The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

VI. Rupert of Deutz Introduces Different Exposition

With Rupert of Deutz we come to a theologian who recognizes and confesses that the Holy Bible is the center of Christian life, and should be the mainspring of all theology. He considers neither Plato nor Aristotle to be worth-while textbooks for a Christian theologian, but rather the Bible. And it is not dialectics, but the aid of the Holy Spirit that is to be the key to the understanding of the Scriptures. Without the knowledge of Christ the soul has no place to anchor; and without the study of the Scriptures it is impossible to know Christ. Those were daring words at a time when scholasticism was at its overshadowing height ⁵⁷ PFF1 565.4

Rupert Of Deutz (fl. early 12th century) was born in Germany, probably in Franconia, during the second half of the eleventh century. He was ordained as priest in 1101 and became abbot of Deutz in 1120. The year of his death is variously given as 1129, 1130, or 1135; His greatest work was the Commentarius de Operibus Sanctae Trinitatis (Commentary on the Operation of the Holy Trinity), which divides history into three important periods, according to the work of the three Persons of the Godhead. In this he was paralleled by Joachim of Floris, in Italy, soon to be noted. As a side light, it is significant that Rupert did not accept transubstantiation, but taught that only those who accept the sacrament in faith will partake of Christ and receive the blessing, whereas those without faith receive nothing except a piece of material bread and a sip of wine. ⁵⁸ Bellarmine later, although not condemning Rupert of Deutz in toto, condemned his teaching on the Lord’s supper as heretical. PFF1 566.1

1. MAKES APOCALYPSE RETROGRESS TO OLD TESTAMENT TIMES

But Rupert is of greatest interest to us because of his commentary on the Apocalypse, written about 1120, when he was abbot of Deutz. It is the only surviving complete commentary of the twelfth century in Germany. He definitely states that he wants to find a way to a better explanation.. ⁵⁹ Therefore we find new ideas in his work, not merely echoes of the positions of former commentators. Although he certainly knew and used Haymo, Bede, and Jerome, he did not simply copy them. He proposed a new handling of the Apocalypse. It differs mainly in teaching that the visions which need an explanation begin, according to him, only with chapter 4. Chapters 2 and 3 he sees as a kind of prologue to the sayings of the Holy One to the churches. They are dicta, whereas the other chapters give the facta. ⁶⁰ PFF1 566.2

Whereas the majority of commentators of the Historical School begin their exegesis as pointing to events in the Christian Era, Rupert has the prophecies retrogress, and sees in the trumpets, for instance, scenes in the history of the people of God during all ages. The first trumpet, he suggests, represents the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha. The second sets forth the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. The third is the outcry of Israel against the Canaanites, and so on. With chapter 10 he finally arrives at the time of Christ. ⁶¹ He tries to place as much of it as possible in the early Christian centuries, but on the later periods is seriously confused. In the seven heads of the dragon he sees the following kingdoms with corresponding types: PFF1 567.1

2. THE DRAGON, WOMAN, AND VIALS

In the water-spouting dragon, and the earth swallowing the water which he shot against the “woman,” he sees the heresy of Arius, together with the salvation of the woman by the Council of Nicaea. ⁶³ The outpouring of the vials indicates the preachers of the gospel proclaiming the judgment. PFF1 567.2

3. STANDARD INTERPRETATION OF DANIEL’S BEASTS

Like other writers of this section, Rupert was more interested in the Apocalypse, but in his work on the procession of the Holy Spirit he mentions the four beasts of Daniel 7 as Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. ⁶⁴ PFF1 568.1

4. DRAWS UPON NON-BIBLICAL SOURCES

Rupert is unusual in many respects. Others, before him, referred to the Old Testament, because they saw in it topics related to the Apocalypse. But Rupert explains certain figures of the Apocalypse as having their fulfillment in the Old Testament. ⁶⁵ Tichonius had said that the recapitulations begin with Christ. Rupert starts them with the beginning of the Old Testament history. At the same time he appears to be the first who is in complete opposition to the Tichonius tradition, before noted, which had avoided all reference to particular events in history. Rupert points to specific events as having been meant by the apocalyptic pictures. PFF1 568.2

He is also the first who, in his exegesis, uses non-Biblical or later than Biblical sources for events proving the fulfillment of prophecy. Joachim of Floris likewise used that method, and through him it afterward became common usage. ⁶⁶ Rupert’s commentary is certainly the most original of the twelfth century, bearing no resemblance to the French works, which depend upon the glossae. ⁶⁷ His book was widely read; Gerhon of Reichersberg is full of praise for Rupert. He was later rediscovered by Cochlaeus. PFF1 568.3