Owen on the Mosaic Covenant
Michael Brown
in Covenant Theology, John Owen
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9 Comments
"Now this is no other but the covenant of works revived." Works, XXII, p.78.
Some Reformed theologians have contested the notion that the covenant at Sinai was a republishment of sorts of the covenant of works. Some have disparaged the idea that there was a works-principle in the Sinai/Mosaic covenant. Some have treated this doctrine as if it is a novelty of Kline or Westminster Seminary California. It is interesting, however, that the same doctrine appears clearly in the work of England's consummate covenant theologian, John Owen.
A reading of his treatment of Hebrews chapter 8 reveals that while Owen firmly believed in one unifying covenant of grace running from Gen 3.15 to the consummation (XXII, pp.70-71) with one mediator and one way of salvation, he did not believe that the Mosaic covenant could be flattened out and reduced to a mere administration of the covenant of grace (XXII, p.76). For Owen, the old covenant (Moses) was based on command-law, and the new covenant (Gen 3.15/Abraham/fulfilled in Christ) was based on promise-gospel, "wherefore we must grant two distinct covenants, rather than a twofold administration of the same covenant merely, to be intended" (XXII, p.76).
For Owen, the Mosaic covenant was superimposed upon the covenant of grace. It was a republishment (or "revival" as he often calls it) of the original covenant of works with Adam (XXII, pp.77-90). "It revived the promise of that covenant, - that of eternal life upon perfect obedience. So the apostle tells us that Moses thus describeth the righteousness of the law, 'That the man which doeth those things shall live by them,' Rom x.5; as he doth, Lev.xviii.5. Now this is no other but the covenant of works revived. Nor had this covenant of Sinai any promise of eternal life annexed unto it, as such, but only the promise inseparable from the covenant of works which it revived, saying, 'Do this, and live.'" (XXII, p.78)
Before Kline, there was Vos. Before Vos, there was Owen.
MGB
Reader Comments (9)
This is a great post! The Law did promise life though (didn't it)? I mean that is Paul's whole point that the "very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me" (Rom 7.10) but that Christ was sent by God as the second Adam to fulfill the COW (Rom 8.1-5).
Hypothetically, yes. But impossible because of sin. Thus, "God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his Son in the flesh...in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us."
Just a general question regarding your recommended reading: how come I don't see references to Kline's God, Heaven and Har Magedon in these recommended reading lists for covenant theology that contain Kline works to begin with? Is there something about specifically God, Heaven and Har Magedon that makes it not recommendable? Just curious.
Hi Jack,
The only reason I haven't put God, Heaven, and Har Magedon on the recommended reading is that I haven't read it yet (!). It has been on my list for the past year, but I just haven't been able to get to it between preaching, teaching, and Owen research. I have a basic idea of what Kline did in it from speaking with colleagues who have read it. I am sure that I will love GHHM, but the books that are posted are books that I have read.
Have you read it? If so, what did you think?
I've read it, and it strikes me as remarkable. It actually strikes me as a sort of crown-like work for Covenant Theology in general. Truth be told, if it had been written in the 16th or 17th century it just might be categorized as a mystical work (or, maybe mystical is not the right word, but the mountain theme throughout would put it in some other category than straight systematic theology or biblical theology I would think).
I say I've read it, but I actually have the last major portion to go, though I've skimmed ahead. I find, as with Kline's other works, that it overloads me, and I have to step back for awhile.
I thought perhaps it wasn't getting mentioned by 'you seminary graduate and scholar types' because Kline stated it was written for a more general audience. (I only sort of was suspecting that!)
I find, as with Kline's other works, that it overloads me, and I have to step back for awhile.
As Peter Jones once said, "Every sentence of Kline's is a thesis statement." Reading Kline slowly and then stepping away to reflect on what you read is, in my opinion, the best way to read him. I am sure you find, as I do, that you can return again and again and again to parts of Kingdom Prologue and be instructed and refreshed in the faith all over again. I've lost count how many times I have been through certain sections of KP. And I intend to keep reading it over the course of my life!
Pastor Brown,
Great series, my pastor in St. Louis did a series using "God of Promise" then when I moved to Iowa my pastor did a series and made a point of coming to me and telling me to be careful of those "California Guys," he knows I am applying at Westminster. Anyway, thanks for the series but one quick question, I am purchasing Owens works from my pastor and my understanding is there are 16 vokumes, yet you quote from volume 22, can you help?
In Christ
Alan
Alan,
Congrats on your decision to apply to WSC. Given the faculty that is there right now, I think it is the best seminary in world at this particular time.
As for Owen: yes, there are 16 vols which include his treatises, books, sermons, discourses, etc., but there are 7 additional volumes that comprise his massive exegetical work on the Book of Hebrews. Banner of Truth publishes these volumes as vol ##17-22. There is also a large volume on Biblical Theology that was originally written in Latin but recently translated and published in English by Soli Deo GLoria.
Michael,
Greetings from a fellow WTSCA graduate and student of Dr. Kline. I know this is an old post, but I'd like to comment on it just the same. This is a great post for those who, like myself, are convinced that Dr. Kline's formulation of the Mosaic is thourghly biblical and enjoy seeing the recognition of this in other theologians in the history of the church.
Your quotation of Owen ,however, points to a significant difference between Kline and Owen on the Mosiaic covenant as a covenant of works. You state with regard to Owen, "It was a republishment (or 'revival' as he often calls it) of the original covenant of works with Adam (XXII, pp.77-90). 'It revived the promise of that covenant, - that of eternal life upon perfect obedience'." It is prcisely with regard to this point that Kline and Owen disagree. Kline made great effors to say that the Mosaic covneant did not promise "eternal life upon perfect obedience." Instead, Kline belived that the Mosaic covenant promised an earthly picture of heavenly life, but not heavenly life per se. Stated differently, the Mosaic covenant only offers the type of heaven whereas the Abrahamic covenant offers heaven itself. I thank the Lord for Owen's formulation, but I think Kline adds an important corrective to it: namely, the typological element. In my opinion, Kline's formulation gets us closer to Paul's explanation of the two covenants in Galatians 4 as two women: Hagar and Sarah. Paul says that Hagar corresponds to "the present Jerusalem" (i.e. the inheritance of the Mosaic covenant is only the earthly type) while Sarah, the church's mother, corresponds to the "Jerusalem above" (i.e. the inheritance of the elect which is not the earthly type, but the heavenly archtype).
Owen and Kline are certainly on the same page and complement each other. Nevertheless, Kline's recognition of the typological element is significant and helps us to better understand why, for Paul, the Law which comes 430 years after the Promise, does not cancel it out. The reason why the do not cancel each other out is because the Law and the Promise always had two fundamentally different inheritances in view: heaven and the type of heaven.
BTW, for those who don't have access to Owen's commentary on Hebrews, you can access it online at: http://books.google.com/books?id=XsYUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA470&lpg=PA470&dq=%22Now+this+is+no+other+but+the+covenant+of+works+revived%22&source=bl&ots=jmJfLpT6Hb&sig=a7lXEDzEaZ03N7CGzoYQUvP3e20&hl=en&ei=lMgKSpiUBMmMtgeB1IjFAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#PPA471,M1
Thanks again for the good work on Owen.
Blessings,
Adam York