Biblical Theology:

you need to read Vos. This book is not for beginning students of the Bible, to be certain. There is a level of complexity and development here that can easily overwhelm people. However, that being said, Vos' Biblical Theology is a tremendously valuable resource and worth plowing through several times. If you are a fan of Van Til's presuppositional apologetics, this volume is critical reading. According to Scott Oliphint, the Reformed understanding of Scripture that Van Til takes as a given is based upon his studies under Vos. So, if you're trying to wrestle through Van Til and are trying to faithfully understand where he is coming from, you need to absorb what Vos has to say. A note on the level of complexity here: I've discovered that many people shy away from studying the Bible carefully. We enjoy 30 second sound-bites and easy to memorize verses. Vos tackles the whole scope and breadth of the Bible in a way that is truly foreign to a slick, pre-packaged post-modern culture. We want edgy but we want it with a glossy cover and intriguing layout. We want controversial so long as it looks sexy. I was required to read this book twice during my three years of seminary. The first attempt was after only six months of seminary under my belt. I couldn't make heads or tails of what Vos was saying. The sad truth was that I simply didn't know my Bible well enough to appreciate what he was saying. Two years later, I've read it again - this time it made so much more sense. Again, this is because I've immersed myself in God's Word and become much more familiar with the different biblical writers. Biblical theology, at least from an evangelical standpoint, is looking at Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, attempting to grasp how the various ideas are organically related to each other. We assume that God is the Lord of history and that he is working all things together for his own glory. For instance, the promise which is given in Genesis 3:15, is the seed that will eventually grows up into fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. BT is principally concerned with history - the progressive building upon prior promises and ideas. Systematic Theology is principally interested in logical relationships - ordering and structuring ideas so that they can be grasped easily and clearly. BT and ST are absolutely necessary for each other - BT considers things in a line of progression and ST considers things in their relationship to each other. ST establishes the perimeter of correct thought and BT establishes the nuanced layers and complexity within that perimeter. The trouble with most BT is that it is a.) interested in the new and undiscovered (a fascination with `novelitus') and b.) often unbalanced, finding connections and relationships that are unwarranted by Scripture. Vos has mastered the careful balance and it shows. As a final note - as you read Vos, you'll find that he's arguing with Liberal theologians of his day - int

I was introduced to this text by a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in California. On my first read I found the text ponderous, bombastic, pretentious and needlessly wordy. But on the third read I realized that my initial judgment was out of sheer ignorance. This book by Vos is, to put it simply, excellent and immensely rewarding. The text is chock full of beautiful insights and poignant theology. Even if you do not buy into Reformed Theology this book will give you much food for thought and most likely uplift you to new heights. Please do not make the mistake of not reading this book because you happen to belong to a denomination that does not endorse the covenantal paradigm. That would be a significant mistake and you will miss out on some profound theological insights. If there is one book on Biblical Theology that you must have then make it Vos. Yes, it is a difficult read but well worth the effort.

"Biblical Theology: Old & New Testaments" is Dr. Vos' most famous and comprehensive work. Dr. Geerhardus Vos served as Professor of Biblical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary for 39 years starting in 1894, exercising a significant influence on many eminent theologians of the 20th century, such as Machen, Murray, & Van Til. His insight into Biblical revelation is truly profound, and of his writings that I have read, this book is probably the best place to start. When the current faculty of Westminster Seminary (PA) had their (short) personal reading recommendations listed at the bookstore, this book found its way onto more lists than perhaps any other besides Calvin's Institutes. It would also be well worth introducing this book by reading Vos' inaugural address to the faculty of Princeton, available online. It should be pointed out from the outset, that the term "Biblical Theology" is itself rather unfortunate, as Dr. Vos points out in his introduction, since all true theology has the Bible as its source and its criterion. In his inaugural address (henceforth IA), he said that "Biblical Theology, rightly defined, is nothing else than the exhibition of the organic process of supernatural revelation in its historic continuity and multiformity." Systematic Theology, for example, examines and organizes revelation systematically and logically, whereas Biblical Theology operates historically. It is important to understand that, as Vos always insisted, neither of the disciplines is more biblical than the other. Rather, they are two ways of studying the same phenomena from different perspectives. The concept of the organic nature of revelation is prominent. Dr. Vos traces the growth of revelation as it parallels redemption. The great events in the history of redemption were accompanied by corresponding revelation. He saw that "the heart of divine truth, that by which men live, must have been present from the outset, and that each subsequent increase consisted in the unfolding of what was germinally contained in the beginning of revelation. The Gospel of Paradise is such a germ in which the Gospel of Paul is potentially present; and the Gospel of Abraham, of Moses, of David, of Isaiah and Jeremiah, are all expansions of this original message of salvation, each pointing forward to the next stage of growth, and bringing the Gospel idea one step nearer to its full realization." (IA) It will be seen how squarely opposed this view of Scripture is to Dispensationalism. Another central feature of revelation brought out by Vos is its multiformity, an understanding of which is absolutely indispensable for proper Biblical interpretation. The great pitfall, to which probably all of us fall prey to some extent, is to exalt one aspect or feature of Biblical truth at the expense of another. A result would be, for example, Martin Luther's aversion to the book of James, based on his perception of its contradictory character to the teachings of the Apostl

Vos is deep; but he's exactly what one would expect if one were to embark on the journey trying to understand the revelation of God to men. Among other things, Vos teaches the differences between Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology. If you don't know the differences, and you don't know why they matter, then you will enjoy Vos. In this book Vos raises the bar on what it means to be Reformed. Some disagree with Vos' use of difficult words -- this is a fair complaint, I suppose, but it should encourage us to become better readers, not to leave off reading a great book. If you do little else in life, read Vos and you will have done much.

In this excellent book Vos shows the progression of God's plan of Redemption and revelation to man. Vos very clearly shows the harmony as well as the tension between the Old and New testaments.Definitely not a book for unlearned folk wanting a quick introduction to reformed theology. Especially those inclined to fear big words. :-)