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This article explores how Bede interprets Hebrew names in biblical texts and his views on their usage.

May 24, 2026

Feter! Filate! Bede, Violent Etymologies, and Insular Hebraism

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This article explores how Bede interprets Hebrew names in biblical texts and his views on their usage.
Analysis of Bede's Commentary on Luke to examine his discussions of Hebrew names.
Comparison with early Irish scholarship and Jerome’s Book of Hebrew Names.
Bede’s interpretations reveal a mix of confidence in linguistic skills and criticism of Hiberno-Latin works.
The pseudowords 'Feter' and 'Filate' are linked to Irish computistical literature.

Resumen

Abstract The relationship between the writings of the Venerable Bede and early Irish scholars has long been a topic of debate. This article examines the use of Hebrew names as an element in their respective biblical exegesis. The literal meanings of names has been a source of interpretation of the Bible since its very composition. Jerome’s Book of Hebrew Names made this information widely available in the Latin world, but itself is full of contradictions. Bede seems to have strong opinions about how to use – and misuse – these name interpretations. Starting from a passage in his Commentary on Luke, I argue that Bede’s way of discussing Hebrew names comes from his own confidence in his linguistic abilities, as well as his ambivalence about certain works of Hiberno-Latin. Furthermore, I suggest that Bede derived his dismissive-sounding pseudowords “Feter” and “Filate” from Irish computistical works.

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