Zane C. Hodges
Encyclopedia
Zane Clark Hodges was an American pastor, seminary professor, and Bible scholar. He was reared in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
, and came to Dallas, Texas
in 1954 after receiving a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College
. He received master of theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary
in 1958. He then taught New Testament Greek and Exegesis (1960–1987) at Dallas Seminary and was also chairman of the New Testament Department. Hodges also served as pastor at Victor Street Bible Chapel, formerly The Old Mission in Dallas, for almost 50 years. Zane Hodges was also the founder and president of Kerugma Ministries.
Some of the views that Hodges is known for include: (1) "Free Grace Theology
," a view which holds that eternal life is received only as a free gift through belief in Jesus Christ for eternal life (a person cannot "lose" their salvation), (2) "Eternal Rewards" a view that various passages in the New Testament are not dealing with eternal salvation but addressing Christians and the opportunity to earn eternal rewards or to caution against their loss and (3) his position on the Majority Text.
presented differing views over the gospel through various books, generally known as the "lordship salvation
" controversy. Hodges defended the Free Grace Theology
position, which teaches that the free gift of eternal life is without cost to the believer, that it comes through simply believing in Jesus Christ. A distinction is recognized between believing (which results in receiving eternal life) and submission to the Lordship of Christ (which is part of the sanctification process). Free Grace also teaches that once a person believes in Jesus Christ, they cannot lose their salvation. MacArthur defended the Reformed view of salvation
, and argued that the faith that saves invariably results in works, and that a true Christian would not continue sinning without remorse but would instead obey God's commands to do the good works that God has. MacArthur viewed Biblical faith as always including the notion to surrender and obey, while Hodges' taught that Biblical faith was the agreement that something is true.
, or “Majority Text”
, is considered by its advocates to be a more accurate rendering of the Greek New Testament
, though the more commonly accepted New Testament text, called the Alexandrian text-type
, which is used in the Nestle-Aland (N/A) text and the United Bible Societies Greek Testament (UBS), is based on more ancient New Testament fragments. Hodges argues:
as a "change of mind", holding instead the view that it is a God fearing decision to turn from sin. "Repentance is the decision to turn from sin to avoid, or bring to an end, God's temporal judgment."(p. 57, Harmony with God) Hodges stresses that repentance facilitates faith in Christ, but is not a condition for eternal salvation, nor is it part of faith itself. "It is one thing to say that repentance facilitates faith in Christ--the Bible teaches that. It is quite another thing to say that repentance is a requirement for eternal life. That the Bible does not teach." (p. 93, Harmony with God)
Initially in Hodges' book Absolutely Free! and later in more detail in his book, Harmony With God Hodges took the position that the process of repentance may be a preparatory step in coming to salvation, and should be evident in the life of a believer, but eternal life is received by believing in Jesus, not by turning from sin. Hodges points out that the gospel of John, the only book of the Bible written to lead the unsaved to Christ never once uses the term "repentance", which is telling given the frequent use of the term "repentance" by the same author in the book of Revelation. In Harmony with God Hodges said there is only one answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” Hodges emphatically stated, “[Paul and Silas'] answer said absolutely nothing about repentance. Instead they gave the famous and simple reply "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).”
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Chambersburg is a borough in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley. Chambersburg is the county seat of Franklin County...
, and came to Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
in 1954 after receiving a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College
Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
. He received master of theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary located in Dallas, Texas. It is known for popularizing the theological system known as Dispensationalism...
in 1958. He then taught New Testament Greek and Exegesis (1960–1987) at Dallas Seminary and was also chairman of the New Testament Department. Hodges also served as pastor at Victor Street Bible Chapel, formerly The Old Mission in Dallas, for almost 50 years. Zane Hodges was also the founder and president of Kerugma Ministries.
Some of the views that Hodges is known for include: (1) "Free Grace Theology
Free Grace theology
Free Grace theology is a soteriological view within Protestantism teaching that everyone receives eternal life the moment they believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. "Lord" refers to the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and therefore able to be their "Savior"...
," a view which holds that eternal life is received only as a free gift through belief in Jesus Christ for eternal life (a person cannot "lose" their salvation), (2) "Eternal Rewards" a view that various passages in the New Testament are not dealing with eternal salvation but addressing Christians and the opportunity to earn eternal rewards or to caution against their loss and (3) his position on the Majority Text.
Free Grace and the Lordship Salvation Controversy
In the 1980s, Hodges and John F. MacArthurJohn F. MacArthur
John Fullerton MacArthur, Jr. is a United States evangelical writer and minister noted for his internationally known and broadcast radio program titled Grace to You...
presented differing views over the gospel through various books, generally known as the "lordship salvation
Lordship salvation
The "lordship salvation" controversy is a theological dispute regarding key soteriological questions within Protestantism, involving some non-denominational and Evangelical churches in North America since the 1980's...
" controversy. Hodges defended the Free Grace Theology
Free Grace theology
Free Grace theology is a soteriological view within Protestantism teaching that everyone receives eternal life the moment they believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. "Lord" refers to the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and therefore able to be their "Savior"...
position, which teaches that the free gift of eternal life is without cost to the believer, that it comes through simply believing in Jesus Christ. A distinction is recognized between believing (which results in receiving eternal life) and submission to the Lordship of Christ (which is part of the sanctification process). Free Grace also teaches that once a person believes in Jesus Christ, they cannot lose their salvation. MacArthur defended the Reformed view of salvation
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, and argued that the faith that saves invariably results in works, and that a true Christian would not continue sinning without remorse but would instead obey God's commands to do the good works that God has. MacArthur viewed Biblical faith as always including the notion to surrender and obey, while Hodges' taught that Biblical faith was the agreement that something is true.
