Friedrich Bleek

{{Short description|German theologian (1793–1859)}} {{Multiple issues| {{Peacock|date=May 2026}} {{One source|date=May 2026}} }} '''Friedrich Bleek''' (4 July 1793, in Ahrensbök, Holstein{{snd}}27 February 1859, in Bonn) was a German biblical scholar who explored the authorship of the Old Testament.

==Life== At 16 years old, Bleek attended the gymnasium at Lübeck, where his interest in ancient languages led him to the study of theology. After his preparatory course at the gymnasium, he studied philosophy for two years at the University of Kiel<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=BLEEK, FRIEDRICH - JewishEncyclopedia.com |url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3363 |access-date=2026-05-17 |website=www.jewishencyclopedia.com}}</ref>. From 1814 to 1817, he studied under Wilhelm Martin Leberecht de Wette, Johann August Wilhelm Neander, and Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher at the University of Berlin. After passing the examinations for entering the ministry in 1818, Bleek was called back to Berlin as a tutorial fellow in theology, a temporary post obtained for him by the theological faculty.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digitale Bibliothek - Münchener Digitalisierungszentrum |url=https://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/bsb00008360/images/index.html?seite=703 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=daten.digitale-sammlungen.de}}</ref>

In addition to fulfilling his duties in the theological seminary, he published two dissertations in Schleiermacher and G. C. F. Lücke's Journal (1819–1820, 1822), one on the origin and composition of the Sibylline Oracles, {{lang|de|Über die Entstehung und Zusammensetzung der Sibyllinischen Orakel}}, and the other on the authorship and purpose of the Book of Daniel, {{lang|de|Über Verfasser und Zweck des Buches Daniel}}.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=1|wstitle=Bleek, Friedrich|volume=4|page=56}}</ref>

Bleek's accomplishments as a rising scholar were recognized by the minister of public instruction, who continued Bleek's stipend as Repentant for a third year and promised further advancement in due time. But the attitude of the political authority underwent a change. De Wette was dismissed from his professorship in 1819, and Bleek, a favorite pupil, came under government suspicion as an extreme democrat. Not only was his stipend as Repentant discontinued, but his nomination to the post of extraordinary professor, which had already been signed by the minister Karl Altenstein, was withheld. Eventually it was found that Bleek had been confused with Baueleven Blech, and in 1823 he received the appointment.<ref name="EB1911"/>

During the six years that Bleek remained at Berlin, he twice declined a call to the office of Professor Ordinarius of theology, once at Greifswald and once at Kanigsberg. In 1829, however, he was induced to accept Lücke's chair in the recently founded University of Bonn and took up his duties there that summer. He laboured for thirty years with ever-increasing success, due not to any attractions of manner or to the enunciation of novel or bizarre opinions, but to the soundness of his investigations, the impartiality of his judgments, and the clarity of his method. In 1843 he was raised to the office of consistorial councillor and was selected by the university to hold the office of rector, a distinction which has not since been conferred upon any theologian of the Reformed Church. He died suddenly of apoplexy on 27 February 1859.<ref name="EB1911"/>

Bleek's works belong entirely to the domain of biblical criticism and exegesis. His views on questions of Old Testament criticism were advanced for the time; for on all the disputed points concerning the unity and authorship of the books of the Old Covenant he was opposed to received opinion. But with respect to the New Testament his position was conservative. Bleek was an opponent of the Tübingen school, and his defence of the genuineness and authenticity of the Gospel of St John is among the ablest that have been written. Although on some minor points his views did not altogether coincide with those of the traditional school, his critical labors on the New Testament must be regarded as among the most important contributions to the maintenance of orthodox opinions.<ref name="EB1911"/>

His greatest work, his commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews ({{langx|de|Brief an die Hebraer erlautert durch Einleilung, Ubersetzung, und fortlaufenden Commentar}}) in three parts issued in 1828, 1836 and 1840, won the highest praise from men like De Wette and Franz Hermann Schulze-Delitzsch. Bleek abridged this work for his college lectures, and it was published in that condensed form in 1868. In 1846 he published his contributions to the criticism of the gospels ({{lang|de|Beiträge zur Evangelien Kritik}}, pt. i.). This work contained his defence of St John's gospel and was developed from a review of {{nowrap|J. H. A.}} Ebrard's {{lang|de|Wissenschaftliche Kritik der Evangelischen Geschichte}} (1842).<ref name="EB1911"/>

==Posthumously published works== The following works were published after Bleek's death:<ref name="EB1911" /> #Introduction to the Old Testament (''Einleitung in das Alte Testament''), (3rd ed., 1869); Eng. trans. by GH Venables (from 2nd ed., 1869); in 1878 a new edition (the 4th) appeared, under the editorship of Julius Wellhausen, who made extensive alterations and additions #Introduction to the New Testament (3rd ed., W Mangold, 1875), Eng. trans. (from 2nd German ed.) by William Urwick (1869, 1870) #Exposition of the First Three Gospels (''Synoptische Erklärung der drei ersten Evangelien''), by H Holtzmann (1862) #Lectures on the Apocalypse (''Vorlesungen über die Apokalypse''), (Eng. trans. 1875). Besides these there has also appeared a small volume containing Lectures on Colossians, Philemon and Ephesians (Berlin, 1865) Bleek also contributed many articles to the ''Studien und Kritiken''. For further information on Bleek's life and writings, see Kamphausen's article in Herzog-Hauck, ''Realencyklopädie''; Frédéric Lichtenberger's ''Histoire des idées religieuses en Allemagne'', vol. iii.; Diestel's ''Geschichte des Alten Testamentes'' (1869); and TK Cheyne's ''Founders of Old Testament Criticism'' (1893).<ref name="EB1911"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bleek, Friedrich}} Category:1793 births Category:1859 deaths Category:19th-century German biblical scholars Category:19th-century German Protestant theologians Category:Academic staff of the University of Bonn Category:19th-century German male writers Category:19th-century German writers Category:German male non-fiction writers