Biblical Theology and Hermeneutics Graeme Goldsworthy

Graeme Goldsworthy is a minister Introduction “All Scripture is breathed out by God and of the Anglican Church of Australia I have found that many Christians have as profi table for teaching, for reproof, for cor- and has served in churches in Sydney their fi rst or main question to put to any rection, and for training in righteousness, and Brisbane. He lectured at Moore passage of the Bible, “What does it tell us that the man of God may be competent, Theological College, Sydney, in Old about ourselves?” They might sometimes equipped for every good work,” (2 Tim Testament, Biblical Theology, and start with, “What does it tell us about 3:16-17) he pointed to the pastoral-doctri- Hermeneutics. Now retired, he con- God?” But that soon takes second place nal signifi cance of Scripture. But behind tinues as a visiting lecturer at Moore to the more self-indulgent questions. This this statement is Paul’s whole understand- College to teach a fourth-year B.D. may, of course, be generated by a com- ing of the role of Jesus Christ as the media- course in Evangelical Hermeneutics. He mendable conviction that the Scriptures tor of salvation, a principle he expresses is the author of several books, including are practical, and by a desire to live lives in 1 Tim 2:5, “For there is one God, and Preaching the Whole Bible As Christian that are pleasing to God. Or it may be a there is one mediator between God and Scripture: The Application of Biblical habit born from the correct perception men, the man Christ Jesus.”2 Theology to Expository Preaching that the Scriptures are indeed God’s way Put simply, the issue is one of how we (Eerdmans, 2000), According to Plan: of teaching us about ourselves. But the read Scripture as the means of knowing The Unfolding Revelation of God in the perspective or main focus is back-to-front. what is in life and how we should seek to Bible (InterVarsity, 2002), and Prayer Such an approach usually fails to ask live it. The hermeneutic problem lies in And The Knowledge Of God: What exactly how it is that God uses Scripture the gap between the modern Christian The Whole Bible Teaches (InterVarsity, to teach us about ourselves. Is it by law and the ancient text. This is especially 2005). or by gospel? When Jesus referred to the obvious when we deal with Old Testa- Scriptures of the Old Testament he said of ment texts, but the New Testament also Moses, “he wrote about me.” He said of presents itself as a collection of ancient the Scriptures as a whole, “they testify of texts with a whole set of dynamics that are me.”1 His main concern was to show the not part of our experience. In this article I disciples the things concerning himself want to explore some of the ways that the (Luke 24:25-27, 44), so that his emphasis discipline of biblical theology can help us was that the Scriptures are fi rst and fore- to cross the gap and to read any part of most about him. And this emphasis is Scripture as God’s word to us. linked with Jesus opening their minds to understand the Scriptures (v. 45). Why is Theological and our emphasis often so different? Philosophical Hermeneutics It needs to be said at the outset that the The Differences Bible does indeed tell us a lot about our- We can distinguish between the fact selves. In fact, it is the only reality check that biblical hermeneutics in the church that is available to us in ultimate terms. from time to time was infl uenced by alien The hermeneutic question for us all, how- philosophical ideas, and the more recent ever, is “how does it speak of us and how secular development of hermeneutical do we receive instruction for living from philosophy which asks about meaning it?” When Paul wrote to Timothy saying, and understanding in general. Perhaps it 4 would be more accurate to say that they between the apostolic hermeneutics and lie on a continuum but a long way apart. those of the modern and postmodern The world of Jesus and the apostles was world, it perhaps lies in the inability of one that was full of different religions and the latter to adequately relate transcen- philosophies. It was multi-cultural and dence to immanence, and objectivity to diverse. All kinds of alien ideas clamored subjectivity. It is our contention, then, for acceptance, and it is not surprising that that Christian Theism, with its Christo- the sub-apostolic age saw the growing centric emphasis and its doctrines of the infl uence of many of these ideas on the Trinity, the incarnation, and creation ex thinking of some Christian leaders and nihilo, provides the only real antidote to writers. There remained, however, the this malaise. overwhelming sense that God has spo- ken through the apostolic message and The Similarities through the Hebrew Scriptures. Despite In both theological and philosophical the infl uences of Greek philosophy and hermeneutics there is the attempt to give of various gnostic sects, reverence for a view of reality that is universal. Herme- the written word of God remained the neutics is governed by our worldview, and approach to the Bible through the medi- consequently the way we interpret the eval church, the Reformation, and right up world, including the texts of the Bible, will to the time of the Enlightenment. reveal what our understanding of reality With thinkers like Decartes and Spi- is. Any view of reality will contain, either noza the process gained momentum implicitly or explicitly, a measure of self- which led to more and more philosophi- understanding. This may differ somewhat cal influences intruding into western from what we protest our understanding thinking and, thus, into hermeneutics to be, or even what we think quite sin- so that the governing presuppositions cerely that it is. Only when we begin to of Christian Theism were weakened and look at both our starting point and the fi nally eliminated. This, of course, was practical outcome of our analysis of text not a universal phenomenon as many or experience will we be able to assess Christians pressed on with devotion to with any accuracy what we really do the principles of the Reformation and, understand the world of our experience through them, to those of the apostles. to be. Both theological and philosophical But the reach of the Enlightenment was hermeneutics are expressive of world- considerable as Schleiermacher’s liberal- views. Both involve presuppositions and, ism paved the way to Heidegger and his if done with integrity, both will involve existentialist successors. The transition a hermeneutical spiral that seeks refi ne- from a sense of the objective authority of ments and corrections to the starting point the transcendent God through his word and to the outcomes. to an acceptance of pure subjectivity and It is my purpose in this article to immanence was climaxed by the multi- propose that the discipline of biblical faceted phenomenon of postmodernism. theology, when carried out with consis- The road to hermeneutical atheism was tently Christian presuppositions, is an complete. essential though much neglected aspect If there is any one main difference of the way we as Christians come to a 5 sound biblically based worldview. Bibli- separated Scripture from the word of God cal theology is essential to the proper while orthodoxy continued to maintain understanding of the Bible. I stress the their unity and their distinction. Neo- need for sound presuppositions since they orthodoxy and liberalism appealed to provide the fi rst questions that we put those who shied away from the idea of to the text of Scripture. We may indeed propositional revelation. The idea that learn much from