Matthew Poole Synopsis -- Volume 3 Now Available

VirginiaHuguenot · #1 (**permalink**) 03-21-2008, 02:16 PM

I am pleased to announce that volume 3 of the English translation of Matthew Poole's Synopsis Criticorum (this edition includes his English Annotations as well) is available for purchase in hardcopy or electronic download at the Matthew Poole Project. It is the largest volume to date, and it completes his commentary on Genesis (this volume covers Genesis 23-50).

Also available separately at the same site is Steven Dilday's essay on The Eschatology of George Gillespie: An Introductory Analysis and Evaluation.

Blessings!

SolaGratia · #2 (**permalink**) 03-21-2008, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

I am pleased to announce that volume 3 of the English translation of Matthew Poole's Synopsis Criticorum (this edition includes his English Annotations as well) is available for purchase in hardcopy or electronic download at the Matthew Poole Project. It is the largest volume to date, and it completes his commentary on Genesis (this volume covers Genesis 23-50).

Also available separately at the same site is Steven Dilday's essay on The Eschatology of George Gillespie: An Introductory Analysis and Evaluation.

Blessings!

Edited by no one other than Mr. R. Andrew Myers.

Thanks brother for such a great service!

VirginiaHuguenot · #3 (**permalink**) 03-21-2008, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolaGratia

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

I am pleased to announce that volume 3 of the English translation of Matthew Poole's Synopsis Criticorum (this edition includes his English Annotations as well) is available for purchase in hardcopy or electronic download at the Matthew Poole Project. It is the largest volume to date, and it completes his commentary on Genesis (this volume covers Genesis 23-50).

Also available separately at the same site is Steven Dilday's essay on The Eschatology of George Gillespie: An Introductory Analysis and Evaluation.

Blessings!

Edited by no one other than Mr. R. Andrew Myers.

Thanks brother for such a great service!

It is my pleasure and privilege to be part of this project. Thank you for your kind words and support, brother!

Daniel Ritchie · #4 (**permalink**) 03-21-2008, 08:52 PM

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are these volumes? Are they sermons? How do they differ from Matthew Poole's Commentaries?

VirginiaHuguenot · #5 (**permalink**) 03-21-2008, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Ritchie

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are these volumes? Are they sermons? How do they differ from Matthew Poole's Commentaries?

In short, the Synopsis is Poole's first work, written in Latin over a 10 year period. It is a collection of the best comments on the whole Bible from a wide range of sources. It is the basis of his later English Annotations (usually referred to as "Matthew Poole's Commentary," although he did not live to complete the work past Isaiah 58, it was completed by other hands as noted here):

The Closers

Both works are commentaries, not sermons. The Synopsis is a treasure trove of comments by others which show Poole's own critical acumen. The present edition that we are publishing includes both the Synopsis and the Annotations.

For further clarification, here are Charles Spurgeon's remarks:

Quote:

If you are well enough versed in Latin, you will find in POOLE'S SYNOPSIS,[4] a marvellous collection of all the wisdom and folly of the critics. It is a large cyclopaedia worthy of the days when theologians could be cyclopean, and had not shrunk from folios to octavos. Query—a query for which I will not demand an answer—has one of you ever beaten the dust from the venerable copy of Poole which loads our library shelves? Yet as Poole spent no less than ten years in compiling it, it should be worthy of your frequent notice—ten years, let me add, spent in Amsterdam in exile for the truth's sake from his native land.

His work was based upon an earlier compilation entitled Critici Sacri, containing the concentrated light of a constellation of learned men who have never been excelled in any age or country.

