Book Briefs: September 27, 1974

The Compleat Kittel

Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, nine volumes, edited by Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich(Eerdmans, 1964–1974, 8,420 pp., $209 the set)is reviewed by F. F. Bruce, professor of biblical criticism, University of Manchester, Manchester, England.

With the publication of the ninth volume of the English edition of this Theological Dictionary, a gigantic task of translation has been accomplished. Dr. Bromiley may well contemplate with satisfaction this impressive set of volumes, amounting to more than 8,400 large and closely printed pages, and New Testament students who use the work may well contemplate them with a feeling of gratitude to him for his industry and accuracy, as well as to the original writers for the scholarship which they have so generously shared with their readers.

The first volume of the German original was published in 1933; the ninth has appeared at the same time as the ninth English volume. (The latter part of the English Volume IX was translated from uncorrected proofs of the German text.) When the project was launched no one could have foreseen the hindrances that were to beset it—particularly the dislocation caused by World War II and its aftermath. A new generation has grown up since the first part of Volume I was dedicated to the octogenarian Adolf Schlatter. Some contributors to the later volumes had scarcely left their cradles when the first volumes were coming out. Many contributors to the earlier volumes have not lived to see the completion of the work. The lists of contributors to Volumes I and IX contain about five names in common, including that of Rudolf Bultmann, who celebrates his ninetieth birthday this year. To read the earlier volumes is to be reminded of what was being said and thought by New Testament theologians a generation and more ago; to read the more recent ones is to be confronted with matters of contemporary concern. The interval of twelve years between the publication of Volume IV in German (1942) and of Volume V (1954) witnessed, among other things, the discovery of the Qumran and Nag Hammadi texts, to which the later volumes make increasing reference.

The plan of the founders of the enterprise was to follow the precedent set by Hermann Cremer’s Biblico-Theological Dictionary of New Testament Greek Usage (1883). Julius Kögel, the continuator and reviser of Cremer’s work, bequeathed the task of carrying it on to Gerhard Kittel, and Kittel’s editing of the first four volumes of the Theological Dictionary bears ample witness to the fidelity with which he discharged his trust. A theological dictionary must be more than a lexicon, and at times, especially in the earlier volumes, theological interests threaten to swamp semantic precision. Some of the articles on prepositions, for example, read into the prepositions themselves a wealth of significance that belongs more properly to their contexts. It is difficult to disagree with James Barr when he observes that a book organized under words may not be the best instrument for bringing out the integration of the linguistic usages of the New Testament and its deep and living theological thought, or that the pursuit of “inner lexicography” (to use the phrase by which Kittel denoted the attempt to penetrate the inner world of thought as distinct from being content with semantic indications) lays upon individual words a burden too great for them to bear.

In this respect, however, the later volumes show a visible improvement over the earlier ones—and not in this respect only. It was perhaps inevitable, in view of the pressures under which the earlier volumes were produced, that some things should be said in them that could be regarded as anti-Semitic The translator has made it his business to see that nothing that might be criticized on this score passed into the English version.

Readers who like their works of reference to be theologically monochrome could be disconcerted by the wide spectrum from which the contributors are drawn—from Rudolph Bultmann to Johannes Schneider. But this is one of the strengths of the work; it is not a sectarian production but aims to serve the needs of New Testament students of all shades of opinion. Students will know how to make allowance for the contributors’ varying viewpoints.

As for its usefulness to working preachers, it will be appreciated most by those who know that their primary calling is to be ministers of the Word of God. Those to whom the painstaking grammatico-historical exegesis of Scripture is irrelevant “in this day and age” (as they say) may dismiss with impatience the wealth of Greek ’quotation appearing on page after page. But the expository preacher will greet this feature with enthusiasm and will treat the time and labor expended on mastering it as well spent if he is helped thereby to a fuller understanding of the Scriptures which he in turn interprets to his people.

The nine volumes of the English edition are to be supplemented in a few months by a volume of detailed indexes to the complete work. This will greatly facilitate the use of the Dictionary.

A Good Word For Authority

The Velvet Covered Brick: Christian Leadership in an Age of Rebellion, by Howard Butt(Harper & Row, 1973, 186 pp., $5.95), is reviewed by John Marshall, editorial assistant, Canon Press, Washington, D. C.

Authority and submission are principles that have an archaic ring in an age of liberation, revolution, and striving for equality. But they have a freshness about them as well: the archaic is not necessarily the obsolete. In fact, it can be revolutionary (more precisely, counter-revolutionary), as Howard Butt seeks to show in a candid, personal study of Christian leadership.