people who have very God could or would speak so as to be different presuppositions from our own. understood, that is, that he would reveal Biblical hermeneutics may overlap with truth through words with propositional philosophical hermeneutics. Our biblical force, was simply ruled out. theology may overlap with that of those As more and more radical approaches who do not share our kind of Christian to Scripture and especially to its historical Theism. But any authentic similarities will truth-claims gained ground, so the sense exist because of common grace and the of a divinely breathed and reliable record image of God that remains in all people. of the history of salvation receded. Some Inauthentic similarities only serve to show devotees of salvation history (Heilsge- the ongoing relevance of Paul’s warning: schichte) drew a line of separation between “See to it that no one takes you captive by the events that really happened (Historie) philosophy and empty deceit according and the “faith” statements about what to human tradition” (Col 2:8). Christians happened (Geschichte). The application should always be aware of the seductive of a historical-critical method, that was powers of unbiblical notions, especially formed on naturalistic presuppositions, in the realm of academia. fuelled the periodic attempts to unearth the “historical Jesus” who had almost The Fortunes of Biblical Theology no similarity to the Jesus of the New The Demise Testament. The demise of biblical theology prob- Among evangelicals4 at least two ably began with the Enlightenment and its emphases have undermined the role of infl uence on biblical studies so that bibli- biblical theology. The one is a subjective cal theology mutated into a study of the focus on experience and the immediacy history of ancient religions. The American of the application of the biblical texts. This biblical theology movement of the mid- is not bad in itself if it is controlled by a twentieth century failed to the point that sound hermeneutical approach, about it could not fulfi ll its purpose to provide a which I shall have more to say. But when way out of the impasse between liberalism it is uncontrolled it can lead to the kind and fundamentalism.3 It simply did not of subjectivism that loses interest in what come to terms with the orthodox under- the text actually means in favor of “how standing of the inspiration and authority it speaks to me.” of the Bible. One issue was revelation. The The other emphasis that can under- weakening of the belief in the inspiration mine biblical theology is a preoccupation of the Bible led to the notion that historical with sound doctrine which, by defi ni- events constituted revelation while the tion, is also not a bad thing in itself. Yet, written word was merely the pious refl ec- historically, what was perceived to be a tion on historical events. Neo-orthodoxy dead doctrinal orthodoxy has not bred an 6 interest in biblical theology but rather a ably began in earnest in the nineteenth reactive neglect of doctrine in many situ- century. There were earlier movers in ations. Doctrine for doctrine’s sake can be this direction in the eighteenth century, a dead hand upon a Christian community. notably Johann Philipp Gabler. Gabler’s Purist splinter-denominations that expel inaugural address at Altdorf in 1787 is members for any small detail of perceived commonly regarded as a defi ning moment heterodoxy have always been one of the in that he made a pioneering statement less attractive parts of the Christian scene. distinguishing biblical from systematic We need sound doctrine, but we also need theology.7 But he was a child of the biblical theology. Unfortunately they have Enlightenment and his understanding of often become separated both in the acad- biblical theology was very different from emy and the congregation.5 What both what would emerge from conservatives subjectivism and doctrinal perfectionism with a high view of Scripture. Indeed, have in common is the potential to remove Gabler seemed more concerned to rescue the biblical text from its historical and dogmatics from philosophy than to estab- biblical theological contexts. These are lish a fruitful biblical theology. often set in opposition with great vigour Of course much depends on how we by the protagonists of each so that a book, a defi ne what we mean by biblical theol- sermon, or a Bible study is said to be either ogy. This in turn will depend on what devotional or doctrinal, but never both. It presuppositions we bring to the task. This is thought that it simply is not possible to is especially true of what we believe the bring the two together. I am going to be unity of the Bible to mean. Some modern arguing below that the antidote to these biblical theologians fi nd it convenient to distortions of good things is the recourse speak of theologies of the Bible rather than to biblical theology. of a single theology. But the heirs of the Reformation in modern evangelicalism do The Survival not understand the unity of the Bible to Despite the challenges, Reformation be primarily a matter of empirical inves- biblical studies survived. Continental tigation that is driven by many different Pietism and English Puritanism were presuppositional starting points. One two key movements in keeping orthodox implication of the centrality of Christ to Christian Theism alive in the face of the the whole of Scripture is that the unity of Enlightenment.6 The Evangelical Revival Scripture is fi rst and foremost an article in England ensured that by the nineteenth of faith. century there were still those in main- It is interesting that quite a bit of cross- stream Protestant churches that held to fertilization has taken place between the major principles of the Reformation. evangelicals and some whom we might Out of this situation in Europe, Britain, regard as somewhat left of center theo- and America, a vigorous evangelical bib- logically. Indeed the man who set me on lical theology emerged in the twentieth fi re (metaphorically speaking!) for bibli- century. It then spread to other parts of cal theology was a staunch conservative the world, notably Australia. evangelical, Donald Robinson, my Old The defi ning of biblical theology in Testament lecturer when as a student formal terms as a distinct discipline prob- at Moore College in Sydney I wrestled 7 with the questions of how the whole lical theology is what gives coherence to Bible could be construed as a unity. His the Bible by seeking to understand what simple description, in response to another kind of overall unity exists. student’s question, of how revelation was structured quite blew my mind.8 Many Doubting the Viability of years later, at a School of Theology at Biblical Theology Moore College, Robinson described how Among the contributors to the modern certain scholars, none of them evangelical, debates about biblical theology are those had led him in the direction of biblical who doubt its viability. They do this for theology.9 a number of reasons. I will suggest three that are all related. The fi rst is the chal- Defi ning Biblical Theology lenge to the notion of the unity of the Biblical theology is commonly acknowl- Bible. This can take a number of forms. edged to be that process of understanding Diversity in the Scriptures is pressed theology as the Bible itself presents it before home to mean a lack of unity. This is con- ever we engage in dogmatic formulations. trary to Christian Theism, which accepts That, in itself, raises important questions. the New Testament evidence for the con- If we go to the text of Scripture seeking viction of Jesus and the apostles