GEREM
818
GERHARD
the 20th vol. of the hitter edition there is a Liography of Gerdil bj' Fontaiia. See Tipaldo, Biogrujia deyli Jtaliani illustri, torn, iv ; Hoefer, Nouv. B'log. Generale, XX, 207 sq. ; Gams, Gesch. der Kirche Christi im 19'"' Jahrhundert (Juiisb. 1853, vol. i).
Gerem. See Garmite.
Gergasa, Gergesa. See Gekasene ; Gadara ; Gergesexe.
Gergeseue (rinyic!i]v6(S), a reading (VtpyKyqvCJv) found in the Keceived Text (with many fragnientar}' uncial and other MSS.) in tlie account of the expul- sion of the swine by our Lord (Matt, viii, 28), instead of Gadarene (^Vadapijvwv, as Tischendorf, with several of the earliest and many later MSS.), or Gerasene (Ft- paaijvaiv, so Lachni. with most of the cursive MSS. and several versions), or even Gazarene (rai^apijvuiv, so the Codex Sinaiticus). In the parallel passages (Mark v, 1 ; Luke viii, 2G) the readings are different, but equally disputed (II. T. raSap)]viov, with by far the greatest weight of authority ; Lachm. and Tisch. rtpa(n]vwr, with X [in Mark only, in Luke rtpytar]- j/(Zpi/], B, etc.). It is evident that the evangelists did not write the same name ; and we may therefore sup- pose that the e.xact spot was one on the immediate lake shore, within the liounds of the region indifferent- ly known by eitlier of the general names Gadara or Gerasu; or if "Gergesenes" be retained, it may refer to the ancient territory of the Girgashitcs (q. v.), in the same neigiiborhood. See Gerasene.
Gei'gesite (onh' in the plur. TtpyirycnoC), a Grse- cized form (Judith v, IG) of tlie ancient Girgashite (q. v.).
Gerhard, Johann, an eminent theologian of the Lutheran Church of Germany, was born in Quedlin- burg October 17, 1582. In 1599 he went to the Uni- versity of Wittenberg, and studied medicine for a time, then went to Jena, where he privatelj^ stud- ied Hebrew, the Scriptures, and the fathers. After passing A.^I., he began to give jjrivate lectures in those branches and in theology. Tlience he went to Marburg, where the teachings of Winckelniann and Mentzer deeply impressed him. After lecturing on theolog}^ at Jena, he accepted the superintendency of Heldburg, offered him by Casimir, duke of Coburg, In 1G06. Declining two calls to Jena in 1610 and icn, and one to Wittenberg in 1613, he finally accepted the seniorate of the faculty of Jena, at the command of George I, elector of Saxony, in 1615. Here he devo- ted his great talents industrious!}- to his duties to the university, the Church, and tlie state. He held the first place in the ecclesiastical conferences at Jena, 1621 ; Leipsic, 1621: and 1630 ; and was consulted hj princes both in ecclesiastical and secular matters. He died Aug. 20, 1637. Gerhard's great points of excel- lence as a dogmatic writer are comprehensiveness of plan, thoroughness of the treatment of topics, and per- spicuity of style. The Loci Communes Theologici has not only been a standard of Lutheran theology for two centuries, but has also been greatly valued by Roman Catholic and Reformed theologians.
The exegetical writings of Gerhard are also of great value, the most important being Comment, in Harmoni- am hist, evang. de Passhme et Resurrcctione Christi (1617, 4to), a continuation of the commentaries of Chemnitz and Lyser, and published with them (Hamburg, 1652, 3 vols. fol.). It is specially valuable for its patristic learning. Posthumously appeared his Coinm. in Gen- esin (1637, 4to) ; Comm. in Beuteronomium (1638, 4to) ; in 1 and 2 Tim. (1643) ; in 1 and 2 Peter (1G41) ; ad Co- loss. (1660, 4to) ; adRimianos (1666, 4to). He also pub- lished De Saerm Script. Interpretatione (1610, 4to) :— Methodus Stud. Theol. (1620)— still valuable as a meth- odological work. In the .sphere of dogmatic theology Gerhard has made his name immortal l)y two great •works ; the first is Docti-ina cutholica et evangelica, quam
ecclesice AiigustaruB confession'i addictie projitentur ex Romano - cutholtconnn scriptorum siijj'raglis coiijirmata (163-), 3 vols.), a work which many theologians consid- er the best of Gerhard's writings. The other great work is Loci Theologici, cum pro adstruenda veritate, turn pro destruenda quoriimvis contradiMntium falsitate, which he begun in Heldburg when only twentj-^-sevea years of age, and of which he celebrated the comple- tion (ninth volume) at Jena in 1629 (first edit. Jena, 1610-1625, 9 vols. ; frequentlj' reprinted ; one of the best editions is that by Cotta, Tiilj. 1762-1789, 22 vols. 4to, the two last volumes containing index by G. H. Miiller ; a new edition was begun by Dr. Preuss, Ber- lin, 1867 sq.). That part of the Loci which treats of God and of the person of Christ was developed more fully in his work published in 1625, under the title Ex- egesis sire tiberior explicatio articulorttm, etc. The value of the Loci Theologici in comparison with the predeces- sors of Gerhard in the Lutheran Church, especially with Hutter and with his successors, especially with Calov and Quenstedt, is ably treated by Gass in his Ge- schichte der protest. Dogmat. i, 2G1.
The practical writings of Gerhard are full of the spirit of Christian love and devotion. He was, indeed, charged bj' the cold dogmatists of the time ^^■i.th pie- tism and mysticism. Among them are Meditdiiones Sacrce ad veram pietatem excitandam etc. (Jena, 1606) : — Schola Pietatis, d. i. christi. Untcrrichtimg z. Gottsclig- keit (Jena, 1622-23, 12 vols.) : — 52 Ileilige Betrachtungen. These have been frequently reprinted ; the Medita- tiones has passed through scores of editions, and has been translated into English and often reprinted (lat- est, Lond. 1841, 12mo). For a list of all his writings, see Fischer, Vita Joannis Gerhardi (Lips. 1723) ; see also Ilerzog, Real-EncyUopddie , v, 40 ; Gieseler, Church History (ed. Smith), iv, 574.