Scholarship and religious publishing
Born in Mityakino in the Saratov region in 1852, Lopukhin studied at the Saratov seminary before entering the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy in 1874. In 1879 he traveled to New York for church service and began writing about American religious life for Russian readers. His research there also contributed to his study of Roman Catholicism in America.[1]
Back at the academy, he taught comparative theology and then ancient history. Publishing became another major part of his vocation: he edited Tserkovny Vestnik and Khristianskoe Chtenie, and in 1893 became publisher and co-editor of Strannik. He died in 1904. His career helps explain the Explanatory Bible as an effort to bring theological learning beyond the classroom.[1]
A project continued after its founder’s death
The introduction to the Explanatory Bible describes a twelve-volume series issued from 1904 to 1913 as a supplement to Strannik. Lopukhin prepared the Pentateuch material, while later scholars continued the work. The Matthew commentary consequently belongs to the series associated with him; it should not be described as a book written entirely by Lopukhin himself.[2]
This distinction is especially useful when moving between the Genesis and Matthew volumes in our catalog. A shared series name does not erase differences of contributor, biblical genre, or interpretive task. The author’s page brings the volumes together because of their publishing relationship, while preserving the difference between personal authorship and a continuing editorial project.
The project was announced in Strannik in October 1903. Its stated readers included clergy and people seeking a clearer understanding of Scripture at home. The introduction describes a combination of spiritual instruction and the scholarship then available, and notes that the approach varies between contributors. The series is therefore best read with attention to the particular biblical book and commentary being consulted.[2]
How to use a verse-by-verse companion
A commentary is easiest to use with the biblical passage open beside it. Read the passage first, then the explanation, and return to the passage to see what the explanation has clarified. Genesis and Matthew ask different kinds of questions: a narrative in the Pentateuch has a different literary setting from a Gospel’s account of Christ’s life and teaching.
Historical commentaries also preserve the scholarly vocabulary and debates of their period. The Explanatory Bible can be studied for its Orthodox interpretation and for its place in the history of Russian biblical scholarship. A reader comparing it with a modern study should keep the date of the commentary distinct from the ancient date of the biblical text under discussion.
The Genesis commentary offers a concrete example at Genesis 1:2. It compares interpretations of the Spirit moving over the waters, identifies different readings, and favors understanding the passage of the Holy Spirit. The discussion then connects creation with other biblical passages. This is more than a restatement of the verse: the reader encounters an interpretive question, alternatives, and the commentary’s judgment.[3]
The Matthew volume begins by explaining the phrase “according to Matthew” as one witness to the one Gospel. At Matthew 1:1 it discusses the Greek biblos geneseos and compares the language of genealogy and generations. It then considers the names Jesus and Christ. These opening pages show the commentary moving between language, biblical cross-references, and theological interpretation.[4]
The Orthodox Bible reading and interpretation guide compares verse-by-verse commentary with homilies and connected narrative. It can help you choose between studying a passage in detail and reading how a preacher brings it into a sermon.
Books and where to begin
Choose the Genesis volume if you are studying the opening book of the Old Testament, or Matthew for a Gospel companion. These are separate volumes, not a purchase of the complete historical series. Their shared connection to Lopukhin is explained above.
- Orthodox Explanatory Bible: Genesis
- Orthodox Commentary on the Gospel According to Matthew: A Complete Verse-by-Verse Bible Study with Patristic, Historical, and Theological Insight
The Genesis edition covers the introduction and all fifty chapters, ending with Genesis 50:26. Its displayed Scripture quotations use the King James Version, while the commentary discusses wording from other biblical traditions where relevant. Scripture and subject indexes support study across passages. Readers can follow creation and the early narratives in chapters 1–11 before turning to Abraham and the later patriarchal history.[3]
The Matthew edition follows the commentary from the historical series’ volume VIII, published in 1911, and continues through Matthew 28:20. For a focused beginning, read the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5–7 or the parables in chapter 13. Chapters 26–28 follow the Passion and Resurrection. Its Scripture and patristic-author indexes offer routes back to the sources discussed throughout the volume.[4]
Related authors and places
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem shows Scripture used in baptismal instruction. Philaret Vafeidis provides another example of Orthodox scholarship organized for systematic study.