Examines the use of the Bible in the early church and relates apostolic and patristic interpretation to contemporary trends in hermeneutics.

Dockery’s work provides its readers with a generally able and well documented survey of patristic biblical interpretation and with a significant discussion of the potential importance of earlier patterns of interpretation to contemporary hermeneutic discussion.–Richard A. Muller, Calvin Theological Journal

An exemplary work of evangelical scholarship. It should be especially helpful to those Southern Baptists who are seriously concerned with the cruciality of biblical interpretation and its implications for our denominational mission.–John P. Newport, Review and Expositor