23
The Committee to Study Republication
of the General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Synopsis
MANDATE
Introduction
Part I – The Westminster Standards and Covenant Theology
Ch. 1 Substance and Administration
Ch. 2 Typology and Confessional Interpretation
Ch. 3 Law and Covenant
Ch. 4 Merit and the Mediator
Part II – Views of Republication
Ch. 5 Taxonomy of Views
Ch. 6 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Various Views
Ch. 7 M.G. Kline as Advocate of a Version of Substantial Republication
Ch. 8 M.G. Kline as Advocate of a Version of Administrative Republication
Ch. 9 M.G. Kline: Strengths and Weaknesses
Part III – Conclusions
Conclusion
Recommendations
Topics for the Examination of Candidates
Glossary
Mandate
The 81st General Assembly, in response to an overture from the Presbytery of the Northwest, elected a study committee “to examine and give its advice as to whether and in what particular senses the concept of the Mosaic Covenant as a republication of the Adamic Covenant is consistent with the doctrinal system taught in the confessional standards of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.” The men who were elected to this committee are Messrs. Bryan D. Estelle, Benjamin W. Swinburnson (Secretary), Lane G. Tipton, A. Craig Troxel (Chairman), and Chad V. Van Dixhoorn. The committee subsequently met on July 16, 2014 (by phone) and then on September 17–18, 2014 (Wheaton, IL), December 3–5, 2014 (Washington D.C.), March 16–18, 2015 (Philadelphia, PA), May 18–20, 2015 (Wheaton, IL), August 14–17, 2015 (Seattle, WA), December 2–4, 2015 (Washington D.C.), Feb 24, 2016 (by phone), March 14–16, 2016 (Escondido, CA) and March 30, 2016 (by phone).
Introduction
Describing the function and role of the Mosaic covenant in relation to the covenant of works and in relation to the New Testament revelation is arguably one of the most challenging and complex theological problems in which one can engage. From the beginning your committee has recognized the difficulty of the assignment set before it and the constant temptation to address one or another issue that is tangential rather than touching the very core of our mandate, especially since the doctrine of republication cuts across many theological disciplines: lexical semantics, exegesis of biblical texts, systematic theology, historical theology, and church history. One thing has stood out to your committee: this theological issue is complex.
On the one hand it may seem that the mandate of the committee is merely one of confessional exegesis. It certainly involves this, and your committee has taken pains to work with and comment upon every area of the standards that is relevant to the mandate. On the other hand, the committee has also worked on numerous passages of Scripture, especially since the very confession we were tasked to study states quite clearly that “in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal unto them [i.e., the Scriptures]” (WCF 1.8).
In your committee’s view, the Westminster standards speak to many but not all the issues raised. To cite only one example, in the Larger Catechism the members of the Westminster Assembly showed little interest in demonstrating how Old Testament works typologically point to Christ in detail, a topic of particular interest in recent research and debate.[1] This silence means that some issues swirling around the topic of republication are “extra-confessional.”
I. Why the Discussion?
Briefly stated, the doctrine of republication is the concept that the covenant of works is in some sense echoed in the Mosaic covenant at Sinai with the people of God.[2] The words “in some sense” are chosen, not to equivocate, but to acknowledge that the covenant of works was a unique, unrepeatable administration of a covenant. Just as reflective surfaces in nature echo sound (like mountains and caves), so also in literature there are intentional, rebounding, serial echoes of major themes and motifs.[3] How much more is this the case in redemptive history, where the divine author works through the human author to teach and remind readers of various doctrines. The echoes of Adam, and Eden, and the covenant of works are so loud throughout Scripture that they call for explanation.
Both sides of the controversy see their formulations of the Mosaic covenant strengthening Reformed doctrine. Critics of republication have alleged that other officers in the church are in error with regard to their teachings on this subject, deviating from the Reformed tradition. Many current advocates of the doctrine of republication claim it is integrally connected to the work of salvation since the Lord Jesus Christ came under the Mosaic law, carrying out his work as the last Adam and as the faithful Son of Israel by fulfilling the terms of the law perfectly. Unfortunately, sometimes the previous claim has been expressed in such a way that it leaves the other side wondering whether their doctrine of justification is as robust as it should be. Furthermore, advocates of republication have claimed that an appreciation for republication provides enrichment for the church’s understanding of her Savior’s work. Nevertheless, there has long been varying assessment of republication in the Reformed community.
Consider just two examples. Charles Hodge (1797–1898) held to the system of doctrine in the Westminster standards and yet he described the law of Moses as a re-enactment of the covenant of works.[4] Conversely, Professor John Murray (1898–1975) disagreed with the doctrine of republication, as seen in his words: “The view that in the Mosaic covenant there was a repetition of the so-called covenant of works, current among covenant theologians, is a grave misconception.”[5] And yet, Murray recognized that the doctrine was commonplace among Post-Reformation thinking and that it “has exercised a profound influence upon the history of interpretation and it had cast its shadow over the exegesis of particular passages.”[6]
How can two stalwart teachers in the Reformed world hold such different opinions with regard to the covenant God made with Moses? By the end of our report, we expect that sympathetic readers will have gained a greater appreciation for some of the answers to this question.
Returning to the present, however, there seem to be a few primary reasons for the very real differences that exist on the subject. No doubt, some of the present disagreements have been occasioned by a resurgence of writings on the doctrine of republication, which have brought a new level of discussion and debate to the church on this matter.[7] Another reason may be the increased reliance on the internet for assessments of current theological debates. The language used online is often intemperate and has come to infect much of the discourse on the subject.
