The 16th/17th Century Meaning of “Offer”
This article examines the 16th/17th century theological meaning of the word "offer" (Latin: offerre) as used by Reformed theologians like Calvin, William Ames, and the Westminster Confession framers, distinguishing their usage from modern evangelical conceptions. C. Matthew McMahon argues that "offer" originally meant "to publish or proclaim" the Gospel rather than making a conditional proposal of salvation, with the substance of the promise deriving from the Spirit's application rather than the preaching itself. This resource is valuable for understanding the historical theological vocabulary underlying debates about the free offer of the Gospel in Reformed theology.
(I) C. Matthew McMahon (Presbyterian theologian, founder of “Puritan Publications” and “A Puritan’s Mind”) [1] “The word ‘offer’ can be somewhat ambiguous. I understand the word to mean ‘publish or proclaim’ as many of the early Puritans used the term, and those who drew up the Westminster Confession. The Latin text has connotations of ‘publishing’ or ‘proclaiming’ something” (The Two Wills of God: Does God ‘Really’ Have Two Wills? [Coconut Creek, FL: Puritan Publications, 2005], p. 60). [2]...