Our book review this month is Grace in the End, A Study in Deuteronomic Theology by J. Gordon McConville, which is taken from the series Studies in Old Testament Biblical Theology. This is a wonderful book with a simple and natural division. The first five chapters are apologetic, that is, they provide a a formal defense and reasoned argument against the claims of the “higher critical school of theology.” This so-called “higher criticism” treats the Bible as a book written by men alone for various human motives. In other words, it does not treat the Bible as the inerrant word of God. Obviously, a higher critic has to perform a juggling act with the doctrine of the “God-breathed” Scriptures. The proponents of this higher critical school of theology claim, in a nutshell, that multiple authors and historical dynamics worked throughout Israel’s history to write (and possibly re-write) the Old Testament books. Specifically, they claim Moses only wrote part of Deuteronomy and many other authors (from King Josiah through the rulers and priests during the exile) tampered with it to their advantage. This takes the ball of Scripture’s origin out of God’s hands and puts it into man’s!
That is where the author of this book, McConville, becomes so valuable to read. He takes the “higher critics” on at their own game and easily demonstrates how shallow their theories are. The first several sections are a detailed read involving several Bible authorship theories—definitely a challenge—but worth the effort if you want to understand the lies of the enemy. However, the second half of the book is very understandable and will be a gold mine of interest to many students of the Word!
Beginning in Chapter 5, McConville gives a proper analysis of one of the false theories on the authorship of Deuteronomy. In this, he also provides a proper study of the questions involving the sequences of events regarding God’s foreknowledge, omniscience and omnipotence. In order, he labels the reasons for all of this:
- God creates the world.
- God allows sin.
- God chooses Abraham—one person out of the whole world.
- God selects Israel—a nation that will fail at precisely the same things the Canaanites did even though God will exterminate the nations of Canaan and yet preserve Israel.
- God chooses His Son Jesus to come out of Israel to save the whole world—a Deuteronomic theme although veiled. (Editor’s note: See Deuteronomy 18:15)
- God consummates the world, preserving all His elect and discarding all others.
That’s Deuteronomic theology! And the name of the book says it all: Grace in the End.
Posted on March 1st, 2009 by Scott
Filed under: Elim Refresher Newsletter, From the Church Library