that the its theology we have already made certain Old Testament, despite its diversity, is a assumptions about the nature of the Bible. unifi ed account of the acts of God inter- We have, in fact, started with a preformed preted by the prophetic word of God. The dogma that could have risen in any of a Scriptures ultimately stem from the single number of ways.10 Any biblical theology authorship of the Holy Spirit. That they, involves two distinguishable processes. by the Spirit, testify to Jesus means that The fi rst is what is sometimes referred to there is an essential unity since Christ is as a synchronic approach. This involves not divided. The question, “What do you the analytical examination of the parts of think of the Christ, whose son is he?” thus the whole and includes exegesis or a close implies a further question, “What do you reading of the parts of the biblical canon. It think of the Scriptures; whose words are is synchronic in that it examines the texts they?” relating to one period of time. Studies Second, some are challenged by the in the theology of a prophet, of a single naturalistic assumptions of the historical book, or of one period in Israel’s history critical method to question the integrity are synchronic. However, the unity of the of the narrative of biblical history. The Bible reminds us that no exegetical task is traditional convictions of both church and complete until we have related a specifi c synagogue that the story line of the Bible text to the overall message of Scripture. is credible and accurate are dismissed. Thus, synchronic analysis requires that The historical question is crucial given we also engage in diachronic synthesis. the biblical emphasis on God acting and This recognizes both the unity of Scrip- speaking within human history for our ture and the progressive nature of revela- salvation.11 Of course there are questions tion. In my view, while there is always a of how ancient historians wrote and we need for focused studies of designated soon learn that it is a mistake to try to areas, the synthesis of the diachronic bib- impose the rules of modern historiogra- 8 phy onto the narratives. for systematics. On the other hand, some This latter question points to the third biblical theologians will imply that doing stumbling block to many scholars’ liking biblical theology removes the need for for biblical theology. If the Bible is not of doctrinal formulations. divine origin but simply an anthology of The consistent evangelical position is religious writings put together over some that we need both biblical theology and fi fteen hundred years or so, then the idea systematic (dogmatic) theology, and that of a unifi ed biblical theology evaporates. they interact. The refl ective evangelical The Scriptures are simply scriptures that biblical theologian will recognize that record the religious conviction of a range dogmatic presuppositions are brought to of ancient people. The notions of God the task as soon as we start to question speaking, and of his Holy Spirit ensuring Scripture whether for its literary qualities, that what the Scriptures say is what God its historical records, or its theological says, are ruled out. teaching. When we ask theological ques- tions we must face the questions of the Evangelical Presuppositions: authority of Scripture, its unity, and its The Dogmatic Basis of primary focus. A Christian comes with Biblical Theology different presuppositions from those of Any reader of the Bible comes with the humanist or even the religious Jew. certain presuppositions. The unbelieving The consistent position is that the gospel reader whose approach is one of assumed of Jesus Christ is the means by which God neutrality, or even owned hostility, will converts us and brings us to adopt Chris- either stifl e the witness of Scripture or be tian presuppositions about any aspect of changed by it. In other words, a herme- reality. Thus, there is an important sense neutic spiral either is allowed to operate in which we begin with Christ and end or it is not. If it does operate, then every with him. He is the hermeneutical Alpha reading of Scripture will cause the care- and Omega. ful reader to reconsider the presupposi- The nature of the gospel is such that tions originally brought to the text. If it it demands of the converted enquirer of is thought necessary, certain changes Scripture a number of things. Allegiance will be made so that any further reading to Jesus Christ means obedience to his will involve new assumptions and new word. The combined testimony of the four questions. Gospels and of the apostolic witness in The evangelical presuppositions that the rest of the New Testament provides us are brought to the text are doctrinal. with our dogmatic assumptions towards Some theologians may be prejudiced in Scripture. If we can for a brief time put such a way as to operate with minimal aside any bad habits learned from our reference to the Bible. But the evangeli- sub-cultural upbringing in evangelical cal dogmatician will assert that biblical churches and homes, and allow the gos- theology provides the raw material for pel to dictate them, we will recognize doctrinal formulation. However, some certain things that are required of us. The early biblical theologies were so driven circularity of this approach is a character- by doctrinal orthodoxy that they were istic of any approach. There is no neutral little more than a collection of proof-texts objectivity. Our defense against vicious 9 circularity is an understanding of the that the Bible is far from being a collection hermeneutical spiral and the testimony of unconnected stories and teachings is a of the Holy Spirit. Our hermeneutics must liberating experience. be gospel-driven. On the other hand we must ask why First, the gospel demands of us that we scholars of hermeneutics seem often see that the whole Bible is about Christ unimpressed by biblical theology. That simply because he says so and not because this is so among those we loosely refer it is immediately obvious to us. Second, to as liberals is not to be wondered at. I we will need to come to terms with the maintain that biblical theology requires a kinds of structures within that unity high view of Scripture, of its authority and that are evident from the way the New its unity, to remain viable. Enlightenment Testament uses the Old Testament. Third, thinking inevitably reduces the value we will approach the Old Testament as a of Scripture on all fronts. A fragmented structured Christian corpus and ask how Bible, or one that has been downgraded it testifi es to Jesus seeing that it is writ- to the status of an anthology of ancient ten about events that took place before religious ideas, requires an altogether his advent.12 Such questions as these are different hermeneutical strategy from that essential to sound hermeneutics, but they demanded by the word of God written. cannot be adequately answered without I have already referred above to the engaging in biblical theology. evangelical neglect of biblical theology and some possible causes. Specifi cally I The Role of Biblical Theology in nominated evangelical subjectivism and Biblical Interpretation rigid doctrinal orthodoxy. The former The Neglect of Biblical Theology is, I believe, the most prevalent cause of in Hermeneutics the ignorance of biblical theology among When one examines the standard texts evangelicals. Subjectivism is a characteris- on hermeneutics, including those written tic that is a natural tendency of the human by evangelicals, one may well wonder heart. Biblical dogmatics, and specifi cally whether biblical theology has