List of Biblical Commentaries - Modern Catholic Commentaries

Modern Catholic Commentaries

The influx of Greek scholars into Italy after the fall of Constantinople, the Christian and anti-Christian Renaissance, the invention of printing, the controversial excitement caused by the rise of Protestantism, and the publication of polyglot Bibles by Cardinal Ximenes and others, gave renewed interest in the study of the Bible among Catholic scholars. Controversy showed them the necessity of devoting more attention to the literal meaning of the text, according to the wise principle laid down by St. Thomas in the beginning of his "Summa Theologica".

It was then that the Jesuits, founded in 1534, stepped into the front rank to counter the attacks on the Catholic Church. The Ratio Studiorum of the Jesuits made it incumbent on their professors of Scripture to acquire a mastery of Greek, Hebrew, and other Oriental languages. Alfonso Salmeron, one of the first companions of Ignatius Loyola, and the pope's theologian at the Council of Trent, was a distinguished Hebrew scholar and voluminous commentator. Bellarmine, one of the first Christians to write a Hebrew grammar, composed a valuable commentary on the Psalms, giving an exposition of the Hebrew, Septuagint, and Vulgate texts. It was published as part of Cornelius a Lapide's commentary on the whole Bible. Cornelius a Lapide, S. J. (born 1566), was a native of the Low Countries, and was well versed in Greek and Hebrew. During forty years he devoted himself to teaching and to the composition of his great work, which has been highly praised by Protestants as well as Catholics.

Juan Maldonato, a Spanish Jesuit, born 1584, wrote commentaries on Isaias, Baruch, Ezechiel, Daniel, Psalms, Proverbs, Canticles (Song of Solomon), and Ecclesiastes. His best work, however, is his Latin commentary on the Four Gospels, which is generally acknowledged to be one of the best ever written. When Maldonato was teaching at the University of Paris the hall was filled with eager students before the lecture began, and he had frequently to speak in the open air.

Great as was the merit of the work of Maldonato, it was equalled by the commentary on the Epistles by Estius (born at Gorcum, Holland, 1542), a secular priest, and superior of the College at Douai. These two works are still of the greatest help to the student.

Many other Jesuits were the authors of valuable exegetical works, e.g.:

• Francis Ribera of Castile (born 1514);
• Cardinal Toletus of Cordova (born 1532);
• Manuel de Sá (died 1596);
• Bonfrère of Dinant (born 1573);
• Mariana of Talavera (born 1537);
• Alcazar of Seville (born 1554);
• Barradius "the Apostle of Portugal";
• Sánchez of Alcalá (died 1628);
• Nicholas Serarius of Lorraine (died 1609);
• Lorinus of Avignon (born 1559);
• Tirinus of Antwerp (born 1580);
• Menochius of Pavia;
• Pereira of Valencia (died 1610); and
• Pineda of Seville.

The Jesuits were rivalled by

• Arias Montanus (died 1598), the editor of the Antwerp Polyglot Bible;
• Sixtus of Siena, O. P. (died 1569);
• Johann Wild (Ferus), O. S. F.;
• Dominic Soto, O. P. (died 1560);
• Andreas Masius (died 1573);
• Jansen of Ghent (died 1576);
• Génébrard of Cluny (died 1597);
• Antonio Agelli (died 1608);
• Luke of Bruges (died 1619);
• Calasius, O. S. F. (died 1620);
• Malvenda, O. P. (died 1628);
• Jansen of Ypres
• Simeon de Muis (died 1644);
• Jean Morin, Oratorian (died 1659);
• Isaac Le Maistre (de Sacy);
• John Sylveira, Carmelite (died 1687);
• Bossuet (died 1704);
• Richard Simon, Oratorian (died 1712);
• Calmet, Oratorian, who wrote a valuable dictionary of the Bible, of which there is an English translation, and a highly esteemed commentary on all the books of Scripture (died 1757);
• Louis de Carrières, Oratorian (died 1717);
• Piconio, Capuchin (died 1709);
• Bernard Lamy, Oratorian (died 1715);
• Pierre Guarin, O. S. B. (died 1729);
• Houbigant, Oratorian (died 1783);
• William Smits, Recollect (1770);
• Jacques Le Long, Oratorian (died 1721);
• Dominikus von Brentano (died 1797).