English

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), Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II

     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 Catholic Encyclopedia (1913),

     As with Deism and Materialism, the German Rationalism invaded the department of Biblical exegesis.

   • 1940, Mortimer J. Adler, Two Essays on Docility,

     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.

Related terms

• eisegesis
• epexegesis
• exegete
• exegetical

Translations

See also

• eisegesis

Latin

Noun

exēgēsis

1. genitive singular of exēgēs