had any the doctrines of creation and the incarna- signifi cant role in hermeneutics at all. tion are essential to a proper understand- There are some notable exceptions, but it ing of the relationship of subjectivity and nevertheless is generally true that bibli- objectivity. The Enlightenment catapulted cal theology is more or less assumed or subjectivism into the foreground while ignored. This is a situation that I, as a bibli- it undermined the possibility of a true cal theologian who also teaches a course objectivity. Decartes’ doubting of any- in evangelical hermeneutics, fi nd some- thing beyond cogito ergo sum, Schleierm- what perplexing. My own experience is acher’s reduction of God to the intuition of that when Christian people, both trained what I feel, and Bultmann’s preoccupation and untrained theologians, acquire some with self-understanding, have all taken sense of the value of biblical theology they their toll and fi nd correspondences in the tend to become enthusiasts. One obvious individualism and subjectivism that has reason for this is simply the sense of the affected evangelicalism at least since the “big picture” and the tangible unity of nineteenth century.13 Scripture that it engenders. To discover Prior to the Enlightenment, Roman 10 Catholic theology had long since inter- the Bible is a very big book. nalized the gospel with its doctrine of infused grace. Rome’s upside-down gos- The Structure of Biblical Revelation pel included the refusal to allow the his- “All Scripture is breathed out by God torical once-for-all events of the life, death, and profi table for teaching, for reproof, and resurrection of Christ to remain for correction, and for training in righ- objective, albeit with subjective implica- teousness, that the man of God may be tions. Rome’s Thomist foundations and competent, equipped for every good the Enlightenment coincide on a number work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). This can easily be of issues including the softening of the read as meaning that the Old Testament effects of sin and the preservation of a is an anthropocentric book of rules. But natural ability to know reality without the we need to observe how Paul uses the special revelation of the Bible and without Old Testament in order to instruct his the gracious work of the Holy Spirit.14 readers. In v. 15 he indicates that the same An evangelical adaptation of Catholi- Scriptures are able to make one wise to cism emerges when the gospel is seen salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. primarily as God acting within the For Paul, the Old Testament Scriptures believer. “Jesus-in-my-heart” theology are Christocentric. and a primary focus on the gospel of the If the Old Testament is somehow changed life is evangelical Catholicism.15 Christocentric, then it follows that the Evangelical Schleiermacherism is seen Bible is structured typologically. Yet there in the religion of feeling and experience remains a deep suspicion of typology, that governs how we understand the partly because there have been some real biblical text. Evangelical Bultmannism excesses proposed in the name of typol- is found when the essence of preaching ogy. Typology is often confused with alle- the gospel is to call people to “decide for gory, which gives it a bad name. So, let us Christ” often without any clear exposition start by looking at some of the ways that of the objective historical facts of who or the New Testament presents its relation to what this Christ is. The gospel demands the Old Testament. The four Gospels each decision, but it is not itself merely the call have a unique way of making the link at to decide. the outset. Thus Matthew gives us his One other fairly diverse area of neglect schematized genealogy of Jesus linking of biblical theology for hermeneutics him with Abraham, David, and the exile. arises out of the separation of the two It is clear that Matthew is interested in Testaments. From the time the writing of the theological signifi cance of these defi n- biblical theologies began in earnest in the ing points. He introduces Jesus as son of nineteenth century, very few theologies of Abraham and son of David. And, through the whole Bible have appeared.16 We have Matthew’s theology of the cross, Jesus is either an Old Testament Theology or a shown to be related to the real spiritual New Testament Theology. Often this sim- exile. Matthew is also concerned to show ply refl ects the specialties of the authors. that Jesus does or says things “that the For some it is statement of the lack of real Scriptures might be fulfi lled.” connection between the Testaments. For Mark brings us immediately to the others it is a pragmatic decision given that beginning of Jesus’ ministry of preaching. 11 “The time is fulfi lled, and the kingdom 1. Creation, Fall, and the of God is at hand; repent and believe the Grace of God gospel.” (Mark 1:15). The implication is Genesis 1-11 is both the theological that the whole process revealed in the preamble to the calling of Abraham, and Old Testament has reached a crisis point to the whole Bible. God creates; mankind of fulfi llment. Luke begins with a birth rebels; God judges but at the same time narrative that links the coming of Jesus exercises grace in a covenantal way. Cre- to the temple and to the fulfi llment of ation and the human race, despite the Old Testament promises. John has a more heinous rebellion against the Creator, still cosmic perspective as he locates the one have a future. who is the Word come in the fl esh as the creator Word from the beginning. 2. Redemptive History Involving Space does not permit much detail Abraham and His Descendants here, but we can at least observe some The calling of Abraham gives speci- of the more obvious features of the New ficity to the expressions of grace and Testament’s use of the Old. In this rela- covenant in Gen 1-11. The story unfolds tionship of the ministry of Jesus to its with numerous dynamics relating to the antecedents in the events of the Old Testa- way God deals with sinners by grace ment there are some important emphases alone. Promise without any immediate to be observed. It is clear that Jesus is seen fulfi llment leads to a captivity without as having an important theological link an immediately obvious spiritual cause. to both Abraham and David. It becomes Redemption is revealed in the exodus, and apparent that Jesus and the apostles the redeemed life structured by the law regarded Abraham as the father of God’s of Moses. The history of Israel unfolds as people, and David as the pinnacle of this that of a wayward people who are inca- people. The exile is a reminder that from pable of unambiguous obedience. Yet God the heights of David’s kingdom there graciously leads them into the promised came a great and disastrous fall that land and establishes them under a mon- began in earnest with Solomon. Thus, archy intended to refl ect the rule of God. Peter in his Pentecost sermon focuses on The pinnacle of this process that began David’s testimony to the Christ, who is with the covenant promises to Abraham Jesus. Paul, in his fi rst recorded sermon is reached in David. To him an enduring (Acts 13), recounts a biblical theology that promise is made of a descendant to pos- has three chief moments: the election of sess the throne of God’s rule. the fathers, David, and David’s descen- That Solomon, David’s son, wise man, dant Jesus. temple builder, and the designated son These emphases alone should cause us of God (2 Sam 7:14), is all but ignored in to ask about the way the Old Testament the New Testament can be explained by itself deals