Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) and the Commentary celebrates the 500th anniversary of Philip Melanchthon's birth by highlighting one of his most important contributions to the intellectual world of Renaissance and Reformation: commentary on ancient texts. This book brings together essays not only by recognized connoisseurs of Melanchthon's thought but also by experts on other figures and movements within the Renaissance and Reformation, in order to provide a more accurate measure of the man and his distinction from and influence on other thinkers of his day. It also investigates both Melanchthon's wrestling with biblical texts and his equally significant exposition of other prominent ancient authors.

This biography of the great scholar and theologian Philip Melanchthon provides fascinating insight into his life and work. From his close relationship with Martin Luther to his innovative contributions to the Protestant Reformation, this book is a valuable resource for those studying the history of religion in Europe. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Excerpt from Philip Melanchthon, 1497-1560 This book, small though it be, is the work of one of the ablest and most thorough modern students of Melanchthons life and works. Unhappily, the final touches and the careful revision which the Author was so competent to give are lacking. When the manuscript was under consideration, the accomplished Author died suddenly as he was engaged in his duties at the Bible House. This sudden departure, while apparently in good health and in the full discharge of his ordinary duties, came as a great shock to the many friends who knew and who loved Mr. Wilson. To these it may prove a mournful satisfaction to get this last treasure from his stores of learning. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) was one of the most influential interpreters of the Bible in the sixteenth century, and his works garnered praise from contemporaries like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Erasmus. Melanchthon's 1555 commentary on Proverbs, originally written in Latin and translated here for the first time in any modern language, showcases his mastery of ancient languages and rhetoric, Greek and Roman literature, Old Testament history, Christian doctrine and ethics, and the history of biblical interpretation. This commentary also illustrates Melanchthon's distinctive use of loci communes, or "commonplaces," an interpretive method that organizes biblical and theological material into related categories that allow an interpreter of Scripture to understand the meaning of the text. This unique approach inspired Melanchthon to connect sayings initially written in a Hebrew context to universal truths found in classical writings outside of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Readers of Melanchthon's commentary on Proverbs will gain not only a deeper understanding of one of the most beloved books of the Bible, but also a richer appreciation of one of the most important biblical interpreters and theologians of the Protestant Reformation.

These twelve essays by international scholars investigate Melanchthon's theological activities as teacher, confessor of the faith, and defender of his doctrine and ecclesiastical policies as they developed within the context of his service of society and church. In the past quarter century Melanchthon researchers have scrutinized older, mostly negative, interpretations of the Preceptor Germaniae. The editors present in this volume precisely focused appraisals of »Master Philip« in his role as theologian at the university and in the service of his own prince and others. By carefully placing his use of Aristotle, his understanding of the nature of training for pastoral ministry, his biblical exegesis in context, by analyzing four of his attempts to formulate Wittenberg teaching in public confession, by assessing how his own writings took on normative character for the church, and by tracing his thinking on the free will and the Lord's Supper in the midst of controversy, these authors offer carefully etched portraits of Melanchthon as Preceptor ecclesiae. This volume contributes to the expansion of our understanding of Melanchthon as key figure in the Wittenberg Reformation and the currents of controversy that have long surrounded the interpretation of his contributions.