J.H. Heidegger's Corpus of Christian Theology: The Style of Theology

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63.  Digression concerning the Style of Theology.

This locus requires us to say a few things concerning the style of Theology.  In general, clarity, simplicity, and candor of all speech, but especially of sacred speech, pertaining to the learned and to the unlearned alike, are the chief and absolutely necessary virtues and only real ornament.  The testimony of Jehovah is certain, making wise the simple…the commandment of Jehovah is ‎בָּרָה/pure/clear, enlightening the eyes, Psalm 19:7, 8.  Just as God is the Teacher and instructor, perfectly ἁπλοῦς καὶ εἰλικρινὴς, simple and sincere, 2 Corinthians 1:12;[1] so ἁπλότης καὶ εἰλικρίνεια, simplicity and sincerity, ought likewise to be in speech concerning God.  The heart of the one wisely understanding governeth his mouth, and addeth discipline/learning to his lips, and maketh his words pleasant like the honeycomb, matter sweet to the soul, and health to the bones, Proverbs 16:23, 24.  But words of this sort undoubtedly are those that the Holy Spirit Himself dictates to us in His word, which the Apostle commands, 2 Timothy 1:13, to be the ὑποτύπωσιν ὑγιαινόντων λόγων, form/pattern of sound words, in opposition to νοσηροὺς/unhealthy words, 1 Timothy 6:4,[2] and those spreading after the likeness of a canker/gangrene, 2 Timothy 2:17.[3]  Those things freely given by God, we speak, not (ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις) in the words taught by human wisdom; but (ἐν διδακτοῖς Πνεύματος Ἁγίου) taught by the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 13.  Therefore, so that the Gospel of Christ might be received by the consciences of men without scruple and doubt, it is not able to be delivered and taught in better and wiser words than those of the Holy Spirit; and no one ought to be such a vain and self-deluded orator, that he might wish to set forth to the public view of the Church the mystery of Christ in words more apt, and in a habit more august, than that in which the Holy Spirit has dressed it.  The wiser the Preacher was, the more he taught Wisdom to the people….  He sought to find ‎דִּבְרֵי־חֵפֶץ, words of pleasure, and uprightness described, words of truth, for the words of the Wise are ‎כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹת וּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹת נְטוּעִ֖ים, as goads (efficacious in moving hearts, and exciting to every good work), and as nails fastened, and securing raftering (having the force of retaining the Church in one sense, just as nails driven into beams join the parts of a structure, and do not allow it to gape), by one Shepherd, even Christ (who for this reason is called κατ᾽ ἐξοχὴν, pre-eminently, ‎הַמְדַבֵּר, He that doth speak, Isaiah 52:6), given, Ecclesiastes 12:9-11.  To the same pertains the grave admonition of the Apostle, 1 Timothy 6:20, O Timothy, keep the deposit, ἐκτρεπόμενος τὰς βεβήλους κενοφωνίας, avoiding profane inanities of words (terms, which, receding from the sound speech of the Holy Spirit, are nothing but words, like the sounds of a jackdaw or magpie), and ἀντιθέσεις τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως, oppositions, or substitutions in the place of the words and doctrines of the Holy Spirit, of science falsely so called, of which sort is that which does not consent to the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, neither according to godliness, 1 Timothy 6:3.  But if men relating the testimony of another religiously adhere to the very words of his testimony, lest they appear injurious to the witness; how great should the care of the preacher of the עֵדוּת/testimony, indeed of the Divine Testament, be in applying himself to this, that he might make use of the same words of the witness, as far as he is able, so that thus the words of the God testifying and the man relating might harmoniously agree?

64.  The extent to which a pious use of human terms is able to have place.

Yet we do not therefore insist, that it is altogether unlawful to make use of words other than those of Scripture.  For a pious and sober use of our terms, whether that makes for the exegesis of the Divine testimony; or the equivalent of the words of God; and demonstrate the consequences of the things revealed in them; or open the enigmas of the Holy Spirit; or apply the Prophecies to their fulfillments, the types to their truth, all things to faith and holiness of life; or ought to be applied to expose the wickedness of heretics, twisting the sense of the words of Scripture:  appears to be equally innocent and holy, and the very thought, wherewith we apprehend or express the same mind of the Holy Spirit.  But this we urge, when the words of the Holy Spirit are sufficient, rather to make use of, and become familiar with, those than human words, as far as it can be done, in the very style of Scripture; but that, when human words are employed, care is to be taken, lest they add to, or detract from, still less pervert the sense of, the revelation speaking concerning the same matters:  let not the terms and distinctions, of which the Philosophers make use in defining natural things, be rashly applied to supernatural things:  let not the human phrases and words be of ambiguous signification, and suited to error:  let them not be more obscure than the things themselves that are taught in Scripture, lest they be preferred to the expressions of Scripture, that is, in such a way that, with the latter omitted, the former are substituted as of greater significance and ἐνεργέστεραι, more powerful; which would be nothing other than openly to charge the Holy Spirit, who certainly speaks most wisely and suitably concerning these matters, with ignorance and ἀπαιδευσίας, a lack of refinement.

[1] 2 Corinthians 1:12:  “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity (ἐν ἁπλότητι καὶ εἰλικρινείᾳ Θεοῦ), not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”

[2] 1 Timothy 6:4:  “He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting (νοσῶν, having a morbid fascination) about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings…”

[3] 2 Timothy 2:17a:  “And their word will eat as doth a canker (ὡς γάγγραινα νομὴν ἕξει, will have a spreading like a gangrene)…”