Patrick Fairbairn (1805–1874) was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland and was twice Moderator of the General Assembly. He was Professor of Church History and Exegesis, and Principal of the Free Church College until his death. Although married three times, little is known about the private life of Fairbairn. This is because Fairbairn expressly asked his friends not to allow his biography to be written. He also destroyed letters and other documents which might have led them to disregard his wish.
He produced a series of works of biblical commentaries (Jonah, 1849; Ezekiel, 1851; The Pastoral Epistles, 1874). In addition, he wrote many important books, including three that dealt with principles of biblical interpretation: The Typology of Scripture (1845); The Interpretation of Prophecy, and his Hermeneutical Manual (both 1856). In 1869 he published The Revelation of Law in Scripture, considered a classic, and in 1874 he published his Pastoral Theology.
