Critici sacri

Last updated

Critici sacri was a compilation of Latin biblical commentaries published in London from 1660, edited by John Pearson. The publisher was Cornelius Bee. The work appeared in nine volumes, and collected numerous authors, both Protestant and Catholic, of early modern critical work on the Bible. [1] It was intended to complement Brian Walton's Polyglot Bible , and set off a series of subsequent related publications. [2]

Contents

The original work, while influential (particularly in making the notes of Grotius widely available), [3] was not a connected Bible commentary, and was found to be long-winded, as well as scanty in other parts. Later publications attempted to address these shortcomings. [4]

Critici sacri (1660)

The original full title was Critici Sacri, sive Doctissimorum Virorum in SS. Biblia Annotationes et Tractatus, and it appeared in nine volumes starting in 1660. The commentary project was launched by Cornelius Bee, with the main editor being John Pearson, supported by Anthony Scattergood and Francis Gouldman, as well as Pearson's brother Richard. [5] Bee was a bookseller in Little Britain, London. He suffered major losses in the 1666 Great Fire. [6]

Synopsis criticorum (from 1669)

The Synopsis criticorum was a work by Matthew Poole, in five volumes, condensing the Critici sacri, and adding further authors. There was a 1684 edition by Johann Leusden; [7] also editions by J. H. Maius (1679), and J. G. Pritz (Pritius) (1712). [8]

There had already been a pioneer complete Bible commentary in English, the Annotations upon all the Books of the Old and New Testament sponsored by the Westminster Assembly. [9] Prompted by William Lloyd, Poole began his compilation in 1666. The prospectus of Poole's work bore the names of eight bishops (headed by Morley and Hacket) and five continental scholars, besides other divines. Simon Patrick, John Tillotson, and Edward Stillingfleet, with four laymen, acted as trustees of the subscription money. A patent for the work was obtained on 14 October 1667. [10]

Poole had assistance from John Lightfoot and Matthew Robinson. [11] [12]

The first volume was ready for the press, when difficulties were raised by Cornelius Bee, who accused Poole of invading his own patent. After pamphlets had been written and legal opinions taken, the matter was referred to Henry Pierrepont, 1st Marquess of Dorchester, and Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, who decided in Poole's favour; Bee's name appears (1669) among the publishers of the Synopsis. The style was crisp notes, including rabbinical sources and Roman Catholic commentators. [10] [13]

Matthew Poole's Synopsis criticorum is currently being translated by the Matthew Poole Project, and much of the work is available online. [14]

Critici sacri (from 1698)

An expanded edition was produced in Amsterdam from 1698 by a Dutch editorial group, credited as: Hendrick Boom, the widow of Dirk Boom, Johannes Janssonius van Waesberge, Gillis Janssonius van Waesberge, Gerardus Borstius, [15] Abraham van Someren, Joannes Wolters, and Willem van de Water. [16]

The authors included in this collection are selectively listed by Adam Clarke: [17] [18]

Thesaurus theologico-philologicus

Under the full title Thesaurus theologico-philologicus sive sylloge dissertationum elegantiorum ad selectiora et illustriora Veteris et Novi Testamenti two further supplementary volumes were published in Amsterdam in 1701. These were followed up in 1732 by two further volumes of the Thesaurus novus theologico-philologicus; [9] these were edited by Theodor Hase and Conrad Iken. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gospel of Matthew</span> Book of the New Testament

The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament of the Bible and one of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells how Israel's Messiah, Jesus, comes to his people but is rejected by them and how, after his resurrection, he sends the disciples to the gentiles instead. Matthew wishes to emphasize that the Jewish tradition should not be lost in a church that was increasingly becoming gentile. The gospel reflects the struggles and conflicts between the evangelist's community and the other Jews, particularly with its sharp criticism of the scribes and Pharisees with the position that through their rejection of Christ, the Kingdom of God has been taken away from them and given instead to the church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew the Apostle</span> Christian evangelist and apostle

Matthew the Apostle is named in the New Testament as one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. According to Christian traditions, he was also one of the four Evangelists as author of the Gospel of Matthew, and thus is also known as Matthew the Evangelist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Pococke</span> English orientalist and biblical scholar (1604–1691)

Edward Pococke was an English Orientalist and biblical scholar.

