Biblical theology

Review: The God Who Makes Himself Known

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The God Who Makes Himself Known

The God Who Makes Himself Known (New Studies in Biblical Theology), W. Ross Blackburn. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2012.

Summary: A study of the theology of the book of Exodus contending that it reflects God’s missionary purpose to make himself known to the nations through Israel.

The God Who Makes Himself Known typifies the purpose of the New Studies in Biblical Theology of which it is a part. It both articulates the theological themes arising from the book of Exodus, and connects that to the theology of the Bible as a whole. In this case, Ross Blackburn explores how God’s concern to make himself known to the nations, which Blackburn describes as “missionary” is reflected in God’s dealings with Moses and the people of Israel in this book.

The organization of the book follows the biblical text of Exodus. I will highlight the key idea Blackburn elucidates in each portion:

Exodus 1:1-15:21. In the first part of Exodus, centering around 6:3, the focus is on the declaration, “I am the LORD” and what this means in the light of the deliverance from Egypt showing both the supremacy and redeeming character of God to the nations.

Exodus 15:22-18:27. This section focuses on the training of Israel in the wilderness, that they would “learn obedience” by which they reflect God’s supremacy in daily life, and their dependence upon the redeeming God to sustain them.

Exodus 19-24. These passages are concerned with the giving of the law. Blackburn reflects upon how Gospel precedes Law and how the Law is given to flesh out Israel’s calling to make known the name of the Lord to the nations in how they live, and what this reveals of the greatness and goodness of God.

Exodus 25-31. Blackburn looks at the instructions for the Tabernacle, showing the progression in the quality of the materials as one approaches the Holy of Holies, the parallel between Eden and Tabernacle that reveals God’s redemptive purpose, and God’s intention to dwell in the midst of his people.

Exodus 32-34. I found this section the highlight of Blackburn’s discussion as he explores the idolatry of the people, even while God is in the midst of giving instructions for his dwelling place in their midst. He highlights how Moses intercession is heard on the basis not of his attempt to substitute for the people’s sin but on the basis of God’s name and purpose, and how this will be jeopardized should God’s presence depart from them.

Exodus 35-40. Blackburn explores why we have this second description of the Tabernacle, downplayed by many commentators. He argues that the canonical order of this text after Israel’s sin shows how the Lord responds to sin, and how God restores a repentant people and so reveals his glory, greatness, and redeeming character to the nations as he indwells the Tabernacle.

The biggest question that may be raised is whether Blackburn is reading New Testament perspectives into Exodus. Certainly, he is reading Exodus in a New Testament light, but his argument of concerning the missionary heart of God revealed through Israel’s deliverance and wilderness encounters with God is one rooted in both the data of the text and a discussion of the canonical structure of Exodus. What Blackburn does is make an argument for the coherence of Exodus as a whole, as well as for its place within the canon.

This work strikes me as a helpful adjunct to exegetical study of Exodus, offering a larger framework useful for teaching or preaching the book as Christian scripture. While interacting with scholars discussing the meaning of texts like Exodus 34:6-7 and how God both forgives and punishes sin, Blackburn also offers insights into the lavish greatness and goodness of God that leads us into worship, and the life of faithful obedience against God’s gospel purposes for the nations. Like other monographs in this series, Blackburn exemplifies how scholarly rigor and devotional warmth may walk hand in hand.

Review: Biblical Leadership

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biblical leadership

Biblical Leadership: Theology for the Everyday Leader. Benjamin K. Forest and Chet Roden, eds. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2017.

Summary: An effort, book by book, to compile the a biblical theology of leadership, written by a team of scholars specializing in study of these texts.

When one surveys Christian publications on the subject of leadership, many seem drawn more from the world of business or the military, with what seems to be a veneer of biblical texts that support, or at least sound like the principles being enunciated. This begs the question of whether there is anything distinctive about biblical leadership? Is the leadership of God’s people in any way different because of the character of God, and the work of Christ, as they have been disclosed to us in scripture?

The editors and the contributors to this text would affirm this, and that the place for us to start, in developing our theology and practice of leadership, is the data of scripture, gathered from Genesis to Revelation. And that is what this work sets out to do. It is not organized by leadership principles or practices, but rather by the organization of the Bible. The contributors were selected for their scholarship on the particular portion of scripture on which they were asked to write.

