Biblical Theology
Book Reviews by
Fred G. Zaspel
To gain a right appreciation of the redemptive- historical significance of the first coming of Christ and of the NT age, you must read through George Eldon Ladd's A Theology of the New Testament (Eerdmans). This book was of immense value to me when I first came across it. Its strongest section is his treatment of the gospels with its redemptive historical themes, but the entire volume is valuable. Very, very good reading – required for preachers.
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology edited by Walter Elwell (1996, Baker Books)
A massive compendium (more than 500 articles, about 850 pages) of leading Biblical themes from more than 100 evangelical scholars. Lots and lots of information "crunched" into relatively brief articles. Each Biblical book is treated individually as well as many specific Biblical themes -- from Abraham, Antichrist, Apostle, and Appearance to Woman, Word, Work, Worship, and Zealot. Consistently evangelical. A very helpful resource. Now available with the free CD ROM version included, so that all this information is as close as your keyboard.I'm not sure I can say Leon Morris' New Testament Theology is as good as Ladd's. It is a very helpful book, only different from Ladd and somewhat simpler. Although he certainly does not miss it altogether, Morris does not have the redemptive-historical emphasis of Ladd. But he does spend more time with specific themes of New Testament writers, and his help here is a real time saver. His strongest suit, of course, is the Johannine literature. This is a very helpful introduction to the distinctive theological emphases of the NT writers. Recommended.
All Things New: The Significance of Newness for Biblical Theology by Carl B. Hoch, Jr. (Baker Books, 1995)
One of the big questions in hermeneutical discussion today concerns the nature of this age. We call it the "new covenant commnunity." How new is it? How new is the new covenant? What new provisions does it entail? How does it differ from the old covenant? Traditional answers from both the Reformed and Dispensational communities are being seriously challenged today, and Hoch has marked for us a clear, solid, exegetical path. This is one of my favorite areas of study, so please excuse my excitement; but in my humble opinion, this book deserves wide attention. It deserves to be read carefully and digested thoroughly. No one before has provided for us what Hoch has here, and he has put us all greatly in his debt. He has managed to crunch volumes of information into this one book, and he advances the discussion significantly – always with a careful and faithful eye on the text. An exegetical and hermeneutical and theological treasure and an absolute pleasure to read. Highly recommended – buy two copies: one for yourself and another for a pastor friend!
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