“DOCTOR ANGELICUS”
International Scientific Symposium on the Occasion of the 750th Anniversary of the Death of St. Thomas Aquinas (May 23, 2024)
LECTURE TITLE: “Proclamation, Charge and Promise: Aquinas’ Lectura super Matthaeum in Conversation with Contemporary Exegesis on Matthew 28:16–20”
Dr. Gregory Scott Thellman, Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek
“Proclamation, Charge and Promise: Aquinas’ Lectura super Matthaeum in Conversation with Contemporary Exegesis on Matthew 28:16–20”
Theologically, Thomas Aquinas stands as one of the most significant figures in Western philosophy and Christian theology. Unlike his Summa Theologica and commentaries on Aristotle, his biblical commentaries remain relatively overlooked and unknown. Aquinas authored numerous works on topics like the prophets, Job, Lamentations, and the Gospels, particularly Paul’s writings.
Of all the canonical Gospels, only Matthew mentions the appearance of the resurrected Christ on a mountain in Galilee. Here, Aquinas analyzes the Latin Vulgate, as he did not know Greek or Hebrew—though he was aware of other translations of Scripture beyond the Vulgate. His exegetical-theological readings and deep understanding of the Church Fathers significantly contribute to a richer interpretation of Matthew’s Gospel.
