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Most of the limited scholarship on Sedulius Scottus focuses on his poems and treatise, De Rectoribus Christianis. As the product of a central ecclesiastical figure in Liège, the intellectual capital of Louis the German’s kingdom, Sedulius’ biblical exegesis also deserves study. The Carolingians revered classical society and culture and at the same time sought to become a wholly Christian empire, thus, it is not surprising that the content of Sedulius’ Collectaneum in Apostolum contains both classical and Christian elements. In 1997, J. Frede published a critical edition of Sedulius’ Collectaneum in Apostolum, but there remains today neither a translation nor specific study of this work in any modern language. My thesis seeks to provide an introduction and translation for the Prologue and commentaries on Galatians and Ephesians as contained in Frede’s critical edition of Sedulius Scottus’ Collectaneum in Apostolum. After situating Sedulius in his historical context and highlighting the tradition of biblical collectanea, I present external evidence – which demonstrates Sedulius’ familiarity with Donatus’ Vita and Servius’ commentary on the Aeneid – as well as intertextual links to the latter works to argue that Servius’ pedagogical commentary served as a literary model for Sedulius’ Collectaneum. I also introduce and explain Sedulius’ organizing template for the Prologue, which is his employment of the classical rhetorical schema, “the seven types of circumstance”. This schema is an important rhetorical tool of many classical and medieval authors that has heretofore been misrepresented as originating from Hermagoras. Sedulius’ literary style and format are examined as matters of introduction, which further reveals the influence of Servius. The commentaries within the Collectaneum in Apostolum are essentially based on older, formative religious writers such as Jerome, Augustine, and Pelagius. Not only do I survey Sedulius’ doctrinal stances on important theological and ecclesiastical issues of his time, but I discuss Sedulius’ reception of the above three authors in particular and demonstrate how his Collectaneum in Apostolum attempts to harmonize their sometimes discordant voices.

The basic aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between a number of christological and ecclesiological themes. The first section of the essay is concerned with the identification of the traditions employed by the author in his presentation of an ascension theology in 1:20-23 and 4:8-10. Having once established these traditions, an attempt is made to trace a Traditiongeschichte for them. The second part of the essay is concerned with the relationship between the ascension theology and the kephale and pleroma motifs which are present in both pericopes. This investigation necessitates an examination of the Pauline theology. At the same time within this section an attempt is made to trace the source of the pleroma terminology as used by the author of the epistle. In the third section of the essay the interest is more general; an attempt is made to discover how the "component parts" of the author's ascension theology are used elsewhere in the epistle. In the fourth and last section of the essay the interest is again with traditions, specifically the use made of the traditions inherent in the ascension pericopes in the epistle in the writings of both the Church Fathers and of authors outside the main stream of Christian thought.

Depuis longtemps l’importance des commentaires des Sentences de Pierre Lombard pour les études en histoire de sciences n’est plus à démontrer. Œuvres des théologiens, ces textes traitent pourtant un grand nombre de sujets relevant de la philosophie naturelle. La question de l’influence céleste en est une preuve. Les commentateurs des Sentences l’abordent de deux façons. D’une part, ils parlent de l’influence céleste « normale », celle des sphères, des planètes et des étoiles étudiées dans les ouvrages astronomiques médiévaux. Nos auteurs décrivent en détail le rôle de ces corps supérieurs dans le système des causes, énumèrent et classifient les effets qu’ils produisent, indiquent les limites de leur pouvoir. Tout en se démarquant des astrologues, ils affirment également que les astres sont des signes à interpréter. D’autre part, les commentateurs des Sentences veulent saisir une influence céleste « extraordinaire », celle des corps supérieurs dont l’existence est postulée par les théologiens. Ils cherchent à savoir si le ciel des empyrées, l’ultime sphère de l’univers dans laquelle demeureront à la fin des temps les bienheureux, agit sur les corps terrestres. Ils s’efforcent de comprendre si, après le Jugement dernier, les