L'esegesi secondo gli esegeti

The paper considers the prefatory texts of about fifty exegetical works of the period from Ambrosius Autpertus to Paschasius Radbertus. They usually reflect on the role of the exegete in the Christian societas, on the divine inspiration that guides him and on the relationship with the patristic sources. From these themes emerges a strong awareness of the commentators: exegesis continues in history the divine revelation, the preaching of Christ and the apostles, the voice of the Fathers, and proposes itself as a guide for rulers. Another theme often touched upon is the material transmission of commentaries, with important information on how they were composed and transmitted: their diffusion was entrusted to the copies that the recipients themselves would make from the exemplar sent by the author and not to a mass reproduction. These texts were not disseminated as common reference tools, but intended for dialogue among a political-cultural élite (as confirmed by the existence of a number of "minor" commentaries that substantiated the practice of teaching and reading the Bible).