The Scholastic Exegesis of Prophecy

This chapter traces developments within the tradition of scholastic biblical exegesis that arose in the twelfth century. Focusing on the Psalms, a locus classicus for discussions of non-apocalyptic prophetic knowledge, the chapter examines the commentaries of Parisian masters Gilbert of Poitiers and Peter Lombard and then compares some thirteenth-century works by members of the Dominican Order. It emphasizes two important developments. First, exegetes paid a great deal of attention to the ‘literary’ qualities of prophetic language, trying to assess what made that language sacred. Secondly, the rise of professional exegetes in an academic setting led them to appropriate the sacred authority of the interpreted texts. Relying on the principle that inspired texts required inspired interpreters, these professionals began promoting themselves as possessors of contemporary prophetic authority.