The Hebrew Prophets - THE Dean of Caius is already
well known as a broadcaster with 3 gift for "getting it across." This book contains chapters on the prophetic writings, the vocation of the prophets, the vocation of the people, religion and righteousness and faith and fulfilment, titles which well describe the contents. The whole offers us study of the character and teaching of the prophets, and shows how the full development of revelation is reached only in Christ. In the planning of the work we are reminded of the late S. A. Cook, whose recent death is so great a loss to Old Testament scholarship. Indeed the book is dedicated to him in reverence and affection.
Mr. Heaton writes brilliantly, and at times reaches great heighN
especially when discussing general subjects. But we miss that Indefinable something which tells us that the writer is absorbed in the literature with which he is dealing. We get the impression that he has closely studied books abcgn the prophets (including _ the EVV), but has not fully " learned and inwardly digested " the text Itself. Points much discussed of late, such as the Covenant and the Hebrew hesed, are admirably expounded, but the treatment of some other terms, e.g. " remnant " and " knowledge," good as far as it goes, is hardly adequate. Few Hebrew scholars would maintain that mishpar and tsedeq are really used as synonyms. Mr. Heaton, too, is bewildered by the various attempts to solve the critical problem of Ezekiel ; he has not faced it for himself. In general, his higher criticism looks as if it were second-hand ; it carries an air of offhand dogmatism which is unusual in writers who have thought the subject out for themselves. (This is a much more serious matter than the curious. arithmetic on pp. 17 and 18.) Occasionally we have a direct misstatement, as when we read that Jer. 36 tells us " that written prophecy was a substitute for direct personal preaching." And in discussing the prophetic attitude to.sacrifice he has hardly given due Weight to Jet-. 7 : 21.
The book, however, has a style which makes it a pleasure to read ; it has the right approach to the modern mind, and it is shot through With spiritual insight. I could wish nothing better than that Mr. Heaton should steep himself in the Hebrew Prophets for twenty years and then give us the results of his labours.
THEODORE H. ROBINSON.
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