ISIDORUS PELUS1OTA, an exegetical writer of the early part of the 5th century. He was a native of Alexandria (Ephraem of Antioch in Pho tins, cod. 288), and if we may believe Nicephorus Wirt. Eccl. xiv. 30) was a disciple of Chrysostom. From two of his extant letters (i. epp. 310, 311) it appears that he survived the council of Ephesus (A.D. 381) ; and from another (i. ep. 37o) that he was probably then of great age, since Cyril ad dressed him as father.' The date of his death is uncertain. He passed a large part of his life in monastic seclusion at Pelusium, and hence has acquired the surname Pelusiota. He was. greatly celebrated amongst his contemporaries for the austerity of the discipline to which he subjected himself (Evagrius, Hist. Eccl. 15). He is styled presbyter' by Facundius Hermianensis, a writer of the 6th century (Pro De" Trium Capital. ii. 4), vvho speaks of him as vir sanctissimus et magnm in Ecclesia Christi and adds, that he wrote two thousand letters to the edification of the church, as many persons well knew.' Other writers (Suidas and Nicephorus) speak of nine or ten thousand. Of the letters now extant, which
are 2o13 in number, a large proportion are devoted to the explanation of Scripture passages. From these it is evident that Isidore enjoyed a high repu tation as an expositor of Scripture, and that a large number of persons amongst both the clergy and the laity were in the habit of seeking from him the solution of their exegetical difficulties. His replies are written in a terse and sententious style, and contain many judicious remarks on the study of the Scriptures (ii. ep. 63), the right method of exegesis (iii. epp. x25, 292), the interpretation of prophecy (iv. ep. 203), and the explanation of parables (iv. ep. 137). As an expositor he follows in the steps of Chrysostom, of whom he was a warm admirer, and although not wholly free from the allegorizing tendencies of the times, Ile com monly bases his exposition upon a careful investi gation of the grammatical sense. His explanations show a sound judgment and much Christian in sight, and many of them are still worthy of respect ful consideration.—S. N.