Didache), or 2) they leaned heavily upon the allegorical method (e.g., Barnabas, Hermas). In Barnabas’ case, the practice was in opposition to the strict literalism of the Jews. On the whole, these earliest fathers simply interpreted the biblical text without any discussion of the method employed. A new trend began early in the first century, however, and continued for the next one hundred and fifty years. Even though a fair amount of artificial exegesis was produced by Justin Martyr’s practice of