Commentaries on the Twelve Prophets, Volume 1
Overview
Jerome (c. 347–419/20), one of the West’s four doctors of the church, was recognized early on as one of the church’s foremost translators, commentators and advocates of Christian asceticism. Skilled in Hebrew and Greek in addition to his native Latin, he was thoroughly familiar with Jewish traditions and brought them to bear on his understanding of the Old Testament. Beginning in 379, Jerome used his considerable linguistic skills to translate Origen’s commentaries and, eventually, to translate and comment on Scripture himself. In 392, while preparing his Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible, Jerome wrote his commentary on Nahum, the first in a series of commentaries on five of the twelve minor prophets. Micah, Zephaniah, Haggai and Habakkuk soon followed. He was interrupted in 393 by the Origenist controversy, after which he became a vocal critic of Origen of Alexandria—a controversy he referred to in his commentaries on Jonah and Obadiah in 396. This Ancient Christian Texts volume, edited and translated by Thomas Scheck in collaboration with classics students from Ave Maria University, includes these seven commentaries. Throughout these commentaries Jerome displays his familiarity with both Hebrew and Greek texts. His spiritual exegesis relies heavily on the exegetical work of Origen. Jerome looks beyond the nationalistic sentiments of the prophets to see a wider message about God’s mercy and justice. His commitment to the truthfulness of the Scriptures as the Word of God is exemplified by his defense of the historicity of Jonah. He finds the fundamental message of the prophets to be the intent to console the saints, so that they may disdain the things of this world and prepare themselves for the day of judgment.
Top Highlights
“And this is the meaning: He has indeed long been patient with the crimes of the Assyrians, and has borne their iniquities with the power of his magnanimity, calling them to repentance, but because they And this is the meaning: He has indeed long been patient with the crimes of the Assyrians, and has borne their iniquities with the power of his magnanimity, calling them to repentance, but because they have stored up for themselves wrath in the day of wrath according to their impenitent heart,31 with contempt for the goodness of God, he who was patient before will suffer none of them to go unpunished as if they were clean and innocent.” (Page 3)
“Also that John is girded with a leather girdle,147 and the disciples are commanded by the Savior: ‘Let your loins be girded.’148 And the apostle writes to the Ephesians: ‘Stand, therefore, with your loins girt in truth.’149 For although someone excel in the greatest asceticism,150 and in the life of self-control by mortification of the loins, nevertheless nothing mortifies them so much as the mind in truth. Wherefore it is said: ‘Let your loins be girded in truth.’151 For if Christ is the truth, he who has believed in Christ with his whole mind has mortified his loins in Christ.” (Pages 14–15)
“recognized that he was the ancient church’s exegete par excellence” (Page xvii)
“But not only are all sinners ‘like Canaan,’ but owing to the nature and diversity of their sins, some ‘are like’ Pharaoh, others are like the giant Nimrod.103 And, on the other hand, through good works and virtues, because the paths of virtue are diverse, one person adopts Abraham’s spirit, another that of Moses, another that of Elijah. That is why it is said by the apostle: ‘Be zealous for better gifts.’104 But the one who is perfect, but only in accordance with the perfection that the human condition is capable of attaining to, is sealed with the likeness of God.” (Page 125)
- Title: Commentaries on the Twelve Prophets, Volume 1
- Author: Jerome
- Series: Ancient Christian Texts
- Volume: 1
- Publisher: IVP Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2016
- Logos Release Date: 2017
- Era: era:nicene
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible. O.T. Minor Prophets › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Nahum › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Micah › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Zephaniah › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Haggai › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Habakkuk › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Jonah › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Obadiah › Commentaries
- ISBNs: 9780830894345, 9780830829163, 9780830829170, 9780830892532, 0830894349, 0830829164, 0830829172, 0830892532
- Resource ID: LLS:ACTPROPHVOL1
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:05:34Z