Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-wzw2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-02T16:44:44.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Calvin and Abraham: The Interpretation of Romans 4 in the Sixteenth Century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

David C. Steinmetz
David C. Steinmetz
Affiliation:
Mr. Steinmetz is Amos Ragan Kearns professor of the history of Christianity inthe Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

It is possible to be so familiar with a subject that one no longer sees its peculiar features. Roger Fry, the English art critic, spoke of a specialization of vision that prevents us from observing familiar objects around us until artists awaken us to the distinctive reality of what we have overlooked by lending us their eyes. Historical discoveries are often very much like an aesthetic awakening. Only a relatively small percentage are prompted by the discovery of wholly new and previously unknown evidence. The great majority are stimulated by fresh insight into evidence so familiar that its significance has been underestimated or disregarded.

Type
Research Article
Information
Church History , Volume 57 , Issue 4 , December 1988 , pp. 443 - 455
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. This essay was written with the assistance of a grant from the Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel, West Germany.

Fry, Roger, “An Essay in Esthetics,” in A Modern Book of Esthetics: An Anthology, ed. Rader, Melvin (New York, 1952), p. 51.Google Scholar

2. Ganoczy, Alexandre, “Calvin als paulinischer Theologe,” in Calvinus Theologus, ed. Neuser, Wilhelm (Neukirchen, 1976), pp. 39–69.Google Scholar

3. Parker, T. H. L., ed., Iohannis Calvini Commentarius in Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos (Leiden, 1981).Google Scholar Citations in the text are from Calvin, John, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Romans and to the Thessalonians, trans. Mackenzie, Ross (Grand Rapids, Mich., 1961).Google Scholar

4. Walchenbach, John R., “John Calvin as Biblical Commentator: An Investigation in Calvin's Use of John Chrysostom as an Exegetical Tutor” (Ph.D. diss., University of Pittsburgh, 1974);Google ScholarGirardin, Benoit, Rhétorique et théologique: Calvin, Le Commentaire de l'Epître aux Romains (Paris, 1979);CrossRefGoogle ScholarParker, T. H. L., Calvin's New Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids, Mich., 1971);Google ScholarGanoczy, Alexandre and Mueller, Klaus, Calvins Handschriftliche Annotationen zu Chrysostomus: Ein Beitrag zur Hermeneutick Calvins (Wiesbaden, 1981);Google ScholarGanoczy, Alexandre and Scheld, Stefan, Herrschaft-Tugend-Vorsehung: Hermeneutische Deutung und Veröffentlichung Handschriftlicher Annotationen Calvins zu Sieben Senecatragödien und der Pharsalia Lucans (Wiesbaden, 1982);Google ScholarGanoczy, Alexandre and Scheld, Stefan, Die Hermeneutik Calvins: Geistesgeschichtliche Voraussetzungen und Grundzüge (Wiesbaden, 1983).Google Scholar

5. Erasmus, Desiderius, Paraphrases in Omnes Epistolas Pauli (Basel, 1523);Google Scholaridem, In Novum Testamentum Annotationes (Basel, 1535); Colet, John, Opera, ed. Lupton, J. H. (London, 1867–1876);Google ScholarSadoleto, Jacopo, In Pauli Epistolam ad Romanos Commentariorum, Libri Tres (Venice, 1536);Google Scholard'Etaples, Jacques Lefèvre, Epistole divi Pauli Apostoli: cum commentariis praeclarissimi viri Jacobi Fabri Stapulensis (Paris, 1517);Google ScholarLuther, Martin, Der Brief an die Römer, in D. Martin Luthers Werke: Kritische Gesamtausgabe, vol. 56 (Weimar, 1883–);Google ScholarCajetan, Thomas de Vio, Epistolae Pauli et aliorum Apostolorum ad Graecam veritatem castigatae, et iuxta sensum literalem enarratae (Paris, 1540);Google ScholarMelanchthon, Philip, Commentarii in Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos (Wittenberg, 1532;Google Scholar citations in this essay from the critical edition, Römerbrief-Kommentar 1532, in Melanchthons Werke in Auswahl, ed. Rolf Schäfer, vol. 5 [Gütersloh, 1965]);Google ScholarBugenhagen, Johann, In Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos interpretatio, ipso in schola interpretante, a Doctore Ambrosio Maiobano, ut licuit, excepta (Hagenau, 1527);Google ScholarKnöpken, Andreas, In Epistolam ad Romanos … Interpretatio (Nuremberg, 1524);Google ScholarOecolampadius, Johannes, In Epistolam b. Pauli, Apostoli ad Rhomanos Adnotationes (Basel, 1525);Google ScholarBullinger, Heinrich, In sanctissimam Pauli ad Romanos Epistolam Commentarius (Zurich, 1533);Google ScholarPellikan, Conrad, In omnes apostolicae Epistolas, Pauli, Petri, Iacobi, Ioannis et Iudae Commentarii (Zurich, 1539);Google ScholarPolitus, Ambrosius Catherinus, Commentaria in omnes divi Pauli et alias septem canonicas Epistolas (Venice, 1551;Google ScholarSoto, Domingo de, In Epistolam, divi Pauli ad Romanos Commentarii, (Antwerp, 1550);Google ScholarBrenz, Johannes, In Epistolam, quam Apostolus Paulus ad Romanos scripsit, Commentariorum Libri Tres (Basel, 1565);Google ScholarMusculus, Wolfgang, In Epistolam Apostoli Pauli ad Romanos: Commentarii (Basel, 1555;Google ScholarOlevian, Caspar, In Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos notae (Geneva, 1579);Google ScholarHemmingsen, Niels, Commentarius in Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos (Leipzig, 1562);Google ScholarSarcerius, Erasmus, In Epistolam ad Romanos pia et erudita scholia (Frankfurt, 1541;Google ScholarToledo, Francisco de, Commentarii et Annotationes in Epistolam beati Pauli Apostoli ad Romanos (Lyon, 1603);Google ScholarCruciger, Caspar, In Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos scriptam Commentarius (Wittenberg, 1567);Google ScholarBucer, Martin, Metaphrases et Enarrationes perpetuae Epistolarum d. Pauli Apostoli. Tomus Primus (Strasbourg, 1536).Google Scholar

