Matthew’S Testimony And Modern Criticism
The Gospel According to St. Matthew, by Floyd V. Filson (Harper, 1960, 314 pp. $5), is reviewed by Ned B. Stonehouse, Professor of New Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary.
In this contribution to the series of Harper’s New Testament Commentaries, the author, well-known McCormick scholar, has been mainly concerned to make clear how the evangelist, whom he distinguishes from the Apostle Matthew, “understood the gospel story and what he wanted the Church to get from his book.” This concern has in many respects been admirably achieved especially when one considers the severe limitations of space. In the main Dr. Filson sticks closely to his last. And the volume reflects his ability to write succinctly and pointedly without sacrifice of clarity.
Although Dr. Filson occupies a negatively critical position, so far as the authority of Scripture is concerned, and shares to a significant degree the modern view that Matthew is representative of theological and practical viewpoints which developed in the Church after the death of Christ, his critical position is far more conservative than that of many contemporary New Testament scholars. One may single out, for example, his defense of the essential authenticity of the Matthaean record of Christ’s declarations concerning the Church in Matthew 16 (p. 186). Refreshing too is the observation that he stresses the decisive significance of the resurrection of Christ, and maintains in this connection that “the tomb was empty” and that no theory is satisfactory which “limits the resurrection to psychological recovery by the disciples or a purely spiritual survival by Jesus” (pp. 302 ff., cf. pp. 40 f.).
Nevertheless the author makes clear again and again that he does not wish to align himself unmistakably on the side of the testimony of this Gospel. How equivocal his position is may be best illustrated by his comment on the attitude that one should take toward the virgin birth of Christ. He says: “This theological affirmation of the unique, purposeful work of God in sending Jesus Christ into the world is essential to the gospel story. Whoever takes the birth story as poetic and figurative must take care not to drain away the vigor and firmness of that affirmation. On the other hand, those who, to protect the divine initiative and to centre God’s historical working in Christ, accept literally the story that Jesus had no earthly father must preserve the New Testament conviction that Jesus was born as a real human being and lived a truly human life” (p. 56). To be sure, there is no place for Docetism in the New Testament, but the acceptance of the Virgin Birth or its rejection is not basically an issue regarding balance in one’s Christology but of the trustworthiness of Scripture. Of a piece with this attitude toward the Matthaean record are some of the author’s comments on miracle stories. With regard to the record of Matthew 17:24, for example, he says: “A figurative statement of Jesus may have developed into a miracle story in the course of transmission. If so, this could only happen because the Church knew that Jesus had done many remarkable things, and this did not seem an impossible addition to the list” (p. 196; cf. p. 172).
In my judgment the rejection of the tradition of apostolic authorship is a quite different matter from the rejection of the testimony of Scripture itself. Nevertheless, Dr. Filson’s argument here is quite unimpressive (cf. p. 20).
NED B. STONEHOUSE
Thirty Conversions
Evangelical Conversion in Great Britain 1696–1845, by T. W. B. Bullock (Budd & Gillatt, 1959, 287 pp., 35s.), is reviewed by Herbert M. Carson, Vicar of St. Paul’s, Cambridge.
Apart from a short introduction, this book consists of two main sections. The first, which comprises about two-thirds of the total work, describes 30 actual conversion experiences from the period under review (incidentally, it is not quite clear why the particular dates are selected for the survey). The second section is a psychological study of the cases cited earlier.
The 30 experiences recorded embrace a wide variety, including well-known figures like the Wesleys, Whitefield, and Robert Murray McCheyne, and also others who are probably unknown to most readers. The accounts tend to vary in value depending upon the measure of treatment accorded. But on the whole the accounts given are carefully and attractively presented, and the fact that a great deal of the material used is autobiographical makes them even more compelling. This part of the book is really valuable.
One major lack, however, in the underlying assumptions of the book is a failure to take into account the work of the Holy Spirit in awakening men. An allied failure is an apparent inability to recognize the nature of a true revival in the sense of a sovereign act of God, so that again and again revivals are confused with revivalism. In fact here perhaps we get the real weakness of the treatment, in that it is essentially man-centered rather than God-centered. Thus where Scripture would see the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, the author describes the experience as the end product of a purely human reaction.
It may be objected that such a critique of the work ignores the whole aim of the book which is to give a purely psychological description. To go beyond that is to enter the realm of theology. But the very failure to deal adequately with the experiences under review shows the inevitable flaw in such a purely psychological approach to convension. It is a treatment of the subject which fails to take into account the most important factor, namely the work of God. Hence while it may describe—and this book does in many ways admirably describe—the emotional and psychological factors which enter into the experince, it fails to lift the subject to the only level where it can really be understood. The understanding of conversion in these pages rarely seems to get beyond the man and the changes in him. While those whose conversions are described are clearly shown to have become God-centered, the discussion of their experience remains very much man-centered.