Both Old and New Testament sections begin with “concept studies” considering the words and concepts used around the concept of “leadership” in the Hebrew and Greek text. Then, subsequent chapters explore books (for example Judges) or sections of scripture (the Penteteuch, the Synoptics).  Occasionally, chapters would zoom in on a particular text, and I thought these were among the gems in the volume. Two examples of these were a study of “The ‘Shepherd’ as a Biblical Metaphor: Leadership in Psalm 23” by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. and Stanley E. Porter’s article on “Conflict Resolution: Leadership and the Jerusalem Council.” The principles Porter derives from this study are gold:

  • Confront a Problem Early
  • Solicit Widespread Opinion
  • Welcome Diversity of Opinion
  • Render a Clear Decision
  • Impose the Minimum, not the Maximum
  • Seek Scriptural Guidance and Confirmation

This both preaches and practices well! William D. Mounce does something similar in his commentary on the leadership passages within the Pastoral Epistles.

Most of the chapters focus on particular books. A challenge with this approach is reading into the text what is not there or what was intended. Different scholars noted this and took the approach of recognizing the main theme or purpose of the book, and relating observations about leadership, God’s or people’s, good or bad, to those themes. One place where this was done especially well, I thought was Mark Allen and Dickson Ngama’s essay on Daniel that observed the theme of power of Yahweh running through the book followed by seven important leadership lessons. Another example was Edwin M. Yamauchi’s study of leadership in Nehemiah that begins with situating the book in the canon, and in its historical setting, and then observes in successive chapters the character of Nehemiah’s leadership as:

  1. A man of responsibility
  2. A man of prayer
  3. A man who was rightly motivated (by God’s glory)
  4. A man of vision
  5. A man of action and cooperation
  6. A man of compassion
  7. A man who triumphed over opposition

Perhaps one of the most important essays that explored the heart of Christian leadership was W. Hall Harris III’s on “Leading Through Weakness, Vulnerability, and Self-Sacrifice: Leadership in the Gospel of John.” This and other essays engaged the notion of servant leadership, not contesting it but showing the call of servant leaders to suffer, become vulnerable, and in various ways, die, while yet leading, bringing a Christ-centered focus to this concept, and a call to leadership formed by the glory of the cross.

There is so much more in this collection than space permits comment upon. The intent of the authors is not primarily to offer preaching or teaching material, although there is much here that could well be adapted for these purposes. There aim, and that of the editors is more foundational, that pastors and other ministry leaders are formed in their own theology and practice of leadership through the biblical material rather than “best practices” from business.

A few basic themes I observed running through were that leadership is rooted in the character and leadership of God, needs to be shaped by the work of Christ, informed by the teaching of scripture, is characterized by faithfulness to Christ in all matters of life, is not solitary but communal, both in working with teams and developing leaders, and lived at the nexus of being a servant and a shepherd of the people of God.

That gives me a personal rubric to assess my own leadership, which I found myself doing throughout the pages of this treasure trove of leadership insight. I would commend this to anyone who cares both about their own practice of leadership and the development of new generations of leadership for the people of God.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Review: Essential Writings of Meredith G. Kline

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Essential Writings of Meredith G Kline

Essential Writings of Meredith G. Kline, Meredith D. Kline (Foreword, Tremper Longman II; Biography, Meredith M. Kline; Introduction, Jonathan G. Kline). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2017.

Summary: A collection of articles by Meredith Kline spanning Genesis to Revelation, and the author’s academic career characterized by biblical insight and theological integrity within a Reformed perspective. 

Meredith G. Kline (1922-2007) was a professor of Old Testament perhaps best known for one of his early works, Treaty of the Great King (1963). Drawing on discoveries in Hittite treaty forms, he contended that the structure of Deuteronomy reflects the structure of treaty covenants of the Second Millennium BC, lending support for traditional dating as opposed to a late date at the time of Josiah’s kingship.  He was also author of The Structure of Biblical Authority (1975), an important contribution to the discussion of the doctrine of scripture.

This new collection of articles gives us the “essence” the work of Kline, and introduces him to a new generation of students of scripture, aided by a biographical sketch by his son, and an introduction by his grandson, both who have followed in his steps as Old Testament scholars. In reading these articles, that essence consists in scholarly rigor and precision and a capacity to reach novel conclusions and fresh insight that remain consistent with Reformed theological orthodoxy, and centered around the redemptive work of Christ and redemptive purpose of God.

Part One opens with two essays on Creation, centering on details like the lack of vegetation on the earth due to it not having yet rained and there being humans to cultivate the earth. The effect of these essays is to argue against a literal creation week on the basis of the Genesis text, and that there is no inherent conflict between biblical and scientific accounts of origins.

