Koppe, Johann Benjamin

Koppe, Johann Benjamin, a distinguished German Biblical scholar, was born at Dantzig Aug. 19,1750. He studied philology and theology at the universities of Leipzig and Gottingen, and became professor of Greek at the college of Mittau in 1774, and professor of theology at Gottingen in 1775. He subsequently became (in 1777) director of the seminary for preachers, superintendent and president of the consistory at Gotha (in 1784), and preacher at the court of Hanover (in 1788). He died Feb. 12,1791. He wrote De Critica Veteris Testamenti caute adhibenda (Gottingen, 1769): — Vindicice oraculorum a denmonum ceque inperio ac sacerdotum ffraudibus (Gotting. 1774, 8vo):-Israelifas non 215 sed 430 annos in rypto commor- atos esse (Gottingen, 1777, 4to; reprinted in Post and Ruperti's Sylloge Commentationum theologicarum, vol. iv): — Interpretatio Isaice, 8:23 (Gott. 1780, 4to): — Ad Matthceum, 12:31, De Peccato in Spiritum Sanctum (Gott. 1781, 8vo): — Super Evangelio Marci (Gott. 1782, 4to) : — Exlicatio Moisis, 3:14 (Gotting. 1783, 4to): — Marcus non epitomator Matthcei (Gott. 1783, 4to): — Prediten (Gott. 1792-3, 2 vols. 8vo). He also edited three vols. of the Novum Testamentum Greece perpetua annotatione illustratum, published at Gottingen, 10 vols. 8vo, at the close of the 18th century. This work, which he began, but did not live to complete, bears his name, as the plan, which is excellent, is his. It furnishes " a corrected edition of the Greek text, mostly agreeing with Griesbach, with critical and philological notes on the same page, with prolegomena to each book, and excursus on the more difficult passages. On this plan Koppe gave a volume on the Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, and Thessalonians, and another on the Epistle to the Romans, which closed his labors. Heinrichs, in continuation of the original design of Koppe, has published the Acts, and all the remaining epistles of Paul, except those to the Corinthians; and Pott has published the Epistles of Peter, and that of James. Koppe is esteemed a safe and judicious critic; Heinrichs and Pott less so. Koppe's Romans has been republished by Ammon, the well-known neologist, with characteristic notes of his own" (Orme). See Koppenstadt, Heb. Koppe (1791, 8vo); Schlichtegroll, Necrolog. vol. i; Annalen d. Braunschw. Liineburg. Churlande, 6:60-84; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Gener. 28:79; Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 8:27. (J. H. W.)