Johannes Piscator

Johannes Piscator (* March 27, 1546 in Strasbourg, † July 26, 1625 in Herborn ) was an Alsatian Reformed theologian and Bible translator.

Life

Piscator's father died in 1550, his mother's life data are not known. He was married to Ottilie Sinzing (1552-1622), who originally came from Trier.

After visiting the Strasbourg school Piscator studied at the university and in Tübingen. As he turned to Calvinism from Lutheranism, he had held since 1571 in 1573 left his professorship in Strasbourg, in 1576, the Heidelberg. From 1578 he was rector of the Graf school in Siegen, soon afterwards professor in Neustadt on the Wine Route. From 1581 he was rector at the Gymnasium in Moers.

From 1584 until his death was Piscator professor of theology at the High School in Herborn, giving it as their first Rector and probably most eminent theologians flourished and fame owed ​​. In addition to textbooks, aphorisms ( 1589 ) and Bible commentaries he created especially a reformed Bible translation that Piscator Bible ( 1602-04 ), the third full transfer after Luther and the Zurich Bible. In the city and Republic of Berne, on the Lower Rhine and the other reformed areas, this translation was a long time in the church use. In Bern, the Piscatorbibel from 1684 until the end of the 18th century " State Bible ", ie the issued and prescribed by the state translation.

Because of Piscator's translation of Mark 8:12 " I tell you, this generation When a sign be given, rebuke me God " called the Lutherans of his time these Bible mocking " criminal - me - God - Bible " and they fought fiercely. Even more caused a stir teaching Piscator that only the suffering obedience of Christ, not the active, the believer is imputed. Some Reformed theologians tolerated though, but others, especially the French, they attacked violently and rejected it at the Synod of Gap as heresy.

Piscator was a very prolific writer who worked not only various theological disciplines but also several philosophical writings wrote content. In philosophy he was a strong supporter of the Frenchman Petrus Ramus. In Piscator disputed 1614 Johann Bernhard God lives.

His descendant was the German film director and theater director Erwin Piscator.