Barth offers a challenging critique of the covenant of works. Let me summarize three points, briefly. First, Barth points out that the covenant of works sets law and works as the framework for the entire account of redemptive history and God’s dealings with man. The work of Jesus is understood in these terms, as the fulfillment of the covenant of works, and he argues that even the Christian life is guided by law, in the sense that the law provokes... Read more
In his challenging revisionist treatment of justification ( Judgment & Justification in Early Judaism and the Apostle Paul , Hendrickson), Chris VanLandingham examines various meanings of the verb DIKAIOO in both the Old Testament and intertestamental Jewish literature. He finds a close connection between the DIKAI- root and purity concerns, a connection also in a number of Pauline texts. Discussing 1 Corinthians 6:11 and Romans 6:7 in particular, he concludes that “the DIKAI- terms describe a state of being, not... Read more
NT Wright has become famous, or notorious, for suggesting that justification is a declaration concerning one’s membership in the community of God. In his 2006 book Justified before God (Abingdon), Methodist theologian Walter Klaiber describes the Hebrew court situation in a way that makes sense of Wright’s claims: In declaring someone “righteous,” Klaiber argues, a judge simultaneously declares him innocent before the court and does “more than that. Quoting HJ Boecker, he says “‘By it, the accused is recognized as... Read more
A while back, Covenant Seminary’s Sean Lucas reviewed my book Against Christianity . I read the review at the time, not carefully, and quickly found other things to do. Few things are more boring than defending what I’ve written. With the recent release PCA statement on the Federal Vision, and Lucas’s presence on the committee, however, some friends have suggested that I take a look at the review again and respond to it. I understand that Lucas has distanced himself... Read more
One of my recurring frustrations with recent debates in the Reformed world is a widespread failure of theological imagination. Too many seem to operate on the assumption that we have everything already figured out; we have all possible categories and positions ready to hand. All we need do is deploy these categories on whatever happens our way. It’ll fit, Procrustes says. Thus, it is seriously proposed that someone is either on the road to Rome or the Road to Geneva... Read more
Like several other Reformed denominations, the RCUS has a study committee examining the Federal Vision theology, particularly as it pertains to justification, and part of that report focuses on my article, “Judge Me, O God.” I have a few comments on the report’s representation of my argument in that article. 1. The RCUS study committee challenges my claim that “[W]hile Protestant theology rightly understands ‘justification’ as ‘courtroom’ or ‘forensic’ language, it does not take sufficient account of the full biblical... Read more
Nathaniel Altman writes in his book Sacred Water : “underground aqueducts have brought water from the Croton Reservoir to New York City since the early 1840s. The water flowed originally into a reservoir located in Central Park that could hold 180 million gallons. Soon realizing that even such a large amount of water could not be adequate for the needs of New York’s rapidly growing population, large tracts of land were purchased in upstate New York for a network of... Read more
INTRODUCTION Jesus is the “son of David” (Matthew 1:1), and therefore “King of the Jews” (2:2). Inevitably, His advent provokes fear and rage from other pretenders to the throne, like Herod. THE TEXT “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? . . . ’” (Matthew 2:1-12). (more…) Read more
With YouTube, American Idol , blogs, and a host of other new outlets for “talent,” it appears that celebrity is being democratized. Appearances are deceiving, according to a new book by Jake Halpern, Fame Junkies . (more…) Read more
John 16:7: I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. We’ve seen in the sermon that the ascension means that Jesus is truly absent from us. He has been glorified and exalted into heaven, He has gone to the Father, He has gone away. As His disciples, we are called... Read more
Leithart
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