planètes et les étoiles dont le mouvement cessera et dont la lumière augmentera produiront toujours des phénomènes dans le monde d’ici-bas. Notre étude poursuit un objectif double : d’abord, analyser les deux notions, celle de l’influence des cieux astronomiques et celle de l’influence des cieux théologiques, ensuite, comprendre comment elles s’articulent. Le problème de la causalité des corps supérieurs « hors normes » est-il résolu conformément à la conception de la causalité céleste « ordinaire » d’une période donnée ? Ou, inversement, cette théorie est-elle capable d’évoluer pour inclure les cas limites de l’empyrée et des cieux post-apocalyptiques ? À travers ces interrogations, nous aborderons le complexe sujet des rapports entre la théologie et la physique, entre la foi et la science. / The importance of the Commentaries on the Sentences of Peter Lombard for the history of science has been well-established for a long time. Although they were written by theologians, those texts deal with many topics coming under natural philosophy. The question of celestial influence is a good proof. The Sentences commentators address it in two ways. On the one hand, they deal with the « normal » influence, that of the spheres, planets and stars which are studied in the medieval astronomical writings. Our authors describe with scrutiny the role of the celestial bodies within the system of causes, they list and classify the effects which they produced, show the limit of their power. While distancing themselves from the astrologers, they also assert those celestial bodies are signs to be interpreted. On the other hand, the Sentences commentators want to grasp an « extraordinary » celestial influence, that of some celestial bodies, whose existence is postulated by the theologians. They seek to know if the Empyrean Heaven, the last sphere of the universe where the Blessed will live, act on terrestrial bodies. They strive to understand if, after the Last Judgement, the stars and the planets, whose motion will cease and whose light will grow, will still produce phenomena on our inferior world. Our study pursues a double goal: first, it aims to analyze the two notions, that of the influence of the astronomical heavens and that of the influence of the theological heavens; then, it aims to understand how these two notions are articulated. Is the problem of the causality of « abnormal » superior bodies solved according to the conception of the « ordinary » celestial causality at a given period? Or conversely is this theory able to evolve so that it may include the borderline cases of the Empyrean Heaven and the Post-Apocalyptic heavens? This questioning will enable us to tackle the complex issue of the relationship between theology and physics, between faith and science.

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The thesis deals teologic comparison of two patristic commentaries of the Sermon on the Plain from Gospel of Luke - by saint Ambrose and by saint Cyril of Alexandria. Both autors are excerpts from their commentaries of Gospel of Luke. At first are outlined life and literary work of both authors and later an analysis of both texts from the point of view of selected principal theological topics is made. After that the two theological views are compared to the Sermon on the Plain, outlining the initial idea of both autors.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study seeks to identify and classify idioms in the Hebrew Bible. Based on a survey of literature on idioms in general, and in Biblical Hebrew in particular, the necessary conditions for idiomaticity are identified as (1) multi-word character, (2) semantic noncompositionality, (3) unit status, (4) conventionalisation, (5) a verbal nucleus, and (6) a content message. Restricted variability and uniqueness may also be indicative of idiomaticity, although these are not regarded as necessary conditions. Accordingly, idiom is defined as a conventionalised multi-word symbolic unit with a verbal nucleus and a content message, whose global meaning is a semantic extension of the combined meanings of its constituent elements. These criteria were applied to 1 and 2 Samuel, and 104 idioms were identified. The results suggest that the proposed definition is an effective aid to identifying idioms, with certain caveats. In line with Granger and Paquot’s phraseological classification, the multi-word character of idioms is interpreted to imply a verb plus at least one more semantic (as opposed to grammatical) element. Semantic compositionality is shown to be a complex concept that should be understood as the overall meaning of an expression being an extension of the combined meanings of its individual lexical constituents. Conventionalisation