Did Don Piper’s “90 Minutes in Heaven” Reflect the Biblical Heaven?

Recently, someone let me borrow a book called 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. The premise of the book is that Don Piper, a Baptist minister, was in a horrendous car accident and was dead for 90 minutes. During that time, according to Piper, he was in heaven. He spoke of its beauty, of seeing relatives and loved ones, and how the place almost overwhelmed the senses.

What interested me was his chapter on heavenly music. Praise was everywhere, he said, filling his heart with the deepest of joy. But what really caught my attention was his remark on p. 35:

Many of the old hymns and choruses I had sung at various times in my life were part of the music — along with hundreds of songs I had never heard before. Hymns of praise, modern-sounding choruses, and ancient chants filled my ears and brought not only a deep peace but the greatest feeling of joy I’ve ever experienced.

As I stood before the gate, I didn’t think of it, but later realized that I didn’t hear such songs as “The Old Rugged Cross” or “The Nail-Scarred Hand.” None of the hymns that filled the air were about Jesus’ sacrifice or death. I heard no sad songs and instinctively knew that there were no sad songs in heaven. Why would there by? All were praises about Christ’s reign as King of Kings and our joyful worship for all he has done for us and how wonderful he is.[1]

With all due respect to those of you who have read through this book and found it so joyous and hopeful, I found myself not wanting to read another word. Why? Well, if we need to see what heaven is like, the Bible is clearly sufficient for that, so we must look to see if Piper’s vision of heaven matches the Scriptures. And on at least two occasions it clearly does not. Rev. 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

[10] and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.”

Let me ask you: do you believe those in heaven realize how they made it there? It is because of Jesus reconciling us as sinners to God who is holy through … what? The Cross! The elders and the whole company were singing about the cross even in heaven! Also in Revelation, the Spirit reveals a Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Why is Jesus called a Lamb? Because Lambs were sacrificed, but Jesus was the once and for all sacrifice and all who partake of this are recipients of Christ’s reconciling and atoning work on the cross!

Let us be very discerning about the things we read — even bestselling Christian books! My dad warned me, “Not everything that’s in print is worth reading.” I shall read through the rest of Piper’s book, I pray that the rest of it is more in tune with the biblical account and will reflect more of the Gospel.

 

[1]Don Piper, 90 Minutes in Heaven (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2004), 35.

Book Review: “The Reason for God” by Tim Keller (Part I)

When news came out that Tim Keller was writing another book, excitement shot around the reformed blogosphere.  When news came out that Keller’s book would be published by Penguin Books, we were thrilled that his voice would be heard (read) on a wider landscape than just among Christian evangelicals. When we heard that his book would address the secular humanists’ skepticism of all things theistic, we were thankful that such a balanced and well-spoken voice would represent us in such a wonderful way.

Now, his book is out. Westminster Theological Seminary’s online bookstore noted that Keller’s book is the fastest selling book in their storied history (high praise, since they have the best book deals online, bar none).  This book, along with his corresponding online site , provide a welcome understanding of the role of Christ, the Gospel, and the Christian church in our culture and world.

This book is a smooth read — as if you were sitting down and having a conversation with Keller himself.  Keller starts off by disarming critics and disturbing conservative theists.  When the introduction is titled, “The Enemies Are Both Right,” theists looking for an ally may have been taken aback by his apparent concession of room to the atheists.  But notice this rather insightful paragraph:

We have an impasse between the strengthening forces of doubt and belief, and this won’t be solved simply by calling for more civility and dialogue.  Arguments depend on having commonly held reference points that both side can hold each other to.  When fundamental understandings of reality conflict, it is hard to find anything to which to appeal.  … I want to make a proposal that I have seen bear much fruit in the lives of young New Yorkers over the years.  I recommend that each side look at doubt in a radically new way (xvi).

Keller introduces this radical new way of seeing doubt as a way to educate and explore rather than something to be avoided.  Atheists have doubts about Christianity — but they should not avoid it, but honestly explore those doubts to see if they have any credibility.  Theists should look at the arguments made by the atheists to strengthen their own understanding of the Scriptures.

The core of the book is for each side to examine their beliefs and the “leaps of faith” to which each side holds.  Keller says:

This … book is a distillation of the many conversations I’ve had with doubters over the years.  I’ve tried to respectfully help skeptics look at their own faith-foundations while at the same time laying bare my own to their strongest criticisms.  … Respectful dialogue between entreached traditional conservative and secular liberal people is a great good, and I hope this book will promote it (xix).

This book does just that!  In the next part of this review, I will examine Part One, entitled “The Leap of Doubt.”  In this section, Keller fleshes out what he calls “defeater beliefs” that many secular folks levy toward Christians to apparently show why Christianity is not viable in our contemporary age.

“Spirit-Led Preaching” by Greg Heisler (Book Review)

Dr. Greg Heisler (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY) serves as assistant professor of preaching at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. His passion for the nature of preaching is quite clear:

Our students need to see the complementary relationship between the Word and the Spirit and to understand the proper function of sermon mechanics and sermon dynamics for preaching. They need to have as much zeal for the theological realities as they do for the dependence on the Holy Spirit (15).

He states this because the previous generations of homiletics professors and their works only offer a “passing reference to the Spirit” (11). In this volume, Heisler admirably makes the case in how the Holy Spirit must not be an afterthought in sermon preparation and delivery, but he must stand in the forefront in every step of the process of constructing a sermon as well as a holy life.

The preacher will appreciate Heisler’s chapter on “What is Spirit-Led Preaching?” He illustrates two differing models of expository preaching: “text-driven preaching” (1 in which the focus is on presenting the biblical text correctly, with the Spirit’s role seen as implicit; and “spirit-driven preaching” in which the focus is “on the dynamic of the Spirit and the Spirit’s text” with the result being a “Christological witness and Spirit-filled living” (19). He uses a picturesque illustration to drive home this concept:

I imagine the Holy Spirit’s power touching down on the tracks of the biblical text, and suddenly the combination of Word and Spirit together ignite into sermonic propulsion. The preacher’s responsibility is not to push the train in his own strength; nor it is the preacher’s responsibility to build new tracks to new places. The preacher’s responsibility is to keep the train on the tracks (19)!

Preachers would do well to internalize this concept and embrace this powerful picture.

Heisler rightly reinforces the complementary relationship between the Scriptures and the Spirit in Chapter Five. Given the problematic theology of the charismatic movement who puts the Spirit and the Word against one another, Heisler gives a strong argument demonstrating the harmony between the two.

Together Word and Spirit form the powerful catalyst that serves as the theological foundation for Spirit-led preaching. The Word activates the Spirit, and the Spirit authenticates the Word. The Word is the instrument of the Spirit, and the Spirit is the implement of the Word. The Word is the written witness, and the Spirit is the inward witness. In terms of preaching, the Word is the source and substance of our preaching, and the Spirit is the supernatural power of our preaching (62).

He rightly notes how the three testimonies of preaching (Scripture, the Spirit, and the Preacher) come together toward a Christological witness. “The Spirit’s ministry is a continuation of Jesus’ ministry, as the Spirit stands in place of Jesus until Christ’s triumphant return” (57). Heisler is correct when he says that preaching which claims to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led but fails to preach Christ-centered sermons are not Spirit-led sermons.

The strongest chapter in this volume is Chapter Seven where Heisler addresses “The Preacher and the Spirit.” Heisler makes a stunning statement that the preacher must absorb:

I believe that the passion and confidence the prophet of God experiences in his preaching ministry are directly proportional to the daily obedience and surrender to the call of God on the preacher’s life. . . . It’s as if God has subpoenaed us to stand before him, not in a courtroom in front of a jury but in a pulpit in from of his people. We are there by divine calling, and we are there by divine authority (72).

Heisler sounds a clarion call for ministers to incorporate the Spirit into their personal lives before they attempt to incorporate him into areas of their professional lives such as preparation, presentation, and delivery. Personal obedience to Christ and preaching the Word of Christ must coincide.

The only weakness found in this work is the lack of conciseness in Heisler’s working definitions. For instance, when he presents his definition of expository preaching, he states:

Expository preaching is the Spirit-empowered proclamation of biblical trust derived from the illuminating guidance of the Holy Spirit by means of a verse-by-verse exposition of the Spirit-inspired text, with a view to applying the text by means of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, first to the preacher’s heart, and then to the hearts of those who hear, culminating in an authentic and powerful witness to the living Word, Jesus Christ, and obedient, Spirit-filled living (21).

