Campegius Vitringa

Who was Campegius Vitringa?

Campegius Vitringa Sr., or Kempe Vitringa was a Dutch Protestant theologian and Hebraist. His youngest of four children was Campeius Vitringa.

Vitringa, a follower of Johannes Cocceius, was a supporter of prophetic theology. He was educated at the universities of Franeker and Leiden, and became professor of Oriental languages at the former in 1681. When locating prophetic outcomes, he would associate events to the near rather than the far-off future, placing a distinct focus on the period of the Maccabees. Like Joseph Mede, Vitringa believed wholeheartedly that the Millennium was yet to come, but did not expect any immediate changes. He relegated the end of the time to a remote future and strongly emphasized the concept of New Jerusalem. His most important student is considered Herman Venema, who was a theology professor at Franeker.

Vitringa’s two chief works are his dissertation on the synagogue, De Synagoga Vetere Libri Tres; and his Commentary on Isaiah, which was frequently republished in the eighteenth century. The latter was up to the time of Gesenius the most considerable contribution to the exegesis of Isaiah. His other works include, Sacrarum Observationum Libri Sex and Anacrisis Apocalypseos Joannis Apostoli.