La Glose Ordinaire: L'évangile de saint Luc is, first and foremost, a really beautiful volume. Authored by Paul Tombeur, Professor Emeritus at the Catholic University of Louvain, this work aims to reintroduce to contemporary audiences a text that was immensely popular during the Middle Ages but is now known only to a select group of specialists.

One of the most significant features of the Glossa ordinaria, as it was termed in Latin, is its distinctive layout, which has been preserved through centuries of manuscript tradition and early printed editions. The Glossa ordinaria represents a monumental achievement in the history of biblical exegesis. Originating from the early Christian era and evolving up to the thirteenth century, it became the definitive biblical gloss for theologians, scholars, and students throughout the Middle Ages and well into the Early Modern period. Its structure, content, and authoritative nature profoundly influenced theological education.

Although often attributed to Walafrid Strabo (d. 849), the Glossa ordinaria is not the work of a single author. Instead, it is a compilation of interpretive notes, or glosses, on the biblical text. These glosses were primarily derived from the writings of the Church Fathers, including Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great. The primary objective of the gloss was to consolidate the most authoritative patristic commentary and render Scripture accessible and comprehensible to scholars of the time. A significant contribution to its final form came from the school of Laon, particularly from Anselm of Laon (d. 1117). By the end of the twelfth century, the work had achieved a relatively standardized form in Paris, solidifying its structure for future generations. The early printed version (editio princeps), produced by Adolf Rusch in 1480/81, includes texts written in the thirteenth century.

The unique layout of the Glossa reflects its exegetical method. The biblical text occupies the center of each page, with brief explanations - interlinear glosses - inserted between the lines of Scripture. They provide grammatical or lexical explanations and clarify some doctrinal points. Surrounding the central block of biblical text and interlinear glosses are the marginal glosses - extensive commentaries drawn from patristic and Carolingian sources that offer interpretation and explanation. This layered structure enabled readers to engage with Scripture, tradition, and contemporary theological questions simultaneously, embodying the medieval conception of a "biblical library" composed of both text and interpretation.

The Glossa ordinaria became the foundation for theological instruction in cathedral schools, monastic settings, and the emergent medieval universities. Almost every major theologian, including Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure, regularly referenced it, and some, like Hugh of St. Cher and Nicholas of Lyra, composed extensive supplements to it. Its authoritative status meant that it was not just one commentary among many but the default framework through which the Bible was read and discussed. Students and teachers alike relied on it for the understanding of scriptural passages. The clarity and organization of its commentary, often presenting literal, allegorical, and moral senses together, made it an indispensable educational tool. Its didactic style was specifically designed to facilitate learning and scholarly debate. By consolidating centuries of biblical interpretation, the Glossa linked medieval readers with the Church Fathers, providing a living tradition of exegesis and theological reflection. The "Medieval Bible" shaped by the Glossa became a cornerstone for Western Christianity, both providing the basis for theological discourse and supporting popular preaching and teaching.

Modern critical editions of the Glossa have reopened the extensive repository of patristic commentary, making it accessible to contemporary scholars. The significance of these editions lies in their ability to provide current researchers in history, theology, philosophy, and literature with access to one of the most crucial witnesses of medieval thought. A modern, reliable edition can also assist in resolving longstanding issues of authorship and attribution that have perplexed researchers for years. However, many of these editions address the complex layers of the Glossa separately, predominantly focusing on the marginal glosses.

The edition prepared by Tombeur presents the Glossa as it appeared in the Middle Ages, maintaining the original layout of the text and peritexts. The accompanying French translation is also organized in the same manner. This approach is highly commendable, as preserving the original layout allows the editor to provide the audience with an effective means to understand the intricate interplay between the text and the peritexts, and to discern their fluid boundaries. This is particularly valuable for scholars who analyze cultural texts (literary or otherwise) within the framework proposed by Genette in his work on textual thresholds.

Tombeur's decision to focus on a single book of the Bible for his edition was a judicious one, as undertaking such a project for the entire Bible would be an immense task. By concentrating on one book, he provides modern readers with a sufficient understanding of what the Glossa ordinaria represented in the Middle Ages. He selected the Gospel according to Saint Luke, noting that nearly half of this Gospel contains elements that are unique within the biblical tradition. Tombeur also references Albert Valensin and Joseph Huby, who asserted that this book "vividly illuminates the essential ideas of Christian civilization".

As a text that has been particularly inspiring for both religious and secular aspects of Western culture, the Gospel according to Luke was an especially apt choice. Its text, surrounded by its commentaries and presented in its medieval layout, serves as an illustration of how an influential work can grow and propagate within human culture. This approach not only highlights the historical significance of the Gospel but also underscores its enduring impact on cultural and intellectual traditions.

Beata Spieralska-Kasprzyk