Defending the Trinity in the Reformed Palatinate: The Elohistae

by Benjamin R. Merkle

This study begins with an examination of Girolamo Zanchi's De Tribus Elohim (1572), setting this important defense of the doctrine of the Trinity in the immediate context of the recent rise of antitrinitarianism within the Reformed Palatinate. De Tribus Elohim focused on the grammatical peculiarity of the Hebrew word Elohim (God) in order to refute the biblicism of its contemporary antitrinitarians. In doing so, Zanchi's argument followed an exegetical thread common within the late medieval case for the doctrine of the Trinity, but which ran contrary to the exegetical sensibilities of many of Zanchi's own Reformed colleagues. This disagreement over the correct interpretation of the word Elohim, then became a touchstone for distinguishing between two different approaches to the Hebrew text with the Reformed Church of the late sixteenth century, and becomes a significant piece in understanding the development of Reformed exegesis.

Genres: Theology

238 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Dr. Benjamin Merkle is the President of New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho. He holds a D.Phil. in Oriental Studies and an M.St. in Jewish Studies from Oxford University, England, a Master’s degree in English Literature, and a B.S. in Education (Secondary Education-Chemistry, with a minor in History) both from the University of Idaho. He also studied theology at Greyfriars Hall from 1998 to 2000.

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This OUP title is by my son-in-law, Benjamin Merkle. I read it once in manuscript, back in the dissertation times, and just now finished it again in its published form. Just great stuff.

[Andrzej Stelmasiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful historical theology treatment, skilfully shows that 'grammatical-historical' method of exegesis cannot be defined as THE Reformed hermeneutics.

[Graham Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book which lays out a fascinating tension within Reformed theology between grammatical exegesis and theological construction. How were the biblicist anti-Trinitarians of Heidelberg, who claimed the Reformed way of reading the Scripture to be their own, to be answered? Zanchi and Junius, among others, sought to show that the Trinity could be found in a right reading of the Old Testament text, particularly in the fact that God is revealed as 'Jehovah Elohim', a singular and plural noun. The singularity of Jehovah, they claimed, referred to the single, shared, divine, essence and the plurality of Elohim referred to the three hypostases within that essence. Whether or not we find Zanchi's argument persuasive, Merkle expertly lays his finger on the way that the relationship between hermeneutics and orthodoxy can be a fraught one within Reformed theology.

[Paul Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. Learned about some theological controversies I was unfamiliar with, and it provokes more thinking about proper theological method.

Taking off one star for readability, but otherwise, if you’re interested in the early Reformed approach to issues in Trinitarianism, this is an interesting read.