‘Murray’s distinctive… is his careful exegesis of Scripture passages, so that his theological assertions come straight from the Word of God with all the authority which that gives them. His treatment of the order of application of redemption is masterly. . . one of the greatest theological books written in the last hundred years.’– FREE CHURCH WITNESS

Book Description

The value of John Murray’s writing as a theologian has been increasingly recognised in recent years. Here we find the same strong theology, but distilled and expressed for Christian in general rather than for theological students in particular.

Murray deals with the nature and meaning of the death of Christ, and with the way in which the Christian inherits the blessings which flow from it, through regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification and glorification. There is, he says, ‘an unbreakable chain of events proceeding from God’s eternal purpose in foreknowledge and predestination to the glorification of the people of God.’

Ian Hamilton on Redemption: Accomplished and Applied

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Review

• Review by Jeremy Walker

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This volume contains the most important of John Murray’s shorter writings and addresses between the years 1935 and 1973. They have been placed together in this opening volume of his Collected Writings as the best introduction to his thought on wide range of Christian truth. Murray’s belief was that, while the expression of truth ‘may be expanded indefinitely and furnish nourishment for the highest intellects to eternity’, it is also capable of presentation in popular and generally-understood terms. Accordingly, he speaks in these pages not so much to students as to the church at large in this critical century of her history. Such chapters as ‘Some Necessary Emphases in Preaching’, The Power of the Holy Spirit’, and’The Church of Mission’, show how thoroughly he understood the great inadequacies of much contemporary Christianity.

This material (none of which has been previously published in book form) gives the quintessence of the convictions which were characteristic of his mature thought. Their appeal in written form is increased by the pervasive influence of his belief that theology should be ‘shot through with warmth of ardent devotion’. He addresses himself to the needs of both mind and heart, believing that when Scripture is opened there should be both light and heat. His overriding concern is that the Word of God should challenge every area where thinking and living can be shown to be deficient and that the traditions of men should give way to ‘the claims of truth’.

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Although John Murray was teaching theology at Princeton in 1929 such was his slowness to go into print that it was not until the 1950’s that his first books appeared. The reason lay in his high view of the responsibilities of Christian authorship, and even when his works were being acclaimed as ‘exegesis of the highest rank’ he declined the advice of those who urged him to publish his work in systematic theology. Instead, from the store of manuscript material, he was giving close attention to certain themes which had come to possess a special interest for him. The revision of his manuscripts on these themes constituted the greater part of his literary work over the last ten years of his life, with the most beneficial results for the present volume.

Volume 2 of his Collected Writings thus provides virtually John Murray’s own selection from his articles and lectures in systematic theology. In it will be found definitive treatments of subjects upon which, in the judgement of many, he advanced the frontiers of reformed theology and gave fresh elucidation of biblical truth. This is most evident in the chapters on Adamic Administration and Definitive Sanctification, but the seed-thoughts of further insight are also clearly evident in many other places.

The arrangement is in seven sections which deal comprehensively with the themes of Man, Common Grace, Christ and Redemption (2 sections), Sanctification , Church and Sacraments, and the Last Things. To the author’s own selection the publishers have added material from his class lectures. None of the 36 chapters has previously appeared in any of John Murray’s volumes.

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• Definitive and Progressive Sanctification

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Since the publication of volumes one and two of the Collected Writings of John Murray, this third volume in the series has been eagerly awaited. As promised, it contains an extensive account of Murray’s life and the first published collection of his sermons. Added to these are the penetrating and valuable book reviews which he contributed to The Westminster Theological Journal during the period 1939-1953. Iain H. Murray’s biography of John Murray traces his life from his boyhood days in the north of Scotland at the turn of the century, through the First World War (in which he suffered the loss of one eye), his theological training at Princeton and his long ministry as a Seminary Professor in Philadelphia, until his retirement, his return to his native Scotland, and his late marriage and brief period of fatherhood. The biography closes with a moving account of his last days during the early months of 1974.

Preaching was never merely an adjunct to Murray’s work. On the contrary it was, for him, the reason why the teaching of theology exists. By his own example as a preacher he showed how all the great peaks and valleys of divine revelation are intended ‘to lead needy men and women into the riches of God’s counsel’. His sermons, including examples of his brief  ‘table addresses’ given at communion services, exhibit the wonderful balance between profound theology and personal devotion to Christ as Saviour and Lord in which he passionately believed.

As Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary, John Murray reviewed some of the most significant theological works for the Seminary’s Journal. Not only did he provide critiques of many books, but at the same time he engaged in a dialogue with them which evoked his own insights and expositions of biblical truth. This quality gives his reviews (like those of his predecessor in the Princeton tradition, B.B Warfield) a permanent value.

Volume 3 of Murray’s Collected Writings brings to the reader both the story of his life and some of the choicest fruit of his ministry.

