CONTENTS
CONTENTS
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE
EDITOR’S PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
COMPARISON OF EDITIONS OF GERHARD’S
LOCI
DEDICATORY EPISTLES
PREFACE (1625 EXEGESIS): ON THE NATURE OF THEOLOGY
COMMONPLACE I (1625 EXEGESIS): ON HOLY SCRIPTURE
The unique, immovable, and proper principle of theology is Holy Scripture or, to say the same thing, the Word of God included in the prophetic books of the Old Testament and the apostolic books of the New Testament, § 1.
Both its nomenclature and its factual material should be considered.
Chapter I: Nomenclature includes: (1) Etymology, § 2. (2) Homonyms, § 3. (3) Synonyms, § 9.
The factual material explains the nature and properties of Holy Scripture by its causes, effects, and essential features.
Chapter II: The efficient cause of Scripture is either principal or instrumental.
The principal cause is the true God, one in essence, three in persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, § 12.
The instrumental causes were the holy men of God: the prophets in the Old Testament and the evangelists and apostles in the New Testament, § 18.
Chapter III: The authority of Scripture arises from and depends on the principal efficient cause (God), § 33.
Chapter IV: The material of Scripture is the holy things reduced to writing by the will of God, which are contained in the general term “divine revelation,” § 52.
These holy things are contained in books published by divine inspiration. Therefore the material from which of Scripture, formally considered, can be stated as the structure and series of the books of the Bible, § 54.
Chapters V: The books of the Bible are distinguished in various ways, § 55.
Chapters VI: But among all the divisions, that one stands out by which they are distinguished between canonical and apocryphal. There is discussion of: Both in general, § 63.
Chapters VII: The canonical books of the Old Testament specifically, § 118.
Chapters VIII: The apocryphal books of the Old Testament specifically, § 174.
Chapters IX: The canonical books of the New Testament of the first rank specifically, § 241.
Chapters X: The canonical books of the New Testament of the second rank specifically, § 274.
Chapters XI: The apocryphal and rejected books of the New Testament, § 301.
Chapter XII: The form of Scripture is internal (or essential) and external (or accidental). The internal form is divine Scripture’s authority and majesty, which originates from the immediate inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the loftiness of the things that it explains, § 305.
The external form is: The idiom of the Hebrew language, in which the Old Testament was written, and of the Greek language, in which the New Testament was written. And the properties of the speech and style that the Holy Spirit uses in Scripture, which has the singularities of simplicity and majesty joined to it, § 306.
Chapter XIII: From the fact that the Old Testament was written by holy men of God in the Hebrew language, and the New Testament in the Greek, it is concluded deductively that only the Hebrew text in the Old Testament and the Greek in the New is authentic, § 310.
Chapter XIV: Therefore we should by no means say that the Hebrew text has been corrupted in many places by either the malice or carelessness of men, § 318.
Chapter XV: Nor can corruptions be proved from the notion that the rabbis added points to the biblical codex, for we disprove this hypothesis, § 334.
Chapter XVI: As we asserted the integrity of the Hebrew text in the Old Testament, so also we assert the purity of the Greek text in the New Testament, that it is free of corruptions which would undermine its authentic authority, § 354.
Chapter XVII: The end of Scripture with respect to God is the salutary knowledge and celebration of God. With respect to us, the end of Scripture is either intermediate or ultimate. The intermediate ends are teaching, reproof, correction, instruction, and consolation. The ultimate end is our salvation and eternal life, § 362.
The effects of Scripture are the excellent, heavenly, and truly divine benefits that God communicates to human beings through His Word, § 366.
Chapter XVIII: From the efficient cause and end of Scripture, there arises its: (1) Perfection, § 367.
Chapter XIX: Which excludes the necessity of traditions, § 394.
Chapter XX: (2) And perspicuity, § 414.
Chapter XXI: From Scripture’s perfection and perspicuity there results this boast: that it is the only, unique, and perfect norm of all theological controversies, § 437.
Chapter XXII: And their infallible judge, § 453.
Chapter XXIII: The object of Scripture is all human beings without exception, § 481. From this, it is concluded deductively that the laity should by no means be forbidden from reading Scripture, § 482.
Chapter XXIV: Now if the laity are not only to be allowed to read Scripture but also invited, then it must surely be necessary for the sacred books to be translated into vernacular languages and for these translations of the Scriptures to be commended, § 494.
The more important and more widely used translations are: (1) The Chaldaic Old Testament, § 505. (2) The Greek Old Testament, § 507. (3) The Syriac New Testament, § 509. (4) The Arabic, § 511. (5) The Latin Vulgate, § 513. (6) Luther’s German, § 522.
Chapter XXV: In order for Scripture’s end to be attained, on account of which it was given to humankind, its interpretation is required, § 527.
Chapter XXVI: The use of this article is theoretical: (1) Teaching. (2) Refuting. And practical: (1) Admonishing. (2) Consoling, § 538.
Chapter XXVII: The definition of Scripture can be formed from the preceding.
Holy Scripture is the Word of God; by His will reduced to writing by the prophets, evangelists, and apostles; explaining the doctrine of God’s essence and will perfectly and perspicuously; so that from it human beings may be instructed unto eternal life, § 539.
GLOSSARY
NAME INDEX
SCRIPTURE INDEX
WORKS CITED
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