The Life of Moses is a fantastic example of patristic exegesis. Taking their cue from 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the Fathers considered all scripture to be “profitable” or “useful” for “training in righteousness.” This often lead to an allegorical or spiritual interpretation if the historical sense did not contribute to virtue. St. Gregory of Nyssa writes, “He should always keep in mind our discussion’s goal, to which we are looking while we relate these details. We have already said in our prologue that the lives of honored men would be set forth as a pattern of virtue for those who come after them. Those who emulate their lives, however, cannot experience the identical literal events. For how could one again find the people multiplying during their sojourn in Egypt? And how again find the tyrant who enslaved the people and bears hostility unto male offspring and allows the feminine and weaker to grow in numbers? And how again find all the other things which scripture includes? Because therefore it has been shown to be impossible to imitate the marvels of these blessed men in these exact events, one might substitute a moral teaching for the literal sequence in those things which admit of such an approach. In this way those who have been striving toward virtue may find aid in living the virtuous life” (65). Another feature of the Alexandrian school of exegesis is discovering an interpretation “worthy of God,” which they have learned from their teacher, Origen. Being repulsed by the destruction of the Egyptian firstborn, Nyssa asks, “How would a concept worthy of God be preserved in the description of what happened if one looked only to the history? ... If such a one now pays the penalty of his father’s wickedness, where is justice? Where is piety? Where is holiness? ... How can the history so contradict reason? Therefore, ... we look for the true spiritual meaning” (75). This rehearsal of the life of Moses is a magnificent example of sort of exegesis which was popular in the first centuries of Christianity. And, fun fact, one of the translators is from my tradition, our very own Everett Ferguson from Abilene Christian University.