# Redemptive Historical Interpretation



## Blue Tick (Oct 31, 2006)

What is the best way to define Redemptive Historical Interpretation?

What's the difference between Redemptive Historical interpretation and relying on the perspicuity of Scripture?


I am looking for some insight and direction.


Thank you!


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## R. Scott Clark (Oct 31, 2006)

Why do you juxtapose the two?

I don't see any contrast between the traditional Reformed practice of redemptive-historical preaching (which is nothing more than tracing out the progressive revelation of Christ in Scripture) and the perspicuity of Scripture. I just wrote a piece for Mod-Ref that will appear in a few months on this very topic. 

As for the perspicuity of Scripture:

Luke 24, 2 Cor 1, 1 Cor 10, John 5-8, 1 Pet 1, and all of the book of Hebrews all read the Hebrew Scriptures redemptive-historically. They all see God the Son revealed throughout Scripture and finally revealed in the last days (HC 19) in the Father's well-beloved Son. These passages do not treat the progressive revelation of God the Son as a gnostic secret. It's true that some folks do make a practice of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, but that's not essential to good redemptive-historical preaching. Read Ed Clowney. Read Vos' chapel talks. Read Poythress book on Christ in Moses. 

rsc


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## Blue Tick (Oct 31, 2006)

So the best way to describe redemtive historical interpretation is tracing the progressive revelation of Christ in Scripture?


Thank you Dr. Clark!

John


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## R. Scott Clark (Oct 31, 2006)

Yes, in the main.

There are other layers, if you will, of things to be considered. Heb 11 speaks of believers before the incarnation seeking the "heavenly city" whose builder and maker is God. See also Gal 4. There is an important eschatological aspect to progressive revelation, i.e., it becomes progressively clearer in Scripture that the Kingdom is not really an earthly theocracy, that Israel is only a pale shadow of the heavenly reality. 

There are other threads of revelation, e.g., the progressive revelation of the Trinity. God is revealed as multi-personal, then tri-personal. 

Throughout redemptive history, however, the Son has ever been the Mediator. He's never not been the Mediator.

Blessings,

rsc



Blue Tick said:


> So the best way to describe redemtive historical interpretation is tracing the progressive revelation of Christ in Scripture?
> 
> 
> Thank you Dr. Clark!
> ...


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## Scott (Nov 1, 2006)

Dr Clark: What are the best resources to read about this school of thought? Thanks


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## R. Scott Clark (Nov 1, 2006)

Ed Clowney's Preaching Christ in All of Scripture is a good start.

From an old thread:


> One of the simplest and clearest books on the unity of the covenant of grace is Derke Bergsma's Redemption: The Triumph of God's Great Plan (Chicago: Redeemer Books).
> 
> He traces the unity of the covenant of grace in 500 year epochs (Abraham to Moses to David, Return, Christ) 2000 BC->1500 BC ->1000 BC ->500 BC ->0. It was written for high school students.



From there go to Vos' Biblical Theology and then his Shorter Writings and the Pauline Eschatology and then OT Eschatology.

That should get you going.

rsc





Scott said:


> Dr Clark: What are the best resources to read about this school of thought? Thanks


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## Scott (Nov 7, 2006)

Thanks. I just ordered the Clowney and Derke books through ILL. Are you familiar with J.G. Vos' Genesis? I wonder if it is good redemptive historical material.


Scott


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