"40 Questions about Biblical Theology" (Jason S. DeRouchie, Oren R. Martin, & Andrew David Naselli)

TITLE: 40 Questions About Biblical Theology
AUTHOR: Jason S. DeRouchie, Oren R. Martin, & Andrew David Naselli
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2020, (400 pages).

For many people, theology is already a difficult word to make sense of. Some delegate the work of theology to the academics or the learned community. Laypersons too have varied opinions and understanding of the word.. Throw in "biblical theology" and the confusion grows. For those who have been through Bible School, that is not the only term to grapple with. There are other terms like "systematic theology," "pastoral theology," "historical theology," "dogmatic theology," "practical theology" and so on. So what is "biblical theology?" Leave it to the professionals? Not really. Anyone keen in studying the Bible would benefit from the study of Biblical Theology. Put it simply, it is about the big picture of Scripture. Understanding this big picture would keep us from becoming too myopic when we interpret and apply what we learn in our Bible studies. This book helps make the complex terms understandable; the unfamiliar words recognizable; and any difficult concepts comprehensible. It makes the topic of biblical theology more accessible through a simple set of questions and answers. For some people, the word "theology" can itself be labeled as for academics only. This mini-catechism changes all that, showing us that Biblical Theology is for everyone interested in the Bible and what the Bible teaches. The forty questions are subdivided into five headings:

1. Definition
2. Method
3. Illustrations via Themes
4. New Testament Application of Old Testament Themes
5. Applications

Three Thoughts

I believe this book deserves wider readership for the following reasons. First, it makes Biblical Theology accessible and helps us understand the big picture of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is about God revealing Himself to us and Biblical Theology is a powerful tool to help us understand this. Like the authors had said, we are "created and called" to know God and to make Him known. We are created in the image of God and understanding more of God will help us know our very own identity. We are called by God to make Him known so that more people will hear of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Biblical Theology helps us mine the truths of God's revelation to us via a methodical structure and interpretive techniques that are timeless and effective. In an age of Twitter and SMS Texts, where people try to interpret the world via brief tweets and short texts, we need to avoid trying to understand the Bible through snippets or choice verses. Biblical Theology (BT) is a corrective lens to keep us from such myopic approaches. That is why the authors begin by describing what BT is right from the start. This keeps us grounded in the principles and the reasons for studying and understanding BT. That said, the authors do not mince the complexity of the discipline as well. Right from the onset, they show us at least five different types of BT, which might be confusing at first, but at least readers will have some pre-emptive knowledge of the terms that are to come. Thankfully, the explanations are kept clear and brief.

Second, Biblical Theology is more about knowing God more deeply rather than the plain academics. It traces the faithfulness of God in the whole Bible. We learn of how the two Testaments "progress, integrate, and climax in Christ." In the book, we are given the broad overview of the whole canon which frees us to dive in deep into any one book without being lost in the details. In other words, we can study the trees without missing the forest and vice versa. This is the beauty of the canon and how the various books reveal the common author: God. While BT might not be made of devotional stuff, it equips us a lens to see God beyond just feeling God's presence. At the same time, we are reminded to avoid becoming reductionistic in the study of God. The whole Bible exalts Jesus but that does not mean we make the entire text talk only about Jesus. BT is a way to help us avoid that reductionistic error. Instead of aiming for one central theme, we learn of "theological unity." BT does exactly that. The reflective questions provide a wonderful lead-in to enable this discovery of God. 

Finally, it is hoped that this book would stir not only greater curiosity in the Bible and Biblical Theology, it would lead to higher take up rate in theological training. The days of sticking to just the Bible text alone are becoming less appealing, especially with the increased availability of resources like this book. This does not mean we excuse ourselves from reading just the Bible. It simply means learning to use different lens and perspectives to understand the Bible as revealed to us. For example, we need to learn to read the Bible not from individualistic lenses that focuses only on our own needs and aspirations. Reading the Bible means reading as a community of faith. With the help of theologians, scholars, and teachers from both the present and the past, our interpretive skills would be expanded and enriched. For the Bible that brings together thousands of years of revelation, it is essential that we learn to see God's revelation not just from the canon, but also from the wisdom of teachers both past and present.

If you don't have time to go to Bible School, or to read a textbook, or to go to a conference, this book makes a ready reference with salient information on the fundamentals of Biblical Theology. Thanks to the three esteemed professors of theology, we have a book that explains this clearly and succinctly.

Jason S. DeRouchie (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) currently serves as Research Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

Andrew David Naselli serves as associate professor of systematic theology and New Testament at Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis and as a pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. 

Oren Martin (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is assistant professor of Christian theology at Southern Seminary and Boyce College.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Kregel Academic without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.