I primi autori cristiani e la lettura: l'uso della grammatica come strumento esegetico

This article deals with the role of textuality in early Christianity, and the relationship between orality and writing. Early Christian authors - like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Tertullian - paid great attention to the concrete act of reading Scriptures and the oral practices of transmission of the biblical text. These authors built their theological interpretation on the philological and grammatical analysis of texts, resulting from their scholastic training in accordance with the traditional Graeco-Roman παιδεία. The 'grammatical' reading of biblical passages is examined through a suggestive review of textual samples: grammar and ἀνάγνωσις as a part of it work as exegetical tools. Accordingly, aspects like the "distinctio" and "pronuntiatio" play a pivotal role in conveying a specific theological reading in the debate on the interpretation of Scriptures.