Erasmus’s biblical project: Some thoughts and observations on its scope, its impact in the sixteenth century and reception in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries

TY - JOUR

T1 - Erasmus’s biblical project

T2 - Some thoughts and observations on its scope, its impact in the sixteenth century and reception in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries

AU - Nellen, H.J.M.

AU - Bloemendal, J.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - The history of the immediate response on and later reception of Erasmus’ ‘New Testament Project’ is an eventful one. The Project consisted of three innovations in biblical scholarship: the first printed edition of the Greek text of the New Testament, a revised version of the Latin Vulgate, and a philological commentary that accounted for the many textual changes the translator had made. The article discusses the polemics Erasmus’ edition provoked immediately after publication in 1516, and sheds light on the influence his Project exerted in later centuries. Special attention is given to biblical passages that played an important role in the discussions on the doctrine of the Trinity, such as Rom. 9,5; 1 Joh. 5,7-8 (the famous Comma Johanneum), and 1 Tim. 3,16. In questioning these passages as convincing, irrefutable proof-texts of Christ’s divinity, Erasmus made himself vulnerable to accusations of reviving Arianism, an old anti-Trinitarian heresy.

AB - The history of the immediate response on and later reception of Erasmus’ ‘New Testament Project’ is an eventful one. The Project consisted of three innovations in biblical scholarship: the first printed edition of the Greek text of the New Testament, a revised version of the Latin Vulgate, and a philological commentary that accounted for the many textual changes the translator had made. The article discusses the polemics Erasmus’ edition provoked immediately after publication in 1516, and sheds light on the influence his Project exerted in later centuries. Special attention is given to biblical passages that played an important role in the discussions on the doctrine of the Trinity, such as Rom. 9,5; 1 Joh. 5,7-8 (the famous Comma Johanneum), and 1 Tim. 3,16. In questioning these passages as convincing, irrefutable proof-texts of Christ’s divinity, Erasmus made himself vulnerable to accusations of reviving Arianism, an old anti-Trinitarian heresy.

KW - Erasmus

KW - exegesis

KW - textual corruption

KW - biblical scholarship

KW - early modern period

KW - New Testament

KW - comma Johanneum

KW - Nachleben Erasmus

M3 - Article

SN - 1871-241X

VL - 96

SP - 595

JO - Church History and Religious Culture

JF - Church History and Religious Culture

ER -