Majority Text
In 1985, Hodges published with Arthur L. Farstad the second edition of The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text with Apparatus. The Byzantine text-typeByzantine text-type
The Byzantine text-type is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It is the form found in the largest number of surviving manuscripts, though not in the oldest...
, or “Majority Text”
Byzantine text-type
The Byzantine text-type is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It is the form found in the largest number of surviving manuscripts, though not in the oldest...
, is considered by its advocates to be a more accurate rendering of the Greek New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, though the more commonly accepted New Testament text, called the Alexandrian text-type
Alexandrian text-type
The Alexandrian text-type , associated with Alexandria, is one of several text-types used in New Testament textual criticism to describe and group the textual character of biblical manuscripts...
, which is used in the Nestle-Aland (N/A) text and the United Bible Societies Greek Testament (UBS), is based on more ancient New Testament fragments. Hodges argues:
The amount of variation between the manuscripts containing the Majority Text appears to be significantly less than the variations found in the papyrus texts of Egypt. This is to say that any two manuscripts containing the Majority Text are likely to differ with each other less than any two papyri might differ from one another. .. [A]dditionally, many of the uncial (capital letter) manuscripts contain a predominantly Majority form of text. The Majority form, however, is much less well represented in the Egyptian papyri…Is it possible that the N/A and UBS editions of the New Testament represent only an approximation to an early form of text that once circulated in Egypt? Where is the evidence that this kind of text really existed elsewhere in the ancient world? …Perhaps the great numerical superiority of the Majority Text (80% in the minuscule manuscripts) is its own argument for the high antiquity of that text. All other explanations of its majority status lack real plausibility. Indeed, the predominance of this majority can actually be understood as the expected outcome of a normal and natural transmission of the New Testament manuscripts. (Zane Hodges & Earl Radmacher, The NIV Reconsidered: A Fresh Look at a Popular Translation, 1990 pp. 136, 137, 143, 144)
Repentance
Hodges is known for his rejection of the view of repentanceRepentance
Repentance is a change of thought to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
as a "change of mind", holding instead the view that it is a God fearing decision to turn from sin. "Repentance is the decision to turn from sin to avoid, or bring to an end, God's temporal judgment."(p. 57, Harmony with God) Hodges stresses that repentance facilitates faith in Christ, but is not a condition for eternal salvation, nor is it part of faith itself. "It is one thing to say that repentance facilitates faith in Christ--the Bible teaches that. It is quite another thing to say that repentance is a requirement for eternal life. That the Bible does not teach." (p. 93, Harmony with God)
Initially in Hodges' book Absolutely Free! and later in more detail in his book, Harmony With God Hodges took the position that the process of repentance may be a preparatory step in coming to salvation, and should be evident in the life of a believer, but eternal life is received by believing in Jesus, not by turning from sin. Hodges points out that the gospel of John, the only book of the Bible written to lead the unsaved to Christ never once uses the term "repentance", which is telling given the frequent use of the term "repentance" by the same author in the book of Revelation. In Harmony with God Hodges said there is only one answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” Hodges emphatically stated, “[Paul and Silas'] answer said absolutely nothing about repentance. Instead they gave the famous and simple reply "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).”
Published books
- The Hungry Inherit (1980)
- Here Walks My Enemy (1982)
- The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text with Apparatus: Second Edition 2ND ed (1985), with Arthur L. Farstad
- Grace in Eclipse (1985)
- Absolutely Free! (1989)
- The NIV Reconsidered (1990), with Earl Radmacher
- The Gospel Under Siege 2ND ed (1992)
- The Epistle of James, Proven Character Through Testing (1994)
- Power to Make War (1995)
- The Epistles of John (1999)
- Harmony with God: A Fresh Look at Repentance (2001)
- Six Secrets of the Christian Life (2004)
Key articles
- "First Horseman of the Apocalypse"(1962, Bibliotheca Sacra)
- "Light on James Two from Textual Criticism"(1963, Bibliotheca Sacra)
- "Modern Textual Criticism and the Majority Text: A Response" (1978, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society)
- "The Epistles of John" (1985, Bible Knowledge Commentary)
- "Hebrews" (1985, Bible Knowledge Commentary)
- "Post-Evangelicalism Confronts the Postmodern Age (1996, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society)
- "Legalism: The Real Thing (1996, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society)
- "Assurance: of the Essence of Saving Faith (1997, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society)
- "Making Your Calling and Election Sure: An Exposition of 2 Peter 1:5-11" (1998, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society)
- "1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 and the Rapture" (CTS Journal 6, 2000)
- "How to Lead People to Christ Part 1 of 2" (2000, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society)
- "How to Lead People to Christ Part 2 of 2" (2001, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society)*"http://www.faithalone.org/journal/2005ii/hodges.pdf
- "Regeneration: A New Covenant Blessing"(2006, The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society)
- "Justification: A New Covenant Blessing"(2007 The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society)
External links
- Chafer Theological Seminary
- Dallas Theological Seminary
- Grace Evangelical Society
- The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
- Appendix to "The Identity of the New Testament Text II" Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM PhD
- Harmony With God: A Fresh Look at Repentance Part 1 of 3
- Harmony With God: A Fresh Look at Repentance Part 2 of 3
- Harmony With God: A Fresh Look at Repentance Part 3 of 3
- Various Parables discussed by Hodges (Audio)