6. Migne, J. P., Patrologia Graeca, vol. 14 (Paris, 1857–1912);Google ScholarVogels, H. J., ed., Amrosiastri qui dicitur Commentarius in Epistulas Paulinas; Pars Prima, In Epistulam ad Romanos (Vienna, 1966);Google ScholarBuytaert, E. M., ed., Petri Abaelardi Opera Theologica, vol. 2 (Turnhout, 1969);Google ScholarMigne, J. P., Patrologia Latina, vol. 117 (Paris, 1844–1890);Google ScholarHugh, of Cher, St., Tomus Septimus in Epistolas D. Pauli. Actus Apostolorum, Epist. septem Canonicas, Apocalypsim B. Joannis (Venice, 1732);Google ScholarNicholas, of Lyra, , Glossae in universa Biblia. Postilla (Nuremberg, 1481).Google Scholar

7. Erasmus, , Annotationes, p. 359.Google Scholar

8. Oecolampadius, Adnotationes, 38r; Bullinger, Commentarius, 61r; Bucer, , Metaphrases, pp. 213–214;Google ScholarPellikan, , Commentarii, p. 46;Google ScholarMusculus, , Commentarii, p. 88;Google ScholarVermigli, Peter Martyr, In Epistolam S. Pauli Apostoli ad Romanos (Basel, 1559), p. 219.Google Scholar

9. Erasmus, , Annotationes, p. 360.Google ScholarCompare, Musculus, Commentarii, pp. 93–94;Google ScholarOecolampadius, , Adnotationes, 40v–42r.Google Scholar

10. Oecolampadius, , Adnotationes, 38v;Google ScholarHyperius, D. Andreas, Commentarii in Omnes d. Pauli Apostoli Epistolas (Zurich, 1584), p. 75;Google ScholarHunnius, Aegidius, Epistolae divi Pauli Apostoli ad Romanos Expositio Plana et Perspicua (Frankfurt, 1590), pp. 162–163;Google ScholarSalmeron, Alfonso, Commentarii in Omnes Epistolas B. Pauli, et Canonicas. Tomus Decimus Tertius (Cologne, 1604), pp. 387–388.Google Scholar

11. For example, Brenz, , Commentariorum, pp. 324–335.Google Scholar

12. Oecolampadius addresses the problem of justifying faith without a sure knowledge of Christ in Adnotationes, 40r; Hyperius argues that Abraham would never have believed the promise of God in Genesis 15 if he had not already believed the promise concerning Christ, the blessed seed, made earlier in Genesis 12 (Commentarii, p. 75).

