Jerome

Biblical Translator, Scholar, and Early Christian Theologian

c. AD 347–420
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Jerome—whose Latin name was Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus—was a Christian priest, monk, biblical scholar, translator, and controversialist best known for producing the Latin biblical translation that became associated with the Vulgate. His command of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew made him one of the most learned Christian scholars of late antiquity and an especially important conversation partner for questions of translation, textual interpretation, and the relationship between the Hebrew and Greek biblical traditions. (Christian Classics Ethereal Library)

Jerome was born around AD 347 at Stridon, a town probably located near the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia. He later studied in Rome, where he received a classical education in grammar, rhetoric, and Latin literature. Although raised in a Christian environment, he was baptized only as a young adult. His love of classical learning remained with him throughout his life, sometimes producing tension between his admiration for pagan literature and his commitment to Scripture. (New Advent)

After traveling through Gaul and the eastern Mediterranean, Jerome spent a period pursuing an ascetic life in the Syrian desert. During these years he studied Hebrew, an unusual undertaking among Latin-speaking Christian scholars. He was later ordained a priest in Antioch and spent time in Constantinople, where he encountered the theology of Gregory of Nazianzus and other Greek Christian thinkers. In 382 he went to Rome and became secretary and scholarly adviser to Pope Damasus I. Damasus commissioned him to revise the existing Latin versions of the Gospels, which differed considerably from one another. (New Advent)

Jerome eventually undertook a much larger translation project. Rather than relying solely on the Greek Septuagint, he translated much of the Old Testament directly from Hebrew. He described the Hebrew text as the Hebraica veritas—the “Hebrew truth”—and believed that consulting the original language could clarify passages that had become confused in Latin transmission. His translations and revisions gradually became the foundation of the Latin Bible later called the Vulgate, although the medieval Vulgate was not entirely Jerome’s work and underwent further alteration over time. (Vulgate)

After Damasus died, Jerome left Rome and settled in Bethlehem around 386. There he established a monastery and continued his translation, commentary, correspondence, and teaching. His writings include commentaries on biblical books, discussions of Hebrew names and geography, biographies of Christian ascetics, theological treatises, and a large collection of letters. His work On Illustrious Men presented biographies of Christian authors and helped preserve knowledge of early Christian literature. (New Advent)

Jerome’s personality and legacy require careful evaluation. He defended his convictions with remarkable energy, but his polemical writings could be sarcastic, insulting, and personally abusive. His disputes with other Christians—including exchanges with Augustine—show both his scholarly brilliance and his difficult temperament. His advocacy of asceticism, celibacy, and virginity also sometimes led him to speak about marriage and sexuality in ways that later Christians have found unbalanced. (Christian Classics Ethereal Library)

As a conversation partner, Jerome reminds readers that responsible interpretation requires attention to languages, manuscripts, historical context, and the precise wording of Scripture. His work also demonstrates that every translation involves judgments and that no interpreter, however learned, is beyond criticism. Jerome’s scholarship remains invaluable, but his conclusions must still be tested by Scripture itself.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved… rightly handling the word of truth.”
—2 Timothy 2:15