Features Of This Volume
FEATURES OF THIS VOLUME
On the title page of volume 3 in the original Jena edition of the Theological Commonplaces, Commonplace XV was titled On the Moral Law. However, at the beginning of the commonplace itself, the title was On the Law of God. In fact, the Law of God and its subdivisions is the topic for the beginning of this commonplace (§§ 1–12), but most of it deals with the moral Law (§§ 13–208). Next, Edward Preuss, the editor of the edition of Gerhard’s Loci from which Dr. Dinda made his translation, was reprinting the Frankfurt/Hamburg edition, and that edition, for some reason, omitted the chapter divisions for these commonplaces. We have restored the chapter divisions and their titles from the original Jena edition.43 Gerhard did not use any special capitalization for the word “Law.” In our translation, the word is capitalized when it means a part of the Bible, such as the “Law of Moses,” and especially when it means the Decalogue or moral Law, wherever it may be found. In other contexts the word is lowercased. This capitalization convention helps to make clear to the English reader Gerhard’s own distinction between the kinds of divine laws, of which only one is eternal—the moral Law.44
The publication of Gerhard’s Commonplaces could not happen without the cooperation of a skilled and dedicated team. The Rev. Joshua J. Hayes served as assistant editor for this volume. The Rev. Dr. Richard Dinda, the original translator, is to be thanked for helping to make this project come about in the first place. Dawn Mirly Weinstock has served as production editor for the series from the beginning. Many other colleagues, both within and outside of Concordia Publishing House, have given their advice and support. Without their help, this series, the first large-scale translation of Gerhard’s great work, would be impossible. To God alone be the glory.
Benjamin T. G. Mayes