Introduction

This study is intended as a brief introduction to and discussion of an important aspect of A.A. Van Ruler's theology. It is not intended as a discussion of the whole of his theology or as an overview or summary of his theology. It is specifically aimed at his doctrine of the messianic intermezzo and how the Old Testament is to be understood within this context.

Van Ruler's doctrine of the messianic intermezzo, states that the eternal Son of God took on human nature in the incarnation as a reaction to human sin and that this human nature will be laid aside in the eschaton when sin, death and guilt have been destroyed. This doctrine is not an offshoot from or an incidental part of his theology. It is one of the most important foundation stones of his theology.¹ Thus it underlies and directs much of his thought. However he does not discuss this doctrine as such and nowhere does he give a straightforward elaboration of it. The doctrine of the messianic intermezzo is not only important for the sake of understanding the theology of this one particular theologian. Its affirmation or denial effects the place given to Christ and Christology in theology. The question whether Christ makes himself superfluous when the kingdom of God comes may sound speculative but fundamental decisions of supreme importance depend on it. ``Any eschatologically orientated and functionally developed Christology comes `at the end' to the question whether its mediator has not made himself superfluous. Its conceptions of the mediation and representative function of Christ are determined by what is decided in this `last' question''.²

Christ's place and rule must be clarified in theology. The ecclesia triumphans must be distinguished from the kingdom of glory, the fulfillment from the consummation, the expression that Christ fulfills all in all (Eph 1:23) from the expression that God will be all in all (1 Cor 15:28). The regnum Christi (messianic intermezzo) must be distinguished from the regnum Dei (kingdom of glory). ``Naar mijn inzicht staat of valt met deze dispositie niet minder dan de hele theologische kijk op de geschiedenis, de kerk, de cultuur en den staat, in een woord: op de gansche, individueele en gemeenschappelijke, existentie.''³ Thus it can be seen that the theologoumenon of the messianic intermezzo is not only important within A.A. van Ruler's theology but has significant implications for all christian theology.

This study is not only concerned with the idea of the messianic intermezzo but also with the place of the Old Testament within this idea. However `the place of the Old Testament within this idea' is not an optional extra that can be added or left out when discussing the doctrine of the messianic intermezzo. The Old Testament is, or at least contains God's law, the Torah. The Torah according to Van Ruler is not to be understood as a system of immutable laws to be lived up to but as the gracious and dynamic presence of God amongst His people.

Christ as the concentrated essence of the nation Israel, was appointed as an emergency measure to fulfill the law because the nation Israel had failed in its divinely appointed task of doing this. Christ fulfilled the Old Testament because he placed himself absolutely under its Spirit and this fulfillment means that it is put into effect in him.⁴ This means that the Torah returns, not to the letter but in spirit and in truth as the material content of salvation in Christ.

This does justice to the fact that the Old Testament is canonical⁵ and prevents the salvation in Christ from being understood gnostically.⁶