The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church affirms that the Sacred Scriptures are divinely inspired and serve as the primary written authority for faith and life. Scripture is interpreted within the living Tradition of the Church, with the three accepted Ecumenical Councils and the consensus of the Fathers—both the universal patristic tradition and the distinctly Ethiopian tradition of the Nine Saints and subsequent Ge'ez theological literature—providing the hermeneutical framework.

The Ethiopian tradition has a deep veneration for the biblical text, and memorization of scriptures and liturgical texts is central to the formation of Ethiopian clergy and monastics. Dabtaras (trained lay liturgical singers and scholars) undergo years of memorization and chanting as part of their formation. The role of the Ge'ez language as the sacred language of Scripture and liturgy means that biblical interpretation has historically been carried out through the medium of Ge'ez commentary and translation tradition.