• Exegesis

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /É›ksɪˈdÊ’iːsɪs/
    • US IPA: /É›ksɪˈdÊ’isɪs/

    Origin

    From Ancient Greek ἐξήγησις (eksēgēsis, "interpretation"), from ἐξηγέομαι (eksēgeomai, "I explain, interpret"), from ἐξ (eks, "out") + ἡγέομαι (hēgeomai, "I lead, guide").

    Full definition of exegesis

    Noun

    exegesis

    (plural exegeses)
    1. An exposition or explanation of a text, especially a religious one.
      • 1885, Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (original translators and editors), Arthur Cleveland Coxe (editor of American edition), Philip Schaff (also credited as editor), Accordingly Athanasius complains loudly of their exegesis (Ep. Æg. 3–4, cf. Orat. i. 8, 52), and insists (id. i. 54, cf. already de Decr. 14) on the primary necessity of always conscientiously studying the circumstances of time and place, the person addressed, the subject matter, and purpose of the writer, in order not to miss the true sense.
      • 1913, Francis Aveling, Rationalism, article in ,As with Deism and Materialism, the German Rationalism invaded the department of Biblical exegesis.
      • 1940, Mortimer J. Adler, ,Historical scholarship bears exclusively on interpretive reading; when it is properly subordinated as a means, its end is exegesis; all of its techniques are of service to the grammatical art. But exegesis is not the end; nor is grammar the highest art. Exegesis is for the sake of a fair critical judgment, grammar for the sake of logic and rhetoric.
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