A christoscopic reading of the new testament use of the old: The early reformed exegesis of Johannes Oecolampadius on the book of Hebrews

• Main Author: Fisher, Jeff
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2013
• Subjects: Biblical studies; Erasmus, Desiderius (1466?-1536); Religious history
• ISBN: 1303747960; 9781303747960

This study seeks to contribute to the growing field of the history of exegesis in the sixteenth century by more thoroughly including the voice of Johannes Oecolampadius (1482-1531), the first-generation reformer at Basel. The early sixteenth century witnessed an explosion of commentary writing, which changed the way the Bible was read and interpreted. One of the most significant, but overlooked, interpreters in the early years of the Reformation was Oecolampadius. The purpose of this study is to establish the significant role which he played in the development of biblical exegesis. Using the comparative methodology advanced by Steinmetz, Muller, and Thompson, this study focuses on Oecolampadius's commentary on Hebrews in comparison to the antecedent exegetical tradition, contemporary humanists, and other reformers. This study is the first to distinguish the most significant hermeneutical principles of Oecolampadius and locate him within the history of biblical interpretation. It portrays the sophisticated ways Oecolampadius interpreted the Bible to explain the genuine sense of the text and identifies further aspects of the continuity and discontinuity between medieval and Reformation-era exegesis. The primary argument is that Oecolampadius's Christoscopic approach to Scripture was a key step in the gradual shift from the dominance of the fourfold sense of Scripture toward a stronger emphasis on the literal and historical sense in later Reformed practices. The introduction provides a brief biographical sketch of Oecolampadius's life and locates this study in current scholarly conversations. The second chapter provides a brief history of the history of biblical interpretation and identifies the most relevant interpreters for comparison with Oecolampadius. The third chapter provides the historical background for Oecolampadius's commentaries. The fourth chapter identifies Oecolampadius's understanding of the main theme of Hebrews and its connection to his Christoscopic approach to interpreting Scripture. The fifth chapter compares explanations on the Old Testament passages quoted in the first chapters of Hebrews to show that Jesus is superior to angels and Moses. The sixth chapter compares explanations on the passages in Hebrews that teach Jesus is the great high priest in the order of Melchizedek. The seventh chapter compares explanations on the new covenant as a better covenant. Finally, the the conclusion provides a summary of Oecolampadius's Christoscopic reading of the Old Testament in the New and its significance, as well as suggesting areas for research that are beyond the limitations of this study.