While the construct of this definition reminds one of the Greek sentence construct of the Apostle Paul (see Ephesians 1:3-14), this structure does not allow for the reader to absorb the definition easily. Breaking this sentence down into two, three, even four sentences would be helpful. His vision of teaching homiletics commits the same faux pas — to which he readily admits (75).

Even so, this reviewer plans on using this book as a textbook in training expository preachers in his local church setting. The evangelical world in general and preachers specifically should be grateful to Greg Heisler for re-introducing the Spirit to expository preaching. Along with this volume, Arturo G. Azurdia’s book on Spirit-Empowered Preaching serves as an excellent compliment. Praise God for raising up Spirit-led preachers in our present age.

Heisler, Greg. Spirit-Led Preaching: The Holy Spirit’s Role in Sermon Preparation and Delivery. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishing Group, 2007. 156 pp. $17.99.

“Interpreting the Pauline Epistles” by Thomas R. Schreiner (A Book Review)

“Since 13 of the 27 books in the NT are attributed to Paul, a separate book on how to do Pauline exegesis is warranted” (13). So starts Dr. Schreiner in his very helpful work, Interpreting the Pauline Epistles.Schreiner serves as the James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville, Kentucky.

Prior to coming to Southern, he served as assistant professor of New Testament at Bethel Theological Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Schreiner has contributed a number of books and commentaries on New Testament interpretation.

Schreiner’s focus in this volume is stated in the book’s introduction, which is to “focus on the methodology that should be used in interpreting the Pauline letters” (22). He continues, “Methodology focuses upon the science of interpretation, that is, the principles and procedures that are essential for exegesis” (22). He sees that the goal of exegesis is “to gain a worldview based upon and informed by the biblical text” (17). He feels so strongly about this method that he notes, “If one has never trembled when doing exegesis (Isa. 66:2), then one is not listening for the voice of God” (18). Schreiner seeks to make the case for using exegesis as the interpretative tool for understanding Pauline
theology.

Chapter One deals with “Understanding the Nature of Letters.” Schreiner believes that “perhaps the most important issue in interpretation is the issue of genre. If we misunderstand the genre of a text, the rest of our analysis will be askew” (23). This initial step is crucial to accurate interpretation of the Pauline epistles. In this chapter, Schreiner addresses the structure of epistles by discussing its opening, body, and closing. He notes how Paul’s epistles are not intended to be systematic theologies, but rather “are pastoral works in which Paul applied his theology to specific problems in the churches”(42). Interpreters must understand this mindset of Paul in order to more accurately assess his message.

Chapter Two deals with textual criticism. In this short chapter, Schreiner makes a number of suggestions regarding “textual study” and will “highlight a few examples of the practice of textual criticism in Pauline literature” (51). Chapter Three, entitled, “Translating and Analyzing the Letter,” Schreiner strongly advocates the necessity for knowing the original languages. “The goal at this point is to have a good working knowledge of the text. Subsequent detailed exegesis may lead the student to revise the initial translation” (57).

In Chapter Four, Schreiner addresses “Investigating Historical and Introductory Issues” and is divided into two portions: a focus on “historical-cultural issues” and the second portion on “introductory issues that relate specifically to the book under consideration” (61-62). In Chapter Five, entitled, “Diagramming and Conducting a Grammatical Analysis,” Schreiner’s goal is “to present as simple a system [of diagramming] as possible” (79) in order to clearly understand the syntax of the particular
passage under review. He believes that understanding the syntax outside of diagramming is impossible.

In Chapter Six, entitled “Tracing the Argument,” Schreiner is convinced that tracing the argument in Paul’s epistles “is the most important step in the exegetical process” (97). The importance of this step lies in the challenge of reconstruction many of Paul’s complex arguments. In Chapter Seven, Schreiner
turns his attention to “Doing Lexical Studies.” He laments that this step has suffered “great abuse,” therefore this step is an important one.

In Chapter Eight, entitled “Probing the Theological Context,” Schreiner discusses whether it possible to discover a Pauline theology, or do Paul’s letters simplyaddress pastoral issues to distinct situations?
Schreiner believers “there is enough information [in these letters] to provide the reader with a very full-blooded picture of Paul’s theology” (136). Chapter Nine, entitled “Delineating the Significance of Paul’s Letters,” addresses the issue of Paul’s letters and their significance in contemporary times.

Critical Analysis

Schreiner provides an excellent work in the realm of New Testament interpretation, giving us a practical volume to help the student truly understand the Pauline Epistles. He laments that “one of the greatest weaknesses of students is an inability to read the Greek NT” (5 — to which he advises a program of “regular reading” to improve this necessary skill.

One of the many strengths of this work is Schreiner’s strong emphasis on authorial intent. In his definition of exegesis, he notes:

Exegesis is the method by which we ascertain what an author meant when he or she wrote a particular piece of literature. The meaning of Scripture cannot be separated from the intention of the author as that intention is expressed in the words of the text. . . .We aim to discover God’s meaning, but such a meaning cannot be known apart from the intention of the human author (20).

While Schreiner’s view directly opposes many contemporary scholars who advocate a reader-response method of interpretation in our postmodern society (this is where the meaning entirely comes from the response of the reader and none other), his view is infinitely practical and lines up accordingly with the way most people live their lives. When one receives a shopping list of items and is asked to purchase those items at the grocery, the shopper would be foolish to ignore the author’s intention. The same mindset holds for those under contract — whatever the terms the contract holds are based upon the intention of the author of that contract.

Schreiner advises when reading Paul that “we should recognize that we are all inclined to read our own preconceptions into Paul, and thus we should struggle to read Paul on his own terms first and then apply his word to our culture” (152). Schreiner rightly notes, “The more one knows about the culture, history, and literature of NT times, the greater will be the ability to put oneself into the shoes of the original readers, which is always a benefit in interpretation” (62). Exegetes must absorb these lessons in order to rightly divide the Word (2 Timothy 2:15).

Schreiner makes an excellent observation in noting that “the capstone of exegesis is theological synthesis” (135). This theological synthesis is foundational in shaping the worldview of the interpreter. Schreiner believes that “exegesis will not be the passion of students unless they see that it plays a vital role in the formation of one’s worldview. . . . If one’s heart never sings when doing exegesis, then the process has not reached its culmination. And if one has never trembled when doing exegesis (Isa. 66:2), then one is not listening for the voice of God” (18). What an incredible reminder he gives in showing how the exegete must engage in worship as he uncovers the meaning of the biblical text.

Schreiner notes the pastoral intention of the letters as well:

One of the most crucial points to remember in interpreting Paul’s letters is that they were written to address specific situations. They are not systematic treatises that were intended to present a complete Christian theology. They are pastoral works in which Paul applied his theology to specific problems in the churches (42).

The reader will appreciate Schreiner’s references to other works that deal specifically with the subject under discussion. He stays focus to his particular area of emphasis rather than trying to say something about every possible area. He uses a helpful method by directing the reader to other helpful works in case the reader would like to delve in deeper to another angle which Schreiner does not cover.

Schreiner details a great amount of this work to the method of diagramming in order to understand the grammar and syntax of a particular passage. His conviction is clear with this particular statement in the first paragraph of Chapter Five:

It is true that one can understand the Greek text without diagramming, but no one can comprehend the Greek text unless the grammar and syntax of the text are understood. And no one can claim to comprehend the syntax of the passage unless he or she is able to diagram the
passage” (77).

The concern with Schreiner’s statement lies in the absolute nature with which he endorses this method, as if to say that no other method ever devised may provide the interpreter with an understanding of the text and its grammar and syntax. He may be correct — but to the novice, Schreiner sounds like a salesman:“Other methods have tried — only this one succeeds.” Yet, having sat under Dr. Schreiner’s teaching and preaching at Southern Seminary, this reviewer knows first hand of the humble nature with which he not only ministers but also lives his Christian walk. While he may not mean to convey this mindset, too many readers may be put off by the absolute nature of his comments.

Conclusion

Schreiner’s work stands as a great help for the pastor and seminary student alike. His work remains accessible to the average pastor and his busy schedule because he does not overload the pastor and student with extraneous material. Schreiner maintained focus in communicating basic helps which will
benefit the pastor throughout his entire ministry. Having read this entire work thoroughly, I would highly recommend this work to every pastor.

Schreiner, Thomas
R. Interpreting the Pauline Epistles:
Guides to New Testament Exegesis. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Books, 1990. 167 pp. $18.99.

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“The Hermeneutical Spiral” by Grant Osborne (Book Review)

Dr. Grant Osbourne provides a comprehensive volume on biblical interpretation in the second edition of The Hermeneutical Spiral. Osborne (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) serves professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He also serves as series editor for the IVP New Testament Commentary Series.

