The Substance of the Mosaic Covenant as essentially a Covenant of Grace

Dr. Camden Bucey:
Now we come to offerings, gifts, and sacrifices. Vos says (here on page 157) that the general category under which sacrifices are subsumed is that of “qorban” or offering -- literally that which is brought near or that of "mattenoth qodesh", or Gifts of Holiness. How helpful is that? Is it very descriptive, and what does this classification mean for us and for how we typically consider or qualify this section of the Mosaic law?

Dr. Lane Tipton:
Well, I think it’s very interesting that Geerhardus Vos once again is going to give us insight that enriches and challenges some preconceptions we might have. Let me put it this way: he tells us, first-off, that sacrifice is a more specific category than offering. Offering is genus, sacrifice is a species of an offering. And as you pointed out, "qorban" (offering) literally means “that which is brought near”. Now that means that the essential idea of an offering is bringing something in proximity to God, bringing something near to God. So you have that concept beginning to control “sacrifice”. Thus if sacrifice is an aspect of offering, and an offering is something that draws you near to God, then a sacrifice by extension is going to be something that when offered gains nearness to God, brings you into proximity with God.

So it's a helpful point here because when most people think about sacrifice, here's what they think about... they think about a penal substitution, an offering in the place of another that satisfies wrath (think of propitiation), removes guilt and sin (expiation), and while that is a facet of sacrifice, Vos is making explicit here that there is a deeper underlying idea behind sacrifice --and that’s going to ultimately ‘being brought into the presence of God’, being brought near to God by means of sacrifice.

Camden, now may I say this -- just to put this in broader context about the approach to God that’s in view here? Is that OK?

We're here on page 157, and Vos is once again saying the first word out of our mouths, when they're talking about offerings gifts, and sacrifices, is 'being brought near to God'. Why is he saying that? Well remember this -- forensic benefits, renovative benefits, and anything else that you bring into view in a Redemptive Covenant -- all of those benefits, whether they’re acts of God, works of God, they are subsumed under the more basic category of fellowship with God, life in Covenant with God, a reciprocal, vital, life flowing into life in a bond of fellowship.

Here's what I want our listeners to remember: there are two fundamental ways in Covenant history to gain proximity to God. You can gain it by means of a Covenant of Works, where natural concreated features in Adam qualify that approach to God. Adam does not have Redemptive Grace when he is put in the Garden of Eden. Nonetheless, he is created in Covenant with God, and that Covenantal fellowship is designed to consummate in a bond of communion that is ineffably sublime, pending perfect, personal, exact, and entire obedience. Likewise, after the fall, Jesus, in his approach to God, does not rely on Redemptive Grace. He is the one who comes from God, assumes a true human nature, and ascends to God as crucified, raised, and ascended. And He brings a people to God in Himself. But for Jesus Himself there is no Redemptive Grace. Now, that means that both Adam and Jesus, when they're moving toward proximity to God, they are under or executing a Covenant of Works.

In this instance with Israel, the nearness, the proximity, is something that is affected by a substitute under a Covenant of Grace. That is, the form of nearness here in this sacrificial system must be Redemptive in character. There is going to be a redemptive approach that God is taking to Israel that Vos says underlies the whole tenor of the law. And so I simply want to say this: the mode by which God is drawing near to Israel, and the mode by which offerings bring people near to God, is Redemptive in character. It cannot be a Covenant of Works because a Covenant of Works deals with non-Redemptive natural features, features con-created in the person. And with Israel, the natural is sinful, and therefore there must be an approach by Redemptive Grace. So that helps us start to approach the Theology of sacrifice. You’re not dealing with a Covenant of Works here. You’re dealing essentially or substantially with a Covenant of Grace by which this communion bond is going to be furthered.


(excerpt from Reformed Forum's 'Vos Group' podcast episode #37 (Offerings, Gifts, and Sacrifices): https://reformedforum.org/podcasts/ctc499/