St. Jerome’s commentaries on Galatians, Titus, and Philemon

432 Pages·2010·2.016 MB·English, Latin

by  Scheck, Thomas P., Saint Jerome

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t. erome’s
“Scheck’s introduction is clearly written and lucid,
C containing fine theological observations as well as a clear
ommentaries
historical context for Jerome’s commentary. Scheck’s St. Jerome’s
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alatians, excellent translation comes at a most opportune time
on
given that interest in patristic exegesis is high and Jerome
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itus,
is among the best of the ancient commentators on
P Galatians.” Commentaries
and hilemon K
—Joseph T. Lienhard, S.J., Fordham University
Translated by
Thomas P. Scheck C
St. Jerome is regarded as one of the four great doctors
of the western Christian Church, with St. Ambrose, on Galatians, Titus,
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St. Augustine, and St. Gregory. Termed by the Council of Trent “the greatest
doctor in explaining the Scriptures,” the Latin Church regards St. Jerome as
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its preeminent scriptural commentator. Nevertheless, much of his prodigious
exegetical output has never been translated into English. In this volume, and Philemon
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Thomas Scheck provides the first translation in English (and in any modern
language) of Jerome’s important commentary on Galatians, with two shorter
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commentaries on Titus and Philemon.

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Jerome’s exegesis is characterized by extensive learning, acute historical and
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theological criticism, lively and vigorous exposition, and homiletic exhortation.
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It is noteworthy that throughout, Jerome, like his contemporary St. Ambrose
and his theological mentors St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen, carefully and

thoroughly assimilates Origen of Alexandria’s Greek exegesis into his own work.
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Indeed, Scheck regards Origen as the fountainhead of Jerome’s exegesis. As an
interpreter of these three Pauline epistles, Jerome exhibits a deeply Christian
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sensitivity. He articulates the necessity of both faith and good works found in
Pauline theology and interprets St. Paul to mean that post-baptismal good works
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are a necessary out-flowing of paschal grace. This is the grace that enables
the Christian to merit God’s favor and to achieve the blessings associated with
Christian asceticism and discipleship. y O
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Thomas P. Scheck is assistant professor of classics and theology at Ave Maria t H
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University. He is the author of Origen and the History of Justification: The Legacy of sl
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Origen’s Commentary on Romans (University of Notre Dame Press, 2008). a T
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University of Notre Dame Press
Notre Dame, IN 46556
undpress.nd.edu
St. Jerome’s Commentaries
on Galatians, Titus,
and Philemon

St. Jerome’s
Commentaries
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on Galatians, Titus,
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and Philemon
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University of Notre Dame Press b

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Notre Dame, Indiana a T
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Copyright © 2010 by University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
www.undpress.nd.edu
All Rights Reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jerome, Saint, d. 419 or 20.
[Commentaries. English. Selections]
St. Jerome’s commentaries on Galatians, Titus, and Philemon /
translated by Thomas P. Scheck.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN-13: 978-0-268-04133-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-268-04133-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Bible. N.T. Galatians—Commentaries. 2. Bible. N.T. Titus—Commentaries.
3. Bible. N.T. Philemon—Commentaries. I. Scheck, Thomas P., 1964–
II. Title. III. Title: Saint Jerome’s commentaries on Galations, Titus, and Philemon.
BR65.J472E64 2010
227'.077—dc22
2010024339
∞ The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and
durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity
of the Council on Library Resources.
Dedicated in friendship and affection to my mentor
and colleague, Father Joseph T. Lienhard, S.J.,
of Fordham University

Contents
Abbreviations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
Commentary on Galatians, Book 1 47
Commentary on Galatians, Book 2 125
Commentary on Galatians, Book 3 205
Commentary on Titus 277
Commentary on Philemon 351
Select Bibliography 383
Index of Scriptural Passages 389
General Index 410

Abbreviations
ACC Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
Adv Haer Irenaeus’s Adversus haereses
ANF Ante-Nicene Fathers
CCSL Corpus christianorum, series latina
CRm Origen’s Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans
CSEL Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum latinorum
CWE Collected Works of Erasmus
DCB A Dictionary of Christian Biography. Ed. W. Smith and
H. Wace. 4 vols. London, 1877–87.
DSA Luther’s De servo arbitrio
DTC Dictionaire de théologie catholique. Ed. A. Vacant et al.
15 vols. Paris, 1903–50.
EEC Encyclopedia of the Early Church. Ed. A. Di Berardino.
2 vols. New York, 1992.
Ep. Epistle
FOTC Fathers of the Church
HE Eusebius’s Historia ecclesiastica
ICC International Critical Commentary
JBC Jerome Biblical Commentary. Ed. R. E. Brown et al. Engle-
wood Cliffs, 1968.
ix