13. Bucer, , Metaphrases, p. 218.Google Scholar

14. Many of the sixteenth-century commentators mention specifically the case of Phinehas. See, for example, Bucer, , Metaphrases, p. 215;Google ScholarBrenz, , Commentariorum, pp. 234–236;Google ScholarHemmingsen, , Commentarius, pp. 133–134;Google ScholarHyperius, , Commentarii, p.76Google ScholarCornerus, Christoph, In Epistolam d. Pauli ad Romanos Scriptam Commentarius (Heidelberg, 1583), 59v;Google ScholarAlesius, Alexander, Omnes Disputationes de tota Epistola ad Romanos (Leipzig, 1553),Google Scholar Disputation 10; Selnecker, Nicholas, In Omnes Epistolas D. Pauli Apostoli Commentartus Plenissimus (Leipzig, 1595), p. 130;Google ScholarVermigli, , Ad Romanos (Basel, 1559), p. 223;Google ScholarSalmeron, , Commentarii, p. 387;Google ScholarMarlorat, Augustin, In Pauli Epistolas, Catholica Expositio Ecclesiastica (Geneva, 1593), p. 21.Google Scholar

15. Bucer, , Metaphrases, p. 212;Google ScholarMelanchthon, , Römerbrief, p. 131;Google ScholarMusculus, , Commertarii, pp. 92–93;Google ScholarOecolampadius, , Adnotationes, 39v;Google ScholarHesshusen, Tilemann, Explicatio Epistolae Pauli ad Romanos (Jena, 1572), 113r.Google Scholar

16. Bucer, , Metaphrase, p. 216.Google Scholar

17. Melanchthon, , Römerbrief, pp. 127–128;Google ScholarBucer, , Metaphrases, pp. 214–215.Google Scholar

18. Beza, Theodore, Annotationes Majores in Novum Dn. Nostri lesu Christi Testamentum, Pars Altera (Geneva, 1594), p. 49.Google Scholar

19. Cajetan, , Epistolas, 26r–26v;Google ScholarSoto, De, Comrnentarii, p. 131;Google ScholarGuilliaude, Claude, In Omnes Divi Pauli Apostoli Epistolas, Collatio (Paris, 1548), 25v.Google Scholar

20. Compare, for example, the relatively positive assessment of Oecolampadius with the relatively negative assessment of Beza: Oecolampadius, , Adnotationes, 38v;Google ScholarBeza, , Annotationes, p. 46.Google Scholar

21. Oecolampadius, , Adnotationes, 45r;Google ScholarMusculus, , Commentarii, p. 103;Google ScholarDe, Solo, Commentarii, p. 131.Google Scholar

22. Bucer, , Metaphrases, p. 213.Google Scholar

23. Catherinus, , Commentaria, p. 46.Google Scholar

24. Bucer, , Metaphrases, p. 214.Google Scholar

25. An excellent discussion of the theological issues involved in a scholastic reading of Romans 4 is offered by the fifteenth-century commentator Denis the Carthusian in his In Omnes Beati Pauli Epistolas Commentaria (Cologne, 1545), 10v–11r.Google Scholar

26. Catherinus, , Commentaria, p. 46.Google Scholar

27. See especially Beilage 1 and 2 of Melanchthon, , Römerbrief, pp. 373–392.Google Scholar

28. Hemmingsen, , Commentarius, p. 125;Google Scholar Calvin mentions the same point in his treatment of Romans 4:23.

29. Calvin, , Commentarius, p. 80.Google Scholar

30. Ibid., pp. 86–87.

31. Ibid., pp. 86–87.

32. Erasmus Sarcerius finds twenty-two enthymemata in Romans 4; see his Scholia on Romans 4:1.

33. Calvin, , Commentarius, pp. 80–82.Google Scholar

34. Ibid., pp. 84–85.

35. Calvin, , Commentarius, p. 85;Google ScholarRomans, p. 87.

36. Calvin, , Commentarius, p. 85;Google ScholarRomans, p. 87.

37. Calvin, , Commentarius, p. 77;Google ScholarRomans, p. 79.

38. Melanchthon, , Römerbrief, pp. 127–128.Google Scholar

39. Calvin, , Commentarius, p. 81;Google ScholarRomans, p. 83.

40. Guilliaude, , Collatio, 25v.Google Scholar

41. Calvin, , Commentarius, pp. 96–97;Google ScholarRomans, p. 98.

42. Melanchthon, , Römerbrief, pp. 123–124.Google Scholar

43. Calvin, , Commentarius, pp. 80–81;Google ScholarRomans, pp. 83–84.

44. Calvin, , Commentarius, pp. 95–96.Google Scholar

45. Musculus outlines the various schools of interpretation on this question; Commentarii, p. 103.

46. Calvin, , Commentarius, pp. 95–96.Google Scholar In his commentary on Genesis 25:1 (1554) Calvin suggests that Abraham married Keturah before Sarah died, though he still believes in a miraculous restoration of Abraham's sexual vitality.

47. Calvin, , Commentarius, p. 84.Google Scholar

48. Ibid., pp. 88–89.

49. Ibid., p. 88.

50. Ibid., pp. 86–87.

51. Calvin first refers readers to his commentaries in the 1539 edition of the Institutes, prior to the publication of the first edition of the Romans commentary in 1540.