St. Jerome

Also known as: Hieronymus, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus, Saint Hieronymus
Dates: c. 342–420
Role: Doctor of the Church, translator of the Vulgate Bible

One of the four great Latin Doctors of the Church. Best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate). Celebrated by the Catholic Church as the greatest Doctor raised up for interpretation of sacred Scriptures.

Works

Preliminaries

PREFACE TO THE READER (1) — Testified that in his time there were as many copies as manuscripts, each person adding or subtracting at whim
"St. Jerome testified occurred in his time: namely, there were as many copies as there were manuscripts"
PREFACE TO THE READER (1) — The Old and Vulgate edition received in part from his translation or emendation; he called the older edition the "Common and Vulgate"
"received in part from the translation or emendation of St. Jerome, and in part retained from a certain most ancient Latin edition which St. Jerome calls the Common and Vulgate"
PREFACE TO THE READER (1) — Augustine called him most learned and skilled in three languages; Gregory praised his translation as rendering everything more truly from Hebrew; Isidore preferred his version; Sophronius translated his Psalter and Prophets into Greek
"St. Augustine calls him a most learned man and most skilled in three languages"
PREFACE TO THE READER (1) — Later scholars (Remigius, Bede, Rabanus, etc.) used his version so exclusively that other versions became obsolete
"have used St. Jerome's version in such a way that the other versions... have, as it were, slipped from the hands of theologians and become utterly obsolete."
PREFACE TO THE READER (1) — Celebrated by the Catholic Church as the greatest Doctor raised up for interpretation of sacred Scriptures
"the Catholic Church not undeservedly celebrates St. Jerome as the greatest Doctor and as one divinely raised up for the interpretation of the sacred Scriptures"
PREFACE TO THE READER (1) — More than once warned against changing readings to avoid offending the people
"St. Jerome more than once warned that this should be done, to avoid offending the people"
THE LIFE OF CORNELIUS A LAPIDE. — Listed among saints whose company Lapide found in Rome; his "holy Bethlehem" sought in Palestine, found in Rome
"in company with Saint Basil, Gregory, and Jerome, whose holy Bethlehem, so earnestly sought by him in Palestine, I have found here in Rome."

Pope Clement VIII, Jerome's Prefaces, On Worship

St. Jerome / Fr. H. D. Lacordaire, O.P. — Named as one of the two authors of the work
"St. Jerome / Fr. H. D. Lacordaire, O.P."
I. THE HELMETED PROLOGUE. — Heading identifies him as author of the Helmeted Prologue
"THE HELMETED PROLOGUE."
I. THE HELMETED PROLOGUE. — Speaking in the first person, defends his translation labor; asks readers not to consider his work a reproach of the ancients; invokes the handmaids of Christ to pray for him against detractors
"Read therefore first my Samuel and my Melachim -- mine, I say, mine. For whatever we have both learned by more frequent translating and hold by more careful emending is ours."
II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — Heading identifies him as author of the letter to Paulinus
"JEROME TO PAULINUS."
II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — Speaks in first person throughout; recounts examples of seekers of learning (Pythagoras, Plato, Apollonius); writes to Paulinus about the study of Scripture
"I do not say these things because there is anything of the sort in me that you could either wish to hear from me or desire to learn"
II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — Addresses Paulinus at the close of the letter; offers to study together; mentions brother Eusebius
"I will receive you with open arms, and (to babble something foolish, after the pomposity of Hermagoras) whatever you seek, I will try to know together with you."

Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture

Chapter II: On the Object and Breadth of Sacred Scripture — In the Helmeted Prologue, reproaches those who teach Scripture without learning it
"what St. Jerome in the Helmeted Prologue reproaches the men of his century with"
Chapter III: On the Difficulty of Sacred Scripture — On Hosea chapter 10, teaches it is impious to apply tropologically to Christ what is about the king of Assyria; in prologue to Obadiah, rebukes himself for explaining that prophet allegorically without historical understanding
"St. Jerome, writing on Hosea chapter 10, teaches that to apply tropologically to Christ what is commonly said of the king of Assyria"
Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers — Quotes him writing to Paulinus: "If so great a prophet confesses the darkness of his ignorance, with what night of ignorance are we surrounded?"
"says St. Jerome to Paulinus"
Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers — Called "the phoenix of his age"; devoted himself entirely to sacred Letters; grew old studying them; bequeathed Latin version from Hebrew; learned Hebrew like Cato learned Greek in old age; went to Bethlehem; read all ancient commentators
"Among the Latins, the first to be rightly reckoned is St. Jerome, the phoenix of his age"
Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers — Listed among Fathers who labored night and day; studied under Gregory Nazianzen and Didymus
"Jerome studied under Gregory Nazianzen and Didymus"
Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study — Records Cyprian reading Tertullian daily and saying "Give me the Master!"
"as St. Jerome records of Cyprian reading Tertullian daily"
The Author's Method (paragraph 48) — Quoted: "Where Origen is good, no one is better; where bad, no one is worse"; also says in book V on Isaiah that Origen "makes his own genius the Sacraments of the Church"
"as Jerome says in book V on Isaiah"
The Fathers' Defense of the Old Testament — Published questions and phrases on the Pentateuch
"Jerome published questions and phrases"
The Fathers' Defense of the Old Testament — In Preface to Epistle to Ephesians, says he never ceased reading or questioning learned men; went to Alexandria to see Didymus
"St. Jerome, in the Preface to the Epistle to the Ephesians"
Peroration and Conclusion of Section One — Listed as one of Lapide's patron saints
"my patrons, the Virgin Mother of eternal Wisdom, St. Jerome, and Moses"
The Septuagint Translation and Greek Translators — Translated the Old Scripture from Hebrew into Latin at the command of Damasus; his version called the Vulgate
"St. Jerome, the sun of the Latin Church, at the command of Blessed Damasus, translated the Old Scripture from Hebrew into Latin"
II. The Richness of the Old Testament — Quoted from Helmeted Prologue on Genesis as book of creation, origin, division of earth, confusion of languages
"Genesis," says St. Jerome in the Helmeted Prologue"
I. The Old Testament Establishes Faith — Knowledge of Hebrew "tsava" necessary to escape Calvin's clutches
"whoever knows the Hebraism, namely that tsava means to ordain"
The Virtues of Moses — Testifies in epistle to Cyprian that Moses composed eleven psalms (Psalms 89–100)
"St. Jerome testifies, volume III, epistle to Cyprian, that Moses composed eleven psalms"
Moses and Christ: Nineteen Parallels — At beginning of Commentary on Galatians, teaches Moses was not only a Prophet but also an Apostle
"Hear Saint Jerome, who at the beginning of his Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians teaches that Moses was not only a Prophet but also an Apostle"

Commentary on the Pentateuch of Moses

Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — Says truly: "Origen made his own intellect the mysteries of the Church."
"St. Jerome says truly: "Origen made his own intellect the mysteries of the Church.""
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — On chapter 3 of Galatians, teaches that apparitions were made through angels
"St. Jerome on chapter 3 of Galatians"
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — Against Rufinus, book 3, transmits the riddles of Pythagoras
"the riddles of Pythagoras, says St. Jerome (Against Rufinus, book 3)"
Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — Wishes allegory to be free; on Hosea chapter 5, retracts a contrary view
"St. Jerome, Gregory, Origen, and others often wish the allegory to be free"

Chapter I (The Six Days of Creation)

Verse 2: And the earth was without form and void — Cited for the Holy Spirit interpretation of "Spirit of the Lord"
"So say St. Jerome, Basil, Theodoret, Athanasius, and nearly all the other Fathers"
Verse 2: And the earth was without form and void — Cited alongside Basil and Diodorus for the Hebrew meaning of merachephet
"as St. Basil, Diodorus, and Jerome testify in the Hebrew Questions on Genesis"
Verse 2: And the earth was without form and void — Cited from Epistle 83 to Oceanus on the allegorical meaning of the Spirit over the waters
"the Holy Spirit is here signified as brooding, as it were, over the waters of baptism, and by them bringing us to birth and regenerating us, says St. Jerome, Epistle 83 to Oceanus."
Verse 4: And God saw the light that it was good — Cited from Epistle 15 on "He saw" meaning "He caused us to see"
""He saw," that is, He caused us to see and know, says St. Jerome, Epistle 15."
Verse 6: Let there be a firmament — Cited for the Hebrew meaning of rakia (to spread out, stretch, solidify)
"whose root, raka, according to St. Jerome and other most learned Hebrews, means to spread out"
Verse 9: Let the waters be gathered together — Listed among those who hold that earth and water form one globe
"This is the common opinion of mathematicians, Molina, Pererius, Cajetan, St. Jerome, Chrysostom, and Damascene."
Verse 14: Let There Be Lights in the Firmament — Cited on Isaiah 25, on stars not being rational
"so St. Jerome on Isaiah 25, and the Fathers and Philosophers generally."
Verse 20: Let the Waters Bring Forth — Cited for the common opinion that birds were produced from water
"the common opinion of St. Jerome, Augustine, Cyril, Damascene, and other Fathers"
Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Quoted from commentary on Ezekiel 28 on image made at creation, likeness completed in baptism
"St. Jerome, on Ezekiel chapter 28, "You are the seal of likeness," says: "And it should be noted that the image was only made at creation, while the likeness is completed in baptism.""
He Created — Cited indirectly through Jerome de Oleastro's translation of bara as 'divided'
"Jerome de Oleastro translates the Hebrew bara as 'divided.'"
Heaven and Earth: Four Interpretations — Listed among those who thought angels were created before the world
"so held Origen, Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, Ambrose, Jerome, Hilary."