Introduction to Redemptive-Historical Preaching

Today, I’d like to introduce a short series on redemptive-historical preaching from the Old Testament, a genre of preaching that focuses on Christ as the end of redemptive history, as someone whom all redemptive history was pointing towards.

Definition of “redemptive-historical preaching”
By linking Old Testament redemptive events to Christ’s first and second comings, redemptive-historical preaching emphasizes how Christ is the destiny and climax of Old Testament history, the one that everything else was preparatory for. 

While reformed theologians have always viewed Christ as the destiny and climax of Old Testament history, and reformed preachers have always attempted to incorporate this fact into their preaching, the idea of this becoming the sum and substance of Old Testament preaching is a relatively recent development. It came to prominence in the Reformed churches in the Netherlands in the early part of the 20th century, as an over-reaction to what was called “exemplarist” preaching – preaching in which the lives of Old Testament characters were set forth as examples (or anti-examples) of how a Christian should (or shouldn’t) live. 

Redemptive-historical preachers assert that God did not give the Old Testament narratives to set forth moral examples, but rather to reveal the coming Messiah in prophecies, types and shadows. They propose that Old Testament narratives should be understood at three levels – personal history, national history, and redemptive history. In other words, the personal history must be seen as part of the greater story of Israel’s national history, which, in turn, is part of the even greater story of redemptive history.  

Defense of “redemptive-historical preaching”
Advocates of redemptive-historical preaching point to a number of New Testament texts to support their practice. For example, it has been argued that the opening words of the New Testament are an example of redemptive-historical preaching. Matthew began his gospel with a genealogy of the Messiah that encompassed the whole of Old Testament redemptive history. Matthew’s emphasis on King David and Abraham, set Christ forth as the one promised to and through both David and Abraham. A prominent advocate of redemptive-historical preaching, Sidney Greidanus, comments:

Luke also included a genealogy that traced Christ’s roots all the way back to Adam, the son of God (Luke 3:23-38).

Further, Paul preached Christ from redemptive history in Romans (1:1-3) and in Galatians (3:24; 4:4-5). In these and in other texts, says Greidanus, Paul “uses redemptive-historical progression as a way of preaching Christ.” 

In fact, Paul goes further in his redemptive-historical preaching. He not only uses past redemptive history to preach Christ. Viewing Christ’s first coming as the mid-point of history he also preaches Christ’s future redemptive “history” (Eph. 1:8-10; Rom. 8:21). Greidanus summarizes this historical sweep from past to future:

Demonstration of redemptive-historical preaching
The narrative of David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17) is often used to demonstrate how different redemptive-historical preaching is from exemplarist preaching. Advocates of redemptive-historical preaching criticize the way that exemplarist preachers isolate this narrative from redemptive history by drawing a straight line from David to ourselves, and so present David as an example of heroic faith to be imitated and emulated by us today as we face our own “Goliaths.” In contrast, redemptive-historical preaching finds the meaning of this passage in the context of the whole of redemptive history, as the following example demonstrates (Greidanus, 238-9).

Personal history: In the David-Goliath narrative, we find the personal story of young David with a sling and a stone against Goliath, the giant of military experience and success. By stopping Biblical interpretation at this point and proceeding straight to application by way of inspiring example, exemplarist preaching misrepresents the biblical author’s intention with this passage – so say the redemptive historical advocates. They argue that we must go on to the second and third levels of interpretation

National history: The second level is to see this personal story as part of Israel’s story. The author is teaching Israel that their national deliverance and safety in the Promised Land is only secured by God’s anointed King (1 Samuel 16).

Redemptive history: The climactic question is, “What does this story mean in the whole of redemptive history?” The key is to see David’s victory not as a result of his own strength, weapons, or skill, but because God fought for Israel (1 Sam. 17:45-47). This theme helps us find the highway of redemptive history, which leads from Genesis 3:15 to Jesus’ victory over Satan. The personal and national battle is thereby transformed into a momentous chapter in the cosmic spiritual and redemptive battle that climaxes in Christ’s victory over Satan initially at the cross and ultimately at Christ’s second coming when He shall judge Satan and condemn him to the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 20:10). But, what about application? Greidanus replies:

Tomorrow, we will look at the commendable desires and aims of redemptive-historical preaching. Then we will look at some of the dangers. Lastly, we shall look at how the Puritan version of redemptive-historical preaching, especially as found in the writings of Jonathan Edwards, is distinguished from the modern version.