Erasmus masterfully conquered the book market by exploiting the genre of Bible paraphrases. In the summer of 1523, he published his paraphrase of Luke, which he hastily provided with a lengthy letter dedicating the work to the English king Henry VIII. In this letter, he explored the medical qualities of this gospel author at length (Lucas medicus) and the healing power of Christ’s message. Erasmus opened the letter with a healthy dose of self-awareness with regard to the practice of dedicating works to princes and kings:
Quos etiam si sciamus nunquam lecturos, tamen hinc ea capitur vtilitas, quod illorum titulis opus studiosorum affectibus commendatur. (Allen ep. 1381)
Even if we know that they will never read what is presented to them, the presentation has this good result, that the work is recommended to the interest of the learned public by their distinguished names. (Translation CWE)
Erasmus nonetheless expected to find an eager reader in the persona of the English king, because Henry had proved his familiarity with learning and Christ’s words at earlier occasions, and also because his fellow princes and princesses, even his wife, were avidly reading the gospel. These included other rulers to whom Erasmus had devoted other paraphrases of his, including Charles V and his brother Ferdinand.
Raf Van Rooy 
