RAMANAM
In the Name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit, Amen.
The Exegetical Method I would like to suggest is this:
1- Identify, as well as is possible, the texts which originate from the same source. There are numerous grounds on which to make such identifications. This work was finished, except for minor adjustments, by about 30 years ago.
2- Detail and define the theological views or characteristics of these groups of text which have been identified by source. Much of this work has been done, but not enough systematically, and not enough is widely grasped.
3- Discover who in the first @ 150 years AD would have the theological views that have been detailed and defined in the second step. If individuals cannot be identified, identify companies that would have these theological views. If necessary, identify sub-companies within the companies, to illuminate differences of theological nuance. Some of this work has been done, but huge lacunae exist in our awareness of who was bustling about in the first 150 years AD and why. We are smug about what we think we know, thinking it near to plenary or at least near enough being all that is necessary.
4- Identify the spiritual excellence of the individuals or companies who had the theological views which produced the groups of texts. The measure of this spiritual excellence — of the people, the producers — is the measure of two things: (1) the potential soteriological puissance of the texts they produced and (2) the canonicity (broad existential puissance and therefore acceptability) of those texts.
The spiritual excellence of an individual or group is measured as their personal congruence with the final statement by Jesus of His Nature (I and My Father are One.). In philosophical terminology, this statement is known as the ontology of non-dualism, not two, or, as Maimonides put it, via negativa. (With this language, Maimonides was quoting the Vedic principle of neti — not only that/this, but also ….) Work in this area is restricted by the fact that it takes one to know one. Traditionally, this work proceeds in the convents, where spirituality can receive its needed focus, amidst the pillars and pools of silence.
5- Or, coming full circle, establish at the start that the principle of canonicity is the ontology of non-dualism (I and My Father are One.) and merely commence the exegetical duty from that grasp of the facts. Then, I submit, everything is if not easy at least not a conundrum. This work may proceed now and anywhere. I predict that from now, it will gain inexorably in momentum and scope.
AMDG