Bleek, Friedrich
BLEEK, FRIEDRICH: Protestant theologian and
exegete; b. at Ahrensbök, Holstein, July 4, 1793;
d. at Bonn Feb. 27, 1859. He studied theology and
philology at Kiel and Berlin, 1812–17, and began to
lecture as repetent in theology in the latter place
in 1818. His lectures on the Old and the New
Testaments attracted attention, and in 1821 he
was made extraordinary professor; he succeeded
Lücke as professor at Bonn, 1829, receiving the
same year his doctorate from Breslau. For thirty
years Bleek lectured at the university in Bonn.
He was extremely painstaking in the preparation
of his lectures, which were so carefully written
that after his death they could easily be used for
publication, and continue in much larger circles
the influence they had already exerted. His works
printed during his lifetime include: Ueber die
Entstehung und Zusammensetzung der Sibyllinischen
Orakel, Ueber Verfasser und Zweck des Buches Daniel,
and Beitrag zur Kritik und Deutung der Offenbarung
Johannis, three valuable essays published in the
theological review edited by Schleiermacher, De
Wette, and Lücke (Berlin, 1819–22); Versuch einer
vollständigen Einleitung in den Brief an die Hebräer
(Berlin, 1828), followed in 1836 and 1840 by a
translation of Hebrews and commentary on the
book; Beiträge zur Evangelienkritik (Berlin, 1846).
Of his posthumous works mention may be made of
Einleitung in das Alte Testament (edited by his son J.
F. Bleek and A. Kamphausen, Berlin, 1860; 3d ed.,
by Kamphausen, 1870; 4th, 5th, and 6th ed., by J.
Wellhausen, 1878, 1886, 1893; Eng. transl. by G. H.
Venables, 2 vols., London, 1869; on the last three
editions cf. H. L. Strack, Einleitung in das Alte Testament,
Munich, 1895, 11); Einleitung in das Neue
Testament (1st and 2d editions by his son, J. F.
Bleek, 1862, 1866; 3d and 4th editions by W.
Mangold, Berlin, 1875, 1886; Eng. transl. by W.
Urwick, London, 1870); Synoptische Erklärung der
drei ersten Evangelien (ed. H. Holtzmann, 2 vols.,
Leipsic, 1862); Vorlesungen über die Apokalypse
(ed. T. Hossbach, Berlin, 1862; Engl. transl., London, 1874);
Vorlesungen über die Briefe an die
Kolosser, den Philemon und die Epheser (ed. F.
Nitzsch, Berlin, 1865); Vorlesungen über den Hebräerbrief
(ed. A. Windrath, Elberfeld,1868). Bleek's
writings are especially distinguished for thoroughness in investigation and clearness of expression.
His standpoint in criticism was conservative.
A. Kamphausen.