HERBERT M. CARSON
Divinity Of Christ
Son and Saviour, a symposium (Chapman, 1960, 151 pp., 12s. 6d.), is reviewed by David F. Wright, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
The flyleaf describes these essays as “standing firm on up-to-date biblical criticism, yet written for the nonexpert reader, sound, critical and catholic in approach, stimulating in matter.” The layman will not often find himself out of his depth, though he may be puzzled by references to “the Pasch” and “the sapiential literature.” A critical approach generally reaches conservative conclusions, whether on the synoptists’ portrait of Jesus, or on the historicity of early Acts and of the Johannine Jesus, “those facts of Christ’s life which John chose to preserve” (p. 121).
The last essay is the best, containing clear expositions of “glory” and of the essential dependence of the mission of Jesus upon his nature. The Jewish background to the doctrinal content is affirmed, and the chapter is marred only by a strange and unexplained preference for the variant and much inferior reading of the singular in John 1:13, which refers the verse to Christ (similarly another contributor regards Acts 8:37 as authentic). The other essays may not reach the high standard of the last, but they provide a good introduction to Christology, almost completely free from “Catholic” bias (Protestant writers are regularly cited with approval), scholarly, and faithfully scriptural.
Perhaps the first essay is least satisfactory, where we read that “none of the types of (the Messiah) bore the dignity of God” in Jewish expectation (p. 13), an opinion open to question in the light of such references as Psalm 2; 7; 45; 6 and Isaiah 9:1–6, “none of which affirms the ‘divine nature’ and ‘divine attributes’ of the Messiah.” In the last passage we are told that “the phrase ‘Mighty God’ could only have been understood in the sense of ‘godly nobleman’ ” (p. 17). A few criticisms must not deter us from this fine example of modern French Roman Catholic biblical study.
D. F. WRIGHT
Bunyan’S Last Work
The Acceptable Sacrifice or The Excellency of a Broken Heart (obtainable from O. G. Pearce, The Retreat, Harpenden, Herts., England, 1959, 108 pp., 5s. 6d.), is reviewed by Joyce M. Wilkinson, Traveling Secretary of Inter-Varsity Fellowship and formerly Research Worker at Somerville College, Oxford.
This little-known work of Bunyan is an exposition of Psalm 51:17, and deals with the subject of repentance and grief for sin. With typical Puritan pastoral concern and thoroughness, Bunyan analyzes such questions as how one recognizes a broken heart and contrite spirit, why a profound conviction of sin is necessary, the salutary results of a broken heart, and how a Christian may keep his heart tender.
The book reflects Bunyan’s own experience described in Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, when he labored under an acute consciousness of sin for two years before being assured of his salvation. Eminently readable, it is written in the simple language of country people, as this extract may show: “Yet, further, God doth not only prefer such an one before heaven and earth, but He loveth, He desireth to have that man for an intimate, for a companion; He must dwell, He must cohabit with him that is of a broken heart.… Verily this consideration is enough to make the brokenhearted man creep into a mouse-hole.” Not only preachers and pastors but every Christian will be instructed by this reminder of the holiness of God; it is indeed a relevant and practical republication when one of the reasons for much of the current spiritual shallowness appears to be a failure to reckon with the seriousness of sin.
J. M. WILKINSON
Has Rome Changed?
We Hold These Truths: Catholic Reflections on the American Proposition, by John Courtney Murray, (Sheed&Ward, 1960, 336 pp., $5), is reviewed by C. Gregg Singer, Professor of History, Catawba College.
Reviewing this book would be a much easier assignment if one were not convinced of the sincerity which lies behind the attempt, on the part of a prominent Catholic scholar, to bring about a modus vivendi between the Roman Catholic church in this country and American democracy. The author reduces the problem to its simplest terms and locates the whole issue in the American proposition which he finds in these truths concerning human equality which the Declaration of Independence declares as self-evident. In his foreword, Dr. Murray raises the fundamental question around which this collection of essays revolves. Declaring that it is impertinent to ask whether Catholicism is compatible with American democracy, he reverses the question and asks whether American democracy is compatible with Catholic theology. To this latter question he then gives an affirmative answer.
Finding the setting for the problems which he discusses in the pluralistic framework of American society, he proceeds to examine the nature and implications of this pluralism for the Roman Catholic church in this country. The frank admission that this pluralism, as it exists in America, is unique in the modern world and is quite different from that which prevails in Europe is, in the opinion of this reviewer, evidence of the sincerity of the author on the whole. He realizes that pluralism is the native condition of American society and that it did not come about as a result of the corruption or decay of a previously existing religious unity such as was the case in Europe. It is this essential difference between the pluralism of contemporary Europe, and that which has prevailed in this country from its beginnings, which provides the opportunity for an agreement between American democracy and the Roman church.
