John Duncan (1796 – 26 February 1870), also known as Rabbi Duncan, was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland, a missionary to the Jews in Hungary, and Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Languages at New College, Edinburgh. He is best remembered for his aphorisms.
Duncan was born in Gilcomston, Aberdeen, the son of a shoemaker. Having obtained an M.A. from the University of Aberdeen in 1814, he embarked upon theological study while still an athe...
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John Duncan (1796 – 26 February 1870), also known as Rabbi Duncan, was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland, a missionary to the Jews in Hungary, and Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Languages at New College, Edinburgh. He is best remembered for his aphorisms.
Duncan was born in Gilcomston, Aberdeen, the son of a shoemaker. Having obtained an M.A. from the University of Aberdeen in 1814, he embarked upon theological study while still an atheist, completing his studies in 1821. He subsequently became a theist, but according to his later testimony was not yet converted when he was licensed to preach in 1825. Instead, he was converted in 1826 through the ministry of Cesar Malan, and in 1830 commenced ministry at Persie in Perthshire. The following year he moved to Glasgow, and was finally ordained as the minister of Milton parish church in 1836. In 1837 Duncan married, but his wife died two years later as a consequence of the premature birth of her second child. Duncan remarried in...
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