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Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism
In presenting the English Reader with a translation of the Theological Lectures of Dr. Ursinus, upon the Heidelberg Catechism, it is presumed no apology is necessary, at least as far as the German Reformed Church is concerned. Considering the character of Ursinus, his acknowledged ability, and relations to the whole Reformed interest it is a matter of great surprise, that some one has not long since been found to undertake the arduous and difficult task which we have very imperfectly accomplished. Many other works greatly inferior to this, have been favored with translations, whilst no pains have been spared to give them an extensive circulation, and yet no attempt has been made of late years to place these lectures in the hands of the English reader. And what is stranger still, is the fact that the name of Ursinus himself, than whom no one is more worthy of grateful and honorable recollection, is in a great measure unknown. We have, therefore, been led to undertake the difficult task of translating these lectures, being fully convinced that we shall in so doing contribute no little to the dissemination of sound theological views, and at the same time bring to favorable notice one whose memory deserves to be held in grateful recollection. The writings of Ursinus are well deserving of a place in every minister s library, by the side of the works of Luther, Melancthon, Zuingle, Calvin, and others of blessed memory, and will not suffer in the least by a comparison with them.
The old English translation by Parry, made over two hundred years ago, is not only antiquated and unsuited to the taste of the modern English reader, but is also out of print, and not to be had except by the rarest chance. Few copies are to be found at the present day. The copy now in our possession, which we constantly consulted in making the present translation, was printed in the year 1645, and seems to have been gotten up with much care and expense. We had seen notices of the work, and had for several years made constant efforts to secure it, but without success, until about two years ago an esteemed friend placed in our hands a number of foreign catalogues in which we saw three copies of the works of Ursinus, one Latin and two English, advertised. We immediately gave orders to have them imported, and in this way came into possession of the copies we now have. The Latin copy from which we have made the present translation, was published in Geneva in the year 1616, and is without doubt a copy of the best and most complete edition made by Dr. David Pareus, the intimate friend and disciple of Ursinus. It is in every respect greatly superior to another Latin copy, the use of which we secured from the Rev. Dr. Hendron of the Presbyterian church, after having made very consider able progress in the work of translation. This last copy was published in the year 1585, and is probably a copy of one of the earliest editions of the works of Ursinus, of which notice is taken in the excellent “Introduction” from the pen of Dr. Nevin, which will be read with much interest, and throw much light upon the life and character of the author of these Lectures.
Great pains have been taken with the translation so as to render it as complete as possible. In every instance we have been careful to give the exact sense of the author, so that the translation is as literal as it could well be, without being slavishly bound to the text, the style of which we found in a number of instances to be of such a peculiar character as to require some liberty on the part of the Translator. Yet with all the care that has been taken, a number of errors will no doubt make their appearance, in reference to which we ask the indulgence of the reader. The work has been gotten out under many disadvantages, the translation having been made, whilst attending to our regular pastoral duties in the congregation which we have been called to serve in this city. .
The old English translation contains considerable matter which is not to be found in either of the Latin copies now in our possession. We have in several instances taken the liberty of inserting short extracts, changing the style, and construction of many of the sentences as to adapt it to the taste of the modern reader. Whenever this is done it is marked by the word “addenda.”
It is not deemed necessary to say any thing in reference to the merits of these lectures. All who have any acquaintance with the character of Ursinus, and of the important position which he occupied in the church in the sixteenth century the time of the glorious Reformation can have but one opinion respecting their merits. We may add, however, that a number of important testimonies might readily be furnished ; but we prefer rather to let the Book speak for itself, having the assurance that none can peruse its pages with proper care, without being instructed and profited.
These lectures present a complete exposition of all the leading doctri...
The old English translation by Parry, made over two hundred years ago, is not only antiquated and unsuited to the taste of the modern English reader, but is also out of print, and not to be had except by the rarest chance. Few copies are to be found at the present day. The copy now in our possession, which we constantly consulted in making the present translation, was printed in the year 1645, and seems to have been gotten up with much care and expense. We had seen notices of the work, and had for several years made constant efforts to secure it, but without success, until about two years ago an esteemed friend placed in our hands a number of foreign catalogues in which we saw three copies of the works of Ursinus, one Latin and two English, advertised. We immediately gave orders to have them imported, and in this way came into possession of the copies we now have. The Latin copy from which we have made the present translation, was published in Geneva in the year 1616, and is without doubt a copy of the best and most complete edition made by Dr. David Pareus, the intimate friend and disciple of Ursinus. It is in every respect greatly superior to another Latin copy, the use of which we secured from the Rev. Dr. Hendron of the Presbyterian church, after having made very consider able progress in the work of translation. This last copy was published in the year 1585, and is probably a copy of one of the earliest editions of the works of Ursinus, of which notice is taken in the excellent “Introduction” from the pen of Dr. Nevin, which will be read with much interest, and throw much light upon the life and character of the author of these Lectures.