The oldest surviving Hebrew Bible manuscripts, the Dead Sea Scrolls, date to c. the 2nd century BCE. Some of these scrolls are presently stored at the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. The oldest text of the entire Bible, including the New Testament, is the Codex Sinaiticus dating from the 4th century CE, with its Old Testament a copy of a Greek translation known as the Septuagint. The oldest extant manuscripts of the vocalized Masoretic Text date to the 9th century CE. With the exception of a few biblical sections in the Nevi'im, virtually no biblical text is contemporaneous with the events it describes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Poole</span> English theologian and biblical commentator (1624–1679)

Matthew Poole (1624–1679) was an English Non-conformist theologian and biblical commentator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johannes van den Driesche</span> Flemish Protestant divine, Orientalist, Christian Hebraist and exegete (1550–1616)

Johannes van den Driesche [or Drusius] was a Flemish Protestant divine, distinguished specially as an Orientalist, Christian Hebraist and exegete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John 12</span> Chapter of the New Testament

John 12 is the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It narrates an anointing of Jesus' feet, attributed to Mary of Bethany, as well as an account of the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. The author of the book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that John composed this Gospel.

Matthew 11:1 is the first verse in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 8:33</span>

Matthew 8:33 is the 33rd verse in the eighth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 15:8</span> Bible verse

Matthew 15:8 is the eighth verse in the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament.

Matthew 12:23 is the 23rd verse in the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 14:27</span> Bible verse

Matthew 14:27 is a verse in the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament.

Giovanni Stefano Menochio, 9 December 1575 - 4 February 1655 (aged 79), was an Italian Jesuit biblical scholar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornelius a Lapide</span> Flemish Jesuit priest and exegete

Cornelius Cornelii à Lapide was a Flemish Catholic priest. He was a Jesuit and exegete of Sacred Scripture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">François Vatable</span> 16th-century French scholar

François Vatable was a French humanist scholar, a hellenist and hebraist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catena (biblical commentary)</span> Commentary composed entirely of excerpts from earlier commentaries

A catena is a form of biblical commentary, verse by verse, made up entirely of excerpts from earlier Biblical commentators, each introduced with the name of the author, and with such minor adjustments of words to allow the whole to form a continuous commentary.

Anthony Scattergood was an English clergyman and scholar.

Frederic Charles Cook was an English churchman, known as a linguist and the editor of the Speaker's Commentary on the Bible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micah 6</span>

Micah 6 is the sixth chapter of the Book of Micah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Micah, and is a part of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets.

References

  1. Keene, Nicholas. "Poole, Matthew". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/22518.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. III: Chamier – Draendorf, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, retrieved 15 June 2011.
  3. Saebo, Magne (2008). Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: The History of Its Interpretation: from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. pp. 876–. ISBN   978-3-525-53982-8 . Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  4. Bloomfield, Samuel Thomas (1837). Hē kainē diathēkē: the Greek Testament with English notes, critical, philological, and exegetical, partly selected and arranged from the best commentators, ancient and modern, but chiefly original; The whole being especially adapted to the use of academical students, candidates for the sacred office, and ministers. Perkins & Marvin. pp.  9–.
  5. "Scattergood, Antony"  . Dictionary of National Biography . London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  6. A Dictionary of the Booksellers and Printers who Were at Work in England, Scotland and Ireland, Archive, retrieved 15 June 2011.
  7. Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (1839). Penny cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Great Britain: C. Knight. pp. 452–. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  8. Watson, George; Willison, Ian Roy (1971). The new Cambridge bibliography of English literature. Cambridge University Press. pp. 5–. ISBN   978-0-521-20004-2 . Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  9. 1 2 Horne 1836, pp.  1–.
  10. 1 2 "Poole, Matthew"  . Dictionary of National Biography . London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  11. Key, Newton E. "Lightfoot, John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/16648.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  12. Hopper, Andrew J. "Robinson, Matthew". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23859.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  13. "Synopsis criticorum aliorumque Sacrae Scripturae", Babel Babel, vol. 2, HathiTrust Digital Library, 7 August 1694, retrieved 15 June 2011.
  14. "Poole Project".
  15. van Rooden, Peter (1999), "The Amsterdam Translation of the Mishnah", in Horbury, William (ed.), Hebrew Study from Ezra to Ben-Yehuda (PDF), T&T Clark, pp. 257–67, archived from the original (PDF) on 26 July 2011, retrieved 15 June 2011.
  16. Trove – Critici sacri, sive, Annotata doctissimorum virorum in Vetus ac Novum Testamentum : quibus accedunt tractatus varii theologico-philologici (in Latin), AU: NLA, retrieved 15 June 2011.
  17. "AT", Holy Bible, Archive, retrieved 15 June 2011.
  18. Clarke, Adam, ed. (1825). The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments: the text printed from the most correct copies of the present authorized translation including the marginal readings and parallel texts with a commentary and critical notes designed as a help to a better understanding of the sacred writings. N. Bangs & J. Emory. pp. 13–. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  19. "Franaut-U", Users, NL: Bart, retrieved 15 June 2011.
  20. Ike, Conrad (19 January 2011), Thesaurus, CERL, retrieved 15 June 2011.

Bibliography