This book serves as a response to scholars of the New Hermeneutic who advocate biblical interpretation as a “hermeneutical circle” (22) in which the reader can never understand the true meaning nor intent of the author. Osbourne states, “The major premise of this book is that biblical interpretation entails a ‘spiral’ from text to context, from its original meaning to its contextualization or significance in the church today” (22). Osbourne adopts a “meaning-significance format” (23) in which the author intends one meaning yet the implications and significance are numerous for the individual readers.

Summary

Osbourne deals with General Hermeneutics in Part I (Chapters 1-5). He first addresses the area of context, calling this “the first stage in serious Bible study … [grasping] the whole before attempting to dissect the parts” (37). Within context, he deals with two particular areas: the historical context and the logical context. In the next chapter, Osbourne speaks on the issue of grammar, which “denotes the basic laws of language behind the relationship between the terms and the surface structure” (57).

Next, Osbourne addresses semantics which looks at “the meaning of individual words as each functions in the sentence” (57). He notes that only since the 1950s has this realm of study come to the forefront of academics and that this area involves “not only syntax but also the historical-cultural background behind the statements” (83). In the following chapter, Osbourne discusses the role of syntax in interpretation. He refers to syntax as “all the interrelationships within the sentence as a means of determining the meaning of the unit as a whole [and] includes compositional patterns, grammar and semantics, and so forms a valid conclusion to the previous three chapters” (113). In Chapter Five, Osborne deals with historical and cultural backgrounds. Osborne notes that “background knowledge will turn a sermon from a two-dimensional study to a three-dimensional cinematic event” (158).

Chapter Ten deals with biblical prophecy, an area in which there is a “widespread misunderstanding” (25 about its nature and purpose. Osborne clearly states that is “not just to correct these erroneous views but to enhance the value and power of biblical prophecy for today” (258). Chapter Eleven helps the exegete understand the apocalyptic genre, who may find himself “caught between the literal and the symbolic, not knowing quite how to approach these works” (275). In Chapter Twelve, Osborne addresses the genre of parables. He notes that “few portions of Scripture [are] as exciting and relevant for preaching, [yet] they have been among the most written about yet hermeneutically abused portions of Scripture” (291).

In Chapter Fifteen, Osborne addresses what he believes “constitutes the first step away from the exegesis of individual passages and toward the delineation of their significance for the church today” (347) — that is, biblical theology. Chapter Sixteen deals with systematic theology, which Osborne defines as “the proper goal of biblical study and teaching. Every hermeneutical aspect … must be put into practice in constructing such a theology for our day” (374).

Critical Analysis

In the Preface to the Second Edition, he states:

The purpose of this volume is to provide a comprehensive overview of the hermeneutical principles for reading any book, but in particular for studying and understanding the Bible, God’s Word. … The one thing of which I am certain is that Christians want to be fed, and my goal is to enable pastors and teachers in the churches to know how to discover these precious biblical truths and then turn them into sermons and Bible studies for the flock God has given them (15).

This overview is indeed comprehensive. In this volume, Grant Osborne provides a picturesque method of a hermeneutical spiral that seeks to take the meaning of the biblical text and contextualize the text for the contemporary church. As stated earlier in this review, Osborne uses this picture in response to advocates of the New Hermeneutic and their picture of the Hermeneutical Circle. He notes:

I am not going round and round in a closed circle that can never detect the true meaning but am spiraling nearer and nearer to the text’s intended meaning as I refine my hypothesis and allow the text to continue to challenge and correct those alternative interpretations, then to guide my delineation of its significance for my situation today (22).

While Osborne succeeds in this endeavor, anyone who does not possess a scholarly intelligence able to process this vast amount of information will find this work intimidating and cumbersome due to the intricate detail he uses to make his case. One understands however why this work remains a mainstay in theological academic circles. Osborne takes the exegete from the very beginning of the process in dissecting a passage’s meaning and context to the very end of the process in helping the preacher deliver his sermon based on the research.

The main strength of this work is the balance with which Osborne makes his case for his hermeneutical spiral method. He possesses a dogged determination to find the intended meaning of the author while also using his exegetical tools to help find the significance for the author’s message for today. He presents this in his introduction beautifully. As he advocates deductive study, he notes that this method

… take[s] us away from the contemporary meaning of the word symbols in the text, which, because of our preunderstanding and personal experiences, we cannot help but read back into the text. Our effort then is to get back to the meaning the ancient author intended to convey (32).

In the next paragraph, he rightly notes, “the contextual or theological research completes the task of interpretation” (32). With this mindset, he holds that this method will lead to a development toward biblical, then systematic, then homiletical theology that will bring forth the text’s significance.

In the section on General Hermeneutics, he gives some helpful and thorough information dealing with each initial step of exegesis. As he begins with context, he rightly notes that the exegete must understand the big picture before he examines the parts of the whole. “Without a situation to give the command content, it becomes meaningless. In Scripture the context provides the situation behind the text” (37).

He takes his understanding of context too far in his examination of the debate on inclusive language. He defines this debate in these terms:

The issue is whether all masculine-oriented language in Scripture should be translated literally or in accordance with the larger intentions. . . . Inclusive language translation replaces male pronouns or terms that refer to more than men in the context with inclusive substitutes like one, you, they, people and such unless the context is describing the ancient cultural setting (153).

While Osborne admirably brings out both sides of the issue, his conclusions are troublesome. While he is correct in saying “inclusive language is better because it makes the meaning clear when a passage is intended inclusively” (157), he misses an important dimension when he said, “In conclusion, neither formal nor functional translations are wrong. In fact, they should be used together in studying the Word, the one for the form and words used in the original, the other for the intended meaning of that language” (157). Osborne earlier contends, “It is not form but meaning that matters” (156). Yet, at the beginning of the chapter on syntax (where Osborne’s excurses of the inclusive language debate is contained), he notes, “Individual grammatical decisions likewise are based on the structural development of the whole statement. . . . Word have meaning only as part of the larger context” (113). Osborne seems to say in one area that form does not matter, but earlier he believes that the structure or form is crucial in understanding the whole statement. Since God inspired all Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17), then God would also inspire the structure or form be inspired as well as the meaning.

In his section on Applied Hermeneutics (chapters 15-17), he expertly defines biblical theology as, “That branch of theological inquiry concerned with tracing themes through the diverse sections of the Bible … and then with seeking the unifying themes that draw the bible together” (349). Osborne comes to this particular area with a great deal of honesty in how we approach the Scriptures. “The answer is a proper ‘hermeneutical circle’ or spiral within which the text is reconstructed on the basis of our theological system, yet challenges our preunderstanding and leads to a reformation of our tradition-derived categories” (352). Seldom will the reader find an author of hermeneutics to encourage him to approach the Scriptures with his theological system in full view. Yet Osborne understands that all of the people of God are reared and trained within certain Christian communities with distinct beliefs and traditions. Rather than ignore those traditions, he advocates bringing those beliefs to the text, yet balances this mindset with a willingness for the reader to be challenged. Only this way may the believer and the church of Jesus Christ find reformation.

Sadly, the average busy pastor would find this work intimidating and inaccessible. While this book gives thorough detail in every aspect of hermeneutics, this book may serve well as a reference book but will overwhelm pastors with little formal theological education. Osborne seems to sense this objection. In his chapter on grammar, he predicts for the reader, “There will probably not be a more boring ‘read’ than this chapter” (58). Elsewhere, Osborne says, “The pastor does not have the unlimited time necessary for such detailed research” (140).

Osborne rightly notes that his method will be helpful as the exegete “can utilize the secondary tools with greater expertise (commentaries, background books, lexicons, and so forth), noting when the commentator has done his homework or has made a shallow decision” (140). The concern remains that this method’s detail is so extensive that much of the value of this work will be lost in the minutia.

Conclusion

Having read all the assigned sections, I would recommend Osbourne’s work as a key reference work for expository preachers and hermeneutics professors alike. Although this work does not serve as a book in which the average reader may sit and read straight through, The Hermeneutical Spiral could serve as a very valuable resource for pastors, students, and scholars who wish to dig deeper into this field of study.

(Osbourne, Grant R. The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006. 624 pp. $25.00)

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“Biblical Preaching” by Haddon Robinson (Book Review)

Robinson, Haddon W. Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages, Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001. 256 pp. $19.99.

Introduction

“In this book, I pass on a method to those learning to preach or to experienced people who want to brush up on the basics” (14). So says Dr. Haddon Robinson as he offers this second edition of this classic volume known as Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages. Though first published in 1980, this work is still a staple in homiletics departments and pastors’ studies across the world.