Butt is vice-chairman of the board of a large supermarket chain and a popular lay preacher, and he himself has grappled with many questions of when to submit to authority and when to exert it. In his title, The Velvet Covered Brick, the brick is authority; the velvet is gentleness and patience, characteristics of the leader whose authority is from God, and it is also submission. Authority and submission are interwoven: “the brick is all through the velvet and the velvet is all through the brick.” Butt offers a thought-provoking analysis of what true leadership is, how it works, and the role of love in authority. Leadership, as opposed to tyranny, is essentially service, he says, exemplified by Christ in his role as the Servant-King. From Christ’s example Butt concludes that submission is the key to authority.

His style is pithy, epigrammatic, anecdotal. He shows a striking ability to penetrate, to clarify, and to propose meaningful advice. Equally impressive are his honesty in revealing his own failures in the area of submission and his acute understanding of submission as inherently noble. Of course, he is careful to distinguish between a proper biblical-centered submission and an irrational, fearful submission to despotism. But he does not hedge in making the point that submission to proper authority is a duty.

Quoting freely but not profusely from well-known figures in the worlds of business, philosophy, literature, and religion, Butt insists that the counterrevolutionary nature of submission be taken seriously. Since the natural human bent is toward revolution and rebellion, it is nonsense to talk about Christ as a revolutionary or about a so-called Christian revolution. God is a God of order, of authority and submission; the Trinity serves as the perfect example of these principles at work.

This book could serve for devotional reading; there are many digestible paragraphs and sections that could be read profitably a day at a time. The author’s avoidance of pious clichés and his efforts toward clarity of thought are refreshing. The reader will have two main reactions to the book: conviction at recognizing that here or there is a deadly flaw that, if not rooted out, will lead to disaster, and comfort in the fact that Christ actually lives within the believer to overcome every weakness.

Comprehensive But Not Self-Critical

Contemporary World Theology: A Layman’s Guidebook, by Harvie M. Conn(Presbyterian and Reformed, 155 pp., $2.95 pb)is reviewed by Colin Brown, visiting professor of theology, Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia.

This paperback provides a menu of what is offered in theology today. Although it is directed at the layman, many a minister will find it helpful for catching up on what has happened since he graduated. It is clear, comprehensive, and informative.

A book like this must be judged by two questions: (1) How adequate is it as a statement of the views it attempts to survey? (2) Does it give good, convincing grounds for its critique of others and for its own position?

In answer to the first question, I would say that I know of no other popular guide that is so up to date or so comprehensive in the ground it attempts to cover. It has to be understood that theology here means systematic theology with excursions into situation ethics, demythologizing, and Heilsgeschichte. Conn does not really cover developments in biblical studies. But what other book embraces Pannenberg, Moltmann, and process theology on the one hand and dispensationalism, neo-fundamentalism, and neo-conservatism on the other? The points of leading thinkers are systematically stated in numbered paragraphs and are, for the most part, documented by reference to chapter and verse of the author concerned. Time and time again we are given a useful lead for discovering the main points of what a thinker is saying and also for spotting his strengths and weaknesses.

But not only are we given a menu; we are also told what to eat and why we should eat it. And it is here that some readers may well feel misgivings. Symptomatic of the approach is the final choice we are given: “Which shall it be? Biblical Calvinism? Or ‘conservatism’?” A few pages earlier Carl F. H. Henry, Edward Carnell, and Bernard Ramm appear to be judged on whether their approach can really be called “presuppositionalism” and “whether you can associate the name of Cornelius Van Til with these men.” This seems to be equated with “an apologetic completely consistent with the self-authenticating Christ.” The alternative is an apologetic typified by men like Butler and Paley.

NEWLY PUBLISHED

The Minister’s Library, by Cyril Barber (Baker, 376 pp., $9.95). A comprehensive, classified, generally well-annotated guide to the books a minister should know about and, in many cases, own. Highly recommended.

Freedom in Faith, by H. D. McDonald (Revell, 157 pp., $3.95). Concise, helpful commentary on Galatians by a professor at London Bible College.

Reason to Believe, by Richard Purtill (Eerdmans, 166 pp., $2.95 pb). A philosophy professor at a state college looks at objections to Christianity, and presents reasons and revelation to counter them. Well done.