Dr. Murray then attempts to prove that there is no basic incompatibility between the two systems. He achieves this result by a process of reasoning which involves the argument that the basic proposition of the American consensus was quite different from that of the radicalism of the Jacobins of the French Revolution. That this is a valid assumption may well be doubted, and later on Dr. Murray himself proceeds to destroy it in his well-founded attack on the philosophy of John Locke whose system underlay the philosophy of both the American and French Revolutions. In attacking Locke, Murray destroys the very area of possible agreement which he defined in part one of his book.
When the reader arrives at part four, however, he soon learns that the common ground for both parties is actually to be found only in the Thomistic conception of the natural law philosophy. This reviewer agrees with his sharp criticisms of Locke, but he would point out that to destroy Locke is not to enshrine Thomas Aquinas, and that is exactly what Dr. Murray does. The compatibility between American democracy and Roman Catholicism is thus to be rooted and grounded in the Thomistic version of natural law.
Thus, this reviewer must conclude that, in spite of a sincere desire to find a possible modus vivendi, Dr. Murray has not actually made any significant change in the orientation of the Roman Catholic church toward the issues of American democracy. Even going one step further, he would add the fact that he is rather glad that the author failed. For it is apparent that if the Roman church were to accommodate itself in the manner set forth in part one, the Roman church would cease to be a church and become all too similar to liberal Protestantism which, in its desire to conform to the demands of the democratic philosophy, has sold its soul to the enemies of the Cross.
C. GREGG SINGER
Reference Bible
Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, New Testament (with Daniel, Psalms, and Proverbs) by Finis J. Dake (Zondervan, 1961, 488 pp., $7.95), is reviewed by R. Laird Harris, Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary.
This book is an extensive cross-reference and chain-reference Bible with much encyclopedic and explanatory material and an extensive index included. The viewpoint is approximately that of the Scofield Bible. The method of listing “15 doctrines,” “19 reasons,” etc., will appeal to many, but seems somewhat elementary. A good book, but should be used with standard Bible dictionaries and works of reference.
R. LAIRD HARRIS
Baptists And Baptism
A Baptist Treasury, compiled and edited by Sydnor L. Stealey (Crowell, 1958, 323 pp., $3.95); A History of Baptists in America Prior to 1845, compiled by Jesse L. Boyd, (American Press, 1957, 205 pp., $3); and The Meaning of Baptism, by John Frederick Jansen (Westminster, 1958, 125 pp., $2.50), are reviewed by Harold Lindsell, Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Missions, Fuller Theological Seminary.
President Stealey of Southeastern Baptist Seminary has performed a service in bringing together this collection of Baptist writings under the title, A Baptist Treasury. The volume is in six sections with writings related to the subject of each section: Baptist Beginnings; Confessions, Cathechism, Church Covenants; Some Baptist Controversies; Distinctive Baptist Principles; Sermons and Addresses; and Hymns and Prayers. The expected problem of what to include and what to leave out was evidently perplexing. Yet the author’s choices show balance and perspective.
Baptists would do well to read this volume, for few have much sense of historical perspective and many entertain naive conceptions of their antecedents. Particularly illuminating are the documents which reveal the doctrinal differences of Baptists. The choice of Benjamin Mays’ (a Negro) address on race relations was a happy one, although his conclusions on the unity of the race and the oneness of believers without respect to race are old. It is unfortunate that there could not have been something extant which would suggest creative solutions to the problem, the principles of which are all too obvious.
Boyd’s compendium, A History of Baptists in America Prior to 1845, is exactly that. He compiled the material for background purposes in a college course. The material is fascinating but its use is limited because it is only a compilation. It lacks organization and integration, but this is to be expected in a work of such a nature. The bibliography is far from complete: Newman’s volume on Baptist history does not appear, although Vedder’s and Torbet’s do. There are pictures of many early Baptist leaders, and this is a valuable contribution.
The reviewer cannot imagine why the third volume, The Meaning of Baptism, was included in this triad. The latter volume has nothing to do with Baptists and should hardly be reviewed by one. It comprises 21 meditations on the sacrament of Baptism, and most of it relates to infant baptism at that. The author has a flair for creative writing, is himself widely read, and has drawn on interesting sources for illustrative material. Conservative, liberal, and neo-orthodox names abound. The hymns and poetry are generally in the orthodox tradition. Dr. Jansen says in his preface that he “does not attempt to argue for the validity of infant Baptism”; however, he violates this principle and practically gives away his case when he says, “We do not rest the case for infant Baptism on any number of proof texts; we rest it rather on the meaning of Baptism and on the reality of a people of God.” He finds “a trace of the baptismal formula” in the “story of Jesus and the children.” From this he argues that we ought not to forbid baptism to children. The logic is bad and the biblical evidences are nonexistent.