MATTHEW POOLE also wrote ANNOTATIONS[5] upon the Word of God, in English, which are mentioned by Matthew Henry as having passed through many impressions in his day, and he not only highly praises them, but declares that he has in his own work all along been brief upon that which Mr. Poole has more largely discussed, and has industriously declined what is to be found there. The three volumes, tolerably cheap, and easily to be got at, are necessaries for your libraries. On the whole, if I must have only one commentary, and had read Matthew Henry as I have, I do not know but what I should choose Poole. He is a very prudent and judicious commentator; and one of the few who could honestly say, "We have not willingly balked any obvious difficulty, and have designed a just satisfaction to all our readers; and if any knot remains yet untied, we have told our readers what hath been most probably said for their satisfaction in the untying of it." Poole is not so pithy and witty by far as Matthew Henry, but he is perhaps more accurate, less a commentator, and more an expositor. You meet with no ostentation of learning in Matthew Poole, and that for the simple reason that he was so profoundly learned as to be able to give results without a display of his intellectual crockery. A pedant who is for ever quoting Ambrose and Jerome, Piscator and Œcolampadius, in order to show what a copious reader he has been, is usually a dealer in small wares, and quotes only what others have quoted before him, but he who can give you the result and outcome of very extensive reading without sounding a trumpet before him is the really learned man. Mind you do not confound the Annotations with the Synopsis; the English work is not a translation of the Latin one, but an entirely distinct performance. Strange to say, like the other great Matthew he did not live to complete his work beyond Isaiah 58; other hands united to finish the design.

VirginiaHuguenot · #6 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 08:33 AM

A new page "about the translator," my pastor, Steven Dilday, has been added to the website:

About the Translator

Semper Fidelis · #7 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 09:14 AM

You know what's funny, Andrew, is that I was thinking about this just this AM on my way to Church. It occurred to me that the universal language of scholarship today is English. It's a bit of an irony that Matthew Poole spoke English but he translated into a language that we need to unlock his work back into the universal scholarly language of this age.

Anyway, I appreciate the work you and your Pastor are doing. Are you keeping your Pastor stocked with raw eggs to help him in his work of translation?

VirginiaHuguenot · #8 (**permalink**) 03-23-2008, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SemperFideles

You know what's funny, Andrew, is that I was thinking about this just this AM on my way to Church. It occurred to me that the universal language of scholarship today is English. It's a bit of an irony that Matthew Poole spoke English but he translated into a language that we need to unlock his work back into the universal scholarly language of this age.

Anyway, I appreciate the work you and your Pastor are doing. Are you keeping your Pastor stocked with raw eggs to help him in his work of translation?

Yes, you've hit the nail on the head as far as how Latin was the scholarly language, even for English scholars of Poole's day, while English is the language today into which Latin and other works must needs be translated. This is the raison d'être for our translation project. As far the raw eggs, my pastor wants to emulate Matthew Poole in many things, but not that, I'm afraid.

We appreciate the support and encouragement, though. Blessings!

VirginiaHuguenot · #9 (**permalink**) 04-12-2008, 12:40 PM

Just a reminder for those interested in Matthew Poole, Puritan Biblical scholarship and the book of Genesis, volume 3 of Poole's Synopsis is now available.

D. Paul · #10 (**permalink**) 04-12-2008, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Ritchie

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are these volumes? Are they sermons? How do they differ from Matthew Poole's Commentaries?

Andrew, while you answered this query in the above post, I make note that Poole's Commentaries are available in the Online Bible. Is it redundant to ask how these volumes are different?

At the given cost for the hardbound volumes, how much would his full commentaries be? These are a bit pricey for me at the present time. (I could purchase download but I LOVE a book in hand!)

greenbaggins · #11 (**permalink**) 04-12-2008, 06:37 PM

See post 5. The commentary is Poole's own work (except for the last part of Isaiah through the rest of the Bible). The synopsis is Poole's culling of all the best commentaries of his day. The two works are not the same at all. However, in this new translated work, both the Synopsis and the Commentary are included (the latter in a mercifully enlarged font!). This marks the first time any portion of the Synopsis has been translated into English.

VirginiaHuguenot · #12 (**permalink**) 04-12-2008, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D. Paul

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Ritchie

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are these volumes? Are they sermons? How do they differ from Matthew Poole's Commentaries?

Andrew, while you answered this query in the above post, I make note that Poole's Commentaries are available in the Online Bible. Is it redundant to ask how these volumes are different?

At the given cost for the hardbound volumes, how much would his full commentaries be? These are a bit pricey for me at the present time. (I could purchase download but I LOVE a book in hand!)

