postillae

Postillae is the plural form of postilla, a term used in medieval Christian exegesis to designate brief commentaries, marginal glosses, or short homilies attached to a text, most often the Bible. The word derives from Latin postilla, meaning an explanation that follows the main text. In practice, postillae served as accessible aids for clergy and students, helping to illuminate Scripture for sermon preparation, instruction, or private devotion.

Typically, postillae were written to accompany scriptural passages, especially from the Gospels, and could be compiled into larger collections such as postillae on the four Gospels or on the entire Bible (postillae super totam bibliam). They tend to present a concise paraphrase of the passage, followed by moral, doctrinal, or allegorical interpretations, often drawing on patristic authorities and, later, scholastic methods. The form is characterized by its brevity and practical aim, making complex theological ideas more readily digestible for readers and preachers.

Manuscripts containing postillae circulated widely across medieval Europe, and many examples survive in anonymous or attributions to known theologians and commentators. In print, postillae appeared as part of larger biblical commentaries and sometimes influenced the glossing conventions of later biblical exegesis, including the broader tradition of glosses and postils.

Today, postillae are studied as a distinctive modality of medieval interpretation, illustrating how scripture was taught, interpreted, and disseminated in a largely oral and classroom-based religious culture. See also gloss, glossa ordinaria, postil, and medieval biblical commentary.