with such matters. I will now two factors. First, the emphasis is always outline what seems to me to be the clear on David as the recipient of the promises, structure of biblical revelation. Again so the true king is known as David’s son, space does not permit me to go into as not Solomon’s. Second, Solomon is a very much detail as I would like.17 ambiguous fi gure. His achievements in wisdom and in building the temple are 12 squandered in his apostasy and the con- 4. The Unexpected Manner of sequent destruction of Israel. The signifi - Fulfi llment in Christ cance of both wisdom and the temple as The New Testament proclaims that fulfi llments of David’s ministry remains, what God has promised in the Old Testa- but Solomon fades from view. It seems ment is fulfi lled in the person and work to me indisputable that David, along of Jesus. Again it is notable that the Old with the fi rst part of Solomon’s kingship, Testament structures are recapitulated in represents a high point in redemptive these fulfi llments. It is, I believe, clear that revelation. Between Abraham and David Jesus, the apostles and the New Testament the entire structure of salvation and king- authors all saw the categories of Old Testa- dom life is given its preliminary, that is, ment promise given their true expression its typological expression. and meaning in Christ. In other words the Day of the Lord arrived with the fi rst 3. Decline, Exile, and coming of Jesus. The end of the ages came Eschatological Hope upon us in that event (1 Cor 10:11). From Solomon’s apostasy onward it is all downhill except for a few brief attempts 5. Synthesis at reform. The depths are reached in the Biblical revelation fi rst consists of a exile and the destruction of Jerusalem by preparatory and pattern-making sec- the Babylonians. During the decline and tion in Gen 1-11. Second, the kingdom of the exile a new breed of prophets arise God and the nature of redemption are who have something distinct to say. The revealed within the historical processes so-called writing prophets all engage in from Abraham to David. Third, the accusations of covenant-breaking and period of the writing prophets embraces threats of divine retribution. Their unique an historical demonstration of the wrath role is to introduce a wholly new set of of God in judgment, and the reiteration promises of gracious restitution and sal- of the word of grace promising eventual vation. The signifi cant thing is that the and perfect fulfi llment of the promises newness of their message involves taking of the kingdom of God. Fourth, these the old structures that belong to Israel’s promises are declared to be fulfi lled in experiences from Abraham to David, and the life, death, resurrection, and ascension projecting them into a future, kingdom of of Jesus of Nazareth. Thus, against the God. These old structures are given new background of the fall and intermittent life in that they are transformed into a judgments, biblical revelation consists of future that is perfect, glorious, and eter- a typological-historical epoch (primarily nal. Yet any apparent fulfi llments of such from Abraham to David and Solomon), promises recorded in the Old Testament a strand of recapitulation of the type are but pale refl ections of the promises. (prophetic eschatology), and the antitype The nation restored under Cyrus, with its (Jesus Christ). rebuilt temple and structures of autono- mous rule, is a disappointing shadow of The Biblical “Big Picture” the expectations. The Old Testament ends of Reality with hope but no real substance to the Alongside the analysis just given we fulfi llments. must consider how it is that Jesus is the 13 fulfi ller. The Bible gives a comprehensive both fully God and fully human. worldview or, more accurately, a view of When the New Testament refl ects on reality. Nothing that exists is outside of what God has done in Christ we may eas- this big picture of reality. Most simply ily miss the implication of what is being stated, reality consists of God and the said. The Bible indicates that reality con- creation. Unlike the dogmas of evolution- sists of God, humanity, and the rest of the ary faith, the Bible presents mankind as created universe. The incarnation means having both continuity with the rest of that Jesus is representative reality. He is creation (made from the dust and, like true God and true human being. As a the animals, is nephesh hayyah. ), and dis- human being he shares our created being continuity (alone made in God’s image). of fl esh and blood. Thus God, humanity, The relationships established in creation and “dust,” exist together in perfect rela- involve the absolute lordship of God and tionships in the person of Christ. This is a a refl ected dominion exercised by man foretaste of what God is achieving through over the rest of creation. him. He is the kingdom, the regeneration. The rebellion of mankind against God Thus, by faith Christians partake of the and the consequent judgment disrupt all perfection of Jesus’ manhood and, in him, the relationships of almost everything to are regenerate sons of God. everything else. Relationships not spoiled We can see this reality picture refl ected by sin would be those within the Trinity in certain descriptions of Christ:18 and the angels. While the redemptive history takes place in divinely ordained • Acts 13:32-33: The resurrection of Jesus is the fulfi llment of the Old contexts of the history of the people of Testament promises, which include God, it bespeaks of a promise to bring those relating to the renewal of all God, mankind and the world of nature things. • Rom 8:19-23: The work of Christ into right relationships. How is this done? effects the redemption of the whole The Old Testament gives many clues but of creation. • I Cor 1-2: Christ in his gospel is never enough for us to get the whole the wisdom of God, which links picture. Only when the incarnate Son of him to the Old Testament perspec- God comes can we really understand the tive on God’s wisdom in the order of creation. process. • 2 Cor 1:20: All God’s promises, The incarnation confronts us with the which must include those of a new difficulty of accommodating a human creation, are affi rmed in Christ. • 2 Cor 5:17: Christ is the locus of the being who is also God. Christian heresies new creation.19 tried to rationalize this by diluting the •Eph 1:10: God’s plan is, in the full- truth. Jesus was only human with the ness of time, to sum up all things in Christ, things in heaven and things biggest of all divine sparks (Ebionism). on earth. As with Gal 4:4, the full- Jesus was divine spirit who only appeared ness of time is the time of the gospel event, not the second coming. Thus, to have a human form (Docetism). Jesus the incarnation is the summing-up was human except that he had a divine, event of all reality. but not a human, spirit (Apollinarianism). • Eph 2:13-22: Christ as the new temple fulfi ls all the expectations And so on. But in Christian orthodoxy of the new temple in the Old Testa- the confession has remained that the ment, which is closely related to incomprehensible exists: a being who is the renewal of the earth; the new temple in Ezekiel is the centre of the 14 new Eden. age; too many references to the last days • Col 1:15-20: Christ is the reason for or the end of the ages being now; and too the creation and is the fi rstborn of all creation. All things hold together in many references to the rule of Christ now. him. He reconciles the whole of the On the other hand, there are those refer- created order to God. ences to salvation, to the end, to the last • Col 2:2-3: Christ contains all the