xxxix
and asked other scholars to write comments on the various books of
the Bible. Gundert himself not only edited the work but also wrote
many comments, eg. the comments on the whole New Testament
except Revelation which was commented on by Johannes Hesse.
Gundert gave the four gospels as a synopsis; he had done the same
in Malayalam about thirty years earlier. During the year 1878 many
of his letters show the progress of the Biblework eg: "I have now
finished the gospel history and I am now deep in the acts" (GM
11.3.1878) or: "Concerning the New Testament, the Letter of James
and the First and Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians are
completed, and I am now revising the Letter of Paul to the Galatians
with pleasure" (GM 11.3.1878) or: "Concerning the New Testament,
only the Second Letter of Peter, the Letter of Jude, and the First,
Second and Third letters of John are left to be done" (GM 23.6.1878).
The Old Testament was commented on mainly by others, yet in
editing Gundert put in his thoughts, and some of the comments he
wrote himself. He states: "I succeeded in completing the Old
Testament (of the Biblework). This happened on October 21st, 1878,
and the appendices are almost ready - one year after beginning it."
(GM 24.10.1878). In a letter to Herrmann Moegling Gundert listed
the names of the various commentators on the Old Testament.
According to this list the following books of the Old Testament were
commented on by Gundert: The Song of Songs, Lamentations, and
the Book of Daniel. He also wrote the introduction and the appendix
(the latter in cooperation with Rev. Huzel). It may be of interest that
Hermann Moegling commented on the Book of the Prophet
Jeremiah.
9. GM 10.8.1828.
10. GM 10.8.1828. Since it is difficult and not always satisfying to
translate Gundert's German style into English we also give the
German original:
Jakobs Abschied von seinen Soehnen
Hell trat am Firmamente der Sonne erwaermende Scheibe
Aus den Wolken hervor und bestrahlte der Erde Getuemmel
Hell ward's auch in der Seele des Greisen, er raffte vom Lager
Stark sich auf und sprach mit hohem prophetischem Geiste:
“O Fleisch meines Fleisches, o Bein von meinem Gebeine! 5
Um mich zuhauf, die Jakob gezeugt, was Israel redet,
Euer Vater, das hoert; ich weiss der Vergangenheit Taten,
Was der Zukunft Schleier verhuellt, kennt Israels Seele.