Covenant, Law, and State are the concerns of Part Two. Kline finds a basis for the common grace of the state in God’s promise to Cain. He questions traditional interpretations of Genesis 6:1-4, arguing these are tyrannical kings using their prerogatives for various illicit unions, including polygamy. He argues that the two tables of the law are actually two copies of the law, the sovereign’s and the vassal’s. He looks at laws around lex talionis and miscarriage, and what they reveal about the life ethic of scripture (while noting that abortion was unthinkable in this culture).

Part Three centers on Faith, the Gospel, and Justification. It begins with a careful study of Abraham’s ” Amen” in Genesis 15:6, considering its use throughout the Old Testament, contending that this was indeed a declaration of faith in God and God’s promises by which Abraham is justified by God. The next article proposes Exodus as the basis for the Gospel genre. Finally, in “Double Trouble” he argues that the doubles in scripture concerning penalties are not multiplications but rather the penalty mirroring the offense (a “double” as it were).

Under the theme of “Redemption,” Part Four begins with an essay on Passover, which Kline argues is better understood as “cover-over.” One of the most interesting essays in the collection was an argument that in Job, Satan is the one who in fact is the object of a “trial by ordeal.” Finally, in an article that like many moves back and forth throughout scripture, Kline considers the messianic imagery of the rider of the red horse in Zechariah 1:8.

Three of the four essays in Part Five concern the resurrection, and particularly the hope believers have of being immediately in the Lord’s presence upon death, what Kline sees as “The First Resurrection” in Revelation 20:4-6. The second and third articles are connected, with the third a rejoinder to a response by Ramsey Michaels. I wish in this case that Michaels’ response could have been included so the reader could follow the discussion. The final makes the proposal that Har Magedon is actually Har mo’ed or the Mount of Assembly, and is sited at Mt Zion/Zaphon (cf Psalm 48).

While he questions traditional readings, often drawing on lingual-cultural insights, he tests interpretation of particular texts against the whole of scripture and moves from biblical to theological exegesis in a way that consistently witnesses to the redemptive, Christ-anticipating arc of the text. It is a consistent challenge to bring fresh insights to the study of the biblical text without drifting away from orthodoxy. I thought these articles a good example of scholarship that flourished within that tension. There is also an unspoken testimony to the integrity of his life and work in this book with three generations of Klines, all Old Testament scholars, contributing to this book. Not a bad scholarly legacy!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Review: Created & Creating

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Created and Creating

Created & Creating, William Edgar. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2017.

Summary: Explores the idea of “culture” from secular and Christians perspectives, explores the biblical basis for the culture mandate and continued cultural engagement, and the arguments raised against this idea.

Ever since the publication of Andy Crouch’s Culture-Making, there has been a renewed interest among many in engaging one’s culture, “seeking the peace and prosperity of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7). What William Edgar adds to this discussion is a biblical exploration of the basis Christians have for cultural engagement.

Edgar offers this definition of culture engagement, which also gives you a sense of the thesis of the book:

“Cultural engagement is the human response to the divine call to enjoy and develop the world that God has generously given to his image bearers. Culture includes the symbols, the tools, the conventions, the social ties, and all else contributing to this call. Cultural activity occurs in a historical setting, and is meant to improve the human condition.  Because of the fall, culture can, and has become sinister. Christ’s redeeming grace moves culture in the right direction, ennobles it, and allows it to extend the realm of God’s shalom, his goodness, his justice, his love” (pp. 233-234).

After an introductory chapter looking at definitions of culture, and the ideas of cultivation in scripture, Part One looks at the leading secular and Christian thinkers who have contributed to the discuss. There are Matthew Arnold, Marx, the anthropologists and sociologists like E. B. Tylor and Max Weber, and functionalists like A. R. Radcliffe-Brown and Malinowski. He then considers Christian voices including Eliot, H. Richard Niebuhr, Lewis, Kuyper, and Klaas Schilder, who first coined the term “culture mandate.”

Part Two engages the objections raised to the culture mandate.  First he explores the contra mundum passages that seemingly set the gospel against the world and imply that cultural pursuits are distractions or simply idolatrous. Second is the idea that life in the world is spiritual resistance and conflict. The world is not our friend. And finally, it’s all going to burn. In these chapters, he acknowledges the force of these criticisms and yet distinguishes between the real consequences of the fall, and the defaced but not destroyed image of God in humans. In the final chapter in Part Two, he looks at the cosmic character of Christ’s redemptive work, portrayed both in Colossians 1:15-20, and in the Magnificat of Mary. The redemption covers all things in creation and human society.

