Conrad’s allegorical reading of 1 Sam. 14: An analysis of a sermon by Conrad of Saint George on the worthy reception of the blessed sacrament

Abstract

The sermon on 1 Samuel 14 is a paradigm for the allegorical mode of reading in the Middle Ages. This mode of reading first of all relates the Bible text to our life and in doing so places the relationship with God in a central position. The text is an expression of a divine address. Subsequently the whole of the text is read from the perspective of the mystagogic moment as the reader’s personal transformation process. In this way the historical context falls away and the development of the spiritual path becomes central. This shows that the allegorical mode of reading has its own logic and cannot be dismissed as human fantasy. This mode of reading is characterized by a great precision and a pure orientation on God’s action. Modern readers will have to discover anew the divine address in the text, again and again.