Great pains have been taken with the translation so as to render it as complete as possible. In every instance we have been careful to give the exact sense of the author, so that the translation is as literal as it could well be, without being slavishly bound to the text, the style of which we found in a number of instances to be of such a peculiar character as to require some liberty on the part of the Translator. Yet with all the care that has been taken, a number of errors will no doubt make their appearance, in reference to which we ask the indulgence of the reader. The work has been gotten out under many disadvantages, the translation having been made, whilst attending to our regular pastoral duties in the congregation which we have been called to serve in this city. .
The old English translation contains considerable matter which is not to be found in either of the Latin copies now in our possession. We have in several instances taken the liberty of inserting short extracts, changing the style, and construction of many of the sentences as to adapt it to the taste of the modern reader. Whenever this is done it is marked by the word “addenda.”
It is not deemed necessary to say any thing in reference to the merits of these lectures. All who have any acquaintance with the character of Ursinus, and of the important position which he occupied in the church in the sixteenth century the time of the glorious Reformation can have but one opinion respecting their merits. We may add, however, that a number of important testimonies might readily be furnished ; but we prefer rather to let the Book speak for itself, having the assurance that none can peruse its pages with proper care, without being instructed and profited.
These lectures present a complete exposition of all the leading doctri...
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First published June 1, 1985
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About the author
Zacharias Ursinus
37 books15 followersZacharias Ursinus was a sixteenth century German Reformed theologian, born Zacharias Baer in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland). He became the leading theologian of the Reformed Protestant movement of the Palatinate, serving both at the University of Heidelberg and the College of Wisdom (Collegium Sapientiae). He is best known as the principal author and interpreter of the Heidelberg Catechism.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 16, 2018
A must have for every theology bookshelf. Ursinus lays out many doctrines of the Reformed faith with stunning precision for being so early in the Reformation. He not only lays out the doctrine we affirm, but brings forth common objections (many of which we might still hear today) and answers them according to scholastic argumentation and scriptural evidence.
January 3, 2019
Ce livre restera, en dehors de la Bible, un des livres de référence vers lequel je me tournerai pendant toute ma vie. Un ouvrage absolument exceptionnel, un sommet de la tradition protestante.
August 24, 2024
Leagues better than vandergro (sorry vandergroe-pies)
May 27, 2025
The folks at Reformed Free Publishing Association (RFPA) were kind enough to provide me with a copy of their recent republication of Ursinus’s commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism (CHC) for the sake of review.
Ursinus’s CHC is essential for a deeper understanding of the Heidelberg Catechism, as well as Reformed theology beyond the Palatinate. Of note, the authors of the Westminster Standards would no doubt have been familiar with this work. So this is a book of great significance for Continental and British Reformed Christians (and the inheritors of those respective branches of the Reformed family).
I’ll start with the negatives of this volume, mainly because there are really only two, and I don’t like ending reviews with negative thoughts. The first “negative” is more of a mixed feature. This book is BIG. It’s 7.5 inches wide, 10.5 inches long, and 2 inches thick. This is a negative because I can’t fit it on my main bookshelf, but it’s tied to a positive. The print is reasonably large, making this volume very accessible for people of most qualities of eyesight. The second negative of this volume has nothing to do with RFPA, but with Heidelberg scholarship in general. This volume uses the popular translation by G. W. Williard, which I’ve criticized in previous posts. I won’t restate my criticisms here aside from repeating my call for a more faithful translation of this work.
Now we move to the positives, and there are many.
We’ll begin with the aesthetics. The book is hardcover and lays open reasonably well. As already mentioned, the text is a larger print. It looks really nice on a sufficiently large shelf or even lying on its side. Could it be better? Sure, but most of the improvements I can think of would dramatically hike up the price and defeat the purpose of making the CHC widely accessible.
The real virtue of this book lies in what RFPA has done that makes it notably unique from other print editions (the now out-of-print Netherlands Reformed Congregations edition is what I have in mind). Where there are charts and other such helps in the text, this volume makes them cleaner and more presentable. Some features of the text have been tweaked for greater consistency. The best things here (besides the text, of course) are the study helps. There are not one, but TWO tables of contents. The first is creedal, structured according to the 52 Lord’s Days and the threefold division of Guilt, Grace, and Gratitude. The second is topical, aiding in deeper study on particular topics or questions. RFPA has also added footnotes to aid with deeper study. Some simply guide the reader to works Ursinus references while others are explanatory, both of which are very helpful. The book also includes a Scripture index and an index of names. While these study features aren’t exhaustive, they do wonders for making the CHC accessible to a wider audience.
