Table Of ContentPLUNDERING THE
EGYPTIANS
The Old Testament and Historical Criticism at
Westminster Thelogical Seminary (1929-1998)
JohnJ. Yeo
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DEDICATION
To my parents, Woon Se Yeo (father) and In Hee Yeo (mother),
with much love, honor, and affection.
:1~l~,, "~.!;11 1~~1 1,:;1~-n~tp~
(Proverbs 23:25)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix
Chapter One: INTRODUCTION
Chapter Two: OLD PRINCETON RED/VIVUS 7
2.1 Robert Dick Wilson: Life and Background 8
2.2 The Writings of Robert Dick Wilson 13
2.2.1 Wilson's Methodological Approach 15
2.2.2 The Typical Format of Wilson's Work 16
2.3 Scottish Common Sense Realism and the Evidential Method 16
2.4 Wilson's Traditional Defense of the Pentateuch 17
2.4.1 Evidences that Moses Authored the Pentateuch 18
2.4.2 Wilson's Arguments Against Pentateuchal Criticism 22
2.5 Wilson's Defense of the Book of Daniel 29
2.5.1 S.R. Driver's Critical Arguments for a Late Date of Daniel 30
2.5.2 Wilson's Refutation of Driver on the Book of Daniel 33
2.6 Wilson's Position Regarding Daniel's Place in the Hebrew Canon 41
2.7 Wilson's Position Regarding Daniel as Prophecy and History 45
2.7.1 Wilson's View of Darius the Mede as Gubaru/Gobryas 47
2.8 Wilson's Contributions 49
Chapter Three: TOEING THE LINE 93
3.1 Edward Joseph Young: Life and Background 94
3.2 The Writings of Edward J. Young 98
3.2.1 Semitic Grammars 99
3.2.2 Young and Wilson's Writings: Similarities and Dissimilarities 100
3.2.3 Young's Unique Approach 102
3.2.4 Young's Battle Against Neo-Orthodoxy 104
3.2.5 Young's Design of Old Testament Theology 110
3.2.6 Young's Traditional Defense of the Pentateuch 116
3.2.7 Young's Interpretation of Genesis One 120
3.2.8 Young's Stance on Isaiah 135
3.3 Young's Contributions 149
Chapter Four: A CHANGING OF THE GUARDS 207
4.1 Raymond Bryan Dillard 208
vi Table of Contents
4.2 Plundering the Egyptians, Common Grace and Van Til's Antithesis 209
4.3 Dillard's Work on 2 Chronicles 212
4.3.1 Dillard's View of the Chronicler and Redaction Criticism 214
4.3.2 Dillard's Approach Toward Harmonization 216
4.3.3 Dillard's Advocacy of Genre Criticism 218
4.4 Tremper Longman III 219
4.5 Longman's Work on Literary Approaches 220
4.5.1 Longman's Literary Studies in Context 222
4.5.2 Longman's Literary Approach to Biblical Interpretation 223
4.6 Dillard and Longman's Views on the Old Testament 225
4.6.1 Genesis (Pentateuch) 226
4.6.2 Isaiah 232
4.6.3 Daniel 239
4.7 Dillard and Longman's Contributions 241
Chapter Five: CONCLUSION 279
5.1 Issues of Continuity 279
5.2 From Anti-Criticism to Criticism: Foe Becomes Friend 279
5.3 A Reappraisal of Philosophy and Tradition 282
5.4 Shifting Theology 284
5.5 Westminster and Beyond 288
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 295
INDEX 315
PREFACE
This book is a revised version of my doctoral dissertation which was
originally presented to the faculty of the Toronto School of Theology,
University of St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto in the fall of
2007. The topic for this study came about as a result of my interests in the study
of the Old Testament from an evangelical and Reformed perspective. The
pioneers of American Reformed Old Testament scholarship hailed
predominantly from Princeton Theological Seminary from 1812 to 1929. Dr.
Marion Ann Taylor, who served as my thesis advisor, is the only Old Testament
specialist to write a full-scale monograph on the Old Testament faculty at the
Old Princeton School. With her encouragement, Dr. Taylor and I decided that I
should trace the Old Princetonian trajectory into Westminster Theological
Seminary which was founded after Princeton's controversial reorganization in
1929. The subject matter stirred my interest because of Westminster's influence
upon evangelical Old Testament scholarship and because it was personally
relevant to the questions I faced regarding the interaction between Christian
faith and the historical-critical study of the Old Testament. In the process of
research and writing, what became exceptionally clear was that the Westminster
scholars combined first-rate scholarship with sincere Christian faith without
compromising one for the other. It is my hope that we in the ever-increasing
"post-conservative evangelical" period of Christian scholarship would return to
their exemplary faithfulness and reverential ethos.
My research for this work began in earnest in 2003, two years before the
controversy began at Westminster Theological Seminary surrounding Dr. Peter
Enos' controversial book, Inspiration and Incarnation (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 2005) and his subsequent departure. I have purposely not
commented on Eons' work due to my original intent to cover only those
pertinent scholars who were not currently teaching at Westminster during the
time of research and writing. Without wanting to sound cliche, my hope is that
this present study will help shed light and not heat upon the current discussion
especially with respect to the important changes that took place in the
scholarship of the Old Testament faculty that immediately preceded Enos. I have
included the relevant literature which has appeared since the completion of my
original dissertation in 2007. The recent publications, in my estimation, do not
necessitate significant changes in the overall scope and outlook of this work.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It is my distinct privilege to take this opportunity to sincerely thank and
recognize the following people who have helped to make this book a reality.
I would like to thank Dr. Marion Ann Taylor for her encouragement and
valuable input throughout the research and writing of this study. Her tireless
assistance as a "dialogue partner" was indispensable to the outcome of this
study. I would also like to express my gratitude to the staff at the archives of the
Speer Library at Princeton Theological Seminary; archivist, Mr. Wayne
Sparkman, at the Presbyterian Church in America Historical Center; and
especially, archivist, Ms. Grace Mullen, at the Montgomery Library at
Westminster Theological Seminary. It is not an overstatement when I say that
Ms. Mullen assisted me in every way possible to provide the necessary research
materials for this present work. ·
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Dr. lain M. Duguid, Dr.
D.G. Hart, Dr. Stephen T. Hague, Dr. J.V. Fesko, and Dr. Brian P. Irwin. Their
invaluable interaction brought greater clarity and focus to this work. All of the
deficiencies that remain are mine. A word of thanks is extended to the faculty,
staff, and students of Reformed Theological Seminary, Atlanta. In particular, I
would like to recognize and thank Mr. John T. Sowell, Dr. Bruce A. Lowe, and
Mr. Jonathan Stuckert for their authentic comraderie.
To Simon and Samuel Yeo, my brothers, I express my thanks for their
enduring support and encouragement. To my wife, Junna, words are insufficient
to convey my love and gratitude for the way she has lovingly and faithfully
stood by me throughout my studies and especially in the publication of this
book. Indeed, I have found a good wife in Junna and have obtained favor from
the Lord (Prov. 18:22). To Grace and Andrew, our two young children, I give
my thanks for their patience and for being a constant source of love and joy to
me. To my parents, Dr. Woon Se Yeo and Mrs. In Hee Yeo, I am grateful for
their unconditional love and support as well as their much appreciated wisdom
throughout the years. They have given me a multitude of gifts and blessings that
I could never repay. It is to them that this book is warmly dedicated. S.D. G.
John J. Yeo
Roswell, Georgia
September 2009
