German theologian, born at Oldeslohe in Holstein on the 21st of August 1796, and educated at the universities of Kiel (1814) and Berlin (1816), where he was influenced by Schleiermacher and Neander. In 1820 he became Privatdozent and in 1821 professor extraordinarius at Berlin; in 1827 professor at Königsberg, in 1834 at Erlangen. He died on the 4th of September 1839. Olshausen’s department was New Testament exegesis; his Commentary (completed and revised by Ebrard and Wiesinger) began to appear at Königsberg in 1830, and was translated into English in 4 vols. (Edinburgh, 1847–1849). He had prepared for it by his other works, Die Ächtheit d. vier Kanon. Evangelien (1823), Ein Wort über tieferen Schriftsinn (1824) and Die biblische Schriftauslegung (1825).