Part Three then works these ideas out more fully. First Edgar considers the “cultural mandate” given the first couple before the fall–fruitfulness and dominion. He then traces how this was both worked out and marred in a post-fall world, how Israel anticipates the redemptive work of Christ. The chapter on culture in the new covenant makes an important argument for Christ’s great commission being a fulfillment and deeper implementation of the culture mandate, sending disciples to the dispersed nations, announcing God’s kingdom, discipling them to do all Christ has commanded in all of life–essentially a culture mandate for a redeemed world, anticipating the new heaven and earth. The last chapter in this part considers the afterlife, a culturally rich life enjoyed in the presence of God, at the great banquet of the bride with all the nations, and ruling and reigning and restoring.

Edgar’s brief epilogue points the way for further study, and how the study of the biblical cultural mandate lays the groundwork for human flourishing that is proximate, awaiting the final redemption of all things. Edgar in this book lays the groundwork for Christians joyfully pursuing Christ in “every good endeavor,” to use Tim Keller’s phrase. This is important for many Christians who refrain from these endeavors because they seem “worldly,” or pursue them, but do not see them as an integral part of a faithful Christian life. Edgar helps us see that the culture mandate is not opposed to the great commission, or superseded by it, but rather is fulfilled through it. In sum, Edgar helps us see all of life, and life’s possibilities through the eyes of Christ. How different life might be when everything matters!

Review: Unceasing Kindness

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Unceasing Kindness

Unceasing Kindness (New Studies in Biblical Theology), Peter H. W. Lau and Gregory Goswell.  Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2016.

Summary: A study of the theological themes that may be discerned in the various placements of Ruth in the canon, and the broader themes of unceasing kindness, famine, redemption, divine and human initiative, and the mission of God connecting Ruth with the rest of scripture.

The book of Ruth in the Old Testament is a favorite book of many. Ruth’s reply to Naomi who tries to send her back to her own people in Moab where she might have a future is among the most memorable of scripture:

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.

Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.

Your people will be my people and your God my God.

Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.

May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,

if even death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:17-18, NIV)

Ruth’s care for her mother-in-law, and in turn the care of Boaz for Ruth, culminating in his willingness to act as kinsman-redeemer for her and Naomi, point to the “unceasing kindness” of this book’s title. From tragedy in the first chapter through these acts of kindness to the birth of a child, a forebear of King David, the story evokes every emotion. I personally think it one of the best short stories ever written.

This work does not add to the many good commentaries on Ruth. Instead, the authors seek to tease out the theological themes in Ruth with connections to the rest of scripture, making this a work of biblical theology. They begin with the theme of the “unceasing kindness” of Ruth, and how this might have been a counterpoint to post-exilic works like Ezra and Nehemiah that emphasized separation from idolatrous nations. Ruth is an outsider, a Moabitess, who by law should be excluded from Israel (along with her children to the tenth generation, which would include David). Yet she embraces Naomi’s God, the God of Israel, and acts with covenant faithfulness and kindness toward her mother-in-law. In turn, her kindness is recognized by Boaz, first with favor, then with redemption, underscoring that separation is only meant for those who follow other gods, not for those who embrace Yahweh. She even becomes part of Yahweh’s purpose to raise up a king, and David’s greater son.

Next, in chapters 3 to 5, the authors explore the different arrangements of the canon, pair Ruth with Judges, with Proverbs, and with the Psalms. The pairing with Judges shows God’s preparation for David’s kingship. With Proverbs, and following Proverbs 31, we see Ruth as the wise and excellent woman. With Psalms, we see a parallel to many Psalms in the movement from lament to praise, and the seeking of refuge under the wings of Yahweh (and in Ruth, Boaz).

The following chapters explore wider theological themes. Chapter 6 considers the meaning of famine, not only in Ruth, but more widely, exploring whether the choice of Elimelech and Naomi to migrate to Moab was a wise one. Chapter 7 explores the hiddenness of God in books like Ruth and Esther, and the interplay of providence and human responsibility. Chapter 8 develops the idea of redemption and whether Boaz can be considered a “type” of Christ, even though he is not named such in the New Testament. They suggest that he can, noting that he meets four key criteria: correspondence, historicity, intensification of the antitype, and theocentricity. Chapter 9 focuses on the mission of God, and how the inclusion of Ruth, and indeed her part in the fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise of blessing to the nations through Israel, makes a critical contribution to our theology of mission. The authors make a fascinating application in observing how in our age of travel, the world literally may be at our doorstep, in the present day migrations of people. Chapter 10 then summarizes their findings of the biblical theology of Ruth.