In the present context, the church would do well to remember that in all disputes we are to pursue the purity, peace and unity of the church. No side of this triangle must be ignored. Charity must infuse all debate, even as purity of doctrine is sought.
Nevertheless, moments of theological conflict present an opportunity for clarification, charity, growth, and development for all concerned. The members of your study committee have sought to emulate the Apostle Paul’s words by making “the aim of our charge love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Tim 1:5). The Apostle’s well-chosen words occur in the context of upbraiding some who claimed to be teachers of the law but were actually without understanding, causing some measure of discord within the church. At the same time, we have not ignored difficult issues in this report; we have sought to inform our discourse with mature reflection, serious engagement, and above all, charity. We have taken pains to present the views described in this report in a fair and equitable manner. In order for readers to do the same, we recommend that it be read carefully from beginning to end in order to discern the flow of the arguments in the descriptions it contains. Your committee has deliberately organized it with such a view in mind, and it is in this context that we present our conclusions and recommendations to presbyteries.
Disagreement can be a great achievement. Yet, whenever there are theological debates, terminological precision can go a long way towards avoiding miscommunication. We have included a glossary at the end of this report in order to aid the reader, and throughout this report, the committee will take pains to define terms precisely, beginning with the term central to this report: republication.
II. What Is “Republication”?
Republication is the notion that the covenant of works is in some sense echoed in the Mosaic covenant at Sinai. There are many different understandings of republication. For some, central to republication is the declarative notion of the law given at Sinai condemning sinners and leading the elect to Christ. Other understandings of republication accent the parallels between Adam, Israel, and Christ (Lk 3:38; Exod. 4:22–24; Lk 1:35). Additional views of republication that have occasioned the current debate in the church are described below in the report.
As a term, republication describes how the Mosaic covenant is a renewed proclamation or reenactment of the original covenant of works in Israel’s history.[8] It has also been used to understand patterns and parallels between Adam, Israel and Christ. Some views of republication may not be described as re-enactive and some views see the Mosaic covenant as more than merely re-enactive. For example, Charles Hodge thought that the Mosaic economy was not only “a re-enactment of the covenant of works,” but also a national covenant; he nonetheless maintained that salvation was only by faith, not works.[9]
It is important to emphasize that there are clear differences between the pre-fall covenant and the post-fall covenant with Israel. For example, since the fall, there is ultimately only one perfect mediator between God and humankind, the Lord Jesus Christ. The pre-fall covenantal administration is not simply repeated. M.G. Kline did not hold this nor do other proponents of republication who will be discussed below. Jesus is the only Redeemer, Savior, and Mediator, and the sonship of Jesus is unique in contrast with the sonship of Israel in Scripture. It is basic to this report that the church maintain the proper distinctions between Israel (the typological son) and Christ (the true son).
Although self-evident, it bears repeating that there are many distinctions between Israel as a typological son (either corporately, or individually as in the case of the king) and Christ as the true Son of God, who is categorically unique in his person and work. For example, Israel is never called nationally to be a mediator, to remedy sin as a substitute, or to impute righteousness to those demonstrating faith by grace. That is the call of Christ alone. Nevertheless, there are types, shadows, and symbols in the wonderfully rich tapestry of Israel’s history that provide all that is necessary for moving from the type to the antitype. Jesus is the only redeemer of God’s elect, the ultimate mediator between God and his people, the second Adam, and the Son of God. In some sense Israel’s history recapitulated Adam’s experience, and in some sense Jesus’ ministry recapitulated Israel’s history. The great difference is that where Adam and Israel failed, Jesus prevailed.
Consequently, two requirements must be satisfied for our rescue from sin: someone must obey the law and he must receive the curse of the law. What sinful man could not do, Christ Jesus has done as our probation keeper and penalty payer.[10] We know that Christ was obedient to the law as the last Adam, in fulfillment of the covenant of works. This is especially clear from Romans 5 where the instrumentality of Adam and Christ are compared. Whereas Adam brought about sin and death, Christ reversed the effects of Adam’s high-handed sin. In Rom 5:12, Paul sets up the comparison, “By the sin of the one the many died.” Paul initially leaves this comparison unfinished in 5:12; however, he returns to it later in the same section (5:15–21) explaining the comparison between the acts of Adam and Christ (after the parenthesis in 5:13–14). Indeed, in 5:18 Paul confirms the full, balanced statement of the comparison between the figures of Adam and Christ: the one man Jesus Christ has secured, through his obedience, the promises Paul wrote about in Rom 5:1–11.
III. What Is Typology and Symbol?
Already in this introduction we have found repeated reason to mention typology. Typology, or symbol, is an area
that is particularly germane to current debates surrounding republication. Typology has to do especially with people, places, and events that are set forth in the OT in a shadowy form in order to point forward to a reality to come.
In other words, typology teaches that OT events, individuals, many of the laws of Israel, Israel’s religious practices and the nation itself looked beyond for their ultimate fulfillment and interpretation. In a very real and profound sense, when we study the history of Israel, we see that she was not behind the times but was actually ahead of her time.[11]
Typology is intimately related to symbol.[12] Symbols in Scripture should be the gateway to appropriate typological method and practice. However, in the practice of biblical interpretation throughout church history, symbols were often inappropriately wrested from their material moorings. Historical essences and legitimate external references of words to phenomena outside the text were left behind when the biblical text was seen to emphasize spiritual meanings or alleged deeper meanings. The wings of the human imagination lifted various and sometimes ungrounded abstract meanings from the moorings of earthly, real phenomena and hence from the reality of the biblical text itself. Since our confession directly comments on typology it will be discussed below at various points in the report.