Patrick Fairbairn (1805-1874) was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, studied at Edinburgh University, and was an outstanding scholar among Scottish Presbyterians. After 27 years in pastoral service, he served as divinity professor at the Free Church College in Aberdeen before becoming principal of the Free Church College, Glasgow, for 18 years until his death. His more notable works include Typology of Scripture, and commentaries on Ezekiel and The Pastoral Epistles.
In his Hermeneutical Manual, Patrick Fairbairn calls readers to a sober examination of the Bible. He follows the historic Protestant practice of allowing the Scriptures to stand as their own witness and interpreter. The author explains the "analogy of faith," in understanding the Bible. As summarized in the Westminster Confession (1:9), this principle states: "The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly."
