EARLY CHRISTIANITY IN THE CONTEXT OF ANTIQUITY Edited by David Brakke, Anders-Christian Jacobsen, Jörg Ulrich Blossom Stefaniw Mind, Text, and Commentary Noetic Exegesis in Origen of Alexandria, Didymus the Blind, and Evagrius Ponticus 6 PETER LANG Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Scholarship on early Christian exegesis is full of puzzlement at the commentator’s ap- parent lack of concern for the literal or historical meaning of the text, usually explained as the result of an illegitimate allegorical method. his study comes to grips with the particularities of this type of interpretation by using tools from ethnography and literary criticism. By analysing the commentator’s interpretive assumptions and the framework of significances within which the commentaries were produced and read, the author is able to solve a chronic problem in the study of early Christian exegesis. Further, she articulates the social context of the performance of noetic exegesis and its significance for monastic teachers, philosophers, and their audiences. Blossom Stefaniw grew up in both the United States and Papua New Guinea, com- pleting her undergraduate studies in 1999. After taking a Masters of heology at the University of Wales, she completed her PhD in Religious Studies at the University of Erfurt (Germany). She is currently pursuing postdoctoral research. www.peterlang.de Mind, Text, and Commentary EARLY CHRISTIANITY IN THE CONTEXT OF ANTIQUITY Edited by David Brakke, Anders-Christian Jacobsen, Jörg Ulrich Advisory board: Hanns Christof Brennecke Ferdinand R. Prostmeier Einar Thomassen Nils Arne Pedersen Volume 6 PETER LANg Frankfurt am Main · Berlin · Bern · Bruxelles · New York · Oxford · Wien Blossom Stefaniw Mind, Text, and Commentary Noetic Exegesis in Origen of Alexandria, Didymus the Blind, and Evagrius Ponticus PETER LANg Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Bibliographic Information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available in the internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de. Zugl.: Erfurt, Univ., Diss., 2008 Cover design: Olaf glöckler, Atelier Platen, Friedberg 547 ISSN 1862-197X ISBN 978-3-653-00187-7 © Peter Lang gmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Frankfurt am Main 2010 All rights reserved. All parts of this publication are protected by copyright. Any utilisation outside the strict limits of the copyright law, without the permission of the publisher, is forbidden and liable to prosecution. his applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microilming, and storage and processing in electronic retrieval systems. www.peterlang.de TABLE OF CONTENTS CChhapter 1 SSttuudying Exegesis, Interpreting Interpretation 9 Introduction 9 Sample Exegetes and Source Texts 16 Origen of Alexandria (185–254) 20 Didymus the Blind (c. 313–c. 398) 23 Evagrius Ponticus (c. 345–c. 400) 27 Terminology 28 Christians and Pagans 42 Precedent and Progress in the Interpretation of Interpretation 43 CChhapter 2 WWhat: What Manner of Thing Was The Text Beleived To Be? 59 Introduction 59 The Larger Cultural Context 63 The Nature of the Text and Exegetical Controversy 73 Traditional Texts as Media of Revelation in the Sample Commentators 86 The Authors of Traditional Texts as Visionaries and Prophets 96 Constructing Revelation: Interpretive Maintenance of the Authority of the Text 116 Perceiving the Moral and Spiritual Referent 132 Conclusions 145 6 Mind, Text, and Commentary CChhapter 3 WWhy: Under What Conditions Was Noetic Exegesis Considered NNeecessary? 149 Introduction 149 The Intelligible and the Sensible: Metaphysical Categories and Multiple Referents 154 Ordinary Language and Perfect Knowledge: The Paradox of Written Revelation 198 Conclusions 218 CChhapter 4 HHoow: The Performance, Embodiment, aannd Acquisition of Noetic Skill 221 Introduction 221 Contemporary Psychology and the Cognitive Equipment Used in Noetic Exegesis 228 Embodying Noetic Skill: the Interpreter as Philosopher, Holy Man, or Spiritual Guide 253 Exegesis and Education: Acquiring Noetic Skill 266 Philosophical Formation in the Larger Cultural Context 270 Origen’s Curriculum 276 Didymus the Blind’s Curriculum 284 Evagrius and Monastic Formation 289 Conclusions 296 Blossom Stefaniw 7 CChhapter 5 WWhere: The Social and Institutional Context ooff Noetic Exegesis 299 Introduction 299 The Logistics of Higher Education in the Larger Culture 305 Pedagogical Logistics in Origen 313 Pedagogical Logistics in Didymus 319 Pedagogical Logistics in Evagrius 325 Noetic Exegesis in Practice 330 The Praxis of Noetic Exegesis in Origen’s School 334 The Praxis of Noetic Exegesis in the School of Didymus 340 Evagrius’ Praxis of Noetic Exegesis in Instruction 345 Confession and Interpretation 356 Conclusions 363 CChhapter 6 NNooetic Exegesis 365 Introduction 365 A Thick Description of Noetic Exegesis 366 The Interpretive Assumptions Governing Noetic Exegesis 374 Noetic Exegesis, Neoplatonist Influence, and Cultural Context 377 Noetic Exegesis, Patristics, and Ancient History 384 Bibliography 387 Acknowledgements 415