Erasmus as portrayed by Albrecht Dürer

The publication of this text was a landmark in the critical modern study of Scripture which appeared in several editions during Erasmus's lifetime. It was the epitome of the humanist's desire for a return to the sources of the Christian tradition contained in the slogan ad fontes! The edition included a new translation of the Greek text into classical Latin and three essays on the interpretation of Scripture. In the preface to this work, Erasmus also called for the translation of the Bible into vernacular tongues. Although not based on the greater number of manuscripts available to scholars in later centuries, Erasmus's text served as the foundation for critical editions of the Greek New Testament into the modern era.