Education
He was greatly influenced by his teacher, Melchior Wolmar, who was one of the first to introduce Luther's doctrines into France.
He was greatly influenced by his teacher, Melchior Wolmar, who was one of the first to introduce Luther's doctrines into France.
In 1548 Beze went to Geneva, where he announced his conversion to Protestantism. He taught Greek and theology at Lausanne and Geneva, and became John Calvin's most trusted friend and faithful disciple. He worked constantly for the cause of the French Huguenots. He tried to prevent civil war from breaking out in France, but when it proved inevitable, he helped mobilize the Protestant forces.
After Calvin's death in 1564, Beze was elected to succeed him and ruled Geneva according to orthodox Calvinism. He made the theological school there one of the outstanding schools of its time.
His Juvenilia, published before his conversion, made him one of the leading Latin poets of his time.
He was the first to publish a critical edition of the Greek text of the New Testament, and he also wrote many commentaries on the Bible.
He donated the New Testament manuscript known as the Codex Bezae or Codex D to Cambridge University.