I found this work quite helpful. Although I’ve studied and taught Ruth on several occasions, I had not thought about the canonical connections and had only considered some of the theological themes explored here, particularly their discussion of separation and inclusion, famine, and mission. This biblical theological approach made me more keenly aware of the rich variety of teaching in scripture and it ability to address a variety of questions, including when to separate, and where to include.

This work, like others of the series is marked by accessibility to the non-specialist and conciseness. It elucidates, without belaboring, the rich palette of themes in Ruth that can help make the preaching of this book more than exegesis and commentary on a great story. It helps connect this great story with the yet greater story of all scripture, and how we might find ourselves in that story.

Review: The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom

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book of isaiah and God's kingdom

The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom (New Studies in Biblical Theology), Andrew T. Abernethy. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2016.

Summary: A thematic approach to understanding Isaiah organized around the idea of ‘kingdom’ exploring the nature of the king, the agents of the king, and the realm and people of the king as elaborated throughout the book.

If you have ever attempted to study, teach, or preach the book of Isaiah, you understand what a challenge it is to wrap your mind around the 66 chapters of this book. Andrew T. Abernethy thinks that a thematic approach to the book can help with our overall understanding. The theme he develops throughout Isaiah is that of God’s kingdom.

For those looking for a discussion of the authorship of Isaiah (single or multiple), this is not your book. What Abernethy does is take a synchronic approach which looks at the finished product of the book as a whole, while still noting the distinctive character of chapters 1-39, 40-55, and 56-66. Likewise, while organizing his biblical theology of Isaiah around kingdom, he avoids flattening out the contours of the book. He takes a canonical approach to Isaiah without reading the book through an exclusively Christological lens.

He begins with Isaiah 1-39, observing God as both present and future king, reigning in holiness, seen in all his future beauty as judging and ruling on Zion, and in the present delivering from Sennacherib. Isaiah 40-55, speaking to exiles proclaims the good news of God as the only saving king. Isaiah 56-66 then presents God as the warrior king, showing compassion on faithful outsiders, and ruling over the nations as cosmic king.

Chapter 4 particular reflects Abernethy’s willingness to understand Isaiah on its own terms as he considers the “agents” of the kingdom. Rather than simply reduce them to a single kingly or messianic figure (Jesus!), he takes the text on its own terms and discusses three distinct agents, the Davidic ruler, the servant of the Lord, and the Spirit empowered anointed messenger. While a canonical approach sees the fulfillment of all of these in Christ, by allowing for the distinctive character of these three agents not to be merged into one in Isaiah, one sees all the more the splendor and greatness of Christ, who encompasses all three agents in his person.

Chapter 5 then considers the kingdom realm, noting both the focal point of Zion, to which all the nations come and yet the international, indeed cosmic extent of this realm. He then concludes the book by raising the idea that the theme of the kingdom and its many faceted elaboration is meant to encourage the readers of Isaiah, then and now to a richer and fuller imagination of what this kingdom rule is like. For Christians we see its fulfillment, now and yet to come, in Christ, the church as God’s living temple, looking forward to the Zion of the New Jerusalem. Following this conclusion, Abernethy provides two different teaching outlines for how one might teach Isaiah along the lines this book has developed.

Abernethy’s book makes a good complement to John Goldingay’s The Theology of the Book of Isaiah (reviewed here). Both authors take a synchronic approach to Isaiah, but Goldingay only considers the book from the horizon of Isaiah’s first readers, and not through a canonical lens. They reach different conclusions about the servant in Isaiah, but also recognize many of the same themes in the book–particularly the holy King of Israel amid the nations, and the ways this king will come as warrior, and judge, and savior. What Abernethy’s book most helpfully models is the process of both reading Isaiah in its own setting, and as part of the biblical canon, without slighting either of these. This makes the book a wonderful resource for the pastor-theologian, or anyone else who would make the attempt to scale the challenging and wonderful mountain that is the book of Isaiah. Abernethy helps us see that it is indeed Zion that we are ascending, to encounter the great King.

 

Review: An Anomalous Jew

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An Anomalous Jew

An Anomalous Jew, Michael F. Bird. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2016.

Summary: A collection of studies on the life and ministry of Paul that explores this unusual Jew who is comfortable moving among Greeks and Romans as he proclaims the Christ he encountered on the way to Damascus.