Donald -- The Synopsis is different from the Annotations (ie., commentary) of Matthew Poole. The Synopsis has never been translated into English before now. It is a collection of the best / most profitable comments by about 150 Biblical scholars (Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, etc.) on the whole Bible, which served as the basis for Poole's later Annotations.

The cost of acquiring the full English translation of the Synopsis is something I don't yet know. As I mentioned in a previous thread, it is anticipated that the series will involve 82 volumes. But it will be more than a decade before completion, dv, and things can change. Whether one acquires the downloads or hardcopies, it will be worth it, I think. It is truly a spiritual goldmine. I understand the cost issues. Be aware that some chapters from the first volume are available at the website for free download. It is the goal of the Matthew Poole Project to make this work accessible. Hence, our website states:

Quote:

If you desire to study through the Scriptures with Matthew Poole, but the cost of the volumes is prohibitive, please contact Rev. Steven Dilday at DildaySC@aol.com. We do not want financial considerations to prevent any Christian from making use of this valuable resource.

VirginiaHuguenot · #13 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:34 PM

FYI - the next volume of Matthew Poole's Synopsis should be available soon, dv. It will cover Exodus 1-18.

danmpem · #14 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

FYI - the next volume of Matthew Poole's Synopsis should be available soon, dv. It will cover Exodus 1-18.

When you say that there isn't anything past Isaiah 58, do you mean that he commented on various parts of the Bible but ended there, or that he did Genesis-Isaiah 58?

VirginiaHuguenot · #15 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmpem

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

FYI - the next volume of Matthew Poole's Synopsis should be available soon, dv. It will cover Exodus 1-18.

When you say that there isn't anything past Isaiah 58, do you mean that he commented on various parts of the Bible but ended there, or that he did Genesis-Isaiah 58?

Poole died after completing his English Annotations from Genesis to Isaiah 58. After that, the English Annotations were written by other colleagues as noted in the link above.

danmpem · #16 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Poole died after completing his English Annotations from Genesis to Isaiah 58. After that, the English Annotations were written by other colleagues as noted in the link above.

I know there is a difference between his commentaries and his annotations (besides one being in Latin & one in English), but I'm not clear as to what they are. I tried finding it on matthewpoole.net, but I couldn't find the details I was looking for.

VirginiaHuguenot · #17 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmpem

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Poole died after completing his English Annotations from Genesis to Isaiah 58. After that, the English Annotations were written by other colleagues as noted in the link above.

I know there is a difference between his commentaries and his annotations (besides one being in Latin & one in English), but I'm not clear as to what they are. I tried finding it on matthewpoole.net, but I couldn't find the details I was looking for.

I've tried a few times to explain the difference to folks even in this thread, but I must not be clear. In short, the Synopsis is a collection or synthesis or synopsis of the best and most profitable comments on passages of Scripture by a diverse range of exegetes (with Roman Catholic, Jewish and other scholars thrown in the mix for elucidation purposes) in Latin covering the whole Bible. It took Poole 10 years to complete this work. The English Annotations are essentially his own commentary on the Bible. By comparing the two (our editions combine both) one can see the influence of the earlier Synopsis on the later Annotations). The Synopsis is all the work of Poole (though he had much help as noted in the preface), while the Annotations are the work of Poole through Isaiah 58 and friends who completed the work after his death. I hope this helps.

danmpem · #18 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

I've tried a few times to explain the difference to folks even in this thread, but I must not be clear. In short, the Synopsis is a collection or synthesis or synopsis of the best and most profitable comments on passages of Scripture by a diverse range of exegetes (with Roman Catholic, Jewish and other scholars thrown in the mix for elucidation purposes) in Latin covering the whole Bible. It took Poole 10 years to complete this work. The English Annotations are essentially his own commentary on the Bible. By comparing the two (our editions combine both) one can see the influence of the earlier Synopsis on the later Annotations). The Synopsis is all the work of Poole (though he had much help as noted in the preface), while the Annotations are the work of Poole through Isaiah 58 and friends who completed the work after his death. I hope this helps.

Ooooohhhhhh, I get it now.

Thanks!

ADKing · #19 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 06:36 PM

Good stuff! I highly recommend!