Postilla

Postilla, also known as postil, is a Latin term used for a marginal gloss or brief commentary on biblical text, and, more broadly, for a genre of devotional literature that presents short sermons or homilies arranged to accompany readings in the Bible. The postil format emerged in late antiquity and flourished in medieval and early modern Christian scholarship as a practical tool for teaching scripture to clergy and laity alike. Postillae were often compiled by scholars or ecclesiastical authorities and could be printed as stand-alone commentaries or inserted into Bible manuscripts or lectionaries.

One of the best-known manifestations in the German-speaking and broader European world is Martin Luther's Hauspostille (House Postil), a collection of sermons for Sundays and feast days intended for home use by lay readers. Similar postils circulated in many languages, sometimes under the title postilla or postil, and varied in scope from exegetical glosses to devotional readings.

Impact of the postil included helping to standardize biblical interpretation for non-scholarly audiences, contributing to vernacular religious education, and shaping devotional culture in both medieval and early modern Christian communities. The genre also reflects the broader practice of supplying readers with ready-to-use sermons aligned with the liturgical calendar.

Modern usage: Today, postilla is primarily a historical term. In English, postil or postilla may refer to marginal glosses or to the genre of postils; the practice is not common in contemporary biblical scholarship, though some postilla collections remain of interest to scholars of theology and the history of biblical interpretation.