How did Origen’s allegorical interpretation differ from the Antiochene approach to the Bible?

The primary difference between the approach of Origen and the School of Antioch lies in their prioritization of biblical meaning.

• The Alexandrian Approach (Origen): Origen, following the tradition of Alexandria, utilized an allegorical method of exegesis. While he did not reject the literal sense—evidenced by his painstaking work on the Hexapla—he argued that the most profound divine truths were concealed beneath the surface. He viewed literal statements as "earthen vessels" and maintained that the true exegete must pursue a threefold sense (literal, moral, and spiritual), with the spiritual or allegorical sense considered the highest.1

• The Antiochene Approach: In contrast, the Antiochene fathers, such as Theodore of Mopsuestia and John Chrysostom, developed an interpretive method that placed significantly greater emphasis on the literal meaning and the historical context of the scriptures.1

Critics of Origen’s method argued that his heavy reliance on allegory risked dissolving redemptive history into timeless myth.2