Robinson received his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois and serves as the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Prior to this position, he served as president and professor of homiletics at Denver Seminary after teaching homiletics at Dallas Theological Seminary for nineteen years.

Summary

Chapter One, entitled “The Case for Expository Preaching,” Robinson begins by saying, “This is a book about expository preaching, but it may have been written for a depressed market.” In this chapter, Robinson shows the lack of regard for expository preaching in evangelical circles, then outlines the church’s need for this manner of preaching and exactly what expository preaching is. Chapter Two, entitled “What’s the Big Idea?” displays the importance of an expositor to mine out one main concept or idea. He defines an idea as something which “enables us to see what was previously unclear” (39). He also notes that “an idea begins in the mind when things ordinarily separated come together to form unity that either did not exist before or was not recognized previously” (39).

In Chapter Three, entitled “Tools of the Trade,” Robinson introduces three stages in preparing expository sermons: “choosing the passage to be preached” (53), studying the passage and gathering the notes (58), then proceeding to “relate the parts to each other to determine the exegetical idea and its development” (66). Chapter Four, entitled “The Road from Text to Sermon,” includes stage four which is “analyzing the exegetical idea” (75).

In Chapter Five, entitled “The Arrow and the Target,” Robinson covers stages five and six in the development of expository preaching: “Formulating the Homiletical Idea” in which he encourages preachers to state their exegetical idea in “the most exact, memorable sentence possible” (103); and determining the purpose for the sermon. “A purpose differs from a sermon idea, therefore, in the same way that a target differs from the arrow; as taking a trip differs from studying a map; as baking a pie differs from reading a recipe” (107).

In Chapter Six, entitled, “The Shapes Sermons Take,” Robinson helps the preacher decide how to accomplish the purpose of the sermon as well as outlining the sermon (stages seven and eight, respectively). Chapter Seven addresses filling in the sermon outline and, as Robinson states in his title, “making dry bones live” (139). Chapter Eight has the provocative title, “Start with a Band and Quit All Over,” which deals with the preparation of introductions and conclusions.

Chapter Nine, entitled, “The Dress of Thought,” Robinson notes, “Gift or not, we must use words, and the only question is whether we will use them poorly or well” (184). He helps the preacher in areas such as transitions, clarity of thought, developing a personal style, and the use of metaphors. The last chapter, “How to Preach So People Will Listen,” deals with the delivery of the sermon itself. Robinson says that sermons “live only when they are preached. A sermon ineptly delivered arrives stillborn” (201).

Critical Analysis

With engaging writing and timely humor, Robinson seeks to communicate one prominent theme: “expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept” (35). Even though one would be more persuaded by his thoughts had he served more in the preaching ministry of a local church (he served at Dallas Youth for Christ from 1952-55, then as Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Medford, Oregon from 1956-19581), his principles of preparing and preaching expository sermons are tremendous and will serve the Church of Jesus Christ and his ministers very well indeed.

One of the strengths of this work is its pastoral nature. Preachers are not called to be lecturers and are not simply called to preach the Word of God. Preachers are called to preach the Word of God to God’s people. Robinson rightly observes that “we must preach to a world addressed by the TV commentator, the newspaper columnist, and the playwright” (29). In the Preface to the Second Edition, Robinson notes how the culture has changed since 1980 when this work was first published. “Television and the computer have influenced the ways we learn and think. Narrative preaching has come into vogue and reflects the reality that listeners in a television culture think with pictures in their heads” (10). While he may go too far in giving room for narrative preaching, he rightly assesses 21st century culture. This culture is the world in which the expositor preaches. So not only does Robinson note that “as shepherds, we relate to the hurts, cries, and fears of our flocks,” we must also understand the external issues to which our people are exposed every hour of every day.

Along with this area of pastoral ministry in connection with preaching, Robinson also gives more room to the role and responsibility of the listener. He notes:

Expositors may be respected for their exegetical abilities and their diligent preparation, but these qualities do not transform any of them into a Protestant pope who speaks ex cathedra. Listeners also have a responsibility to match the sermon to the biblical text. As Henry David Thoreau wrote, “It takes two to speak the truth — one to speak, and another to hear.” … If a congregation is to grow, it must share the struggle (24).

Robinson notes that the average listener in the pew hopes you will answer this one question: “So what? What difference does it make” (86)? Before this question is in the congregants’ hearts, this question must be answered in the study as he asks, “Exactly what is the biblical writer talking about (66)?” The shared struggle starts with the preacher in the study as he wrestles with God to find out his intended meaning.

Another strength in this work is the engaging humor Robinson employs in this volume. While many would consider reading a book on expositional preaching boring (even some preachers may feel this way!), Robinson’s use of humor helps hook the reader in order that the reader may approach this material with ease. This example, though mentioned earlier, stands as a great example of opening up the very first chapter with humor: “This is a book about preaching, but it may have been written for a depressed market” (17). In the preface to the first edition, he makes this observation:

If I can claim any qualification, it is this: I am a good listener. During two decades in the classroom I have evaluated nearly six thousand student sermons. My friends marvel that after listening to hundreds of fledgling preachers stumble through their first sermons, I am not an atheist (14).

In another example after he acknowledges his debt to all who have influenced his thinking on expositional preaching, he closes the paragraph by noting, “Since all of these and others influenced me deeply, it is only fair that for weaknesses in this volume they should shoulder a large share of the blame” (15)! This brand of humor disarms the critic and relaxes those who initially approach the topic of expository preaching with any misgivings or fears.

One weakness is a quote located in the Preface to the Second Edition about his view of women ministers, a view which has changed since his first edition in 1980. He notes:

I’ve also changed my language to reflect my theology. God doesn’t distribute gifts by gender. Both women and men have the ability and the responsibility to communicate God’s Word. I have always believed that, but the language in my first book reflected a distinct male bias. . . . In this revision I hope I have demonstrated the fruits of my repentance (10).

Robinson’s theology is on display when, in an explanation of how our outlines should have development, he plays the part of a listener who asks of the preacher, “What evidence does she have for that statement” (140)? Here again he opens the door for us to peer into his theological framework which allows for women ministers. If Robinson had titled this book, “Biblical Teaching,” then the reader would understand the necessity for this revision. Many men and women in our churches teach, but the New Testament sets parameters on who teaches whom and where (1 Corinthians 14:33-35, 1 Timothy 2:11-13). For twenty-seven years however, this book has borne the title, “Biblical Preaching.” When Robinson notes that the theology he has is “my theology,” this reviewer is troubled by the use of the ‘my.’ For someone who claims to look to authorial intent, the description of his views seems too self-centered. This reviewer believes that his theology has strayed in this area from Scripture.

Conclusion

Robinson excels in bringing a topic which many would deem dry and gives it life by coupling his extensive homiletical and hermeneutical knowledge with picturesque wit. Aside from the one weakness mentioned above, this book is a must-read for every pastor and aspiring preacher of the Gospel.

1

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Faculty: Haddon W. Robinson, Ph. D.; accessed 10 March 2007; available from http://www.gcts.edu/faculty/robinson.php; Internet.

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“Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture” by Graeme Goldsworthy (A Review)

Graeme Goldsworhy serves as lecturer in Old Testament, biblical theology, and hermeneutics at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia. He has authored numerous works, including Gospel and Kingdom, The Gospel in Revelation, Gospel and Wisdom, and According to Plan.

The purpose of this work “is to provide a handbook for preachers that will help them apply a consistently Christ-centered approach to their sermons” (ix). He also acknowledges the use for lay-leaders who have “had little or no formal training” (ix), thus he aims to keep technical language to a minimum. Goldsworthy understands the need to display “the function of biblical theology” (ix) in moving the listener from the text to the hearer. With this conviction, he seeks to bridge the gap between biblical studies and biblical theology.

Summary

Goldsworthy divides this work into two parts: Part I is entitled “Basic Questions We Ask About Preaching and the Bible” and contains chapters 1-9. Part 2 deals with “The Practical Application of Biblical Theology to Preaching” and contains chapters ten through eighteen.

In Chapter 1, entitled “Nothing but Christ and Him Crucified,” Goldsworthy notes how central the gospel is theologically and experientially in the person of Jesus Christ in both the Old and New Testaments. Chapter 2 seeks to answer the question, “What is the Bible?” Goldsworthy contends that an evangelical is “one who maintains adherence to the conviction of the final authority of the Bible as God’s word written” (11). The Bible is the one Word of the one and true God — a conviction which Goldsworthy believes must be proclaimed in light of both the Enlightenment and postmodern mindsets which both denounce the authority of Scripture.
Chapter 3 seeks to answer the question, “What is Biblical Theology?” “Biblical theology,” writes Goldsworthy, “involves the quest for the big picture . . . of biblical revelation” (22). Through this quest, principles arise out of the Bible’s unity revealing God’s progressive plan and purpose amongst the redeemed. Chapter 4 seeks to answer yet another question: “What is Preaching?” Goldsworthy believes that evangelicals must ask the hard questions about preaching. He believes by looking into the New Testament in a “holistic way” (32), the interpreter sees what prominent doctrine comes to the fore concerning the various events as well as those issues concerning Christ, the focal point of biblical theology.