About the only thing scholars can agree upon concerning the Apostle Paul is that he was born a Jew. In an introductory chapter, Michael F. Bird surveys the options most commonly chosen to explain this apostle who claims on one hand that everything from his former life as a Jew is “crap” compared to the surpassing worth of Christ, and yet “becomes a Jew, in order to win the Jews.” Is he really a former Jew who has abandoned Judaism? A transformed Jew, an Israelite in Christ? A faithful Jew? Or a radical Jew? There is something to be said for each of these views and significant scholars associated with each one. Bird proposes an alternative–Paul is an anomalous Jew because he tries “to create a social space for a unified body of Jewish and Gentile Christ-believers worshiping God” (p. 28).

In succeeding chapters, Bird presents five “studies” (most individually published elsewhere) that underscore the anomalous character of Paul’s Jewishness, shaped by his mission to Gentiles and Jews. He begins by exploring Paul’s ideas of salvation, which both comes from the Jews and is for the Jews, but is also for the Gentiles and found in Christ, and not Torah. Chapter 2 shows how Paul is indeed apostle both to Gentiles and to Jews and how much the latter occupied his attention. Chapter 3 addresses the debate between apocalypticism and salvation history in Paul through a study of Galatians showing both elements reaching their height in the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles. Chapter 4 focuses in on the incident at Antioch described in Galatians 2:11-14 as the beginning of Paulinism “understood as the antithesis between Christ and Torah when the salvation and equal status of Gentiles is on the line” (p. 203). It also marks a parting in the ways between Paul and the Jerusalem church, not absolute as evident in Paul’s efforts for the relief of that church. Finally, chapter 5 explores the “anti-imperial” undertones of Paul’s letter to the Romans. On its face it presents no civil or military challenge to Roman order. Yet its assertions of the kingdom of the Messiah and the new sociopolitical entity of the church in fact was a profound challenge to Rome which would ultimately supplant empire.

Bird writes:

    “In sum, Paul was a religious anomaly. He appeared on the scene of the Greco-Roman world like a sudden yet small ripple moving upon the waters of a still river. He goes mostly unnoticed in his own time, and yet by the time the ripple reaches the shore of the modern age, it has become a tsunami. Paul’s anomaly, offensive as it was to the Jews and odd as it was to Greeks, became the Gentile Christianity that eventually swallowed up the Roman Empire and that, even to this day, two millenia later, casts its shadow upon the religious landscape of the world. Not bad for a Jewish tentmaker from Tarsus!” (p. 30)

Of the writing of books on Paul, there seems no end! What makes this one distinctive is that it provides a reading of Paul’s life and mission that reconciles seemingly disparate threads of scripture and explains them by Paul’s vision of the new people, Jew and Gentile together, formed by Messiah Jesus. It explains both the consonant and dissonant elements in his Jewishness, his reaction at Antioch, and the content of his letter to the Roman church.

Michael Bird represents a younger generation of theological scholars from “down under” who are beginning to make their mark in biblical and theological studies. I look forward to hearing more from him and others like him!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

 

Review: The Decalogue

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The Decalogue

The Decalogue, David L. Baker. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2017.

Summary: After an exploration of the shape, form, origin, and purpose of these ten “words”, the author takes each in turn, exploring the command in its cultural context, it’s biblical and theological meaning, and contemporary relevance.

The Ten Commandments. The Decalogue. The Ten Words. In recent times, they have been a point of controversy, with public displays of the commandments being contested–some arguing that they are foundational to western law, others that their public display is an unconstitutional government promotion of religion. At the same time, increasingly few people can accurately recite them, even those brought up in Christian settings. And for some, they represent “the law” –human effort to save oneself that has been superceded by the grace which alone saves us through faith in Christ.

David L. Baker cuts through both controversy and ignorance in this new work on the Decalogue. He begins with four chapters on introductory matters around the Ten Commandments:

  • Their shape: different ways of numbering them, the two “tables” of the law, and the commandments as part of the covenant of God with his people.
  • Their form: the two canonical versions, other versions, their arrangement on two tables, and cultural parallels.
  • Their origin: Baker explores the scholarly discussion and skepticism about Mosaic authorship, that he counters with the more startling assertion, that perhaps here more than most places in scripture, we are confronted with words spoken by God directly, not only to Moses, but to the Israelites, gathered at Sinai.
  • Their purpose: while some have proposed these as Hebrew catechism, the core of criminal law, or essential ethical teaching, Baker contends that these are Israel’s constitution, given not to attain salvation but rather as the framework of how those chosen to be the people of God might live under his gracious rule.