The Southern Baptist Convention and its People: 1607–1972, by Robert A. Baker (Broadman, 477 pp., $11.95). A rather austere but well-documented account of Southern Baptist growth and development.

The Celtic Churches: A History, A.D. 200–1200, by John T. McNeill (University of Chicago, 289 pp., $10). An excellent, well-written overview of early Christians in the British Isles, their missionary work to Europe, and their gradual incorporation into the Latin church.

The Law and the Prophets, edited by John H. Skilton (Presbyterian and Reformed, 499 pp., $12.50). As a tribute to the late Oswald T. Allis, more than forty articles on Old Testament studies, interspersed with biographical data.

Rethinking Our Priorities, by J. Sidlow Baxter (Zondervan, 255 pp., $6.95). Calculated and well-phrased criticism of many of the practices within the evangelical community. One may not like what he is saying but will be compelled to re-evaluate many practices. For ministers and laymen.

Pastoral Counseling, by Wayne E. Oates (Westminster, 236 pp., $7.50). The ambiguous position of the counseling pastor is dealt with practically and creatively. Relates current methods of counseling to pastors’ situations.

Judge For Yourself, by Gordon R. Lewis (InterVarsity, 127 pp., $2.25 pb). This “workbook on contemporary challenges to Christian faith” deals with seven of the most commonly voiced problems concerning the credibility and workability of Christianity. Geared to the searching skeptic or the questioning Christian.

How to Win Over Depression, by Tim LaHaye (Zondervan, 244 pp., $2.95 pb). Depression is the number-one emotional illness in the country today, and Christians are not immune. Pastor LaHaye uses psychological and biblical insights in discussing causes, symptoms, problems, and solutions. Recommended.

Our Idea of God and The Sacraments Today, both by Juan Luis Segundo (Orbis, 206 and 154 pp., $6.95 each). Volumes III and IV of Segundo’s five-volume “Theology For Artisans of a New Humanity.” The post-Vatican II theological reflections of a Latin American Catholic.

Today’s English Version New Testament in Color (American Bible Society [1865 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10023], 429 pp., $3.50, $2.50 pb). “Good News for Modern Man” is the common name for the TEVNT, and more than 45 million copies have gone into circulation since 1966. This edition warrants mention because of the more than 200 well-chosen color photographs, together with maps and other aids to understanding the Bible, that grace its large-size pages. An outstanding value.

The Last Enemy, by Richard Wolff (Canon, 80 pp., $1.75 pb). Overview of the philosophies and practices surrounding death, with special emphasis on the Christian approach.

In Pursuit of Values, by Marjorie E. Kelley (Paulist, 44 pp., $.95 pb). Bibliography of value-teaching books for preschool through high school readers, with a summary and limited evaluation of each selection. Helpful for parent and teacher.

Ecumenism in the Age of the Reformation, by Donald Nugent (Harvard, 260 pp., $14). Account of the colloquy of Poissy, a last attempt to stem the division of the Reformation. Aimed at promoting ecumenism today.

Religious Systems and Psychotheraphy, edited by Richard H. Cox (Thomas, 518 pp., $19.95). Forty contributors present a variety of religions and their relation to psychotheraphy. A supermarket of religious options.

Ramm’s approach to science and Scripture is criticized in the words of John C. Whitcomb as a “double revelation theory.” There is a revelation in nature and a revelation in Scripture, and the scientist is the interpreter of the former, the theologian the interpreter of the latter. But Conn tells us (quoting Van Til), “If science is to do its work it needs the presuppositions which the Bible alone can give it.” Unfortunately, he does not go on to spell out what this means. What presuppositions has he in mind? Does he mean to say that there is a difference between science as practiced by a Christian and science as practiced by a non-Christian? If so, what? Does he mean that all our essential knowledge (and with it our presuppositions) must be derived deductively by exegesis of biblical texts, and that science, history and experience have nothing to contribute to our understanding of Scripture?

Again quoting Van Til, Conn characterizes Carl F. H. Henry’s position as “Greek theism.” To me, this tells me as much about Van Til as it does about Carl Henry.

At the outset, Conn stresses the importance of presuppositions. No argument can proceed without them. He himself professes to move “from the Scriptures, through the Scriptures, to the Scriptures.” All argument is argument in a circle. “The only question becomes, Who has drawn the circle?” In support of this contention he refers to Van Til’s The Defense of the Faith, which is a stimulating book but one that raises as many questions as it answers. Nor are we helped in this by the final chapter on “The Reformed Faith”; instead of a constructive statement, Conn offers assorted reflections on the Synod of Dort, G. C. Berkouwer (who apparently is not quite the man he used to be), and thoroughgoing, consistent Christianity.

