Or, beware the ellipses.

Steven R. Coxhead, an Old Testament scholar in Australia, has a piece in the current issue of the Westminster Theological Journal that is mind numbingly perplexing. The title gives away the author’s argument: “John Calvin’s Subordinate Doctrine of Justification by Works.” He concludes that although Calvin rejected a view of justification that included faith and works, still Calvin “did teach a doctrine of justification by works that operates on two levels.” For Coxhead, justification by faith alone operates in Calvin on a level of absolute righteousness, while justification by works operates on the level of “God’s gracious covenant.” He adds that those who “deny Calvin taught a subordinate and legitimate doctrine of justification by works have arguably not understood the genius of Calvin’s teaching on this issue.”

Say what?

Could it be that Coxhead has failed to understand Calvin on justification? For instance, he uses this quotation from the Institutes to substantiate his argument:

“Works righteousness . . . depends upon faith and free justification, and is effected by this” and “ought to . . . be subordinated to [faith] . . . as effect to cause.” [17]

Here is the full quotation from Calvin [3.17.10]:

Therefore, as we ourselves, when we have been engrafted in Christ, are righteous in God’s sight because our iniquities are covered by Christian’s sinlessness, so our works are righteous and are thus regarded because whatever fault is otherwise in them is buried in Christ’s purity, and is not charged to our account. Accordingly, we can deservedly say that by faith alone not only we ourselves but our works as well are justified. Now if this works righteousness – whatever its character – depends upon faith and free justification, and is effected by this, it ought to be included under faith and be subordinated to it, so to speak, as effect to cause, so far is it from having any right be raised up to destroy or becloud justification of faith.

Another example of Coxhead’s selectivity comes when he quotes Calvin to say: “it follows from justification of faith that works otherwise impure, unclean, half done, unworthy in God’s sight, not to mention his love, are accounted [i.e., imputed as] righteousness.” [17]

Compare this snippet with the full section in Calvin [3.17.9]:

Now if anyone raises this objection against me to impugn faith righteousness, I shall first ask whether a man is reckoned righteous because of one or two holy works, while he is a transgressor in the remaining works of his life. This is indeed more than absurd. Then I shall inquire whether he is reckoned righteous even on account of many good works if he is in some part indeed found guilty of transgression. He will not dare put forward this contention when the sanction of the law cries out and proclaims accursed all who have not completely fulfilled all the commandments of the law [Deut. 27:26]. I shall inquire still further – whether there be any work that does not deserve to be censured for some impurity or imperfection. And how could there be such work before those eyes, to which not even the stars are clean enough [Job 25:5], nor the angels righteous enough [Job 4:18]? Thus he shall be compelled to admit that no good work exists which is not so defiled both with attendant transgressions and with its own corruption that it cannot bear the honorable name of righteousness. But if, of a certainty, it follows from justification of faith that works otherwise impure, unclean, half done, unworthy of God’s sight, not to mention his love, are accounted righteousness, why do they by boasting of works righteousness try to destroy justification of faith, without whose existence they would boast of such righteousness in vain?

Calvin goes on to say, “Do they wish to spawn a viper’s brood? The statements of the impious tend in this direction. They cannot deny that justification of faith is the beginning, foundation, cause, proof, and substance of works righteousness. Nevertheless, they conclude that man is not justified by faith, because good works are also accounted righteousness.”

It looks like Steven Coxhead, had he read Calvin a bit more carefully, might have seen the viper’s brood that he was spawning in his article by beclouding justification by faith alone. Why those responsible for the WTJ would give a hearing to an Old Testament scholar trying to do historical theology is a mystery. Hasn’t the school had enough trouble of late?