Book Reviews -- By: Matthew S. DeMoss

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 170:680 (Oct 2013)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Matthew S. DeMoss


Book Reviews

By The Faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary

Matthew S. DeMoss

Editor

Justification. By N. T. Wright. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2009. x + 252 pp. $25.00.

In John Piper’s book, The Future of Justification: A Response to N. T. Wright (Crossway, 2007), he worries that N. T. Wright’s understanding of justification diverges from the Reformation tradition. He especially fears that Wright’s teaching on justification minimizes individual salvation, rejects the imputation of righteousness to the believer, and redefines God’s righteousness as God’s “covenant faithfulness.” Piper also expresses concern over using extrabiblical first-century sources to help construct biblical theology because those sources may be misunderstood or may disagree with one another. Instead, Piper would prefer to remain loyal to the conclusions of Luther and Calvin. N. T. Wright believes that John Piper and others have misunderstood him. Justification is his response to Piper. Although Wright concedes that his conclusions may differ in some respects from those of Luther and Calvin, he contends that his method of studying the text in its original context follows the methods of the reformers. Wright sees himself as continuing in the tradition of Luther and Calvin, even if he might disagree with them on certain theological points, such as imputed righteousness. He seeks to clarify his method with this book.

In the first part of the book, Wright frames the debate over his understanding of justification while responding directly to his critics, especially Piper. Wright maintains that most understandings of justification in Paul ignore thematic elements such as Israel’s covenants, law-court imagery, eschatology, exile, Messiah, and the role of the Holy Spirit. Without these elements, the doctrine of justification has become too individualistic and divorced from its first-century context. Wright argues for an understanding of justification as a legal acquittal of the believer by God, a view compatible with that of many evangelicals. This acquittal demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His promises to Abraham and his descendants. It is through the covenants to Israel, and specifically their fulfillment in the Jewish Messiah, that God puts the universe right, which is Pauline justification, according to Wright. Wright believes that this definition fits within the full scope of its literary context in Paul’s letters and its historical context in first-century Judaism.

In the second part of the book, Wright articulates his views on several relevant passages throughout Galatians, Philippians, Corinthians, Ephesians, and Romans. He builds here on his obser...

You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe
visitor : : uid: ()