What is missing is a careful, self-critical statement of the presuppositionalist position in the light of the genuine questions that others have raised about it. This is not to say in advance that no such statement can be given. Rather it is to say that, it not only has to be done; it has to be seen to be done.

Jews, Prophecy, And Jesus

Faith Strengthened, by Isaac Troki(Hermon Press [175 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10010], 308 pp„ $9.75), is reviewed by David W. Baker, lecturer in religious studies, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

In a recent issue of the Jewish Observer, former editor Yaakov Jacobs notes “the recent resurgence of Christian missionary efforts directed toward young Jews particularly.” He admits that such efforts have had “minor success” and says that “one is too much for us to lose.” To arm against the recent anti-Jewish polemic he recommends a master resource: an English translation of Isaac Troki’s classic work Hizzuk Emunah, a systematic and scholarly refutation of Christian doctrine as it impinges on traditional Jewish belief. The book is once again in print.

Isaac Troki (1533–94) has been described as the most powerful opponent of Christianity ever to appear among the Jews. He was a Karaite, a member of an influential minority party in Judaism that based its faith and practice on the Bible, in contrast to the majority party, who were Talmudists.

Faith Strengthened, the English title, is a carefully prepared, biblically based, reasoned argument against the claims of Christianity concerning Jesus Christ. Troki argues that Jesus was not the Messiah because of his pedigree, his deeds, and the period in which he lived, and because during his existence the promises were not fulfilled that are to be realized on the advent of the expected Messiah. Much of the last argument was met by Christians in their renewed emphasis on the two comings of the Messiah. Christians affirm that the fulfillment of all the promises concerning the Messiah depends on two comings, one in humiliation, one in glory, and that promises unfulfilled at Jesus’ first coming will be fully realized when he comes again. A rejoinder against this Christian emphasis on Jesus’ second coming, and a more up-to-date argument than Troki’s against Jesus’ being the Messiah, may be seen in more recent Jewish affirmations of belief in the coming of a Messianic Age and a Messianic People rather than the coming of a personal Messiah. Despite modern de-emphasis on—and even disavowal of—the coming of any personal Messiah, it is refreshing to read all that classic, orthodox Judaism has believed about the Messiah. Significantly, when applied to Jesus this book sets forth in astonishing detail all that historic Christianity has always believed will be fulfilled and realized in Jesus when he returns in glory!

Over the centuries the influence of Troki’s Hizzuk Emunah has been immense. Troki was a native of Lithuania, where he lived in contact with Simon Budny, Blandrata, and numerous other Socinians, early Unitarians, and followers of Michael Servetus. Among these there was much interchange of ideas and much controversy with Greek and Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists, and Anabaptists, as well as Jews. In this milieu the Hizzuk Emunah was born. How much of it derived from Servetus and the anti-trinitarian reformers of Eastern Europe, and how much may have been imparted to them by Troki, possibly from ancient Jewish sources, is not clear.

The Hizzuk Emunah was clandestinely circulated among European Jews in manuscript for many years. Shortly before 1650 the renowned Rabbi Manasseh Ben Israel of Amsterdam rejected a suggestion that it be published even then. It soon fell into Christian hands, however, and was published with a Latin translation and a refutation by Johann Christopher Wagenseil in his Tela Ignae Satanae in 1681.

It may be that close association with East European Socinians and Unitarians was the conduit through which Troki’s ideas first found their way to Britain and America, for certain of his arguments appear among English-speaking anti-trinitarians and theological radicals very early. On the other hand, they may have come directly as a result of the publicity attending Wagenseil’s publication in 1681. After that date the influence of the Hizzuk Emunah was very great, extending to every part of Europe and America. Voltaire relied heavily on this anti-Christian work and called it a “masterpiece.” A line on the jacket of the recently published reprint says that the book may well be considered a forerunner of later textual criticism of the New Testament, and that it was used by all freethinkers in the period of the French Enlightenment and contributed to the intellectual ferment of the eighteenth-century, which led to the French Revolution.

To counter the barrage of anti-Christian polemic in the world today, it would be helpful to have the kind of scholarship that could take a work like Troki’s and study and answer it line by line, with the same carefully documented use of the authoritative Scriptures.

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