Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) E. J. Young: "An Introduction to the Old Testament"

Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.)
Edward J. Young
b. November 29, 1907–
d. February 14, 1968

Young, E.J. An Introduction to the Old Testament.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964.

          It is available at:

http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Old-Testament-Edward-Young/dp/0802803393/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376774951&sr=8-1&keywords=E.J+Young+Introduction+to+the+Old+Testament

Aside from Biblical content itself and gathering the information “under one roof,” are Marcionism and Gnosticism features of 2013?  Movements expressed by different names, but a recrudescence or reappearance of the same?  While many will eschew the question, we will not: is there demonic involvement in the anti-Old Testament movements?

Some notes from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Young in this 432-page volume:

·        It is not a “General,” but a “Special Introduction” with an even more narrow focus on the literary qualities of each book

·        There are no discussions of chronology or archaeology, including the date of the Exodus

·        “There is an immediate need of the Church for knowledge of the contents of the Sacred Scriptures.”  If true at the publication in 1964, the problem in 2013 is magnified.

·        Mr. Young offers a quote from Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) Keil, that old German Lutheran:  a study of the Old Testament “serves to confirm both the theology and the church in the belief in the integrity and authenticity of our canonical books.”

·        Or, again from Mr. Keil: “Yet the great want of our church…is a clear comprehension of the meaning of the Old Testament.”  We here interact with Misters Young, Keil and our current age with these questions: (1) does the spirit of Marcionism, that anti-Old Testament spirit, obtain in 2013? (2) Does Schleiermacher’s Marcionism obtain in American Episcopal contexts? (3) Has the 1979 Book of Common Prayer “air-brushed” substantial segments of the Old Testament from the regimen of readings, arising from the guild of “Cherry Pickers Union?”  (4) Sociologically, what is available in review of actual Old Testament literacy or non-literacy? (5) Is the “spirit of Marcion” a demon inasmuch as the Sovereign Redeemer has taught the “Parable of the Sower” and that the devil comes and snatches away the “Seed” of the Word?  Is Marcionism actually a demonic agent who works his anti-Old Testament agenda during other periods of history?

·        Mr. Young offers a lengthy quote from old Princeton’s divine, Mr. Warfield: the Old Testament is “…divine to the last particle” and has been instrumental to invoke humans to be “awakened, and justified, and sanctified, and glorified.”

·        Mr. Young observes that neo-orthodoxy, an issue for his time but for our time is a passé fad, is a cousin to Kant’s retreat into a world of nouema, that supra historical and supra temporal realm.  We would interact with Mr. Young here:  (1) was neo-orthodoxy and Kant a recrudescence or reappearance of Gnosticism, or, the retreat to another world by “mystical codes for the initiated?” (2) Can we draw connections to Pentecostalistic Montanism and medieval mysticism? (3)  Like Marcionism, is this Gnosticism also a “spirit” or demonic agent as well?  Just another version expressed by a different name and from a different time?

The books contents are as below.

List of abbreviations

Preface

Acknowledgements

     1.      Study of Biblical Introduction

Part One:  The Law of Moses

2.      General Observations

3.      Genesis

4.      Exodus

5.      Leviticus

6.      Numbers

7.      Deuteronomy

8.      Literary Criticism of the Pentateuch

Part Two:  Prophets

9.      Prophets

10.  Joshua

11.  Judges

12.  Books of Samuel

13.  Books of Kings

14.  Isaiah

15.  Jeremiah

16.  Ezekiel

17.  The Twelve Prophets

Part Three:  The Hagiographa

18.  Poetical Books

19.  Psalms

20.  Proverbs

21.  Job

22.  Song of Solomon

23.  Ruth

24.  Lamentations

25.  Ecclesiastes

26.  Esther

27.  Daniel

28.  Ezra-Nehemiah

29.  Book of Chronicles

Bibliography

Index

Questions for our time emerge from studying the Old Testament as indicated above.  They are under review.

We insert here some information from Wikipedia on Mr. Young.

Edward Joseph Young (November 29, 1907– February 14, 1968)^[1] was a Reformed theologian and an Old Testament scholar at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1936 until his death.^[2]

Biography

Young received an A.B. from Stanford University in 1929, a Th.B. (the equivalent of an M.Div.) and a Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1935, and a Ph.D. from Dropsie College in 1943. He was an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) from 1935-36 and then in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church until his death.

Legacy

Allan Harman notes three things about Young's career. He "held unswervingly to a high view of Scripture," he was "deeply read in the literature of his chosen field" and he "dedicated his outstanding gifts to the service of Christ's church and kingdom."^[3]

Young's commentary on the book of Isaiah is one of the finest available in the annals of conservative theological literature. A H.H. Rowley noted, "Professor Young is a scholar who is widely acquainted with views he does not share, and his work is a vade mecum of views that he accepts and rejects; few will not learn from it or fail to find it valuable for consultation." The Evangelical Quarterly commented, "The special value of the book lies in the fullness and depth of the exposition and the erudition of the footnotes...These alone justify its purchase by the layman, the minister, and the student." The book was last published by Eerdman's publishing company in three soft cover volumes.

Publications

• Old Testament Introduction (1949)
• The Prophecy of Daniel (Bible commentary, 1949)
• My Servants the Prophets (1952)
• The Authority of the Old Testament (1953)
• Thy Word is Truth (1957)
• The Book of Isaiah (Bible commentary, 1965-1972)

References

1.      ^ Longman III, Tremper (2007). "Young, E(dward) J(oseph)". In Donald K. McKim. Dictionary of major biblical interpreters (2nd ed.). Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic. pp. 1068–1072. ISBN 9780830829279.

2.      ^ Biography at Westminster Theological Seminary

3.      ^ Allan Harman, "Edward Joseph Young," in Walter A. Elwell and J. D. Weaver (eds.) Bible Interpreters of the 20th Century: A Selection of Evangelical Voices. Grand Rapids, Baker, 1999.