I love reading books that teach how to read the Bible; it is one of my favorite genres! I have gained many excellent books on this topic over the years, but nothing comes close to Biblical Theology: A Canonical Thematic & Ethical Approach by Andreas J. Köstenberger and Gregory Goswell.
Biblical Theology is a textbook to help Christians read, understand, and interpret all books of the Bible. At 981 pages, this book is not a comprehensive commentary of the Bible. Instead, it is a thorough and helpful guide to assist Christians as they journey through God’s Word.
The book has three main sections. First is the introduction, where Köstenberger and Goswell explain the nature and practice of biblical theology and its relation to ethics.
Then the next two sections explore the study of the Old and New Testaments using a canonical, thematic, and ethical lens. Here, the authors go through each book of the Bible and examine their theological themes and ethics as well as the book’s place in the storyline of Scripture. Köstenberger and Goswell also explain the order of the books in our Bibles, the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament, and the relationship between the two. The book concludes with a summary of Bible books’ themes and ethics and the storylines of the Old and New Testaments.
I was hesitant to get this book at first. Though I love studying theology and have read through an entire Systematic Theology in the past, I feared this book would be too academic for me. But after reading some reviews online, I gave it a chance, and I am glad I did! Though the book is not a light read and has technical jargon here and there, it is not so academic that a layperson cannot understand, learn from it, and enjoy it.
I enjoyed discovering Köstenberger and Goswells’ three ways of approaching Scripture and how they applied it to every book of the Bible. I also enjoyed the history behind the order of the biblical books, particularly the Old Testament. It is also neat that the book is structured so that you can read it straight through or as a reference while studying/reading a particular book.
Overall, Biblical Theology is an impressive work that will benefit serious students of the Bible. It is a must-have book I recommend to anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge of Christ through Scripture. Knowledge of God is man’s most significant pursuit, and this book is a helpful companion for our journey.
*Crossway publishers graciously gave me a copy, and this is my honest review.*
