In whatever way one judges the detailed exegesis of Origen and Ambrose, its deepest basis was neither Hellenistic allegory, nor Philo nor rabbinic methods
(338) Cf 1 Co 6:9-11; Ep 4:17-19. For ritual mutilations, cf. Lv 21:5; 1 K ; Is 15:2; Ho 7:14.
(340) In Greek, for “to them belong” there is a simple genitive twice, which expresses possession (literally: “of whom [are]”); for “from them comes” there is a genitive introduced by the preposition ex which expresses origin.
(348) Paul VI, homily of or adhibeatur spesque in iis collocetur”: (“that there be respect and love towards them and that hope is placed in them”).
Strictly speaking, – leaving aside the details of interpretation – its basis was the New Testament itself. Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be the true heir to the Old Testament – “the Scriptures” – and to offer a true interpretation, which, admittedly, was not that of the schools, but came from the authority of the Author himself: “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mk 1:22). Continue reading