Intertextuality for the Interpretation of Biblical Texts

Possibilities and Limits

"Possibilities and Limits of Intertextuality for the Interpretation of Biblical Texts” examines the interpretive challenges posed by difficult biblical passages and explores how intertextuality can serve as a methodological tool for their analysis. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of intertextual approaches when applied to recurring theological and literary themes that span both the Old and New Testaments—such as the motif of the righteous who dies and is restored to life in the Psalms, the “Day of YHWH” in the prophetic writings, and the love narrative in the Song of Songs. After introducing key notions related to the interpretation of words and texts—particularly their openness to metaphorical meaning from semantic and pragmatic perspectives—the work elucidates the theoretical principles of intertextuality and applies them to the selected texts. This approach seeks to demonstrate how intertextual analysis can yield coherent and theologically meaningful interpretations.