Θεωρία in the Exegetical Works of St. John Chrysostom

Abstract

 In modern scientific research, there is a tendency to form a single dictionary of special exegetical terms and a single semantic-interpretative model. Greek words borrowed from ancient Greek literature are often used to determine the methods of interpretation and the meanings of Scripture, for example: ἀλληγορία, ἀναγωγή, θεωρία. The resulting model is often used as a template for the analysis and description of ancient exegetical monuments. At the same time, many researchers completely disregard the ancient exegetes themselves, which leads to a substitution of concepts and distortion of the thoughts of ancient authors. So in the description of the exegetical method of St. John Chrysostom often coined the term «θεωρία», which designates both the spiritual meaning of Scripture and the corresponding method of its disclosure. St. John Chrysostom does use the word θεωρία, however, it does not imply any special technical definition of the method or the meaning of spiritual exegesis.