After dealing with these matters concerning the Decalogue as a whole, Baker turns to the individual commands. First of all he considers the ancient Near Eastern cultural context and parallels to the biblical commands. Strikingly, none exists for the sabbath command which is unique, while for the others, parallel instances may be found. Then, for each command, he discusses the biblical theological meaning of the command in its original context. Finally, he concludes with reflections on the contemporary relevance of these commands, and here, he draws on expansions found in the Hebrew scriptures as well as the New Testament, and he considers contemporary situations that may be covered by these commands. Here, for example, is some of what he says about the command to “not testify against your neighbor as a false witness”:

“The Old Testament affirms the importance of truth in public life, with particular condemnation of religious leaders who use their positions to propagate lies (Jer 6:13-14; 8:10-11; 23:21-32; Ezek 13) and pander to their audiences with smooth talk (cf. Is 30:9-11). Mendacity brings iniquity (Is 5:18) and causes confusion by pretending to be virtue (Is 5:20).

    Another kind of untruth that is pervasive today is the use of moral euphemisms designed to make what is wrong appear right or at least unobjectionable. Instead of committing adultery, people have an affair. Instead of having an abortion, they terminate a pregnancy. Instead of killing innocent citizens, there is collateral damage. Instead of unemployment, there is downsizing. Instead of lying, there are ‘terminological inexactitudes’ (Winston Churchill, 1906).

What about us? Are we habitually truthful. When we speak and write, it is often easier to say what we think people want to hear–or what we want them to hear–than what is actually true. Sometimes it is tempting to keep quiet and not say anything at all rather than speaking up when we ought to. The Bible encourages us to go beyond the rejection of false testimony, to become people who speak the truth from our hearts” (p. 141).

Baker concludes by asserting that these Ten Words are still a type of constitution for the people of God. He observes that the writers of the New Testament and Jesus himself extend our understanding of them from mere external observance to an obedience that captures our minds and hearts and works itself out in grace-filled love of God and neighbor. We don’t strive after observing the Ten Commandments to be saved but draw upon them for how we might live as the saved people of God.

David L. Baker presents all of us to us in a work that reflects his scholarly Old Testament work and yet with clarity for any adult audience. For those who want to go further, the book includes a forty page bibliography, both on general matters pertaining to the Decalogue, and works pertaining to each of the commands. This makes a great resource for anyone planning to teach or preach on this material, and for all of us as we seek to allow these “words” to search and guide our lives.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Review: Preaching in the New Testament

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Preaching in the New Testament

Preaching in the New Testament (New Studies in Biblical Theology), Jonathan L. Griffiths. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2017.

Summary: An exegetical and biblical theology of preaching from the texts of the New Testament.

Most of the focus today in preaching is on what is called “homiletics” which focuses on how to prepare and deliver messages in the church and other contexts. But what are the grounds for this thing called “preaching” in the New Testament? How is this distinct from other ministries of the word? What is taking place, ideally, in faithful biblical preaching? What connection is there between the preaching that occurs today and Old Testament prophetic ministries, the preaching of Jesus, and apostolic and post-apostolic preaching?

These are the questions Jonathan I. Griffiths explores in this clear, and I thought, quite helpful monograph. After a brief introduction laying out these questions and his plan of approach, Griffiths explores first the question of the theology of the word, and how God speaks, acts, and is encountered through that word. Then he considers the particular New Testament terms used for preaching, focusing on three: euangelizomai, katangello, and kerysso. He charts the speaker, context, and content of each instance and argues that they function with a high degree of consistency as “semi-technical” terms for preaching.

The second part of the work then focuses on exegetical studies of key New Testament passages. He considers the following texts and finds these themes:

  • 2 Timothy 3-4: The Preacher’s Charge
  • Romans 10: The Preacher’s Commission
  • 1 Corinthians: The Power of the Gospel in Authentic Christian Preaching
  • 2 Corinthians 2-6: Beholding the Glory of God in Preaching
  • 1 Thessalonians 1-2: Preaching the Very Words of God
  • Hebrews: Preaching to the Gathered People of God

In the third part he summarizes his findings, which he has elaborated in his exegetical studies. Most striking to me is the idea that when God’s word is faithfully proclaimed, people hear God’s voice through the human agency of preaching. I think this is a great encouragement to any who engage in this work, who struggle with what do we have to say, and can we say it well. Certainly these things are worthy of consideration, but uppermost is the idea of faithfully setting forth what God has said in scripture and that when we do so, there is the very real prospect that God works through this and speaks to our hearers! So often, people speak of encountering God in various aspects of worship, but do they think of encountering God through the preaching of the word?