treasures of wisdom and knowl- days that are yet to come. How are we to edge. resolve this apparent double vision? The • 1 Pet 3:1-13: Christians wait for the new heavens and the new earth to be answer is in the coming of the Christ. revealed at the coming of Christ. The New Testament differentiates • Rev 21-22: the goal of the biblical where the Old Testament does not. Jesus story is the new heavens and the new earth; the fi nal rule of God and the Messiah has come in the fl esh, he is his Christ. coming now by his Holy Spirit, and he will come in glory at the consummation of all It follows that the fi rst coming of Christ things. The fi rst event was the end come fulfi lled all, I repeat, all the promises and (representatively) in him. The second prophesies of the Old Testament since (beginning with Pentecost) is the end these all deal in some way or other with coming among God’s people through the restoration of reality. the gospel and the Spirit. The third (the return of Christ) will be the end coming The Biblical “Big Picture” of as consummation to the whole of creation. Redemption in Christ While there are real distinctions there is This big picture of redemptive history also a real sameness. In each case it is the fi nding its complete fulfi llment in the fi rst whole end promised in the Old Testament. coming of Christ naturally raises certain Not a third plus a third plus a third, but questions. For many scholars, and in the whole plus the whole plus the whole. some popular opinion, only part of the The distinctions lie in how the whole end body of prophecy is thus fulfi lled. The comes. remainder points to the second coming. Now, it is this perspective that struc- This is not at all clear to me. For one thing tures Christian existence. Our union with the Old Testament focuses on one Day of Christ means that we have already died, the Lord, one coming of the Messiah, one risen, and ascended to sit with Christ in event of setting up the kingdom of God. heavenly places. Our union with Christ Is it possible, then, to distinguish between means that we go on striving in the pres- promises of the fi rst coming and promises ent to put to death what is earthly within of the second? The obvious answer is that us, and that we seek to live as those risen Jesus and the New Testament writers must with Christ who are already citizens of guide us. heaven. Our union with Christ and his When we follow up the New Testa- resurrection means that we look forward ment view of things the perspective of the with confi dence to the glory that is yet to “now” and the “not yet” comes into focus. be revealed. These, respectively, are the But what is the relationship of what is now perspectives of justifi cation, sanctifi ca- and what is not yet? There are too many tion, and glorifi cation. places where prophecies that look like the consummation are applied to the gospel 15 The Hermeneutic Application of worldview as it is uncovered by biblical Biblical Theology theology. In fact biblical theology implies A person who is dead towards God the use of every exegetical means avail- and a rebellious suppressor of the truth able to come to an understanding of the interprets all data as evidence against text.20 Exegesis in canonical context is nec- God. The sovereign grace of God, operat- essary if we are to see past the diversity of ing through the Holy Spirit as he brings the biblical documents to the unity of the the sinner to new birth and faith in the canon that centers on Christ. Without this gospel, renews the mind. All data are now we will have a distorted view of reality. seen as God’s. God’s hermeneutical norm When Christ is removed from his histori- for reality is Jesus Christ in his gospel. cal context he easily becomes merely an The interpretation of reality; of the world, ideal. The biblical narratives are reduced of history, of human nature, is governed to timeless sources of morality. Inevita- by the life, death, and resurrection of bly the locus of salvation shifts from the Jesus. Hermeneutical sanctifi cation is the objective reality of the fi nished work of progressive application of the truth as the risen and ascended Christ to the sub- it is revealed in him to the world of our jective perceptions of individual piety and experience. It begins with our interpreta- infused grace. Hermeneutics becomes a tion of God’s word written. matter of subjective preference based on The role of biblical theology is to pro- subjective criteria. An internally wrought vide us with a biblical perspective on salvation returns us to the middle ages the Bible itself. Ideally, biblical theology and the consequent loss of assurance. Sub- involves our submission to God as he jectivity becomes subjectivism because it speaks through his Christ. This word of has lost its necessary link to the objective God comes to us now only in Scripture. out-there-ness of a transcendent God who Biblical theology involves us in a dialogue defi nes immanence by the historic Jesus between our exegesis and our dogmatic coming to us. Evangelicalism deteriorates formulations. Our encounter with the to become modern, maybe even postmod- risen Christ in conversion programs us ern, and loses its basis in revelation and with a doctrine of the authority of God’s reality. word. The historic nature of the gospel event and the Old Testament’s unfolding Conclusion of its antecedents demand the undertak- If I am right about the necessity for ing of biblical theology. This undertaking biblical theology, then it follows that it in turn enables us to build more accurately belongs to all God’s people, not merely and more comprehensively our dogmatic to pastors and teachers. Yet this is a most presuppositions to the task. neglected area. Biblical theology belongs While hermeneutics will require atten- in preaching, teaching, and in all lev- tion to other disciplines such as the study els of Christian education. As soon as of the biblical languages, linguistic theory, Christian children are old enough to literary criticism, biblical historiography, grasp the sense of narrative we should and even philosophy, none of these will begin teaching them the “big picture” of bring us to an authentic worldview or the biblical story.21 Yet how many of our self-understanding without the biblical youth and adults, let alone the children, 16 have any real sense of the way the whole in Crisis (Philadelphia: Westminster, Bible hangs together? Do our preachers 1970). really grasp the need to show the fruits of 4I am aware that there are some differences biblical theology in the way they preach? in the way the term evangelical is used The only way to do this is to major on in the USA from its usage in Britain expository preaching, and in such a way and Australia. For me it describes the that the sense of the unity of the Bible is consistent application of the theology of built up. Above all, Old Testament preach- the Reformation. While it may embrace ing should be undertaken in a way that fundamentalists and dispensationalists, shows how the whole Bible testifi es to it is wider than that. For me, the most Christ. Narrative should be milked fi rst consistent expression of evangelicalism and foremost for its part in redemptive is Reformed theology. history rather than for its exemplary mor- 5A matter lamented, amongst others, by als. This takes careful and time-consum- Francis Watson, Text and Truth (Grand ing preparation. Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 2-9. None of these things will happen 6See Jens Zimmerman, Recovering in any signifi cant way in churches and Theological Hermeneutics (Grand Rapids: Christian homes if it does not start in the Baker, 2004). evangelical academies and seminaries. 