Michael Horton has written a massive two-volume work called Justification that belongs to the “New Studies in Dogmatics” series published by Zondervan. This is an absolutely crucial work that scholars will need to interact with for a very long time. The two volumes cover an amazing amount of territory, offering an exhaustive treatment of the topic.
This post may contain affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, we may receive a small commission if you purchase through our links. Thank you for supporting this ministry!
Justification (Volume 1)
In volume one, Horton “explores justification from the patriotic era to the Reformation under the broader rubric of the ‘great exchange.’ In doing this he provides a map for contemporary discussions of justification, identifying and engaging his interlocutors from Origen to the magisterial Reformers.”
Horton takes 12 chapters and nearly 400 pages to lay the historical and theological foundation. In this volume, Horton turns to Chrysostom, Origen, Augustine, Lombard and Aquinas, Ockham, etc., as well as the Reformers, to look at justification to gain a historical perspective. He also spends a lot of time discussing law and Gospel and how they relate to the doctrine of justification.
Justification (Volume 2)
In volume two, Horton turns to the biblical doctrine of justification via biblical exegesis. “Here he takes up the topic of justification from biblical-theological, exegetical, and systematic-theological vantage points, engaging significantly with contemporary debates in biblica—especially Pauline—scholarship.”
In this volume, Horton examines justification in light of the larger biblical doctrine of union with Christ. Volume two is larger, coming in at just over 500 pages. It is divided into four sections:
- The Horizon of Justification
- The Achievement of Justification
- The Gift of Righteousness
- Receiving Justification
Sections three and four were particularly exciting to read as they dealt with topics such as the meaning of justification, imputation, the role of works in the day of Christ Jesus, and union with Christ.
Highlights of Justification
Apart from this simply being a magnificent accomplishment by a superb scholar, here are some aspects of this 2-volume set that I really appreciate:
- Horton writes in such a clear, easy to understand manner
- He deals at great length throughout the work with N.T. Wright and the New Perspective on Paul (which is good due to Wright’s popularity and influence on the church)
- Loved the historical teaching on the topic
- Horton is an amazing exegete and proves to be able to rightly handle the Word of God
- Deals at length with Rome and their teaching
- Exhaustive treatment in one set
This volume is phenomenal! If you love the topic of justification (and if you are a Christian, then you certainly should!), then you must read these books. They are incredibly helpful and saturated with biblical/theological teaching on this very important topic. I can’t recommend this set enough!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Zondervan Academic for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Other Book Reviews in the “New Studies in Dogmatics” Series:
Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
Leave a Reply