Each meditation is prefaced by a Scripture quotation. Too often they are not texts but pretexts. Allegorizing is too frequent. Perhaps the gravest weakness of the book is the author’s use of paradox. It takes strange forms. Baptism saves and does not save. It depends on which meditation you happen to read. “Baptism assures me that God has given me his name …” (p. 41). “There is one body.… And Baptism expresses our initiation into this one body …” (p. 122). He argues that one goes back to his baptism with spiritual value. “Jesus found himself going back to the place of his baptism.… To go back to the place of Baptism for renewal is to rediscover the steadying certainty that we love him.…” Unfortunately no infant can go back or remember!
Baptism is a sacrament and conveys grace. Convenantal theology is tied to infant Baptism. If one can accept these premises he will enjoy the volume. If he cannot, he is apt to find the book rough going. And a Baptist can hardly give it a fair review!
HAROLD LINDSELL
Rebirth Of A Nation
The Rebirth of the State of Israel, by Arthur W. Kac (Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1958, 387 pp., $3.50), is reviewed by Eric Edwin Paulson, Minister, Lutheran Free Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
No contemporary event has been of greater significance to Bible believers than Israel’s re-establishment as a nation in 1948. Students of the prophetic Word have also been thrilled as they have witnessed Israel’s steady growth economically and culturally.
The question, “Is it of God or of men?”, which appears as a subtitle to Dr. Kac’s book, is answered in a manner that illumines the mind and stimulates the imagination of his readers. Writing in a clear and simple style, Dr. Kac who is currently President of the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America, reveals thorough insight into scriptural truth and a wide understanding of the problems that the new nation of Israel has faced. Quotations included from the writings of statesmen, scientists, and historians should also be of great value to preachers and lecturers on biblical themes. One marvels at how a medical man, who has specialized in radiology, has become so broadly acquainted not only with the problems of the State of Israel but of Jews scattered throughout the world. References and extended notes found at the close of each chapter suggest many other profitable lines of reading and inquiry to persons interested in special aspects of these varied and searching questions.
Although this is a scholarly book, it is written in a manner that will make it equally appealing to laymen and pastors. Students of prophecy, who have yearned for a fresh exposition of Scripture as this applies to present-day events, will find this volume most satisfying. It should also become required reading for all theological students.
ERIC EDWIN PAULSON
Bultmann Demythologized
The Scope of Demythologizing, Bultmann and His Critics, by John Macquarrie (Harper, 1960, 256 pp., $4.50), is reviewed by Robert Paul Roth, Professor of New Testament Theology, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.
This book is a valiant attempt to defend the work of Rudolf Bultmann against critics on the right (Barth, Cullman, Thielicke, Malevez) who charge that demythologizing will reduce Christian faith to a philosophy of human existence, and against critics on the left (Buri, Jaspers) who feel that Bultmann has not gone far enough but has arbitrarily stopped short in retaining the kerygma as myth because of too narrow views on grace and revelation.
There is a limit to demythologization which the author, John Macquarrie of Glasgow University, assures has been recognized by Bultmann. An adequate theology would require both a minimum factuality of the events reported in the New Testament and the transcendent reality of God in Christ as the being encountered in the kerygma. But Buri’s understanding of the grace of existence fails adequately to describe the Christian experience of the unique grace in Christ, and Jasper’s conception of general revelation leaves no room for the special encounter in the Gospel.
In addition there is a valuable chapter on the analysis of language, especially the meaning of words like myth, symbol, analogy, and legend.
The importance of this book is pointed up by the comment of Paul Tillich: “When you come to Europe today … it is Rudolf Bultmann who is the center of discussion.” It would seem, however, that in his defense Macquarrie protests too much, so much as to have demythologized Bultmann.
ROBERT PAUL ROTH
Book Briefs
This … I Believe, by Ivor Powell (Zondervan, 1961, 222 pp., $2.50). A lucid and trustworthy review of essential Christian doctrine for the layman.
All the Kings and Queens of the Bible, by Herbert Lockyer (Zondervan, 1961, 253 pp., $3.95). A unique survey of Bible history as seen through the eyes of Bible kings and queens.
Let God In, by Lenn Lerner Latham (Prentice-Hall, 1961, 176 pp., $3.50). Guidelines for practical Christian living presented in popular vein.
King David, by Geoffrey de C. Parmiter (Thomas Nelson, 1961, 195 pp., $3.95). An English barrister’s discerning life story of Israel’s greatest king.
