Intertextuality, Literary Competence and the Question of Rea...

This scholarly article examines the role of intertextuality in the composition and transmission of biblical texts, focusing on the cognitive processes involved in recognizing textual associations. It differentiates between various types of intertextual references—such as motifs, formulaic language, type-scenes, genre patterns, allusions, and inner-biblical exegesis—and assesses the levels of literary and aural competence required for their identification by both authors and audiences. Drawing on cognitive psychology, the study explores how memory functions, including working and long-term memory, influence the ability to recall and associate texts, particularly in oral versus literate cultures. The analysis suggests that while some intertextual elements are accessible to audiences through oral performance, others necessitate a higher degree of literary proficiency and familiarity with written texts. Consequently, the work argues that certain intertextual features in biblical literature indicate a composition aimed at a literate readership, challenging assumptions about the predominance of oral tradition in the development of these texts.