Cocceius, Iohannes

COCCEIUS (lat. da KOCH), IOHANNES. - Protestant exegetical theologian, b. at Bremen on 9 Aug. 1603, d. at Leiden on 4 Nov. 1669. He began his studies, including that of Greek, under Metrophanes Critopulus, in his native city. From 1625 in Hamburg and then in Holland, C. deepened his knowledge of Hebrew, especially under the guidance of the orientalist Sixtinus Amama. From 1630 he taught at the Gymnasium illustre of Bremen, whence he passed in 1636 to the chair of Hebrew at Franeker, and in 1650 to Leiden.

His theological-biblical works fill 8 folio volumes in the Amsterdam edition of 1673-75, and 10 volumes in that of 1701-1702, to which were added 2 volumes of Auecdota theologica et philologica in 1706. From the theological point of view the most important work is Summa doctrinae de foedere et Testamento Dei (Franeker 1648), in which C. studies God's relations with the world, dividing them into the Foedus operum, Foedus gratiae and Foedus iustitiae; the book is a vast theological and biblical synthesis. In this work, and even more in those of an exegetical character, particularly in Ad ultima Mosis, hoc est sex postrema capita Deuteronomii, considerationes (Franeker 1650), the doctrine is developed according to which every passage of the Bible would have a typical meaning. For this reason C. was considered the leader of the "figurists." Among his disciples Campedius Vitringa emerged as an exegete.

C. was an independent character. For this reason he had to sustain not a few struggles, including with Protestant authors. At times C. has been regarded as a precursor of Pietism in Protestant theology.