and unit status prove to be virtually impossible to determine with certainty for expressions in the Hebrew Bible. Researchers should also be aware that there is an inevitable degree of subjectivity involved in the application and interpretation of the idiom characteristics proposed in this study. A preliminary semantic classification of the idioms found in 1 and 2 Samuel is proposed, based on the lexicographical system developed by De Blois (2000) for the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew. The results of this study suggest that, with some improvements and adjustments, De Blois’s framework is suitable for classifying and representing Biblical Hebrew idioms. The greatest obstacle in using this system is shown to be the counterintuitive names of a number of categories. A complete alphabetical list of idioms from 1 and 2 Samuel is provided in Appendix A, together with the relevant semantic information for each. A classification of these idioms according to lexical semantic domains is presented and discussed in Chapter 5, while alternative ways of arranging them (viz. by contextual semantic domains, underlying conceptual metaphors, and terms for body parts) are provided in Appendices B to D. This study demonstrates that idioms are semantically motivated (by conceptual metaphor, metonymy, symbolic acts, etc.) although their meaning is semantically noncompositional. It also indicates the need for a more systematic treatment of idioms in Biblical Hebrew lexicons. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie poog om idiome in die Hebreeuse Bybel te identifiseer en te klassifiseer. Die volgende noodsaaklike voorwaardes vir idiomatisiteit is geïdentifiseer op grond van ’n oorsig van die literatuur oor idiome in die algemeen en in Bybelse Hebreeus in die besonder: (1) meerwoordigheid, (2) semantiese nie-komposisionaliteit, (3) eenheidstatus, (4) konvensionalisering, (5) ’n werkwoordelike kern en (6) ’n inhoudelike boodskap. Beperkte veranderbaarheid en uniekheid kan ook dui op idiomatisiteit, maar dit word nie as noodsaaklike voorwaardes beskou nie. Gevolglik word idioom gedefinieer as ’n gekonvensionaliseerde, meerwoordige simboliese eenheid met ’n werkwoordelike kern, waarvan die geheelbetekenis ’n semantiese uitbreiding is van die gekombineerde betekenisse van die elemente waaruit dit saamgestel is. Die bogenoemde kriteria is in 1 en 2 Samuel toegepas, en daar is 104 idiome geïdentifiseer. Die resultate dui daarop dat die voorgestelde definisie van idiomatisiteit, met inagneming van sekere voorbehoude, ’n effektiewe hulpmiddel vir die indentifisering van idiome is. In lyn met Granger en Paquot se fraseologiese klassifikasie word daar van die veronderstelling uitgegaan dat die meerwoordigheid van idiome ’n werkwoord plus minstens een ander semantiese (teenoor grammatikale) komponent behels. Daar word aangetoon dat semantiese komposisionaliteit ’n komplekse begrip is en dat dit verstaan moet word as ’n uitbreiding van die kombinasie van die betekenisse van die afsonderlike leksikale elemente waaruit ’n uitdrukking saamgestel is, om ’n geheelbetekenis te vorm. Om die konvensionalisering en eenheidstatus van uitdrukkings in die Hebreeuse Bybel met sekerheid vas te stel, blyk feitlik onmoontlik te wees. Navorsers moet ook daarvan bewus wees dat daar ’n onvermydelike mate van subjektiwiteit betrokke is by die toepassing en verstaan van die idioomkenmerke wat in die huidige studie voorgestel word. ’n Voorlopige semantiese klassifikasie van die idiome wat in 1 en 2 Samuel geïdentifiseer is, word voorgestel, gebaseer op die leksikografiese sisteem wat deur De Blois (2000) vir die Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew ontwikkel is. Die resultate van hierdie studie doen aan die hand dat De Blois se raamwerk, met ’n paar veranderinge en verbeteringe, geskik is vir die klassifisering en uiteensetting van idiome in Bybelse Hebreeus. Daar word aangetoon dat die grootste hindernis om die genoemde sisteem te gebruik, die teen-intuïtiewe benaminge van ’n aantal kategorieë is. ’n Volledige alfabetiese lys van die idiome uit 1 en 2 Samuel, met toepaslike semantiese inligting by elk, word in Bylae A aangebied. ’n Klassifikasie van hierdie idiome volgens leksikale semantiese domeine word in Hoofstuk 5 voorgehou en bespreek, terwyl alternatiewe indelings (nl. volgens kontekstuele semantiese domeine, onderliggende konsepsuele metafore en terme vir liggaamsdele) in Bylaes B tot D aangebied word. Hierdie studie toon aan dat idiome semanties gemotiveer word (deur konsepsuele metafore, metonimie, simboliese handelinge ens.), alhoewel hulle betekenis niekomposisioneel is. Die behoefte aan ’n meer sistematiese bewerking van idiome in Bybelse Hebreeuse leksikons word ook uitgewys.

