Földvári Books

Calvin’s First Old Testament Commentary – The Rare First Edition

Calvin, Jean; [Gallars, Nicolas des]

[Commentarii in Isaiam.] Ioannis Calvini Commentarii in Isaiam Prophetam. Ad Eduardum VI Angliae Regem. Additus est sententiarum et locorum index.

Genevae [Geneva]: Ex officina Ioannis Crispini [Jean Crespin], M. D. LI. [11 January, 1551]. First edition. Contemporary dark brown calf, covers with blind fillet border, gilt corner tools, and a small central gilt ownership stamp bearing the initials “WS”; spine with five raised bands; manuscript title on the fore-edge; traces of two pairs of clasps. [12], 637, [39] pp. Collation: *⁶ A–Z⁶ Aa–Zz⁶ AA–II⁶ KK⁸. Guildford Theological Library label on the front pastedown. Early ownership inscription “Thomas Bl…” on the recto of the front free endpaper, struck through; two later ownership inscriptions on the title page, both illegible. Binding rubbed and worn, with losses to the leather at the spine ends and corners; upper joint split and repaired at head, exposing part of the first gathering; smaller loss at the foot of the lower joint. Old dampstaining to the lower outer corner and occasional marginal worming; otherwise internally clean and sound.

Extremely scarce first edition of Calvin’s first Old Testament commentary, a unique collaborative work with Nicolas des Gallars and a landmark of Reformed biblical exegesis.

Calvin’s first published commentary on an Old Testament book, the Commentarii in Isaiam inaugurated the series of biblical commentaries that became one of the defining achievements of his literary career and established the pattern of Old Testament exegesis that he would continue to develop throughout the remainder of his life. It occupies a unique place within Calvin’s oeuvre as the only commentary whose first edition was not written directly by him. Instead, it was compiled by his trusted secretary and close collaborator, Nicolas des Gallars (c. 1520–1581), from Calvin’s sermons on Isaiah, preached from 1546, and his lectures of 1549–1550. Des Gallars prepared the Latin text from notes supplemented by memory, reading it to Calvin in successive portions for correction and revision before publication. Isaiah remained a recurring focus of Calvin’s ministry: he returned to the prophet throughout his career, from his Geneva sermons of 1546 to one of his final recorded biblical expositions in January 1564.

Dedicated to the young King Edward VI of England, the commentary formed part of Calvin’s broader effort to encourage and support the English Reformation. In the dedication he presents Isaiah—whom he describes as of royal lineage and a servant of Christ, the supreme King—as a model worthy of a Christian ruler, expressing the hope that Edward would continue the reform of the English Church.

The commentary enjoyed immediate success and circulated rapidly through the international Reformed network. A documented copy belonged to the Scottish reformer David Forrest of Haddington by July 1552, illustrating both the speed of its dissemination and its adoption by leading figures of the Scottish Reformation. Forrest’s extensively annotated copy further demonstrates that the work quickly became an active tool of biblical study and theological reflection rather than merely a library book.

When the edition sold out, Calvin declined a simple reprint. Dissatisfied with the collaborative text, he undertook a thorough revision, extensively rewriting and enlarging the commentary for subsequent editions, beginning with that of 1559. The revised version was substantially expanded and reorganized, making the present first edition the sole witness to the original form of one of Calvin’s most influential exegetical works.

Extremely scarce. RBH records only a single copy appearing at auction during the past century (Swann Galleries, 1990). The edition is recorded in the USTC (no. 450035), where it remains classified as a “lost book”.

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Price: €20,000.00