Chapter 5 asks, “Was Jesus a Biblical Theologian?” Goldsworthy notes, “The unity of the Bible is a matter of theological conviction and faith because of the testimony of Jesus and the nature of the gospel” (51). Chapter 6 deals with the type of unity the Bible possesses. Goldsworthy does not believe this is merely an “academic question” (63). He disavows any need for theologies dealing with only the Old Testament or only the New Testament. He examines how the gospel provides in the Scriptures “both unity and diversity” (64). Chapter 7 addresses the gospel’s function in the Bible. He advocates the gospel being not only the interpretive key to the entire Scripture but that the Gospel is “the theological center of the whole Bible” (86) as well as the structure of all history and the end times.

Chapter 8 addresses the nature of the structure of biblical revelation. Goldsworthy notes, “Expository preaching can only proceed if it places the text into the salvation-historical context so that its inter-textual relationships can be seen” (99). Through understanding that history’s structure has its “high points in Abraham, David, and Christ” (100), the structures comes into shape as the interpreter sees Christ’s person and work fulfilling every piece of God’s progressive revelation. Chapter 9 concludes the first part of this book by asking, “Can I Preach a Christian Sermon without Mentioning Jesus?” Goldsworthy answers in the negative. He puts the question in another way that crystallizes his point: “Why would you even want to try and preach a Christian sermon without mentioning Jesus” (115)? Goldsworthy notes that “the evangelical preacher needs to resist the modern hijacking of hermeneutics by purely literary and linguistic interests that ignore the ultimate purpose of God’s word, which is to proclaim Christ to a lost world” (122).

In addressing the practical application of biblical theology to preaching in Part II of this work, Goldsworthy contends that two primary epochs span salvation history: creation to the first portion of Solomon’s reign, then the second part of Solomon’s reign until the exile and return. Having this paradigm in place will assist the preacher greatly as he preaches redemptive history to his people.

Chapter Eleven addresses preaching from Old Testament Law. Goldsworthy recommends preaching this portion “with Christian eyes,” not only starting from Sinai and working toward the New Testament, but also starting from the Gospel and working backwards. Chapter 12 deals with preaching from the Old Testament prophets, Goldsworthy notes that “all prophecy after Moses reinforces and reapplies this definitive Mosaic Ministry” (170). These prophets span the entire Old Testament History. Chapter 13 addresses how to preach from the wisdom literature. Goldsworthy notes how Solomon in relation to the Temple is key to understanding this genre. Yet, “wisdom points to our responsibility to try to understand life and reality in the light of Christ so that we might make wise decisions” (188).

In Chapter 14, Goldsworthy details how to preach from the Psalms. “The Psalms, then, reflect upon the saving deeds of God and upon human failings. They, like the narrative history and the prophets, describe the disintegration of the kingdom and the longing for the day when God will act to save his people” (197). In Chapter 15, Goldsworthy outlines how to preach from the apocalyptic texts. In Chapters 16-17, Goldsworthy helps the preacher in preaching through the Gospels, the Acts, and the Epistles. In Chapter 18, he concludes this book by helping the preacher preach biblical theology as a whole from all of Scripture.

Critical Analysis

Goldsworthy desired to bring a Christ-centered approach to the preaching of the entirety of Scripture and succeeded admirably. His strong convictions of the authority and primacy of Scripture stem from his position, which “is one of reformed and evangelical theology” (xv). He continues, “On this basis I seek to establish my biblical theology as a primary hermeneutic tool for understanding the significance of the biblical text and as a vital expository tool for preaching” (xv). His conviction of the Scriptures being the Word of God, of Jesus being central to every theme in Scripture, and of history reflecting the saving purposes of God are expounded through this work.

Goldsworthy rightly promotes understanding the Scriptures as the one true Word of God.

I am simply saying that the way the Bible presents its message, a message that reaches the climax in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth, provides us with the principles we need. Biblical theology is nothing more nor less than allowing the Bible to speak as a whole: as the one word of the one God about the way of salvation (7).

Goldsworthy diligently presents the case to the expositor and interpreter to let the Bible speak on its own terms. This mindset is especially needful in a Western culture heavily influenced by the Enlightenment that questions the authority of biblical texts and its meaning therein, as well as postmodern thought that questions the nature of absolute truth. Goldsworthy advocates a confidence found in God’s Word and its historical perspective. “Secular history presupposes human observers of events and evidences; biblical history presupposes the revelation of the divine ordering of events” (27).

In dealing with the role of history, Goldsworthy continually outlines how history reflects the saving purposes of God.

Once the historical framework is recognized, the task is to try to understand how the biblical writers present the account as one that reveals God’s purposes and acts. The unity of the biblical history lies in the selective way in which the story is pursued in certain directions and not by other possible routes (69).

Later in this work, he makes a statement which would startle most secular (and even evangelical) thinkers:

History happens because of God and his purposes. … Salvation history refers to that aspect of universal history in which God is specifically active both to reveal and to effect the salvation of his people. . . . God is working to redeem a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language group” (88).

These quotes serve as a powerful reminder for both expositor and layperson alike. Every event that happens in our world happens with an end goal in God’s eye. Goldsworthy reminds the expositor of the Bible’s unity and how God revealed his word and work progressively through history. Thus effectively demolishing the notion that the Bible is simply a collection of random writings and that history is a progression of random events.

Goldsworthy also displays a pastoral heart. In Chapter 1, Goldsworthy notes that evangelical preachers stand in the tradition of the apostles, yet preachers often relegate the gospel to simply the events surrounding the initial decision. As a result, these preachers display a “failure to think through how the link between the people and events of the Old Testament are to be made with … New Testament people” (3). He notes in Chapter 9 how the preacher should install a Christian Education program to help the congregation understand the unity of the Scriptures. He notes this again in Chapter 11 in helping Sunday School teachers avoid teaching the historical narratives in isolated segments. He notes, “A comprehensive Christian education program … will be designed with an eye to the need for every Christian to be nurtured in the four areas of Bible knowledge, theology or Christian doctrine, practical issues of Christian living, and skills for particular ministries” (130). He also advises drawing up a preaching program “that includes one or more series based on historical narrative texts” (151), providing a wider look at the theological thrust of the entire Scriptures. This mindset gives the expositor a much needed glimpse into the necessity of having his congregants in mind not only as their preacher but as their shepherd. Preachers are tempted to simply believe that their work is done when they preach their sermons, but they must also take their parishioner

The only weakness in this volume was the Bible version Goldsworthy used to bolster his case. As mentioned earlier, he comes from a reformed and evangelical background through which he sought to “establish my biblical theology as my primary hermeneutic tool for understanding the significance of the biblical text and as a vital tool for expository preaching” (xv). Why then would Goldsworthy use the New Revised Standard Version of the Scriptures in a book with this particular aim? When discussing Jesus’ title of Son of Man, he noted how the NRSV translates the phrase in Daniel 7:14 as “one like a human being” and acknowledges that “it obscures the link with Jesus’ technical use of it.” First of all, the verse to which he refers is Daniel 7:13, not 7:14. Secondly, the phrase in the Hebrew literally reads vn”ßa/ rb:ï (bar enesh) which translates “Son of man.” He uses a faulty mistranslation as a basis for his argument.

Conclusion

This book serves as one of the finest works dealing with preaching from the Old Testament as Christian Scripture. Though this work may be too technical for many novices to this area, Preaching The Whole Bible as Christian Scripture is a work well worth undertaking.

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Goldsworthy, Graeme. Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000. 272 pp. $25.00.

Tremper Longman’s “Making Sense of the Old Testament: Three Crucial Questions”: A Book Review

Tremper Longman, III, serves as the Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies and the chair of the religious studies department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of numerous books and commentaries, including Introduction to the Old Testament.

This volume is part of the 3 Crucial Questions series edited by Grant R. Osbourne and Richard J. Jones. Longman states, “It is vitally important for us to work at our appreciation and understanding to the Old Testament” (11). His hope is that this work will “help revive in the reader a sense of the importance of the Old Testament for Christian faith and practice” (12). Longman desires to help the interpreter of the Old Testament confront the obstacles before him.

