Jean Astruc

French physician and scholar

Jean Astruc

Jean Astruc (19 March 1684 – 5 May 1766) was a French physician and scholar, best known for his work in the field of biblical criticism. He is often credited with laying the groundwork for the Documentary Hypothesis, which proposes that the Pentateuch was derived from multiple sources.

Early life and education

Jean Astruc was born in Sauve, a small town in the Languedoc region of France. He was the son of a Protestant minister who converted to Catholicism, which allowed Astruc to pursue a career in medicine. He studied at the University of Montpellier, where he earned his medical degree in 1703. Montpellier was a renowned center for medical education, and Astruc was influenced by the teachings of the prominent physicians of his time.

Medical career

Astruc began his medical practice in Montpellier and later moved to Paris, where he became a professor of medicine. He was appointed as a physician to King Louis XV and gained a reputation as a skilled clinician and teacher. Astruc's medical writings covered a wide range of topics, including venereal diseases, obstetrics, and anatomy. His work "De Morbis Venereis" was a comprehensive study of sexually transmitted diseases and was considered a significant contribution to the field.

Contributions to biblical criticism

In addition to his medical career, Jean Astruc is best known for his pioneering work in biblical criticism. In 1753, he published "Conjectures sur les mémoires originaux dont il paroit que Moyse s'est servi pour composer le livre de la Genèse" ("Conjectures on the Original Memoirs which it Appears Moses Used to Compose the Book of Genesis"). In this work, Astruc proposed that the Book of Genesis was composed of several distinct sources, which he identified based on differences in style and vocabulary.

Astruc's method involved analyzing the use of the divine names Elohim and Yahweh in the text, leading him to hypothesize the existence of two primary sources, which he labeled "E" and "J." This approach laid the foundation for the later development of the Documentary Hypothesis, which was further elaborated by scholars such as Julius Wellhausen.

Legacy

Jean Astruc's work in biblical criticism was initially met with resistance, but it eventually gained recognition for its innovative approach to understanding the composition of the Pentateuch. His ideas influenced subsequent generations of biblical scholars and contributed to the development of modern biblical studies.

In the field of medicine, Astruc's contributions were also significant. His writings on venereal diseases and other medical topics were widely read and respected in his time. Astruc's dual legacy in both medicine and biblical criticism highlights his diverse intellectual pursuits and his impact on multiple fields of study.

Related pages

• Documentary Hypothesis
• Pentateuch
• Biblical criticism
• University of Montpellier