7Hans-Joachim Kraus, Die Biblische How many such establishments actually Theologie: Ihre Geschichte und Problematik include a compulsory course in biblical (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener theology? (A pass in “Biblical Theology Verlag, 1970). 101” should be a prerequisite for anyone 8I hasten to add that Robinson’s views who is undertaking any kind of Bible formed the basis of my understanding of ministry.) How many such establish- the structure of revelation and of biblical ments encourage its biblical studies pro- theology which I have developed and fessors to dialogue with its theologians expounded ever since. about the need they have for each other? 9Donald Robinson, “Origins and How many such places of learning teach Unresolved Tensions,” in Interpreting hermeneutics with a view to encouraging God’s Plan: Biblical Theology and the Pastor preaching and teaching that proclaims the (ed. R. J. Gibson; Carlisle: Paternoster, Christ of the whole Bible rather than some 1997). Robinson acknowledges the pale refl ection of him? The seminary, as infl uence of C. H. Dodd, Oscar Cullmann, much as the church as a whole, needs to and Gabriel Hebert. An infl uence in my remember the Reformation dictum: The own thinking was John Bright’s book The reformed church is always reforming. Kingdom of God (Nashville: Abingdon- Cokesbury, 1953). ENDNOTES 10I have discussed this in my articles, 1John 5:46; 5:39. “‘Thus says the Lord!’—The Dogmatic 2The context of this statement is not the Basis of Biblical Theology,” in God Who one we are immediately concerned with, Is Rich in Mercy: Essays Presented to D. B. but the principle is there and is either Knox (ed. P. T. O’Brien and D. G. Peterson; universally true or it is not true at all. Homebush West: Lancer, 1986); and “The 3Brevard S. Childs, Biblical Theology Ontological and Systematic Roots of Bib- 17 lical Theology,” Reformed Theological evangelical offering from Charles Review, 62, no. 3 (2004). Scobie: The Ways of Our God: An 11A recent conservative defence of Approach to Biblical Theology (Grand the historical integrity of the Old Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003). My own Testament is Iain Provan, V. Philips According to Plan was intended as a Long, and Tremper Longman III, A simplifi ed biblical theology suitable Biblical History of Israel (Louisville: for use in churches. Westminster John Knox, 2003). 17More detail can be found in my 12I have discussed this in my book book According to Plan. A simpler According to Plan (Downers Grove, form is included in my earlier book IL: InterVarsity, 2002). The matter Gospel and Kingdom, now included of the biblical testimony to Christ in The Goldsworthy Trilogy (Carlisle: is further discussed in my book, Paternoster, 2000). Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian 18I have taken up this point in greater Scripture (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, detail in my book Gospel-Centred 2000). Hermeneutics (Leicester: InterVar- 13It has, of course, been around much sity) to be published later this longer. The enthusiasts were per- year. ceived by the Reformers as a potent 19There is an ambiguity in the Greek threat to sound biblical teaching. here, which literally says, “If any- 14A matter taken up in detail by one is in Christ, a new creation.” It Jacques de Senarclens, Heirs of the could mean “he is a new creation,” Reformation (London: SCM, 1959). or “there is a new creation.”The 15While the gospel undoubtedly important point is the perspective changes lives, the gospel is not of being in Christ, and in that way about our changed lives but about being part of the new creation. the person and work of Jesus. The locus of the new creation is in 16Geerhardus Vos’s Biblical Theology: Christ who is in heaven. This does Old and New Testament (Grand not contradict the subjective aspect Rapids: Eerdmans, 1948) was re- of regeneration in the believer, but garded as required reading when puts it in perspective. See my article, I was a student. Yet it is curiously “Regeneration,” in New Dictionary of truncated. The former prophets Biblical Theology (Downers Grove, are ignored and the treatment of IL: InterVarsity, 2000), 720-23. the New Testament stops with 20Exegesis when understood broadly Jesus’ public ministry and omits becomes coterminous with herme- any detailed treatment of his neutics. At its heart is biblical death or resurrection. Brevard theology. Childs writes from a conservative 21For an excellent example of child- critical (neo-orthodox?) position ren’s literature see David Helm, in his Biblical Theology of the Old The Big Picture Story Bible (Wheaton: and New Testaments (Minneapolis: Crossway, 2004). Fortress, 1993). More recently we have a worthy and comprehensive 18 Extending the Conversation

Knocking on Heaven’s How Long, O Lord? Door 2nd edition David Crump D. A. Carson 080102689X 0801031257 352 pp. • $22.99p 256 pp. • $22.99p How are we to understand “[A] sober, encouraging the nature of petitionary book. . . . Th e two sides of the prayer? Th is is an issue of author, the biblical scholar perennial concern to the who reads, thinks, and misses church, from both a theologi- no detail and the pastoral cal and a pastoral standpoint. teacher who understands Certainly much has been people, feels with them, and written on the topic from a cares for them, combine here devotional/experiential to give us a treatment of approach, as well as from a philosophical one. But Knock- suff ering under God’s sovereignty which is outstandingly ing on Heaven’s Door by David Crump is the fi rst attempt to accurate, wise, and helpful. All who follow the author’s exhaustively examine the New Testament writings that fast-fl owing argument will fi nd their heads cleared and have bearing on the topic. their hearts strengthened.”—J. I. Packer, Regent College

Christian Beginnings Jesus People and the Dead Sea Scrolls David Catchpole John J. Collins and Craig A. 0801031605 Evans, editors 304 pp. • $29.99p 080102837X Drawing on recent 144 pp. • $16.99p scholarship but focusing on In this volume, six leading the Gospel texts themselves, scholars—John Collins, Catchpole explores the Craig Evans, Martin Abegg, origins of the Jesus R. Glenn Wooden, Barry movement in the community Smith, and Jonathan of Israel. Beginning with the Wilson—examine some of mission of John the Baptist, the major issues that the he moves on to consider the Dead Sea Scrolls have raised costs and implications of for the study of early Christianity. Th ese cutting-edge discipleship, the centrality of prayer, attitudes toward articles explore the impact of the Scrolls on Christianity, Israel’s way of holiness, the signifi cance of the temple, delving deeper than most surveys on the Dead Sea Scrolls. and Jesus’s understanding of his own death.

Reading the Sermon on the Mount Charles H. Talbert 080103163X 160 pp. • $17.99p Most interpretations treat the Sermon as an ethical J text—concerned about the way Christians behave. Charles Talbert, however, Available at your local bookstore, argues that it is more www.bakeracademic.com, concerned with character or by calling 1-800-877-2665 formation and ethical decision making. He argues Subscribe to Baker Academic’s that it is a text about covenant fi delity to God and to other electronic newsletter (E-Notes) at humans, in which Jesus seeks to aff ect perceptions, www.bakeracademic.com dispositions, and intentions. Th e result is a superb commentary on the Sermon that will be of value to anyone studying this core passage of Scripture.

