Modus et forma. A New Approaches to the Exegesis of Saint Thomas Aquinas with an Application to the Lectura super Epistolam ad Ephesios

Inquiry into the biblical dimensions of the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas is an area of theological scholarship that has seen tremen­dous development in the past century. The argument of this study is that this development has been limited by an approach that has often isolated Thomas' exegetical principles and even techniques from the in-depth exploration of Thomas' actual exegetical practice. Consequently, much of the unique value of Thomas' biblical com­mentaries has yet to be appreciated.Part I focuses on Thomas as an exegete and interpreter of Sacred Scripture. Chapter I is a consideration of Thomas' understanding of both the Bible and the art of interpretation in an attempt to discover how Thomas' presuppositions affect his exegesis. In the second chapter cristicisms of Thomas as exegete are examined. Part II consists of an application of this approach to Thomas' Ephesians Lectura. Chapter IV-VI are an analysis of this commen­tary from the standpoint of the theme Thomas detects in the Epistle - "the origination of ecclesial unity". This analysis offers evidence that an approach to Thomas' biblical commentaries which respects their status as such has much to demostrate regarding contempor­ary access to Thomas' thought and the unity of exegesis and theo­logy. The final chapter contains a summary and an exploration of the implications of the Lectura for contemporary scholarship.