Johann Jakob Wettstein

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Johann Jakob Wettstein (also Wetstein ; born March 5, 1693 in Basel ; † March 23, 1754 in Amsterdam ) was a Swiss theologian and pioneer of textual criticism of the New Testament .

Life

The son of the main pastor at the Leonhardkirche, Johann Rudolph Wettstein, and his wife Sara Sarasin, received his first spiritual stimuli at home and in 1706 completed his studies in theology, especially biblical philology, criticism and antiquity, at the University of Basel. In Basel in 1709 he had acquired the degree of master's degree. Even as a student, Wettstein devoted himself to the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, to which he had access through a relative who worked at the university library in Basel. In 1713 he defended his dissertation entitled De variis Novi Testamenti lectionibus , in which he tried to show that the existence of different readings did not question the authority of the Bible.

Wettstein on an educational trip through Switzerland, France and England he met Richard Bentley from Cambridge University in 1716 . With this famous philologist, Wettstein considerably expanded his language skills. Bentley became his sponsor and persuaded him to edit a copy of the Codex Ephraemi in Paris. During that time he also met the Swiss Brigadier v. Chambrier, who got him a preaching position with his regiment, which was then in Rochester. When this regiment later went to 's-Hertogenbosch in Holland, Wettstein followed it within three months, having previously traveled to Paris with the permission of his boss to compare the New Testament copy of the Syrian Ephraem in the royal library there .

For a short time, only six months, Wettstein held his preaching position in 's-Hertogenbosch. When he was called back to his native Basel in 1717, he was a deacon at the Leonhard Church there. He held that office for several years and continued his critical investigations during that time. In 1729, however, he was threatened with a change in his previous circumstances. Because of various doctrines deviating from the faith of the Reformed Church, which he is said to have presented in his sermons and private lectures, he was held responsible and involved in an investigation that resulted in the loss of his preaching position for him in 1730. Holland offered him a place of refuge at that time. But he went back to Basel and preached there in 1732 and 1733. Around this time he followed a call to Amsterdam. At the College of Remonstrants there , he was initially an adjunct to the feeble Johannes Clericus (also le Clerck, 1657–1736) and after his death in 1736 received the professorship of philosophy and church history held by the same until now. Since then he continued his studies until his death.

Act

His edition of the Greek New Testament, published from 1751 to 1752, is widely recognized. He mostly added explanatory notes to this work, which spoke particularly for his thorough knowledge of Jewish writers and profane writers and which are seen as important contributions to the criticism of the text . For some New Testament critics, this work has been a useful tool.

His Prolegemena , published in 1730, was reprinted by Johann Salomo Semler in 1764 with annotations and a further appendix. In addition, from his handwritten code of the New Testament in 1752, he published two letters in Syrian from Clement of Rome , who, according to Origen's tradition , is said to have been a disciple of St. Peter and his third successor.

Works

  • Diss. De variis lectionibus Novi Testamenti. Basel 1713
  • Excerpt from witty songs in praise of God the Lord Jesus. Basel 1728
  • Prolegomena ad Novi Testamenti graeci editionem accuratissimam e vetustissimis codicibus MS. denuo procurandam; in quibus agitur de Codicibus MS. Novi Testamenti, scriptoribus graecis, qui Novo Testamento usi sunt, versionibus veteribus, editonibus prioribus et claris interpretibus, et proponuntur animadversiones et cautiones ad examen variarum lectionum Novi Testamenti necessariae. Amsterdam 1730; Semler published this work several times under the title: JJ Wetstenii Prolegomena in NT notas adjecit atque appendicem de vetustioribus latinis recensionibus, quae in variis codicibus supersunt, JS Semler cum quibusdam characterum graecorum et latinorum in libris manuscripts exemplis. Halle-Magdeburg 1764; The second part is: JJ Westenii Libelli ad crisin atque interpretationem NT Adjecta est recensio introductionis Bengelii ad crisin NT atque Glocestrii Ridley Diss. De Syriacarum NT versionum indole atque usu, e bibliotheca et cum quibusdam notis JD Michaelis. In academicorum usus edidit et pleraque observationibus illustravit JS Semler. Halle-Magdeburg 1766
  • Christian sermon against the magical and superstitious arts, about Esa. 8, 19-22; held in the parish church near St. Leonhard in Basel, August 31, 1732, on high authority. Ordinance on public presentation of an angry person. Basel 1732
  • JR Wetstenii, Ecclesiae Basiliensis Pastoris, (patris editoris) ad reformatas Helvetiae atque foederatarum civitatum Ecclesias, Epistola. Amsterdam 1733
  • Orthodoxia a falsis criminationibus JL Frey vindicata. Amsterdam 1733
  • Oratio funebris m obitum viri celeberrimi Joannis Clerici, Philos. et Historiae eccles. Inter Remonstrantes Professoris, habita ad VIII. Cal. Marti. Amsterdam 1736
  • Sermo in funere plurimum reverendi Jo. Driebergii, Theologiae inter Remonstrantes- Professoris, habitus ad XI. Cal. June 1746. Amsterdam 1746
  • Ἡ ΚΑΙΝΗ ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗ sive Novum Testamentum graecum editionis receptae, cum lectionibus variantibus Codicum MS. Editionum, aliarum versionum, Patrum, nec non Commentario pleniore, ex scriptoribus veteribus Hebraeis, Graecis et Latinis, historiam et vim verborum illustrante; opera et studio etc. Tomus I, Continens quatuor Evangelia. Leiden (Lugd. Batav.) 1751, Tomus II, continens Epistolas Pauli, Acta Apostolorum, Epistolas canonicas et Apocalypsin. Leiden 1752, Editio secunda, auctior et emendatior Novum Testamentum Graecum, ad fidem Graecorum Codicum MSS. nunc primum expressum, adstipulanta JJ Wetstenio juxta sectiones JA Bengelii divisum, et nova interpunctione saepius illustratum. Accessere in altero volumine exercitationes conjecturales virorum doctorum undecunque collectae. London 1763
  • Duae Epistolae S. Clementis Romani, Discipuli Petri Apostoli, quas ex codice manuscripto NT Syriaci nunc primum erutas, cum versione latina apposita, edidit JJW Leiden 1752
  • Epistola ad virum plurimum reverendum, H. Venerne, de duabus Clementis Rome. Epistolis, ex Syriaco nuper editis. Amsterdam 1754

literature

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personal data
SURNAME Wettstein, Johann Jakob
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wetstein, Johann Jakob
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss theologian and pioneer of textual criticism of the New Testament
DATE OF BIRTH March 5, 1693
PLACE OF BIRTH Basel
DATE OF DEATH March 23, 1754
Place of death Amsterdam