The struggle to read Jer 31:31-34 as Christian Scripture has a long and divided history. Yet remarkably little has been done to grapple with the depth of this struggle in the Christian tradition from the post-Nicene period to the modern era. This thesis attempts to show the value of the tradition as an interlocutor for contemporary exegetical concerns in Christian readings and use of Jer 31:31-34. The study begins with Augustine’s interpretation of the text as an absolute contrast between unbelief and faith, rather than the standard reading (found in Jerome) of a contrast between two successive religio-historical eras - one that governed Israel (the ‘old covenant’) and a new era and its covenant inaugurated in the coming of Christ. Augustine’s absolute contrast loosened the strict temporal concern, so that the faithful of any era were members of the ‘new covenant’. The study traces this reading of an absolute contrast in a few key moments of Christian interpretation: Thomas Aquinas and high medieval theology, then the 16th and 17th century Reformed tradition. The thesis aims at a constructive reading of Jer 31:31-34, and so the struggle identified in these moments in the Christian tradition is brought into dialogue with modern critical discussions from Bernhard Duhm to the present. Finally I turn to an exegetical argument for an ‘Augustinian’ reading of the contrast of the covenants. The study finds that Jer 31:31-34, read in its role in Jeremiah, contrasts Israel’s infidelity with a future idyllic faithfulness to Yhwh: in the new covenant all will be as it always ought to have been. The contrast is thus between two mutually exclusive standings before Yhwh. Thus the study aims to contribute to modern exegetical, theological and ecclesial discussions of ‘old’ and ‘new’ covenants by examining one of the central texts of the discussion in dialogue with parts of the history of interpretatio

Given the importance of Paul for Dante's characterization of the pilgrim, and his invocation of the Pauline Epistles throughout the Commedia, this thesis began by asking how important Paul was to Dante's fourteenth-century readers. It examines the use of the Pauline Epistles by the Trecento commentators of Dante's Commedia in order to contribute to our understanding of how both were read in late medieval Italy. Part One examines reading practices in the Middle Ages, and introduces commentary writing as a genre. The fourteenth century commentators are then described, with a focus on personal circumstances that may have influenced their interpretations. Part Two examines the use of Paul in the commentaries, differentiating between different forms of citation, such as when the commentators used Paul because they identified Pauline references or allusions in the poem, or when they included Paul in their interpretations for other reasons. This produced close readings of selected commentaries which reveal how the commentators read Paul and understood Dante. Jacopo della Lana used Paul when copying Aquinas, and his knowledge of the Epistles themselves, it is argued, was often confused and inaccurate. Pietro Alighieri repeatedly used Paul in combination with other sources in order implicitly to link canti. Guido da Pisa viewed the Commedia as a prophetic dream vision, and equated Dante with Biblical figures, including Paul. This comparison allowed Guido to justify his use of Dante as a life model for his dedicatee. The commentators acknowledge the importance of Paul when Dante clearly alludes to the Epistles, but in general, they simply use Paul as an authoritative voice. Finally, this thesis demonstrates their understanding of Dante not just as narrator/character, but also as reader.

The sequence commentary emerged as a new branch of medieval commentary literature in the twelfth century. The sequence itself, sung in the Roman Mass, was a hugely influential genre—several thousands of sequence texts are known today—but the fact that the Middle Ages also produced commentaries on this liturgical poetry has been hitherto practically unknown and very few commentary texts have been edited. The present work is the first attempt at a broader presentation of the sequence commentary genre. It makes available in modern editions seven previously unedited expositions on the sequence Ad celebres rex for the feast of St Michael. Introductions to each edition discuss the motifs interpreted, the commentary technique used and the sources drawn upon. Manuscript interrelations and textual problems are also treated here. Editions of four prologues introducing collections of commentaries are also included. These texts, though not specifically tied to the commentaries on Ad celebres rex, are presented here since they provide useful evidence of the interpretative frameworks chosen by the commentators. The complex textual transmissions of these texts have required three different editorial methods, which are discussed in a separate chapter. A general introduction surveys the sequence commentary material found to date. From these textual witnesses—nearly a hundred manuscripts listed in an appendix—we may conclude that the genre flourished mainly in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Most manuscripts present large collections of commentaries on sequences for the whole liturgical year, generally preceded by a prologue and sometimes accompanied by a corresponding group of hymn commentaries.