Commentary on the Twelve Prophets (Fathers of the Church (Hardcover))

Friend of John Chrysostom and pupil of Diodore of Tarsus, Theodore, the founder of the method of exegesis, practiced in Antioch and was appointed bishop of Mopsuestia in Cilicia in 392. His pedigree thus seems impeccable, as was his early reputation as a commentator on the Bible, which earned him the sobriquet The Interpreter. More than one modern scholar has been prepared to class Theodore as the foremost exponent of Antiochene exegesis. Yet not long after his death in 428 - coincidentally, but significantly, the year Nestorius acceded to the see of Constantinople - Theodore became the object of intemperate criticism by the likes of Cyril of Alexandria for his Christological views. His works were condemned by the fifth ecumenical council of 553, and only the Commentary on the Twelve Prophets, here appearing in English for the first time, survives entirely in Greek. "More than one modern scholar has been prepared to class Theodore as "the foremost exponent of Antiochene exegesis." Yet not long after his death in 428 - coincidentally, but significantly, the year Nestorius acceded to the see of Constantinople - Theodore became the object of intemperate criticism by the likes of Cyril of Alexandria for his Christological views. His works were condemned by the fifth ecumenical council of 553, and only the commentary on the Twelve Prophets, here appearing in English for the first time, survives entirely in Greek." "It would not have been this work that earned Theodore an unsavory reputation. Though he is typically Antiochene in focusing on the historical background of each of the Twelve prophets, and thus avoids the elaborate search after levels of spiritual meaning he would have found in the Alexandrian Didymus, he engages in no Christological debate, simply setting the divine economy as the context of the prophets' ministry. He moves systematically through the Twelve in the order they appear in the Antioch text (itself an object of interest to students of the Septuagint), despite his lack of Hebrew and of familiarity with the genre of apocalyptic."--Jaquette "More than one modern scholar has been prepared to class Theodore as "the foremost exponent of Antiochene exegesis." Yet not long after his death in 428 - coincidentally, but significantly, the year Nestorius acceded to the see of Constantinople - Theodore became the object of intemperate criticism by the likes of Cyril of Alexandria for his Christological views. His works were condemned by the fifth ecumenical council of 553, and only the commentary on the Twelve Prophets, here appearing in English for the first time, survives entirely in Greek." "It would not have been this work that earned Theodore an unsavory reputation. Though he is typically Antiochene in focusing on the historical background of each of the Twelve prophets, and thus avoids the elaborate search after levels of spiritual meaning he would have found in the Alexandrian Didymus, he engages in no Christological debate, simply setting the divine economy as the context of the prophets' ministry. He moves systematically through the Twelve in the order they appear in the Antioch text (itself an object of interest to students of the Septuagint), despite his lack of Hebrew and of familiarity with the genre of apocalyptic."--Jacket Abbreviations ix Select Bibliography xi Introduction 1 1. Theodore, his life and works 1 2. Text of the Commentary; Theodore’s biblical text 4 3. Theodore’s approach to Scripture in general 9 4. Theodore’s style of commentary 15 5. Theodore as interpreter of the prophets 20 6. Christological and Trinitarian theology of the Commentary 27 7. Morality and spirituality of the Commentary 31 8. Theodore’s achievement in the Commentary 32 COMMENTARY ON THE TWELVE PROPHETS Commentary on the Prophet Hosea 37 Commentary on the Prophet Joel 103 Commentary on the Prophet Amos 126 Commentary on the Prophet Obadiah 174 Commentary on the Prophet Jonah 185 Commentary on the Prophet Micah 206 Commentary on the Prophet Nahum 245 Commentary on the Prophet Habakkuk 266 Commentary on the Prophet Zephaniah 286 Commentary on the Prophet Haggai 306 Commentary on the Prophet Zechariah 322 Commentary on the Prophet Malachi 398 INDICES General Index 427 Index of Holy Scripture 431 Theodore, His Life And Works -- Text Of The Commentary; Theodore's Biblical Text -- Theodore's Approach To Scripture In General -- Theodore's Style Of Commentary -- Theodore As Interpreter Of The Prophets -- Christological And Trinitarian Theology Of The Commentary -- Morality And Spirituality Of The Commentary -- Theodore's Achievement In The Commentary On The Twelve Prophets -- Commentary On The Twelve Minor Prophets. Commentary On The Prophet Hosea; Commentary On The Prophet Joel; Commentary On The Prophet Amos; Commentary On The Prophet Obadiah; Commentary On The Prophet Jonah; Commentary On The Prophet Micah; Commentary On The Prophet Nahum; Commentary On The Prophet Habakkuk; Commentary On The Prophet Zephaniah; Commentary On The Prophet Haggai; Commentary On The Prophet Zechariah; Commentary On The Prophet Malachi. Theodore Of Mopsuestia ; Translated By Robert C. Hill. Includes Bibliographical References (xi-xiii) And Indexes. Maximos the Confessor's penetrating theological vision found expression in an unparalleled synthesis of biblical exegesis, ascetic spirituality, patristic theology, and Greek philosophy. On Difficulties in Sacred Scripture, presented here in a complete English translation, contains Maximos's theological interpretations of sixty-five difficult passages from the Old and New Testaments. He begins this way, The word of the Lord that came to Hosen son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel (v.1).