ORIGEN’S THEOLOGICAL AND EXEGETICALMETHODIC IN INTARPRITATION OF THE «SONG OF SONGS» BOOK

Abstract

Christian exegesis cannot be satisfied with the list of comfortable allegories that would make easier the reading of one or another Bible book. Such simplification is more like a profanation of the text, meanwhile proper art and science lead to the occurrence of more questions than answers and, finally, those questions invite the reader to reflect upon the written Revelation. That’s why when we refer to the allegory of Christ and the Church in the «Song of songs» as to the traditional interpretation of Alexandrine exegete of the 3^th century Origen, we should delve into the style and purpose of his work, look closer at how this allegory works within his ideas. The famous mysterious reading we know of this part of the Scripture probably belongs to not only Jewish authors, but is Origen’s achievement, and in this way – almost originally Christian. That is important, because in this way Christian interpretation of Christ as the Groom of the Church as the Bride appears as something Christian, not only copying earlier Jewish tradition. Regarding Origen’s writing itself, he uses not only scientific method, not just his own reflections, but a few approaches at same time. While modern scholars usualy use only one style for one work of any kind, the opposite was in ancient world. The freedom to mix a number of styles allows the ancient author not only to produce, but to create a multi-level writing, in which every reader can get what he needs, and what he is ready to accept, depending on his own intellectual and spiritual preparation. In this way we can watch Origen’s exegetical and teaching genius. Especially the exegesis on the biblical book «Song of songs» appears to be a great representation, by being complicated and, in some way, scandalous book.