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Bengel had announced in his Prodromus , in Chrysostom de Sacer- dotio , his intention to follow up his critical works with a Commen- tary on the New Testament. His labours at Denkendorf had thoroughly prepared him for this task. Accordingly it appeared under the* title, Gnomon Novi Testamenti, at Tubingen in 1742, 4to (New Ed. 1759, 1773 : Ed. Steudel, 1835). The designation was meant to imply that the work is an Index or Pointer , “ to indicate what lies within the compass of the sacred text ; for Scripture is its own best and safest interpreter;” less for the purpose of exhausting the text for the reader, than to give suggestive hints. The title- page expresses at full his design, to set forth the majestic simplicity of the Word of God ; its unsearchable depth ; its felicitous concinnity ; and its adaptation to all practical uses , “ My annotations,” says he,
“ are so far from being intended to preclude the reader from increased research, that I wish rather to put him upon investigation of the text itself, by merely showing him how to set about it. My design is also to refute those expositors who put upon isolated passages of Scrip- ture their own forced (mystical) construction, in order to grasp at impressiveness. Instead of this, I mean to insist upon the full and comprehensive force of Scripture in its whole connection.”
Separate thoughts of each writer must be determined as to their sense according to grammatical and historical laws, but this in constant reference to the totality of the faith, and to reve- lation as a whole. “ Put nothing into the Scriptures, but draw everything from them, and suffer nothing to remain hidden, that is really in them.” “ Though each inspired writer has his own manner and style, one and the same Spirit breathes through all, one grand idea pervades all.” “ Every Divine communication carries (like the diamond) its own light with it, thus showing whence it comes ; no touchstone is required to discriminate it.” “ The true commentator will fasten his primary attention on the letter (literal meaning), but never forget that the Spirit must equally accompany him ; at the same time we must never devise a more spiritual meaning for Scripture passages than the Holy Spirit intended.” “ The historical matters of Scripture, both narrative and prophecy, constitute as it were the hones of its system ; whereas the spiritual matters are as its muscles, blood-vessels, and nerves. As the hones are necessary to the human system, so Scripture must have its historical matters. The expositor who nullifies the historical ground-work of Scripture for the sake of finding only spiritual truths everywhere, brings death on all correct interpretation. Those expositions are the safest which keep closest to the text.”
Such are Bengel’s principles of interpretation, as stated in his “ Essay on the Bight Way of Handling Divine Subjects,” prefixed to a volume of sermons by J. C. Storr, 1750. Luther and Hed- inger were his favourite expositors ; but dearer to him than either was Scripture itself. “ The Word of God,” says he, “is always vol. v. h
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