This new edition of the CHC is truly a gift to the church. RFPA is to be highly commended for their work. While it’s not the ideal as a final scholarly edition of the CHC, it’s a crucial stepping-stone in advancing popular Ursinus scholarship. I believe that no Christian’s library is complete without a copy of this book. If you don’t own a copy yet, I highly recommend that you change that now!
Ursinus’s CHC is essential for a deeper understanding of the Heidelberg Catechism, as well as Reformed theology beyond the Palatinate. Of note, the authors of the Westminster Standards would no doubt have been familiar with this work. So this is a book of great significance for Continental and British Reformed Christians (and the inheritors of those respective branches of the Reformed family).
I’ll start with the negatives of this volume, mainly because there are really only two, and I don’t like ending reviews with negative thoughts. The first “negative” is more of a mixed feature. This book is BIG. It’s 7.5 inches wide, 10.5 inches long, and 2 inches thick. This is a negative because I can’t fit it on my main bookshelf, but it’s tied to a positive. The print is reasonably large, making this volume very accessible for people of most qualities of eyesight. The second negative of this volume has nothing to do with RFPA, but with Heidelberg scholarship in general. This volume uses the popular translation by G. W. Williard, which I’ve criticized in previous posts. I won’t restate my criticisms here aside from repeating my call for a more faithful translation of this work.
Now we move to the positives, and there are many.
We’ll begin with the aesthetics. The book is hardcover and lays open reasonably well. As already mentioned, the text is a larger print. It looks really nice on a sufficiently large shelf or even lying on its side. Could it be better? Sure, but most of the improvements I can think of would dramatically hike up the price and defeat the purpose of making the CHC widely accessible.
The real virtue of this book lies in what RFPA has done that makes it notably unique from other print editions (the now out-of-print Netherlands Reformed Congregations edition is what I have in mind). Where there are charts and other such helps in the text, this volume makes them cleaner and more presentable. Some features of the text have been tweaked for greater consistency. The best things here (besides the text, of course) are the study helps. There are not one, but TWO tables of contents. The first is creedal, structured according to the 52 Lord’s Days and the threefold division of Guilt, Grace, and Gratitude. The second is topical, aiding in deeper study on particular topics or questions. RFPA has also added footnotes to aid with deeper study. Some simply guide the reader to works Ursinus references while others are explanatory, both of which are very helpful. The book also includes a Scripture index and an index of names. While these study features aren’t exhaustive, they do wonders for making the CHC accessible to a wider audience.
This new edition of the CHC is truly a gift to the church. RFPA is to be highly commended for their work. While it’s not the ideal as a final scholarly edition of the CHC, it’s a crucial stepping-stone in advancing popular Ursinus scholarship. I believe that no Christian’s library is complete without a copy of this book. If you don’t own a copy yet, I highly recommend that you change that now!
February 5, 2018
A commentary of crucial importance for anyone studying or teaching from the Heidelberg Catechism. It's chief value is that it gives deeper insight into one of the chief authors of the catechism, and thus provides the careful reader with the ability to better appreciate and understand the catechism in both its doctrine and its limitations. Plenty of value in and of itself, but most valuable as a "behind-the-scenes" insight into the HC.
November 18, 2024
I'll admit that giving the commentary on the Heidelberger by the guy who wrote it anything less than 5 stars feels ridiculous and arrogant. But, I only do so due to various theological disagreements I took along the way with both the catechism and this commentary. But, if one is preaching through it, this resource is a must.
February 10, 2020
Highly recommended for any Christian wanting to dig into their faith.
August 6, 2020
I used this commentary as a resource for a six monthly study by daily devotionals of the Heidelberg Catechism. This commentary is a true treasure and Lord willing I will use it as resource for years to come. The Heidelberg Catechism is one of the greatest contributions to the Christian faith and should be read and studied by all. Dr. Zacharias Ursinus does an amazing job of breaking the Catechism down and has produced a complete systematic study of the work in laymen's terms. This book is not complicated to read or understand and gives us great insight into the Christian life. Get a copy for your library! You won't be sorry.
January 18, 2016
"Question 1. What is your only comfort in life and death? Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ . . . " Dr. Ursinus was the co-author of the 16th century Heidelberg Catechism. I especially appreciated one of the introductory chapters that defends and explains the Biblical purpose of catechizing. Currently, Ursinus is much mined for his views regarding the imputation of the "active obedience of Christ" to believers (especially Questions 60 & 61). Certainly, much can be gleaned from the German & Dutch (c.f. Klaas Schilder) fathers on this controversial point of doctrine. This commentary is an excellent companion to the catechism and provides the scriptural background to this excellent and highly personalized standard of the Reformed Church.
November 15, 2007
Given that fact that Ursinus wrote the Heidelberg, his own commentary on the Heidelberg is, as you might imagine, a real gem. I would recommend a dose of this every morning over just about any modern "devotional".
June 22, 2013
Top 10 most important books a Christian can ever read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews