Posted on December 10, 2006
The first illustrated edition of De Lyra's exposition of the literal historical meaning of Scripture, the most popular commentary on the Bible in the late Middle Ages. De Lyra (c. 1270-1349), a Franciscan friar and probably of Jewish birth, drew heavily from rabbinic sources, notably Rashi (d. 1105) not only for textual content, but also illustrations. In the sixteenth century, De Lyra's radical political views won him favor among German and French Protestants.