Often described as a leading Christian humanist, Erasmus represent one of the best product of the northern Rennaissance—the king among scholars in the early part of the sixteenth century," whose critical edition of the Greek New Testamet (1516) gave the early Reformers access to the original text with which to work through their theology based on a text other than the Latin Vulgate. It has often been said of him that "Erasmus laid the egg that Luther hatched." Though hardly known among the masses today—a scholar whom history has overlooked—the motivation that drove him is one of the most noble of Christian aspirations:
"I would to God that the plowman would sing a text of the Scripture at his plow and that the weaver would hum thme to the tune of the shuttle . . . I wish that the traveler would expel the weariness of his journey with this pastime. And, to be brief, I wish that all communication of the Christian would be of the Scriptures."
Both by his philosophy and his life, he exemplied "the Christian mind."
Erasmus was born the illegitimate son of a Dutch priest and raised by the school of the Brethren of the Common Life. He loved books and already at an early age showed all the evidence of future brilliance; his memory was prodigious. At age 20 he became a monk and found the experience utterly dissatisfying. He secured the post of secretary to the bishop of Cambrai, and later studied in Paris. He very quickly became, in Philip Schaff's words, the most cultivated man of his age, and the admired leader of scholastic Europe from Germany to Italy and Spain, from England to Hungary," and he "did more than any of his contemporaries to prepare the church for the Reformation by the impulse he gave to classical, biblical, and patristic studies, and by his satirical exposures of ecclesiastical abuses and monastic ignorance and bigotry."
Erasmus paid two visits to England, the first beginning 1498 and made friends with some of the people most influential in later events in the country (including King Henry VII and the prince who later became Henry VIII). On his second visit he was made professor of diviity and reader in Greek at Cambridge University. Taking up the wise counsel of Dean Colet he began to apply himself to a scholarship that would serve the reformation of the Christian Church. In between he traveled to Italy where he earned a doctorate at Turin. After his final departure from England, he settled in Basel, Switzerland beginning 1521.
Given his genius, it is not surprising that his writings became "the first best-selling author in the history of printings." Many of his works went through numerous editions; his highly popular Praise of Folly went through 20 editions in five years, 27 in his lifetime, and more than 600 to date.
Erasmus was highly critical of the Church. His criticism in Praise of Folly, e.g., was scathing to the point of contempt. As for the Catholics he says, "For the future I despise them, and I wish I had always done so; for it is no pleasure to drown the croaking of frogs. Let them say, with their stout defiance of divine and human laws, 'We ought to obey God rather than men.'' That was well said by the Apostles, and even on their lips it is not withoug a certain propriety; only it is not the same God in the two cases. The God of the Apostles was the Maker of heaven and earth: their God is their belley. Fare ye well." Yet he remained a Catholic till the end of his life. Catholics naturally scorned him for being a Lutheran.
But Erasmus was never friendly with Luther either. Though he claimed to be sympathetic to the Reformation, he found Luther's style too aggressive and bull-headed. Lutherans scorned him for being too Romish and worldly; "he is," says Luther, "not concerned for the cross but for peace." The animosity between them came to a climax in 1524-5 when Erasmus published The Freedom of the Will, which criticized Luther's view of God's sovereignty and grace. Luther responded with The Bondage of the Will, concluding, very unkindly, that Erasmus's arguments were "like refuse or ordure being carried in gold or silver vases." In the Table Talks, Luther continued to abuse Erasmus, calling him an "eel," "snake," "a croaking frog," and saying, "I hate Erasmus from the bottom of my heart," and "I consider Erasmus to be the greatest enemy Christ has had these thousand years past."
Part of Erasmus's problem was also one of credibility. To maintain his lifestyle of research and study, he had to write for money, for which he depended on his patrons. It is, therefore, sometimes difficult to tell when he was writing for the benefit of his patrons and when he is genuinely committed to what he says. For anyone claiming to fight for the truth, this is a serious problem. Some have, therefore, opined that he was a Lutheran at heart but out of fear choose to stay with Rome. He was a man caught in the middle and there was no way, given his choices, he could win.
Further Reading & Resources>
F. F. Bruce, "The History of New Testament Study," in New Testament Interpretation: Essays on Principles and Methods, ed. I. Howard Marshall, (Carlisle: The Paternoster Press, revised 1979), pp.21-59. (For Erasmus, see esp., pp.31) Pdf N 6-7 (Open on Phone)
☰ Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church. Vol. VII. Modern Christianity. The German Reformation. pdf 
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