SÁNCHEZ (Sanctius), GASPAR. - Spanish Jesuit exegete, born in Ciempozuelos (Madrid) in 1553 to most pious parents (v. the eulogy of his mother in Comm. in Tob., Lyon 1627, pp. 177-78), died at Alcalá in 1628.
He taught grammar for years before theological studies, and for 20 years after his ordination. Only in 1608, it seems, was he promoted to professor of exegesis at Alcalá; in 1615, at the age of 62, he published his first exegetical volume, of a perfection that made him a classic exegete for the future. In him stood out the exegetical ideal of the time: “styl candor, eruditionis varietas, ingenii acumen, triumque linguarum peritia [Latin, Greek, and Hebrew], institutum sibi proprium de erudendo litterali sensu” (thus the censor of Isaiah). Moreover, he neglected nothing of what ancient and modern writers had said about the biblical books. He published a fine series of volumes, some between 1000 and 2000 pages, generally bearing the title Commentarii in... cum paraphrasi and issued in Lyon by H. Cardon. In these are acutely commented: Is. (1615); Cant. (1616, with Ps. 76); Zach. (1616); Act. (1616, with an appendix on the sojourn of St. James, St. Peter, and St. Paul in Spain); Jer. (1618, with Ps. 136 and poetic paraphrase and commentary on Lam.); the minor prophets and Bar. (1621); the 4 books of Reg. and Par. (1623); among the best commentaries: it even anticipates difficulties later raised by rationalists; Iob (1625); Ruth, Esd.-Neh., Judt., Esth., I-II Mach. (1628, less prolix). He left in manuscript commentaries on Sap.; Eccli. 1-24; Gen. 1-3.