REDEMPTIVE HISTORY AND BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION: THE SHORTER WRITINGS OF GEERHARDUS VOS

Written by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. (ed.) Reviewed By Daniel Strange

This is the republished edition of Vos’ shorter writings, first available in 1980. The only difference in this reprint is the addition of an index of Scripture. Vos (1862–1949) who taught at Princeton Seminary for nearly 40 years is best known for his Biblical Theology, which is the archetypal treatment in the discipline of biblical theology. As Gaffin points out in his introduction. Vos in his inaugural address at Princeton summed up nicely his life’s work: ‘It is certainly not without significance that God has embodied the content of revelation, not in a dogmatic system, but in a book of history, the parallel to which in dramatic interest and simple eloquence is nowhere to be found.’ After a good summary by Gaffin on Vos’ life and theological trajectory, there are thirty-five essays, addresses and book reviews by Vos as well as a full bibliography compiled by James Dennison. Methodologically, many of the essays are classically biblical-theological: ‘The Priesthood of Christ in the Epistle to the Hebrews’, ‘The Pauline Conception of Reconciliation’ etc. However some of the essays have a wider canonical and historical perspective e.g. ‘The Scriptural Doctrine of the Covenant in Reformed Theology’ which is an important historical survey of Covenantal Theology. Vos is not the easiest to read but he is a Reformed heavyweight and deserves to be read especially in a theological climate where biblical theology is so popular. As Gaffin says right at the beginning of his introduction, ‘truly great exposition does not become outdated’. Read and enjoy.


Daniel Strange

Daniel Strange is director of Crosslands Forum, a centre for cultural engagement and missional innovation, and contributing editor of Themelios. He is a fellow of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics.