Herman Ridderbos: PASTORALE BRIEVEN, 307 pp. Kampen: J. H. Kok, 1967.
Ridderbos is always worthy of careful and concentrated reading. What Berkouwer has become in these days for Reformed dogmatics, Ridderbos is for New Testament studies. We rejoice, therefore, that the wish expressed last year with the appearance of his excellent volume on Paulus has been fulfilled. We have here another of his books, a commentary on the three pastoral letters of the apostle.
The commentary is excellent in its detailed consideration first of the introductory questions which ask for answer and thereupon of the actual text of I Timothy, II Timothy and Titus. The professor champions the Pauline authorship, dealing in thorough and balanced fashion with many of the contrary views presented. The most recent critical scholarship is evaluated wherever necessary, so that the reader becomes acquainted with the opinions of such men as Dibelius, Conzelmann, Harrison, Guthrie, Jeremias, Spicq and others. Not only the meaning of the words and phrases in their setting is provided, but also much valuable doctrinal and even devotional comment. This makes the commentary stimulating for the preacher who seeks to unfold the riches of divine truth for God’s people. It is a veritable treasure-house for every serious Bible student.
These epistles are much in discussion today because of ecumenical movements and renewal within the Roman church. Time and again questions of church organization and order compel attention. For these discussions a reliable commentary such as this becomes invaluable. Two examples serve to illustrate something of the flavor of the work. In I Timothy 1:20 Paul speaks of Hymenaeus and Alexander “whom I delivered unto Satan…” On this Ridderbos comments:
De prijsgeving aan de satan heeft geen doel in zichzelf, is niet enkel straf; zij is bedoeld als “paideia”: tuchtiging, die tot inkeer en betering des levens wil leiden, n.l. om niet Janger te lastcren… . De satan heeft geen macht verder dan hem wordt toegemeten en de cluistelijke (kerkelijke) tucht blijft op het behoud van de zondaar gericht… (p. 68).
Attention may also be called to the much-discussed Titus 2:11, 12 passage. Emphasizing especially the “salvation-history” character of the gospel, Ridderbos insists that the phrase “to all men” be connected with “hath appeared” and not only with “salvation” as has so often been done in the interests of universal atonement (p. 279).
Although those not well versed in Greek will find the supplementary comments (in smaller print) somewhat difficult to follow at times, this should not dissuade them from using the volume. Much of the book will prove profitable to any conscientious student of God’s Word.
PETER Y. DE JONG
Bube, Richard, THE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND SCIENCE. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids (1968).
This is a very important book. The editor and major contributor to it is the retiring President of the American Scientific Affiliation, an Association of more than 1600 scientifically trained Christians. He also has just been named Editor of the Journal of the A.S.A. Since the existing policy of the publication board of this organization is to publish only those papers which reflect the official views of the A.S.A., this book can well be a reflection of the theological position of this group even though it is technically unrelated to the A.S.A.
This book, which received a solid endorsement by the reviewer who wrote in such a prestigious Christian paper as the Christianity Today, is also important because it sets forth in one document a rather comprehensive statement of the theological position of many of those who hold to theories currently in vogue relative to long periods of time for the Genesis days.
The authors of this well written book emphasize that the Bible is true and accurate only when it speaks to spiritual questions, such as those with respect to sin, salvation, God and Christ. 111e historical, scientific and other data supplied by the Bible is supporting data which provides the environment or matrix for the Gospel message. The Bible is not to be approached with questions relating to these other fields of learning because it is not the Bible’s purpose to provide true and conclusive answers in these non-theological disciplines of learning. The writers contend, for example, that the Bible has nothing to say to the question of evolution. Answers to this question are to be found only from the field of science.
