Johann Heinrich May the Elder

Johann Heinrich May the Elder (also: Mai, Maie, Majus ; * February 5, 1653 in Pforzheim ; † September 3, 1719 in Gießen ) was a German Lutheran theologian, philologist and historian.

Life

The son of the pastor Johann Georg May, was a brother of Johann Burchard May and, like him, had had his first training in his father's house. He attended high school in Durlach and in 1679 studied theology at the University of Wittenberg . Then he went on a trip to Copenhagen, came to Hamburg to Georg Elieser Edzard (1661–1737), where he was tutor to his sons. In addition, he dealt with the Hebrew literature during this time.

In this way he had acquired the knowledge to teach the Hebrew language privately at the University of Leipzig , the Wittenberg Academy, the University of Helmstedt and the University of Strasbourg . So he could continue his studies. He then became court preacher to the Count Palatine von Veldenz , then preacher and high school professor in Baden-Durlach. On March 16, 1688 he became professor of the Hebrew language and associate professor of theology at the University of Giessen .

To this end, he acquired a licentiate in theology on March 15, 1689 , became a full professor of theology on July 1, 1690, and received his doctorate in theology on November 28, 1690 . Associated with the office of theological professorship, he became superintendent , consistorial assessor and Ephorus of the scholarship holders. May, who was friends with Philipp Jacob Spener as a Lutheran , became a pioneer of Pietism in Giessen and Hessen-Darmstadt. In 1709 he resigned from his professorship in Hebrew. His son Johann Heinrich May the Younger , from his marriage to Sabina Helena, the daughter of Michael Praun , also became famous.

Selection of works

Books

1. Historia animalum scripturae. Frankfurt / M. 1686
2. Vita Johannis Reuchlini. Frankfurt 1687
3. Examen historiae Criticae Rich. Simonis. Casting 1694
4. Synopsis Theologiae Symbolicae. Casting 1694
5. Synopsis Theologiae moralis. Giessen 1697
6. Synopsis Theologiae Judaicae. Giessen 1698
7. Introductio ad Studium philologicum, criticum & exegeticum brevis & perspicua. Giessen 1698
8. Paraphrasis Epistolae ad Hebraeos
9. Theologia Evangelica. Casting 1701
10. Animadversiones & supplementa ad Cocceji Lexicon Ebraeum. Frankfurt 1714
11. Oeconomia temporum Vet. Testamenti. Casting 1704
12. Synopsis Theologiae Christianae
13. Oeconomia temporum Novi Testamenti
14. Theologia Lutheri
15. Theologia prophetica. Frankfurt 1710
16. Harmonia Evangelica, Giessen 1707
17. Oeconomia judiciorum divinorum
18. Historia reformationis Lutheri. Frankfurt 1710
19. Christian pedagogue
20. Teaching confirmation of children
21. Of which 7 penance psalms
22. Spiritual condom
23. Golden jewel of David
24. Davidic festivities
25. Institutio linguae Chaldaicae. Casting 1695
26. Grammatica Rabbinica. Casting 1710
27. Dissertationes sacrae. Frankfurt / M. 1690
28. Selectiores dissertationes philologicae & exegeticae quator de Scriptura S. contra Rich. Simonem. Frankfurt / M. 1690, Giessen 1710
29. Synopsis Physicae veteris & novae. Frankfurt 1688

Dissertations

1. de inspiratione Scripturae S. Gießen 1689
2. demonstratio luculenta, Messiam pridem venisse, adversus Judaeos. Casting 1690
3. de constante & invariata fide Ecclesiarum Aug. Confessioni addictarum, contra Jo. Benign. Bossuetum. Casting 1690
4. super matt. 5, 21, 22. Giessen 1692
5. ad Acta 13, 22. sive summi Numinis de vera heroum pietate testimonium. Giessen 1692
6. de Theologia Davidis. Giessen 1693
7. de Ratione in rebus fidei suo modo & coeca & oculata. Casting 1695
8. de clave cognitionis ad Luc. 11. 22. instituta. Casting 1695
9. de juramento per dolum elicito ad Jos. 9. Giessen 1695
10. de unico SS. Theologiae principio, S. Scriptura Canonica. Casting 1706
11. de imagine veritatis fatidica & Juridica, sive Hebraeorum Urim & Thummin ex Exod. 28, 30.Gießen 1696
12. de amicitia inter Deum & hominem, ad Jac. 2, 23. Giessen 1697
13. de duplici idololatria crassa & subtili ad Rom. 2, 22. Giessen 1698
14. de Theosophia Christianorum universali ad 1. Cor. 2. Casting 1699

literature

• Georg Lehnert, Hermann Haupt: Chronicle of the University of Giessen 1607 to 1609. Albrecht Töpelmann, Giessen 1907, p. 79
• Majus, Johann Heinrich. In: Johann Heinrich Zedler : Large complete universal lexicon of all sciences and arts . Volume 19, Leipzig 1739, columns 657-659.
• Paul Tschackert :  Majus, Johann Heinrich . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 20, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1884, p. 123.
• Martin Brecht: The implementation of Pietism in Hessen-Darmstadt. In: Johannes van den Berg, Martin Brecht: History of Pietism. - Pietism from the seventeenth to the early eighteenth centuries. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1993, ISBN 3-525-55343-9 , vol. 1, p. 340