning the calf in fire, and grinding it to powder, and sprinkling it in the water for the people to drink. The t
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The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great
Now it seems to me exceedingly hard that he should debar his soldiers from the service of Him who both gave him all and granted him to rule not only over soldiers but even over priests. If his purpose
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The Confessions · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter XV.—Allegorical Explanation of the Firmament and Upper Works, Ver. 6. 16. Or who but Thou, our God, made for us that firmament Gen. i. 6. See sec. 33, below, and references there given. Is
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The Confessions · Augustine of Hippo
Chapter XVII.—Allegorical Explanation of the Sea and the Fruit-Bearing Earth—Verses 9 and 11. 20. Who hath gathered the embittered together into one society? For they have all the same end, that of t
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