How did St. Jerome use literal and allegorical interpretation in his biblical commentaries?

St. Jerome, a prominent 4th- and 5th-century scholar, employed both literal and allegorical methods in his biblical commentaries, though his approach varied depending on the text and his scholarly objectives.123

Literal Interpretation

Jerome is noted for championing the literal sense of scripture, emphasizing the importance of grammatical construction and historical context. He often appealed to the "Hebraic verity," moving beyond Greek versions to consult the original Hebrew text, which allowed him to provide sophisticated historical exegesis. His commentary on Ecclesiastes is considered a milestone for being the first original Latin work to utilize the Hebrew text, and his explanation of the Gospel of Matthew is noted for its focus on the literal sense.132

Allegorical Interpretation

Despite his commitment to literalism, Jerome frequently utilized allegorical interpretation, a method he sometimes favored in his Bethlehem commentaries. For instance, while he focused on the literal in his work on Matthew, he emphasized allegorical interpretation in his commentaries on the Pauline letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philemon, and Titus. His reliance on allegory was at times criticized for being excessive or overly dependent on his predecessors.2