How to Read the Bible Like the Early Church Did

July 21, 2026 · 1 min read

Many modern hermeneutics lessons open with an example of how not to interpret. The infamous Augustinian allegory of Luke’s parable of the Good Samaritan is the classic offender. Augustine interprets Luke 10 in the following way: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho; Adam himself is meant; Jerusalem is the heavenly city of Read more...

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Maria NakoI was reading this piece about Augustine's allegory of the Good Samaritan, and I think it's a little strange – turning every detail into something symbolic like Adam, the heavenly Jerusalem, or hell. In our early church we read the Scriptures more simply, focusing on what it teaches us to really help our neighbor, not to make puzzles. Have you ever tried reading the Gospel like this in your study group?

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