Thomas à Kempis as canonical exegete?

Here is Thomas á Kempis on theological hermeneutics, taken from his The Imitation of Christ: Of the Reading of Holy Scripture (15th C.):

“Charity is to be sought in Holy Scripture and not eloquence. And it should be read with the same spirit that it was first made. We ought also to seek in Holy Scripture ghostly profit rather than curiosity of style, and as gladly shall we read simple and devout books as books of high learning and cunning. Let not the authority of thine author mislike thee, whether he were of great cunning or little: but let the love of the very pure truth stir thee to read. Ask not who said this, but take heed what is said. Men pass lightly away, but the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.

Almighty God speaketh to us in His Scripture in divers manners without accepting of persons: but our curiosity oft hindereth us in reading of Scripture, when we will reason and argue things that we should meekly and simply pass over. If thou wilt profit by reading of Scripture, read meekly, simply, and faithfully, and never desire to have thereby the name of cunning. Ask gladly and hear meekly the sayings of Saints, and mislike not the parables of ancient Fathers, for they were not spoken without great cause.”

I think that's a great characterisation of the canonical approach, with its emphasis on the substance of the text, its res. I wonder what impact this could have on the guild of Biblical studies?

Udpate: Ben Myers of Faith and Theology has an excellent related quote by Autustine, in We don't interpret Scripture, Scripture interprets us.

Of the Love of Jesus Above all Things

First of all, I would like to thank you all for your copious comments. I'm sorry that I haven't responded yet. Ingrid (my wife) turned 30 yesterday, and the birthday preparations and celebrations took up more time then I expected. Some things in life are more important than blogging!

Talking about priorities, today is Sunday so I'm going to quote somebody who has a great ability to dig behind the strongholds we set up to defend ourselves from the piercing implications of the Gospel. I read it yesterday morning and it haunts me as I spend my time thinking about how one should do 'theology' or 'exegesis'.

"Blessed is he that knoweth how good it is to love Jesus, and for His sake to despise himself. It behoveth the lover of Jesus to forsake all other love beside Him, for He will be loved only above all other. The love of creatures is deceivable and failing, but the love of Jesus is faithful and always abiding. He that cleaveth to any creature must of necessity fail, as doth the creature; but he that cleaveth abidingly to Jesus shall be made stable in Him for ever. Love Him, therefore, and hold Him thy friend; for when all others forsake thee, He will not forsake thee, nor suffer thee finally to perish.

...

If thou take heed only to the outward appearance thou shalt soon be deceived; and if thou seek thy comfort in anything but in Jesus, thou shalt feel thereby great spiritual loss. If thou seek in all things thy Lord Jesus, thou shalt truly find thy Lord Jesus; and if thou seek thyself, thou shalt find thyself, but it shall be to thine own great loss. Truly a man is more grievous and more hurtful to himself, if he seek not his Lord Jesus, than all the world and all his adversaries may be."

It's refreshing to have such words from from the 15th Century. Do you recognise the voice?

As an Old Testment theologian, reading the text as the living Word of God, these thoughts need to haunt me, guide me and challenge me.