Let Athanasius Spur You to Study the Psalms
Posted by jimhamilton on May 11, 2008
In his fascinating lecture on “Reading the Psalms Messianically,” Gordon Wenham recommends The Letter of St. Athanasius to Marcellinus on the Interpretation of the Psalms.
Having followed that recommendation, I am now passing it on, and I would also recommend having a listen (or multiple listens) to Wenham’s lecture. The most striking thing, for me, about Athanasius’s letter is his absolutely thorough knowledge of the Psalms! What a gift to be spurred on to a closer and more comprehensive knowledge of the Psalms!
Enjoy.
By the way, if you have the SVS Press edition of Athanasius’s On the Incarnation (the one with the brilliant introduction by C. S. Lewis), the letter to Marcellinus on the interpretation of the Psalms is included as an appendix.
May 12, 2008 at 11:34 am
This letter is indeed great! I read it abotu a year ago and began incorporating it into my OT Survey class as required reading. I think I first came across it in Ronald Heine’s excellent book, Reading the Old Testament with the Ancient Church (Baker).
May 15, 2008 at 1:47 pm
That’s awesome. I didn;t even know Athanasius had his own website!