Summary

Longman’s volume contains three chapters. Chapter One gives various keys to understanding the Old Testament. He provides an overview of the study of the Old Testament and outlines the attractions and obstacles found therein. Longman outlines how God communicates his revelation to us: God — human author — biblical text — first readers — present-day readers. With this paradigm in place, Longman recommends some principles for successful interpretation. The first principle is to discover the author’s intended meaning. The second principle is to “read Scripture in its context” (32) — which he calls the “most basic of all principles in reading literature” (32). Longman notes, “God chose to communicate his revelation to us in literary forms that we recognize from other written works” (32). The third principle is to “identify the genre of the book and passage” (39). Principle four is to “consider the historical and cultural background of the Bible” (47) while principle five urges the interpreter to “consider the grammar and structure within the passage” (48). Principle six tells the interpreter to “interpret experience in the light of Scripture, not Scripture in the light of experience” (50). Longman’s seventh interpretive principle is to “always seek the full counsel of Scripture” (51). He notes here that “the most important ideas in the Bible are stated hundreds of times,” and that we must “determine the meaning of the unclear verse by examining the clear teaching of Scripture” (51). Principle eight states, “Discover how the Scripture passage presents Jesus Christ” (51) and principle nine concludes this section by advising the interpreter to “be open-minded and tolerant of other interpretations” (53).

Longman’s aim in chapter 2 (“Is the God of the Old Testament also the God of the New Testament?”) is to answer the false Old Testament stereotypes plaguing Christians by showing the intricate unity of the Testaments. These stereotypes consist of how they perceive the different portrayals of God in each of the Testaments. Longman shows how God is the center of both the Old and New Testaments, the “obvious answer” (59) to what the Bible is about. Longman notes that “God is presented in the concreteness of vivid similes and metaphors [that] arise out of everyday experience” (59) and occur in “distinct phases” (86). The relationships that God possesses with his people as their covenant king of the Old Testament with Jesus Christ fulfilling that covenant. He also serves as our divine warrior, which shows “strong continuity as we move from the holy wars of Yahweh to the spiritual warfare of Jesus and then finally to the climactic battles associated with the second coming of Christ and the fuller judgment” (71).

Chapter Three deals with the practical issues of the Old Testament on the Christian life. He cites two different realms of thinking on this matter: that of dispensationalism and theonomy. Dispensationalism is defined as when God worked in the Old Testament through the law and the New Testament through grace. Theonomy argues that “the Old Testament laws and penalties are still in effect today” (105). Longman spends a considerable amount of time discussing the law in the Old Testament. The reasons are twofold. First, “the law provides the most obvious answers to the question under consideration” (123). Secondly, he notes that “it is not immediately clear … exactly how the Christian relates to the law today” (123). Longman systematically addresses each genre of the Old Testament and takes the interpreter step-by-step through extracting principles to apply to the Christian life.

Critical Analysis

Longman expertly exposes the commonalities of the Old Testament and New Testament while dealing honestly and directly with the main obstacles and issues arising from critics who see no connection. His prayer was that his words “will give help to those who struggle with the proper interpretation of the oldest portions of God’s written revelation to his human creatures” (12). Even though Longman gives a lot of ground in his dialogue with these various critics, he does succeed in presenting some good principles for solid interpretation.

The reader will appreciate how Longman addresses not only ways to overcome the obstacles, but he presents the various obstacles in an objective and forthright manner. This type of understanding from a scholar with Longman’s credentials will connect with any reader regardless of their biblical or theological training. For instance, in Chapter 1 he mentions four different obstacles Christians must overcome when interpreting Old Testament literature: “(1) its length, (2) its antiquity, (3) its foreignness, and (4) its place in the history of God’s redemption (18).” In Chapter 2, he deals with “false stereotypes” projected on God’s character on how God exacts justice and the immediacy of his judgments on Gentiles and Jews. “The judgment, exclusion, and harshness of the Old Testament are contrasted with the salvation, inclusion, and compassion of the New” (56). Since Longman presents these critical and skeptical views with such candor, directness, and honesty, he certainly invites those same critics and skeptics to understand his case as he seems to understand theirs.

Longman also provides a rather chapter that is pastoral in nature in Chapter 3 on “How is the Christian to Apply the Old Testament to Life?” Longman is not content merely to stay within the realms of history, exegesis, and hermeneutics. He now deals with the average layperson in the average church who sits under weekly preaching waiting to hear a word from God. He deals squarely with whether the Old Testament is relevant, identifying two extreme schools of thought that plague our churches (theonomy and dispensationalism). While the layperson may not be able to define, he certainly understands the concept. He makes a valiant attempt to forego trite answers in order to honestly and directly deal with their questions.

Longman rightly notes that an obstacle for Christians in reading the Old Testament is the translation they read. His conclusions however present problems for the expository preacher. He laments:

The literal, stilted, and sometimes archaic language which is used in the majority of English translations does not reflect the literary power of the original Hebrew stories and poems. The false notion that literal is more accurate, or that religious language must sound like Shakespearean English, has led to the production of English Bibles that are tedious to read (19).

He seems to assess blame toward literal translations for hindering “sustained reading of large portions of Scripture” (19). What is puzzling is when he notes the first principle for successful interpretation is to “discover the author’s intended meaning” (23), how does he expect a layman to discover this when he disparages literal translations’? He falsely (and possibly unintentionally) equates accuracy with language that is Shakespearean and ‘high’ in nature — an unnecessary connection. If Longman truly desires for the preacher and interpreter to know the intended meaning of the author, then he should remain consistent in this mindset by advocating, not disparaging, literal translations.

How Longman concludes Chapter 1 presents another weakness. In his ninth principle of interpretation, he exhorts the interpreter to “be open-minded and tolerant of other interpretations” (53). While in this postmodern age where truth and meaning are deemed relative to the individual, he then asks a bevy of rhetorical questions which, within the context of this section, he seems to categorize as teachings with “fuzzy edges [on] what the Bible leaves unclear” (54). These rhetorical questions address the creation account, the historicity of Jonah, the conditions of divorce, glossolalia, ordination of women into the ministry — among others. He notes that while we must study them and adopt positions, “we must acknowledge that God in his wisdom has not made the answers clear in his Word [as well as] embrace those with whom we disagree and carry on our discussions with them in the rich love of Christian fellowship” (54). Longman draws a rather disturbing line, for some who question the historicity of Jonah, given that Christ testified of his historical presence would have trouble fellowshipping with someone who denied the clear Word of God in general and Jesus’ account specifically. The same could be said of ordination of women into the ministry. Longman would have made his case quite well had he not included those rhetorical questions. Expositional preachers would and should take issue with anyone who questions the veracity of Scripture.

Conclusion

While this book brings a helpful contribution to the study of literary forms and excels in confronting faulty notions concerning biblical interpretation, as a pastor I would hesitate giving this book to a novice studying Old Testament literary forms. Longman gives too much ground and validity to his critics. This would result many beginning students in our churches to stumble in their understanding and trust of Old Testament Scripture. While the pastor and seminarian would be discerning enough to spot these problems, Longman misses the mark with his aim to the average Christian.

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Longman, III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament: Three Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998. 154 pp. $16.99.

Walter Kaiser’s Toward an Exegetical Theology (Book Review)

Kaiser, Walter C., Jr. Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching & Teaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1981). 261 pp. $25.99

Introduction

Walter C. Kaiser Jr. serves as president and Colman M. Mockler Distinguished Professor of Told Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. He is the author of numerous books and publications, as well as one who serves on the board of many Christian organizations. Kaiser’s purpose for this book is to bridge the gap between the hermeneutics and homiletics departments of our Bible colleges and seminaries.

It is hoped, then, that this volume will be useful to those who are already in the pastorate and who are struggling week after week to resolve just this problem. But the main object of our work must be the scores of those men and women who are currently enrolled in Biblical and theological studies at the collegiate or seminary level (22).

Kaiser desires this work to be a “type of firstfruits to the Church at large … [to] either rectify the situation with a good theory of exegesis” (22) in bridging the gap between hermeneutics and homiletics, “or to drop all professional pretensions from our Biblical and theological departments and offer only research-oriented degrees leading to teaching and writing posts in academia” (23).

Summary

Kaiser divides Toward an Exegetical Theology into four parts. Part I presents Kaiser’s introduction to this work. This chapter deals with the decline in the area of hermeneutics to discover the authorial intent of the text from the Puritan age until the present. Kaiser notes the “crisis of the pulpit” (36). Far too many pastors ignore the Old Testament, deem the Old Testament irrelevant, or only relate it through the eyes of the New Testament. Chapter Two deals with the definition and history of exegesis. Kaiser states, “The sole object of the expositor is to explain as clearly as possible what the writer meant when he wrote the text under examination” (45). This statement for Kaiser defines exegesis, and then methodically takes the reader through the various eras and stages of exegesis through church history.

