Book Review: And He Dwelt Among Us by A.W. Tozer
And He Dwelt Among Us.
By A.W. Tozer. Bloomington, MI, 2009, 218pp. $14.99.
This work
is a collection of sermons written by Dr. Tozer concerning the Gospel of John
(p. 7). Since this work is a collection of Tozer's sermons that James Snyder
compiled, it can be challenging to find one predominant thesis statement in
this work. However, Tozer argues that the Apostle John raises the believer up
into "the mystery of God'' and into realms "impossible for us to
follow” (p. 77). Tozer adopts John’s aim as his own and points believers to a
transcendent God who revealed Himself “in” Christ and “as” Christ (p. 211-212).
Tozer was a
minister in the Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1919 to 1963. In other
words, Tozer ministered before central heat (p. 215), and some of his
terminologies might seem out of place for modern sensitivities (p. 131).
However, for the modern believer, this book would work well in a small group
setting for community discussion. The sermons are not traditional analytical
expositions of the Gospel of John. However, Tozer does occasionally mine some
exegetical gems using prepositions and grammatical analysis (p. 37-38; 82;
211-212). This collection of sermons is more devotional in nature and rightly
returns the reader to theological truths concerning God’s attributes.
Surprisingly,
Tozer offers several apologetic concepts (p. 38-39; 56-57; 62-63) and
evangelistic considerations, like man’s “deep-seated restlessness” that aches
for God. Tozer explains that God is self-sufficient, self-existent (p. 32-33),
omnipresent (p. 39), unchanging (p. 213), and Holy (p. 214). Tozer explains the
perfect harmony between the Trinity (p. 140) and the hypostatic union of Christ
(p. 145). Throughout the work, Tozer regularly drives the reader to Christ's
atoning death on the cross (p. 180). Tozer cautions us against spiritual
boredom (p. 10-11; 128) that might blind us from seeing the weighty truth that
“I mean something to God” (p. 109).
Analysis: Tozer’s Apologetic
Throughout the book, Tozer goes
on the offense and attempts to reclaim words used by various religions or
philosophies. Tozer argues that Paul presents “Christ in a theological setting,”
and John presents Jesus in a “mystical setting” (p. 15). Tozer explains that
John uses theology to “climb to the heights of Christ’s nature” (p. 15). Tozer
redefines “mystical” as an in-depth analysis of the “unique nature of Christ''
(p. 15).
Tozer also reclaims “clairvoyance”
and defines it as “clear sight,” “perfect visibility,” and “unending seeing”
without disruption (p. 146). Tozer then rightly explains that “no one sees
clearly, but the Son" (p. 146). Tozer is aware that each of these words
carries baggage from secular sources full of ideas contrary to the Christian
worldview. As a general practice, using words with anti-Christian implications
is not efficient and can cause division. However, Tozer provides careful nuances
to his usage of these “reclaimed” words and defines the words in a correct
light. Tozer’s nuances provide modern believers in a social media age a fitting
example. Modern believers should follow Tozer by providing careful nuance to
discussions in order to avoid division and the consequences of ambiguous
language.
Tozer offers several apologetic and
evangelistic tools throughout his book that deserve consideration. The first
apologetic that the reader is faced with is in the form of a question, “Where
does God come from” (p. 38). Here, Tozer explains that the question is
illogical due to the preposition “from” (p. 38). God is omnipresent or
everywhere (Ps. 139:7-12). Therefore, Tozer explains that the preposition
“from” does not apply to an omnipresent God.
To strengthen this apologetic, one
could also explain that “where” and “from” infer a point of origin. Inferring a
point of origin to God, errors in two distinct ways: (1) God was not created
[p. 31, cf. Is. 40:28], (2) God did not enter into time since time began when
God created matter [p. 30, cf. Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8]. Tozer uses a thought
exercise, in which the reader peels back time through removing creation and
history one step at a time. Once this thought exercise is complete, and the
reader has peeled back time, Tozer states, “You are getting to the place where
there is absolutely nothing in existence. But, actually you are only to the
place that precedes time” (p.31). This is how Tozer attempts to elevate created
humans to a point where one can worship a transcended, self-sufficient God who
has no origin.
Another
apologetic that Tozer offers comes from an unlikely observation concerning Congress. Tozer notes that Benjamin Franklin and Congress believe there is a
“divine law” that governs humans (p. 56). From an evolutionary or naturalist
vantage point, ethics or morality is not consistent with the survival of the
fittest model. The animal kingdom lacks morals and ethics. It is far easier in
life to cheat in order to get ahead, but there is a sense of moral wrong ever-present
in the human conscience (Rom. 2:14-15). Morality points to a divine Creator who
sets the standard for what is good and bad.