The author appears to set forth an atonement that is not based upon the substitution of Jesus Christ as man’s sin bearer. While he states at two points (p. 50 and p. 53) that Christ bore the burden of the sins of men in their behalf, none of his argument that follows shows that he understands this as substitution. He does not take into account the justice of God or the fact of Christ’s death being the penalty that he suffered, the equivalent of Hell if you will, for man. The writer declares instead “sacrifice is not payment for sin” (p. 51).
The writer’s view of the origin of the spirit within man is in accord with the character of the book. He suggests that the spirit “need not be imposed from ‘outside’ upon the material, but may have its origins within material interactions themselves” (p. 81).
As one reads this book one receives the impression that this could well be a primer of a kind of scientific neo-orthodoxy. While Barth’s neo-orthodoxy is developed in a philosophical framework, this is produced from a scientific viewpoint. The conclusions offered do show what happens when man tampers with one part of God’s revelation. The Bible is one piece and if one part is tampered with it is bound to impinge upon and adversely affect the rest of the revelation. The writers, for example, deny the existence of a historical Adam and they contend for the principle of Uniformitarianism. These conclusions are in direct contradiction to the Biblical truth. Without a historical Adam the idea of a need for a historical Christ is threatened. No wonder there is a lack of understanding concerning the nature of Christ’s atonement.
The concept of Uniformitarianism does not accord with the Biblical account of the flood and all the truths associated with it. Significantly, this volume, which devotes much space to this theory, offers but one sentence in the entire discussion in which the flood is mentioned.
It would be well for anyone who is concerned for the maintenance of the purity of our relationship to the Bible to read this book and ponder carefully the conclusions offered. The arguments and theories set forth are increasingly being accepted and this document should show all of us where these theories can lead.
It surely cannot be recommended to those who are not well grounded in the Word for it could easily lead the reader astray from the Word.
The writers offer a quote declaring that nearly all reputable religious writers have acceptcd evolution as a fact (p. 103). If this implies that these same writers accept the conclusions set forth ill this volume, one surely begins to grasp the import of Christ’s words of Luke 18:8 as we hurry to our end time rendezvous with Christ. “When the Son of man returns, will he find faith in the earth.”
HAROLD CAMPING
Ridderbos is always worthy of careful and concentrated reading. What Berkouwer has become in these days for Reformed dogmatics, Ridderbos is for New Testament studies. We rejoice, therefore, that the wish expressed last year with the appearance of his excellent volume on Paulus has been fulfilled. We have here another of his books, a commentary on the three pastoral letters of the apostle.
The commentary is excellent in its detailed consideration first of the introductory questions which ask for answer and thereupon of the actual text of I Timothy, II Timothy and Titus. The professor champions the Pauline authorship, dealing in thorough and balanced fashion with many of the contrary views presented. The most recent critical scholarship is evaluated wherever necessary, so that the reader becomes acquainted with the opinions of such men as Dibelius, Conzelmann, Harrison, Guthrie, Jeremias, Spicq and others. Not only the meaning of the words and phrases in their setting is provided, but also much valuable doctrinal and even devotional comment. This makes the commentary stimulating for the preacher who seeks to unfold the riches of divine truth for God’s people. It is a veritable treasure-house for every serious Bible student.
These epistles are much in discussion today because of ecumenical movements and renewal within the Roman church. Time and again questions of church organization and order compel attention. For these discussions a reliable commentary such as this becomes invaluable. Two examples serve to illustrate something of the flavor of the work. In I Timothy 1:20 Paul speaks of Hymenaeus and Alexander “whom I delivered unto Satan…” On this Ridderbos comments:
De prijsgeving aan de satan heeft geen doel in zichzelf, is niet enkel straf; zij is bedoeld als “paideia”: tuchtiging, die tot inkeer en betering des levens wil leiden, n.l. om niet Janger te lastcren… . De satan heeft geen macht verder dan hem wordt toegemeten en de cluistelijke (kerkelijke) tucht blijft op het behoud van de zondaar gericht… (p. 68).
