The influence of the Bible in the Middle Ages was enormous. Whether read in private devotions, prayed in communal liturgy, commented on in classroom lectures, expounded on in sermons, painted on church walls, or sculpted in cathedral portals, its influence shaped not only moral and spiritual life but also intellectual, aesthetic, and social life. One cannot understand the medieval world without appreciating the scope of medieval people's engagement with biblical stories, characters, and images. Students of medieval history and religion are the primary intended audience for this book. It aims to provide them with a basic understanding of the medieval Bible, the formation and transmission of its text, and its traditions of interpretation. Although there are many introductions and handbooks to the Bible, most of these follow the historico-critical method, a tradition of biblical interpretation that has its origin in the Enlightenment. This method builds on the assumption that in order to retrieve the meaning of a text, we need first to establish its “original” form, study this within its historical context, and analyze what the author tried to convey to his intended audience. Thus, textbook introductions to the Bible tend to pay ample attention to biblical archaeology and to the historical context of the authors, editors, and redactors of the Hebrew and Greek texts. They typically offer linguistic analysis of the text and perhaps an historical survey of its transmission, including the formation of the canon. But they usually stop there. If they do include a history of biblical scholarship and interpretation, this usually starts with the Renaissance and Reformation. The Middle Ages are thus obscured from view, although the rich body of medieval biblical illustrations is often freely exploited for its aesthetic value.