Exegesis (Gk., ‘bring out’).
1. The task of ‘bringing out’ the meaning of a text. Exegesis raises immediately the central question of hermeneutics, whose meaning is the meaning of the meaning? The task of exegesis is to seek out legitimate meaning in the light of continuing and developing understanding. However, if the text does not exercise some control over proposed meanings, interpretation easily becomes eisegesis (reading meaning into a text).

2. A seminar-based organization devoted to ‘the business of transformation’. Running from 1976 until 1984, Robert D'Aubigny's Exegesis Standard Seminar has attracted c.5,000 people. This est-like manifestation of the human potential movement, the first of its kind to be developed in Britain, has also attracted considerable controversy. Psycho-spiritual growth combines with mysticism in action in the modern world—shades of Gurdjieffian, ‘the work’, and an attempt to fulfil socially as well as individualistically envisaged human potential.

ex·e·ge·sis / ˌeksiˈjēsis/ • n. (pl. -ses / -sēz/ ) critical explanation or interpretation of a text, esp. of scripture: the task of biblical exegesis.DERIVATIVES: ex·e·get·ic / -ˈjetik/ adj.ex·e·get·i·cal / -ˈjetikəl/ adj.

exegesis XVII. — Gr. exḗgēsis, f. exēgeîsthai interpret, f. EX-2 + hēgeîsthai guide.
So exegete XVIII. — Gr. exēgētḗs. exegetic, exegetical XVII. — Gr. exēgētikós.