Origen and the grammatical process of interpretation. Ὑπερβατά as solutions to solecisms

This paper investigates Origen’s work as a grammarian and examines an important part of the ancient reading practice, that is, text comprehension based on the analysis of the dispositio verborum within the sentences. The construction of a distinctive Christian discourse was based on the in-depth study of the sacred texts. From this perspective, the role of scholars and copyists was extremely important during the process of reading, emending and interpreting the Scriptures. As one of the leading scholars and interpreters of the Scriptures, Origen centered the construction of his discourse on the exegesis of the sacred texts. He discussed the variae lectiones and the γραφικὰ ἁμαρτήματα, whether unintentional or deliberate. In some cases, he analyzed the structure of the sentences and resorted to figures of speech, such as hyperbata, in order to unravel ambiguities and justify a theological claim. By studying these examples of grammatical exegesis, this paper argues that Origen adapted the traditional reading practices inherited from the school of grammarians to serve new theological aims, leading the addressee to the interpretation he assumed as correct.