Special Zane Hodges Memorial Issue -- By: Robert N. Wilkin

Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 22:42 (Spring 2009)
Article: Special Zane Hodges Memorial Issue
Author: Robert N. Wilkin


Special Zane Hodges Memorial Issue

Robert N. Wilkin

Editor

Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society

Introduction

Zane C. Hodges went to be with the Lord on November 23, 2008 at the age of 76. He has a long history with this journal (see below), including having written 19 articles and having served as Associate Editor for many years.

The journal articles he has left us are profound, timeless, ground-breaking, and thought-provoking.

We chose eleven of his journal articles, many of which deal with assurance of salvation. We also chose one of his newsletter articles since it fits well with the other articles, and since it was one of Zane’s most personal.

The articles were written between 1988 and 2005. Five of these articles were written after Zane had a devastating heart attack that nearly took his life in 1997.

As we put this issue together we were struck afresh by what he wrote. We hope you will share our joy as you read this memorial issue.

Why A Whole Journal With Articles By Zane C. Hodges?

GES Owes Its Birth To Zane Hodges

I arrived at Dallas Theological Seminary in the summer of 1978 as green as they come. I was Free Grace, but I really couldn’t defend it from Scripture very well.

Within three semesters I had heard about a professor who had a unique method of exegeting the New Testament. He had a unique name too: Zane Hodges. Thus in my fourth semester I took my first course from Zane, on the Book of Hebrews. I was hooked.

What captured my attention was the way in which he harmonized Scripture. He did not study a passage in total isolation from what he knew from other Scriptures. Indeed, he amazed me when he answered questions in class since it was clear that he had already considered how other texts

related to the one he was studying. I can’t recall anyone stumping him during the Q & A.

His Free Grace views were an encouragement to me. But what I learned is that the view is much broader than I thought at the time. I came to see that the doctrine of eternal rewards is an integral part of Free Grace theology, as is the doctrine of temporal chastisement.

I ended up taking courses from Zane on Acts, Hebrews, James, 1-3 John, and textual criticism. He was also my first reader, or advisor, on my master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation, both of which dealt directly with Free Grace issues (perseverance and repentance, respectively).

I was on campus early in 1985 to finalize details surrounding my doctoral dis...

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