Part II, entitled “The Syntactical-Theological Method,” contains six chapters dealing with various types of analyses which connect syntactical issues with biblical theology. Chapter Three addresses contextual analysis. “Good exegetical procedure dictates that the details be viewed in light of the total context” (69). Chapter Four deals with syntactical analysis and the various literary structures in Scripture such as prose, poetry, narrative, wisdom, and apocalyptic literature. “Each of these literary forms has a distinctive shape and style; accordingly, the approach to each form must be modified to meet its particular needs” (91). Within these forms, he notes that “the unit of concern must be the paragraph” (95) for paragraphs help the reader understand the flow and the theme of the ideas presented. Chapter Five addresses verbal analyses. Kaiser states, “Words and idioms are the most basic of all the linguistic building-blocks of meaning” (105). He notes the importance of noting the surrounding words in understanding that word’s meaning. Chapter Six addresses theological analyses, which Kaiser calls “the missing ingredient in most sermon preparation” (131). He notes “exegesis is never an end in itself [but] must come to terms with the audience as well as with what the author meant by the words he used” (149). Chapter Seven then deals with this stage of preparation in dealing with homiletical analysis — an area which in Kaiser believes theological education has failed. In this chapter, he presents to the reader “’Preparations for Homiletical Usage’ [where] the basic thrust of the chapter will be … principlization,’ the final task in the exegetical process” (150).

Part III outlines special issues in expository preaching such as the use of prophecy, narrative, and poetry respectively in chapters nine, ten, and eleven. Kaiser notes in chapter nine that while preacher should preach prophetically, he must take care not to preach solely against institutional and cultural structures. Old Testament prophets made their primary appeal “to the individuals who made up those communities and institutions” (187). In chapter ten, Kaiser notes, “What is needed in preaching on … narrative portions is some method of pointing out the abiding meanings and continuing significance for all believers” (197). Chapter eleven outlines how to preach Old Testament poetry expositionally, directing the preacher to know how “parallelism … is the dominant stylistic feature” (212).

The conclusion of this work is found in Part IV. Chapter 12, entitled “The Exegete/Pastor and the Power of God,” serves as the last chapter of this work and possesses a pastoral tone to the expositor in seeking the Holy Spirit for his power in the pulpit. “In all good conscience point to the presence of the Holy Spirit as the source of any confidence that we might have in our message even after we have acted most responsibly in the study and preparation of the text for proclamation” (235).

Critical Evaluation

As stated earlier, Kaiser’s aim in this work is to help bridge the gap between the hermeneutics and homiletics departments of our Bible colleges and seminaries in the area of biblical exegesis – and he succeeds! In the preface, Kaiser believes that in order for one to be a proper exegete of the Scriptures, he could not “hope to begin unless and until he is able to translate the text from Greek to Hebrew” (9). He grants though that many pastors, teachers, and missionaries are not able to partake of these educational opportunities. Given these issues, Kaiser notes that “the method expounded in this book can be profitably employed even if one has access only to a translated version of the Scriptures” (10). Kaiser finds a tremendous balance in providing solid help for those in all levels of biblical scholarship.

Kaiser’s work rightly advocates allowing the Scriptures to develop the framework for the preacher’s and the listener’s theology. First, he addresses in Chapter 1 the current crises in exegetical theology and notes the “yawning chasm between understanding the content of Scripture as it was given in the past and proclaiming it with such relevance in the present” (18). Kaiser notes, “We contend that the theology must be objectively derived from the text; not subjectively imposed on the text by the interpreter” (137). These impositions on the text also happen with narrative passages. He understands the temptations many preachers face and addresses them directly. “The exegete must resist the temptation to impose a mold over the text by forcing that text to answer one of his favorite questions or to deal with one of the contemporary issues that our cultures wants to have solved” (153).

His solution to this temptation involves determining the theme of each paragraph, looking for repeated terms which are stressed or defined, and looking to see what how these paragraphs fit into the overall book or section in which they are found. This theme runs continually through this work, reinforcing this all-to-important principle that the Christian’s theology must arise from the text. He rightly believes that a procedure must be in place to help understand the core meaning of the text will the preacher derive his theological framework. The interpreter accomplishes this analysis through studying the terms, events, quotes and covenants found in the text, engaging in a “full involvement of Biblical theology as part of our exegesis” (137).

His chapter on “The Definition and History of Exegesis” contains some excellent material which lays the groundwork for not only the rest of the work but for a career’s worth of work on the part of the exegete. He includes a wonderful paragraph that the preacher and exegete would do well to display in a prominent place for easy reference:

To begin with, let it be stated as a sort of first principle that preparation for preaching is always a movement which must begin with the text of Scripture and have as its goal the proclamation of that Word in such a way that it can be heard with all its poignancy and relevancy to the modern situation without dismissing one iota of its original normativeness (48).

He provides a helpful history of exegesis. Though this overview is not as comprehensive as Sidney Greidanus’ overview in Preaching Christ from the Old Testament (Eerdmans, 1999), its inclusion in this chapter immediately the section on the definition of exegesis bolsters Kaiser’s argument concerning the nature of good exegesis. For instance, Kaiser defines exegesis as seeking to “identify the single truth-intention of individual phrases, clauses, and sentences as they make up the thought of paragraphs, sections, and ultimately, entire books” (47). As he examines the five stages of Christian history, Kaiser wonderfully extracts the positives and negatives that arise from each stage of history and shows the lesson that deviating from authorial intent takes the interpreter down a problematic path — all the while showing the worthwhile intent behind such a method. He presents both sides, yet does not give too much ground to the incorrect view. The preacher and exegete will benefit from such a balanced presentation.

Another strength with Kaiser’s work is his use of humor and metaphors periodically in his explanations. This book contains technical information about the study of exegesis, so by Kaiser using humor and word pictures, he allows the reader slightly unwind as he absorbs the content. For instance, in chapter five in his discussion on verbal analysis, he discusses the importance of the surrounding words in determining the specific meaning of a word. With levity, he notes, that “words, like people, are known by the company they keep” (106). Another example is found in Chapter 6 when he uses a stirring metaphor in describing the trained clergy’s failure to connect biblical texts to today’s situations and their “Achilles’ heel” (131). The inclusion of these word pictures among the norm of dry, academic language that so pervades these types of works.

With the strengths found in this volume come the weaknesses. The most glaring weakness is the placement of the contents of chapter twelve. The topic of this chapter addresses the exegete/pastor and the power of God. In a quote above, Kaiser noted that for the pastor, the Holy Spirit is the source of confidence in our message regardless of the number of steps taken in preparation. Considering the importance of the presence of the Holy Spirit, Kaiser should have placed this chapter toward the beginning of this book rather than at the very last chapter. Jesus did not say, “Proper sermon preparation and exegetical work will teach you all things.” Rather, Jesus says in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV). Kaiser fully agrees with this verse. Given this sentiment, the placement of such an important understanding at the very end of this work is puzzling.

While Kaiser notes the importance of biblical truths guiding one’s theology, he strays from this philosophy not once but twice in reference to the same passage: 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. In making the point that the exegete should pay “close attention to each subtle nuance that may aid us in detecting sectional divisions” (77), he proceeds to engage in extra-biblical speculation. He wonders aloud, “Could it not be that the debated passage of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 is a quote from Rabbinic law?” with no rationale on how he arrived at this point. He then proceeds to connect this passage with other passages from 1 Timothy 2:8-11 as well as 1 Corinthians 11:4-5. He also addresses these same verses on pp. 119-120, apparently to show how to apply the principles of verbal analysis. Kaiser violates his own principles for confuses Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 11:4-5 with men and women who pray during their own private worship with principles Paul lays out for public worship in 1 Corinthians 14:26-35.

Conclusion

I would highly recommend Kaiser’s work as a good starting point in understanding how to construct a sermon that bridges the ancient text of Scripture to contemporary times. He correctly diagnoses the issues facing the contemporary preacher and then proceeds to help the preacher in a methodical fashion overcome the obstacles facing him in dealing with Old and New Testament exegetical problems. The pastor and seminarian will benefit greatly from the groundbreaking contribution.

Preaching and Teaching with Imagination by Warren Wiersbe (Book Review)

Wiersbe, Warren W.  Preaching and Teaching with Imagination:  A Quest for Biblical Ministry. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994.  400 pp.  $23.99.

