HEBRAIC SCRIPTURAL HERMENEUTICS IN THE ANCIENT HELLENISTIC WORLD AS THE BASIC APPROACH OF EARLY CHRISTIANS

Hellenistic culture intersected with the Hebrew Bible world of thought and produced principles of inculturation within what came to be called 'Hellenistic Judaism'. These principles reflected models drawn from the Hebrew Bible and its Greek translation, the Septuagint. It is important to take notice of the interpretation of Scripture and the process of inculturation begun in this specific environment. Since they had a Jewish origin, early Christians also employed the methods of Hellenistic Judaism in interpreting the Hebrew Bible, and there were these methods they applied to the new situation of emerging Christianity.