This book review of Graeme Goldsworthy’s Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture was written as part of Pastor Lane’s doctoral course work, and as such, it is written in a more formal, academic tone than the rest of this blog’s posts. Still, we hope the audience will find these academic book reviews useful, which is why we have published them for your reference.
Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture encourages the reader, specifically preachers, to deal with the whole Bible in a way that recognizes Christ as the fulfillment of all things. This writing is essential reading for anyone aspiring to Christian preacher. The author’s focus is toward more than a predictable “Jesus Bit” in teaching the Bible. He identifies problems with both the Old and New Testaments, as well as the separation between them, that must be dealt with. The fact remains that the preacher is an interpreter of Scripture and must deal with these issues, being clearly aware of his personal presuppositions. “It is vital for us to remember that our reference point is Jesus of Nazareth as he is testified to by Holy Scripture. The apostolic testimony to him shapes our approach to the Bible as a whole.”
The book is divided into two parts. Part one seeks to ask the sort of questions that the preacher would ask about the Bible, biblical theology, and preaching. Part two seeks to apply the biblical theological method to the various genres of biblical literature, with preaching in mind. The first chapter precedes these sections by introducing Christ as the culmination of both testaments. This section is an excellent introduction to help some understand the pointedness of what gospel-centered preaching is all about.
The first section addresses basic questions that are asked about preaching and the Bible. A foundational understanding that the Bible’s design and purpose is to set forth Jesus culminates in the question for preachers, “How does this passage of Scripture, and consequently my sermon, testify to Christ?” From here the author unveils the discipline of biblical theology, helping the reader to understand what it is and all that it includes. Preaching through the lens of biblical theology helps to reveal a holistic approach to understanding the biblical teaching of Scripture. As well, it continues that pattern of delivering God’s message established throughout the Bible. The author uses Jesus as a model to show this through his teaching. The unity of the biblical text is another factor that builds our understanding of biblical theology. Finally, how the gospel is used and the structure of biblical revelation lead the reader to understand how this one message culminates from all the Bible in Jesus Christ. This is an invaluable resource for preachers.
The second section addresses the practical application of biblical theology to preaching. This section includes a wealth of information and direction to use for each major section of the Bible. The helps the author gives here provide a proper framework for the reader to understand and interpret each segment of Scripture for accurate understanding. Keeping the whole Bible in the framework of biblical theology and not isolating parts from the whole. This requires the consideration of three major components — literary genre, historical progression, and theological epochs — in order to understand what the text was designed to do, determine where it fits, and how it testifies to Christ. Each chapter deals with a genre and addresses related issues that the preacher should be aware of and consider in preparing to preach from that passage.
More book reviews by Pastor Lane