The Mysteries of Christianity, Revealed Truths Expounded and Defended, by T J Crawford, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, hardback, 347 pages, £15.50, obtainable from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
Crawford (1812-1875) is now largely forgotten except perhaps for his controversy with Free Church of Scotland minister R S Candlish over the latter’s book The Fatherhood of God. Principal John Macleod calls Crawford’s answer to Candlish “one of the most important contributions to the literature” on this subject. Crawford stayed in the Church of Scotland at the Disruption, becoming Professor of Theology in Edinburgh University in 1860. Yet he is described by Principal Macleod as “a sound and able theologian”, and the book under review demonstrates the truth of his comment. This volume, first published in 1874, preserves the material originally given as a set of public lectures.
The word mystery is used in Scripture to mean a truth that we could not know unless it was revealed from heaven. However, Crawford points out that he uses the word to refer to “some matter pertaining to the divine character or procedure which, even when revealed, is not fully comprehensible by us; something which is only revealed to us in part, and which, so far as it is revealed, transcends the limits of human knowledge” (p 2).
The first five lectures provide a general discussion of the mysteries of Christianity; this is the more difficult part of the book. Among other issues, Crawford speaks of the problems that arise in our understanding of various doctrines because of the limited extent to which they are revealed, and insists that “it is necessary to take into account the professed aim and object of the Christian revelation”. He explains that it is not “the avowed aim of Christianity to give us a full and thorough comprehension of the attributes, plans and doings of the Almighty, and to leave nothing untold or unexplained concerning them which men of a speculative or inquisitive spirit might wish to know”.
He states further: “The grand design of Christianity was not to raise up a race of speculative philosophers, but to redeem and regenerate a race of sinners; to save men from the guilt and misery of a fallen state” (p 72).
Again the author points out that “the Bible does not profess or undertake to remove all mystery from the subjects of which it treats. . . . the Scriptures expressly teach us that the knowledge of God is ‘too wonderful for us,’ and so ‘high that we cannot attain to it,’ that ‘we cannot find out the Almighty to perfection’ . . . and that ‘secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever’”. Thus “we are warranted to conclude that whatever knowledge the Bible has withheld from us, pertaining to the reasons or explanations of its great truths, is probably such as our finite minds are for the present incapable of receiving” (p 73,74).
Crawford further reminds us that the doctrines of Christianity are more mysterious than they would otherwise have been, because of “the darkening and perverting influence of sin, by which the minds of fallen men are incapacitated for rightly discerning and appreciating spiritual things” (p 112). Having referred to the inability of the natural man to “receive or discern the things of the Spirit of God”, he asserts that “it would be matter of just reproach to a system of religion professing to be divinely revealed, if its doctrines were not in any respects mysterious due to the bleared or jaundiced vision of the carnal mind” (p 121).
Lectures 6-11 deal with five individual doctrines: the Trinity, the Person of Christ, the atonement, the work of the Holy Spirit and the purposes of God (the last of these doctrines occupying two lectures). In discussing the first of these, the author explains what is meant by the doctrine and states some of the Scripture evidence for it, before going on to refute some of the errors that have been put forward. He concludes that the doctrine “is above our reason”. Thus our powers of reasoning are incapable “of proving that it is contrary to reason” (p 151); the human mind is too limited.
This section of the book is extremely helpful in showing how we are to view such doctrines as are listed above. We should realise that these doctrines, in particular, have been revealed by God Himself, that we are to submit to the revelation and not submit them to the judgement of our own fallible, sinful minds. We ought to be thankful that God has condescended to give a revelation which is sufficient to guide us safely through this world and to bring us to the blessedness of heaven at last. Would that the theologians of the late nineteenth century had listened to Crawford!
In the final Lecture, the author provides “Cautions Against Prying into Matters Which Are Unrevealed”. He points out that it was the constant practice of Christ “to turn away the thoughts of His disciples from matters of a merely speculative nature to the great principles of the Christian faith and Christian duty” and he cites, as an example, the question, “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (pp 285-6). Again: “We have no right or reason to seek a higher knowledge of religious truths than God has given us” (p 295). After quoting Jesus’ question, “What is that to thee?” Crawford asks, “What real advantage can you derive” from “seeking a farther insight into divine mysteries than God has been pleased to give you in His Word?” (p 297).
In conclusion, Crawford draws attention to the fact that “religion is to every man a matter of personal concern” and a matter “of personal duty”. So he reminds the reader of the Saviour’s words, “What is that to thee? Follow thou Me.” Therefore “instead of searching into things that are beyond our reach, let us ponder well the weighty instructions and comply with the plain directions of the Saviour” (pp 301-3). The quotations given in this review are intended, not only to give something of the flavour of the book, but also to be profitable – teaching us, to some extent, the attitude we should have to the doctrines of Scripture.
This is a somewhat unusual book; parts of it are rather demanding; but it should be very useful in directing its readers away from arguing with God, and His revelation to mankind, towards submission to the form in which He has given that revelation and the extent of it. The republication of this volume is to be welcomed, especially at a time when it is far too readily, and falsely, assumed that the Bible has nothing to offer to the people of the twenty-first century. God still speaks authoritatively through His Word.