Some other key points include the idea that those who preach today do so in continuity with the prophets, the Lord Jesus, and the apostles. Those who preach must be commissioned–not self-appointed. Preaching reflects the character of the gospel in that it is something given by God through preachers to be received and believed by faith. Preaching has a natural context and significance within a Christian assembly–it forms and sustains a local body of believers as they hear God address them together.

I think today that preaching is often conceived of as either an exercise in inspiring people to get through another week or as a way for the preacher and church leadership to get people to devote themselves more diligently to the affairs of the church. Often, the word of God is “used” in these attempts. What Griffiths describes is very different, and to my mind a more noble and awesome calling–to so carefully study and listen to the scriptures in order to faithfully speak for God, such that what people hear are not our ideas, but God speaking. Rather than simply inspiring or goading people to action, the preacher has the opportunity to host an encounter with the living God, whose word is sustaining, and empowering, and compelling. Griffiths’ book sets forth this noble privilege and call, grounded in God’s address to those who preach, and his exegetical work helps us hear that call afresh.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Review: The Temple and the Tabernacle

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temple-and-tabernacle

The Temple and the Tabernacle, J. Daniel Hays. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2016.

Summary: An exploration of God’s dwelling places as described throughout the Bible from Eden to tabernacle, to the first and second temples, the question of Ezekiel’s temple, and the temple in John’s Revelation.

For many of us, reading the details of the layout and construction of the tabernacle, or the descriptions of the building of Solomon’s temple was “fly over” country. In addition, it all seems from another time, foreign to our own experiences of worship. This book was a refreshing beam of light on material I’ve neglected, that in fact is quite important to the story of not only Jewish, but Christian faith. It brought alive the significance of ‘tabernacle’ and ‘temple’ as dwelling places where God encounters and relates to his people and also the physical construction, and layout of the successive structures in Israel’s history where they hoped to encounter the living God. Not only that, the clear verbal description is accompanied by lavish illustrations printed on high quality paper, making this book a delight to handle, to look at, and to read.

Hays begins with an overview, looking at the Hebrew and Greek words used for tabernacle and temple, and noting how these all have in common the idea of a dwelling place, whether a movable tent or a royal palace. He surveys the successive places that served this role in scripture beginning with the garden temple of Genesis, following John Walton and others, noting the themes of the tree of life, a river flowing from the garden and gold and precious stones, that will turn up in later accounts. He then turns to the ark and tabernacle of the exodus, considering each object and its significance, and the overall layout of the tabernacle, emphasizing as it does the holiness of God.

Hays brings out as well as any I’ve read the ambivalence of the accounts of the temple of Solomon. He contrasts this with the tabernacle construction, noting that the tabernacle, in all its detail was built according to God’s command. Neither the temple itself, nor its construction details were commanded. Instead of voluntary and enthusiastic work by Jewish craftsmen, foreigners and conscript labor build Solomon’s temple. And while God initially shows favor upon Solomon, as Solomon disobeys God in multiplying wives, chariots, and gods, God turns from him. A sorry story indeed, for it ends in the sacking and destruction of this temple and the loss of the ark.

He then considers the post-exilic temple, and particularly Herod’s reconstruction of that temple. Great attention is focused on the latter, and Hays helped us see not only that this was indeed an incredible sight for the disciples of Jesus, but also for anyone in the Roman empire, as the greatest of the four temples Herod built, and one of the greatest construction feats of the Roman empire. He includes diagrams showing the locations where various incidents in the gospels and Acts occur. Yet in 70 AD, this structure was razed, with only portions of the foundations, notably the Western (Wailing) Wall remaining.

Yet the truth was that God never visibly showed his presence in this temple. God’s dwelling among his people was fulfilled in Christ, whose death opens the way to relationship with the Holy God, symbolized in the rent curtain in the temple. In the heavenly city of Revelation 22, there is no temple, for God and the Lamb are the temple. And the truth is the church, the people of God are a temple, a dwelling place for the Spirit of God upon earth. Thus, Hays does not think in terms of a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple, but rather sees this fulfilled in the New Jerusalem.

I thought this book was a great example of biblical theology written in service of the people of God. It is rooted in careful scholarship, yet in writing and illustration helps any thoughtful lay person grasp the wonderful truth of how it can be that a holy God dwells with his people, and how Christ fulfills what the tabernacle foreshadowed nearly a millenium and a half earlier. The careful reader will be rewarded with an enriched understanding of one of the great themes that literally runs from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, and taking it to heart will find themselves worshiping the Holy God, who incredibly has chosen to dwell with such as us!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.