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Studies in Theology is the fourth and concluding volume in the Collected Writings of John Murray. Like the preceding volumes it presents a selection of the finest work, produced mainly during his long and distinguished ministry as Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.

Volume 4 includes articles dealing with several areas of doctrine which lay close to Murray’s heart. Among them is the hitherto unpublished work, ‘Jesus, the Son of God’, which is possibly his last piece of theological writing. Its chief characteristic – as with all of Murray’s writings – lies in the way in which the text of Scripture suffuses everything he says. This concern to be thoroughly biblical applied also to his doctrine of Scripture, to Christology, and to his understanding of the proclamation of the gospel and the Christian ethic. Outstanding articles in each of these areas may be found in these pages.

John Murray was a systematic theologian par excellence. But he also wrote several magisterial studies in the area of historical theology. Studies in Theology includes his expositions of Calvin’s teaching on Scripture and Divine Sovereignty, the Theology of the Westminster Confession, and the Covenant Theology. All of these chapters display erudition of the highest quality, and at the same time are seasoned with the humility of mind which was one of John Murray’s greatest spiritual qualities.

Also included in this volume is a collection of Murray’s book reviews which first appeared in The Westminster Theological Journal during the years 1954-1967. Major theological works influence teachers, students, ministers, and eventually the entire Christian church. For this reason Professor Murray’s discussions of the writings of such influential figures as Karl Barth, Emil Brunner and G.C. Berkouwer are of lasting value.

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The post Collected Writings of John Murray appeared first on Banner of Truth UK.

Volume 1 contains the most important of John Murray’s shorter writings and addresses between the years 1935 and 1973. They have been placed together in this opening volume of his Collected Writings as the best introduction to his thought on wide range of Christian truth. Murray’s belief was that, while the expression of truth ‘may be expanded indefinitely and furnish nourishment for the highest intellects to eternity’, it is also capable of presentation in popular and generally-understood terms. Accordingly, he speaks in these pages not so much to students as to the church at large in this critical century of her history. Such chapters as ‘Some Necessary Emphases in Preaching’, ‘The Power of the Holy Spirit’, and ‘The Church of Mission’, show how thoroughly he understood the great inadequacies of much contemporary Christianity.

Volume 2 of his Collected Writings provides virtually John Murray’s own selection from his articles and lectures in systematic theology. In it will be found definitive treatments of subjects upon which, in the judgement of many, he advanced the frontiers of reformed theology and gave fresh elucidation of biblical truth. This is most evident in the chapters on Adamic Administration and Definitive Sanctification, but the seed-thoughts of further insight are also clearly evident in many other places.

The arrangement is in seven sections which deal comprehensively with the themes of Man, Common Grace, Christ and Redemption (2 sections), Sanctification , Church and Sacraments, and the Last Things. To the authors own selection the publishers have added material from his class lectures. None of the 36 chapters has previously appeared in any of John Murray’s volumes.

Volume 3 of Murray’s Collected Writings brings to the reader both the story of his life and some of the choicest fruit of his ministry. Since the publication of volumes one and two of the Collected Writings of John Murray, this third volume in the series has been eagerly awaited. As promised, it contains an extensive account of Murray’s life and the first published collection of his sermons. Added to these are the penetrating and valuable book reviews which he contributed to The Westminster Theological Journal during the period 1939-1953. Iain H. Murray’s biography of John Murray traces his life from his boyhood days in the north of Scotland at the turn of the century, through the First World War (in which he suffered the loss of one eye), his theological training at Princeton and his long ministry as a Seminary Professor in Philadelphia, until his retirement, his return to his native Scotland, and his late marriage and brief period of fatherhood. The biography closes with a moving account of his last days during the early months of 1974.

Volume 4, Studies in Theology, is the concluding volume in the Collected Writings of John Murray. Like the preceding volumes it presents a selection of the finest work, produced mainly during his long and distinguished ministry as Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Volume 4 includes articles dealing with several areas of doctrine which lay close to Murray’s heart. Among them is the hitherto unpublished work, ‘Jesus, the Son of God’, which is possibly his last piece of theological writing. Its chief characteristic – as with all of Murray’s writings – lies in the way in which the text of Scripture suffuses everything he says. This concern to be thoroughly biblical applied also to his doctrine of Scripture, to Christology, and to his understanding of the proclamation of the gospel and the Christian ethic. Outstanding articles in each of these areas may be found in these pages.

Banner Trustees Discuss The Collected Writings of John Murray

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What is God’s attitude towards those who hear the Gospel? Does God desire the salvation of all? In this careful and scholarly work, John Murray (1898 – 1975), formerly Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary, surveys the biblical evidence. He shows how the offer of Christ in the gospel demonstrates an ardent desire in the heart of God that all who hear should possess Christ and enjoy the salvation that is in him.

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