19 Preaching and Biblical Theology Thomas R. Schreiner

Thomas R. Schreiner is James Introduction In many conservative churches pastors Buchanan Harrison professor of New The Southern Baptist Convention in this almost always preach on the horizontal Testament and the Associate Dean generation has won the battle for the iner- level. The congregation is bombarded for Scripture and Interpretation at The rancy of scripture, but we must be vigilant with sermons about marriage, raising Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. for the next generation will have to strive children, success in business, overcoming He previously taught New Testament anew for “the faith that was once for all depression, conquering fears, and so on at Azusa Pacifi c University and Bethel delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).1 Satan and so forth. Again, all of these subjects Theological Seminary. He is the author is the father of lies and extremely subtle, must be faced in our pulpits. We must not of Romans (Baker, 1998) in the Baker and he will certainly work to subvert the go to the other extreme so that we never Exegetical Commentary on the New truth of the gospel in the coming days. address these matters. But what is trou- Testament and 1 and 2 Peter and Jude Nor should we congratulate ourselves too bling is that these sort of sermons become (Broadman & Holman, 2003) in the New quickly, for conservative churches may the staple week in and week out, and the American Commentary Series. He is embrace the inerrancy of scripture, while theological worldview that permeates also the author of Paul, Apostle of God’s denying in practice the suffi ciency of God’s God’s word and is the foundation for all of Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology word. We may say that scripture is God’s life is passed over in silence. Our pastors (InterVarsity, 2001) and co-author (with inerrant word, while failing to proclaim turn into moralists rather like Dear Abby A. B. Caneday) of The Race Set Before it seriously from our pulpits. who give advice on how to live a happy Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance In many evangelical churches today we life week after week. and Assurance (InterVarsity, 2001). In truly have a famine for the word of God. Many congregations do not realize addition, he is serving as the preach- We have sermon series in our conservative what is happening because the moral ing pastor of Clifton Baptist Church in churches that feature in their titles televi- life that is commended accords, at least Louisville, Kentucky. sion shows like Gilligan’s Island, Bonanza, in part, with scripture and speaks to the and Mary Tyler Moore. Our preaching felt needs of both believers and unbeliev- often concentrates on steps to a successful ers. Pastors believe they must fi ll their marriage or how to raise children in our sermons with stories and illustrations, culture. Such sermons on family issues, of so that the anecdotes fl esh out the moral course, are fi tting and needed. Unfortu- point enunciated. Every good preacher, nately, two problems often surface in such naturally, illustrates the points being sermons. First, what the scriptures actually made. But sermons can become so chock- say about these subjects is often neglected full of stories and illustrations that they or skated over. How many sermons on are bereft of any theology. marriage faithfully and urgently set forth I have heard evangelicals say rather what Paul actually says about the roles of frequently that we are doing fine in men and women (Eph 5:22-33)? Or, is it theology because congregations are not the case that even we conservatives are complaining about what we teach them. somewhat abashed and embarrassed by Such a comment is quite frightening, for what the scriptures say? we as pastors have the responsibility to The second problem is of the same proclaim “the whole counsel of God” sort, and perhaps even more serious. (Acts 20:27). We cannot rely on congre- 20 gational polling to determine whether we storyline and theology of the Bible. He has are fulfi lling our calling, for it may be the assumed theology in all his preaching. So, case that a congregation has never been in the next generation or in two or three seriously taught God’s word, so that they generations the congregation may inad- are unaware of where we as pastors are vertently and unknowingly call a more failing. Amazingly those who make such liberal pastor. He too preaches that people comments rely on what people in pews should be good, kind, and loving. He too want and feel rather than testing preach- emphasizes that we should have good ing by what the scriptures demand! Paul marriages and dynamic relationships. The warns us that “fi erce wolves will come people in the pew may not even discern in among you, not sparing the flock” the difference. The theology seems to be (Acts 20:29). We are also reminded in 2 just like the theology of the conservative Tim 4:3-4 that “the time is coming when pastor who preceded him. And in a sense people will not endure sound teaching, it is, for the conservative pastor never but having itching ears they will accumu- proclaimed or preached his theology. The late for themselves teachers to suit their conservative pastor believed in the iner- own passions, and will turn away from rancy of scripture but not its suffi ciency, listening to the truth and wander off into for he did not proclaim all that the scrip- myths.” If we assess our preaching by tures teach to his congregation. what congregations desire, we may be Our ignorance of biblical theology cooking a recipe for heresy. I am not say- surfaces constantly. I can think of two ing that our congregations are heretical, occasions in the last ten years or so (one in only that God’s word rather than popular a large stadium by a speaker whose name opinion must be the test of faithfulness. It I cannot recall) where a large crowd was is the calling of pastors to feed the fl ock gathered and people were invited to come with God’s word, not to please people forward to receive Christ as Savior. The with what they desire to hear. sermon in the stadium was intended to be Moreover, too often our congregations an evangelistic sermon, but I can honestly are poorly trained by those of us who say that the gospel was not proclaimed at preach. We have fed them a steady diet all. Nothing was said about Christ cruci- of moralistic preaching, so that they are fi ed and risen, or why he was crucifi ed taught to be kind, forgiving, loving, good and risen. Nothing was said about why husbands and wives (all good things of faith saves instead of works. Thousands course!), but the theological foundation came forward, and were no doubt duly for such is completely neglected. We have recorded as saved. But I scratched my ample illustrations and stories to support head as to what was really happening, and the lifestyle we advocate, and people’s prayed that at least some were truly being hearts are warmed and even edified. converted. The same was true in a church Meanwhile, the wolf is lurking at the door. service where I visited, for a stirring invi- How could such preaching open the door tation to come forward and be saved was for heresy? Not because the pastor himself extended, but without any explanation of is heretical. He may be fully orthodox the gospel! Such preaching may fi ll up our and faithful in his own theology, while churches with unconverted people, who neglecting to preach to his people the are doubly dangerous because they have 21