Attention may also be called to the much-discussed Titus 2:11, 12 passage. Emphasizing especially the “salvation-history” character of the gospel, Ridderbos insists that the phrase “to all men” be connected with “hath appeared” and not only with “salvation” as has so often been done in the interests of universal atonement (p. 279).
Although those not well versed in Greek will find the supplementary comments (in smaller print) somewhat difficult to follow at times, this should not dissuade them from using the volume. Much of the book will prove profitable to any conscientious student of God’s Word.
PETER Y. DE JONG
Bube, Richard, THE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND SCIENCE. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids (1968).
This is a very important book. The editor and major contributor to it is the retiring President of the American Scientific Affiliation, an Association of more than 1600 scientifically trained Christians. He also has just been named Editor of the Journal of the A.S.A. Since the existing policy of the publication board of this organization is to publish only those papers which reflect the official views of the A.S.A., this book can well be a reflection of the theological position of this group even though it is technically unrelated to the A.S.A.
This book, which received a solid endorsement by the reviewer who wrote in such a prestigious Christian paper as the Christianity Today, is also important because it sets forth in one document a rather comprehensive statement of the theological position of many of those who hold to theories currently in vogue relative to long periods of time for the Genesis days.
The authors of this well written book emphasize that the Bible is true and accurate only when it speaks to spiritual questions, such as those with respect to sin, salvation, God and Christ. 111e historical, scientific and other data supplied by the Bible is supporting data which provides the environment or matrix for the Gospel message. The Bible is not to be approached with questions relating to these other fields of learning because it is not the Bible’s purpose to provide true and conclusive answers in these non-theological disciplines of learning. The writers contend, for example, that the Bible has nothing to say to the question of evolution. Answers to this question are to be found only from the field of science.
The author appears to set forth an atonement that is not based upon the substitution of Jesus Christ as man’s sin bearer. While he states at two points (p. 50 and p. 53) that Christ bore the burden of the sins of men in their behalf, none of his argument that follows shows that he understands this as substitution. He does not take into account the justice of God or the fact of Christ’s death being the penalty that he suffered, the equivalent of Hell if you will, for man. The writer declares instead “sacrifice is not payment for sin” (p. 51).
The writer’s view of the origin of the spirit within man is in accord with the character of the book. He suggests that the spirit “need not be imposed from ‘outside’ upon the material, but may have its origins within material interactions themselves” (p. 81).
As one reads this book one receives the impression that this could well be a primer of a kind of scientific neo-orthodoxy. While Barth’s neo-orthodoxy is developed in a philosophical framework, this is produced from a scientific viewpoint. The conclusions offered do show what happens when man tampers with one part of God’s revelation. The Bible is one piece and if one part is tampered with it is bound to impinge upon and adversely affect the rest of the revelation. The writers, for example, deny the existence of a historical Adam and they contend for the principle of Uniformitarianism. These conclusions are in direct contradiction to the Biblical truth. Without a historical Adam the idea of a need for a historical Christ is threatened. No wonder there is a lack of understanding concerning the nature of Christ’s atonement.
The concept of Uniformitarianism does not accord with the Biblical account of the flood and all the truths associated with it. Significantly, this volume, which devotes much space to this theory, offers but one sentence in the entire discussion in which the flood is mentioned.
It would be well for anyone who is concerned for the maintenance of the purity of our relationship to the Bible to read this book and ponder carefully the conclusions offered. The arguments and theories set forth are increasingly being accepted and this document should show all of us where these theories can lead.
It surely cannot be recommended to those who are not well grounded in the Word for it could easily lead the reader astray from the Word.
The writers offer a quote declaring that nearly all reputable religious writers have acceptcd evolution as a fact (p. 103). If this implies that these same writers accept the conclusions set forth ill this volume, one surely begins to grasp the import of Christ’s words of Luke 18:8 as we hurry to our end time rendezvous with Christ. “When the Son of man returns, will he find faith in the earth.”
HAROLD CAMPING