More than half a century ago, when the Dutch Franciscan Province was preparing to establish a seminary in Jakarta, Indonesia, aimed at forming local priests, young Franciscan Fr. Martin Harun, OFM, was studying Scripture studies in the Netherlands.
“My Franciscan Superior asked me, ‘Are you willing to go to Jakarta?’ I immediately replied, ‘With great pleasure,’” recalls the priest, now one of Indonesia’s most respected biblical scholars.
At the time, the Netherlands had no shortage of theology lecturers, including Scripture professors. “The provincial’s offer answered my deep desire for mission,” Fr. Martin says. “I had already offered myself to serve in areas where the Franciscans were present, including Java.”
In 1971, after completing his doctoral studies in Jerusalem, he arrived in Jakarta. He began teaching at the Driyarkara School of Philosophy (STF) and soon became involved in founding the Indonesian Biblical Institute (LBI), later adopted by the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI).
A Life Immersed in the Word
Fluent in several languages, Fr. Martin played a pivotal role in translating the Bible into Indonesian, including the Deuterocanonical books, and revising both the Old and New Testaments. He also served with the Indonesian Bible Society (LAI), taught in several universities, and authored numerous books on biblical themes.
Although retired from teaching since 2013, he remains active, writing, guiding the LBI, and translating key Church documents such as Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ (2015) and the Document on Human Fraternity (2021).
Former students remember his classes for bringing Scripture to life, always connecting biblical insights with everyday experience. The Franciscans in Indonesia regard him as a pioneer of biblical ministry in the country.
Formed by Faith and Family
In an interview with Radio Veritas Asia, Fr. Martin traced his vocation to his devout Catholic upbringing in the Netherlands. “Prayer, Church life, and faith education were central to us,” he said. His missionary uncle, a priest in Brazil, inspired him deeply.
His love for Scripture began early, when his mother read Bible stories to her children, long before laypeople were encouraged to read the Bible directly. As a teenager, before joining the Franciscans, he bought his first Bible and read it completely, from Genesis to Revelation.
He later studied Greek and Hebrew, and found joy in praying the Psalms in their original language. “Two things fascinated me deeply,” he reflected: “the Bible as a collection of books rich in history, and the Bible as the wellspring of prayer and liturgy.”
A Servant of the Word
His decades of translation work taught him humility. “The more deeply one engages the text, the more one realizes how little one truly knows,” he said. “To render the Word faithfully in living language requires teamwork, even when consensus is hard to reach.”
Now in his later years, Fr. Martin lives quietly, grateful for the ecumenical spirit fostered through the Bible Society. “I have no great personal wishes anymore,” he said gently. “Only to stay healthy, to serve as long as I can, and to entrust everything to God.”
For him, the Bible remains a lifelong companion, “God’s letter to us, a path of encounter, and a light that draws us closer to Him and to one another.”