 Introduction

            Warren W. Wiersbe formerly served as Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary.  He also served as pastor in churches in Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois where he pastored the historic Moody Memorial Church in Chicago.   He also served for ten years as General Director and Teacher for Back to the Bible and is the author of over 80 books. 

Wiersbe writes this volume from the perspective of a pastor as well as a seminary instructor who aims to help preachers preach with imagination. “I have a concern to challenge our preachers – and those who train preachers – to move out of the academy into the marketplace and to start communicating God’s truth the way God communicated it to us in His Word” (9).  Wiersbe aims to help preachers and teachers use metaphors and word pictures as the Scriptures do to help their listeners grasp the principles of the Bible. 

Summary

            Wiersbe divides this work into three parts:  Imagination and Life (Chapters 1-8), Imagination and Scripture (Chapters 9-16), and Imagination and Biblical Preaching (Chapters 17-25).  

            Wiersbe begins Part I with the biblical story of Absalom.  Absalom had taken his father’s throne by force but had grown concerned about his father’s escape.  He needed good counsel, so he called on two men to help him with this dilemma: his trusted counselor Ahithophel, and Hushai, David’s former counselor.  Ahithophel gave correct instructions and communicated the bare facts of the matter, while Hushai deceived him with the use a number of metaphors and word pictures.  Absalom listened to Hushai and suffered defeat.  “In modern terms,” Wiersbe notes, “Ahithophel used a cerebral ‘left brain’ approach and Hushai, a visceral ‘right brain’ approach” (17).  Wiersbe notes that Hushai knew “three important areas of life:  people, the world, and words” (23).  While preachers often preach to deliver concepts and concrete principles, Wiersbe believes that people in general tend to think in pictures.  Wiersbe invokes Jesus’ method of teaching as well.  “Every Bible reader knows that Jesus used images from the visible world to teach truths about the invisible world” (35).  He warns against preachers taking “skeletons into the pulpit,” ending up with “cadavers in the pews” (60).  Wiersbe goes on:  “We and the people we preach to live in the kind of society that quietly defiles and destroys the imagination of the unsuspecting victim” (68).  Among those items in society destroying imaginations are television, pornography and other technological advances allow anyone at anytime to have any experience they so choose, thus assaulting the picture gallery of the mind.  Preachers must be all the more diligent in their use of word pictures to stimulate their God-given imaginations. 

            In “Part II:  Imagination and the Scripture,” Wiersbe desires to “walk leisurely … through the Scriptures and point out some of the more important images that are found there” (89).  This overview results in him extracting all the metaphors and word pictures found in each section of the Bible with the hope of the readers being “excited by the imagery in the Bible” (89). 

            In “Part III:  Imagination and Biblical Preaching,” Wiersbe takes the preacher through some practical exercises to help him extract the word pictures from the biblical text.  He encourages a thorough investigation of what the passage says and means.  By understanding the original intent, our imaginations help us connect that intent to today’s culture.  “Exegesis and analysis are launching pads, not parking lots; and it’s imagination that fuels the rocket” (221).  As a result, he cautions preachers not to fully rely on outlines since this is not how we communicate, not do the Scriptures communicate in this way.   Wiersbe then teaches how to preach with imagination in the realm of biographical preaching as well as bringing comfort to the listeners.  He deals with preaching imaginatively on special days as well as providing principles for evangelistic preaching — which of the latter he notes that “all preaching should be evangelistic” (279).  He also deals with the subject of humor by advocating its use, saying that this is “mark of a creative person whose imagination is function in a healthy way” (274).   

Critical Evaluation

            Wiersbe’s aim, as mentioned previously, is to “help preachers preach with imagination” (9).   He laments the condition of many pulpits, for the preachers simply communicate bare facts rather than stir the imaginations of their hearers. He certainly makes a strong case, for “imagination is the tool that helps us make the ‘connections’ needed to bring sinners and the Savior together.  Those who proclaim the Word are ambassadors who must know the language and mind-set [sic] of the people to whom they’re sent if they hope to be understood” (306).  He clearly defies conventional wisdom as an expository preacher who advocates use of imagination, but he rightly notes that the two need not be mutually exclusive.

            As one who holds this use of imagination, Wiersbe excels in presenting this information in imaginative ways.  His distinct writing style echoes his preaching style by his use of short and colorful sentences that keeps the reader engaged, making him one of the more popular authors and commentators in the evangelical world. 

            Wiersbe also uses a great amount of quotes from a wide array of sources to bolster his argument for the use of word pictures and metaphors.  One would expect Wiersbe to quote from Christian authors and preachers, which he does.  He quotes a great deal from conservative evangelicals such as A.W. Tozer, Charles Spurgeon, Billy Graham, as well as from more liberal preachers such as David Buttrick and Harry Emerson Fosdick.  Wiersbe also quotes from the secular world.  He quotes poets William Blake and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and even from Charles Darwin who notes that “the imagination is one of the highest prerogatives of man” (25).  While one may question him quoting those who do not hold to the Christian faith, Wiersbe excels in demonstrating how differing worldviews and backgrounds understand the benefits of tapping one’s imagination.

“Part II: Imagination and the Scripture” serves as an excellent reference section that displays all the metaphors outlined in Scripture from each of the genres.  Wiersbe dispels the notion of the critics who say that the Bible is a dry and lifeless book by showing the Bible as being full of imagery.  Wiersbe gives all of the word pictures present in each section of Scripture, thereby piquing the interest of all who read his book.  He shows the Bible is full of imagery.  This section also inspires the preacher to include these types of metaphors in their sermons, since God communicated in this manner as well. 

A few weaknesses exist.  Part I includes a compelling defense of the use of metaphors. 

The task of Christian ministry – preaching in particular – is to “weld together imagination and experience”; and metaphor is one of the tools we can use to accomplish this purpose.  This does not mean that the experience of “connecting” will occur every time we preaching metaphorically.  But [sic] this kind of preaching will give the Holy Spirit something to work with as He seeks to make the truth of Christ meaningful through our exposition of the Word (30).

A weakness exists with his understanding of the roles of metaphors.  He notes above that, “This kind of preaching will give the Holy Spirit something to work with as He seeks to make the truth of Christ meaningful through our exposition of the Word.”  Is Wiersbe saying that if the preacher does not engage in this type of preaching then he limits the work of the Holy Spirit?  This line of thinking treads on dangerous ground.  While Ephesians 4:30 instructs the church that Christians may quench the Holy Spirit’s influence in our lives, Wiersbe must not forget Isaiah 55:11

    [M]y word . . . goes out from my mouth;

        it shall not return to me empty,

    but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

        and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

This verse bolsters the calling bestowed on preachers to preach the Good News of Christ because they understand that God’s Word will accomplish all that He desires it to accomplish.  While preachers have no excuse to preach in a boring fashion, to say that using the method that Wiersbe advocates “will give the Holy Spirit something to work with” implies that he cannot otherwise.  Wiersbe must be careful, for God will use his word for his purposes regardless.

 Personal Reflections

I appreciate how Wiersbe promotes the preacher ability to possess a pastor’s heart.  “A pastor with a shepherd’s heart and a healthy imagination, one who knows his sheep and loves them, will do a better job communicating God’s love and truth than the ivory tower executive who, unlike Jesus Christ has no time for people” (30).  Good and faithful pastors will certainly connect their love for their people with their love for his Word. 

While I personally agree with his assessment, my concern grows when examining his faulty starting point.  He notes, “This is where pastoral work comes in — getting to know your people, how they think, what they need, and what they want God to do in their lives” (30).   While Wiersbe rightly notes in the same paragraph that “churches grow when people care, and that caring has to be modeled by the pastor, personally and from the pulpit” (30), the danger lies in having a misguided and misinformed starting point for one’s sermon preparation.   The starting point must remain with the Scriptures that deal with perceived needs but also expose unseen needs.   When one wants God to help them with their financial problems, they may want God to show them how to handle their money better, when the expositional preacher may come to a passage dealing with greed.  Unbeknownst to the pastor or the congregant, the Spirit uses this passage to cut to the deeper issues of unbelief manifesting itself as greed.  What the members “want God to do in their lives” must not be the starting point, but what God wants to do in their lives as expressed in his holy Word. 

 
Conclusion

            Wiersbe’s work certainly stimulates the mind and the passion of even the most seasoned expository preacher.  Having read this volume twice, I would highly recommend this work to every pastor, especially expositional preachers.  I am thankful for the great help this book has given me in my own preaching.  In implementing more word pictures, more and more members of my congregation comment on how the particular sermon touched them and affected them — regardless of the passage preached.  Pastors, take heed to what Wiersbe recommends.  Your people will thank you.