In a
similar vein, Tozer notes that humans fight their mortality and personal death
(p. 63). In particular, Tozer explains that humanity longs and “hopes for
immortality” (p. 63). Tozer explains that throughout time and every culture, man
has a "deep-seated restlessness" that is deposited within that longs
"for this everlastingness that is only found in God" (p. 18). This is,
once again, a simple apologetic that is based on the fact that there has always
been a belief in God throughout time and throughout various cultures. Tozer
also adds to this apologetic by explaining the ever-present human desire for
everlasting life and questions concerning the afterlife. This is useful to the
modern believer in evangelism, who like the Apostle Paul in Athens, can point
to a God they know and an everlasting life they can obtain through faith in
Christ (Acts 17).
Analysis: Christ’s Nature
Tozer
presents several answers to controversial questions concerning the nature of
Jesus’ divinity and humanity. Tozer presents plausible answers to the conflict
of Jesus’ subordination to the Father and Jesus being forsaken by the Father.
Tozer explains his solutions to these controversial questions concerning
Christology by utilizing the Athanasian Creed. However, in the midst of
offering helpful insight, he presents an unfortunate metaphor that contradicts
his original points.
Tozer
explains the perfect unity in the Trinity (p. 140). Tozer rightly explains that
the Father is equal to the Son and the Son is equal to the Father (p. 141. The
biblical support of this coequal footing between God and Jesus is found in John
10:30, which states, “I and the father are one.” John 14:9 also states,
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (cf. John 10:38, 14:10). Tozer also explains
the subordination of Jesus to God that is recorded in the Gospel of John (p.
141). This subordination of the Son is observed in different ways throughout
the Gospel. John 12:49 states, “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but
the Father who has sent me…” John 14:31 states, “But I do as the Father
commanded me…” Jesus being fully God and fully man, acting in subordination to
Father, presents a challenge and some might perceive it as contradictory.
To answer
this challenge of the God-man being subordinate to the Father, Tozer enlists
the Athanasian Creed (p. 141). The Athanasian Creed states, “Equal to the
Father, as touching His Godhead; and inferior to the Father touching His
Manhood.” In other words, the divine nature of Christ is equal to God, and the
human side of Jesus is subordinate. This is a valid explanation; however, there
may be a simpler explanation. The God-man could simply be functionally
subordinate to the Father and not inferior to the Father. A biblical example of
functional subordination is the complementarian roles in the family between man
and woman.
The
biblical role of leadership in the family primarily falls to the husband, who
is head of the family as ordained by God (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22-33). This
headship of the man in no way implies that the woman is inferior to the man
since they were both created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). In this same
manner, Jesus could functionally be subordinate to God without being inferior.
Nevertheless,
Tozer’s Athanasian Creed solution is helpful in Jesus being forsaken on the
cross. Tozer explains that Jesus and God share an “unbroken” and “unaffected
relationship” (p. 144-145). In other words, Jesus’ unity with the Trinity was
not affected by the incarnation. This concept comes into perceived conflict
when Jesus was on the cross and cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me” (Mat. 27:46). How could Jesus be "forsaken" by God and still maintain perfect unity? To this question, Tozer applies the Athanasian Creed solution.
Jesus’ humanity was "forsaken," but His deity remained in perfect
unity.
However, in
the midst of offering these solutions, Tozer uses a troublesome metaphor of a
divine Jesus covering himself with flesh “overalls” (p. 145). Tozer stretches
this metaphor beyond the biblical example by explaining that Jesus walked among
us "as though He were a man" (p. 145) and that Jesus was
"wearing the common denim of humanity" (p. 145). This metaphor
contradicts Tozer's own teaching concerning Jesus becoming flesh (p. 78-79) and
John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh.”
This metaphor used by Tozer implies
that Jesus was wearing His humanity instead of becoming human. If Jesus was
wearing humanity like “overalls,” then His humanity was something extra or
separate. The Athanasian Creed explains that Jesus is “God and man, yet he is
not two but one Christ” (p. 141). The Nicene Creed (A.D. 325) also states that
Jesus “became truly man.” Jesus grew weary from traveling (John 4:6), Jesus ate
(Luke 24:43), and Jesus became thirsty (John 19:28). Jesus did not “walk as
though he were man.” Jesus was fully man.
Conclusion
Tozer uses
John's Gospel as a road map for proclaiming the mysteries of a transcended God
and the mysteries of the incarnation. The sermons collected in this literary
work are not rigid expositions of John, but rather are devotional paths
constructed by Tozer aimed at raising the believer up into “the mystery of
God'' (p. 77). Tozer encourages believers to feast on the mysteries of God and
forsake “spiritual boredom” (p. 10-11; 128). This book would be useful in small
group settings to promote beneficial conversations concerning the incarnation,
the nature of Christ, and God’s attributes. Tozer also provides helpful apologetic
and evangelistic methods that are relevant for the modern believer. While there
are some quirky metaphors that arise in the subject matter, it reminds the
reader that no man’s theology is perfect and promotes a sense of humility.
Overall, Tozer presents the “mystical” nature of John's Gospel while promoting
devotional contemplation concerning the profound mystery of the "Word
becoming flesh" (John 1:14).
Notes: Here are some informal discussion questions that might be helpful in a group session.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bEQVxc3dYQWy3lO7lIsZEoCSl9E-Er45/view?usp=sharing
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