Review of 40 Questions about Biblical Theology

by | Jun 22, 2021 | DBSJ Volume 26 Book Reviews

40 Questions about Biblical Theology, by Jason S. DeRouchie, Oren R. Martin, and Andrew David Naselli. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2020. 400 pp. $27.99.

Jason DeRouchie (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is research professor of Old Testament and biblical theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves as the Global Outreach Director of Emmaus Church. Oren Martin (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is assistant professor of Christian theology at Southern Seminary and Boyce College and a pastor of Clifton Baptist Church. Andrew David Naselli (PhD, Bob Jones University, PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is associate professor of systematic theology and New Testament at Bethlehem College & Seminary and a pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Their volume, 40 Questions about Biblical Theology, is one of eighteen resources currently available in the forty questions series by Kregel. This series aims to provide a helpful overview and synthesis of key theological, apologetical, and practical issues in the life of the church. Each of the forty questions within Biblical Theology serves as its own chapter ranging from six to thirteen pages in length. These bite-sized portions help us “eat the elephant” as we work through a complex and multi-faceted subject like biblical theology.

The forty questions, or chapters, are divided into five larger sections: (1) Defining Biblical Theology; (2) Exploring Method in Biblical Theology; (3) Illustrating Biblical Theology: Tracing Themes; (4) Illustrating Biblical Theology: The Use of Earlier Scripture in Later Scripture; and (5) Applying Biblical Theology. DeRouchie, Martin, and Naselli contribute equally throughout this book as each tackles questions related to these larger sections. Each chapter ends with a summary and set of reflective questions. This format is particularly helpful in light of the structure of this book and allows one to engage more thoroughly with each question/chapter.

The writers recognize the necessity of defining the term “biblical theology” at the outset and that it can be a “slippery term.” The writers define biblical theology as “a way of analyzing and synthesizing the Bible that makes organic, salvation-historical connections with the whole canon on its own terms, especially regarding how the Old and New Testaments progress, integrate, and climax in Christ.” There are a variety of methods one might utilize that would fall within this definition, but in each approach the end goal is to synthesize one’s study with the whole of Scripture.

The key difference and distinction between biblical theology and systematic theology, according to the writers, is that biblical theology “sets its own agenda” and “prioritizes a passage’s literary context.” By comparison, the writers offer that while the text is important to systematic theology, other factors will set the agenda, such as ethical or philosophical questions. The writers readily acknowledge the need and benefit for systematic theology but draw a clear distinction between the purpose and goal of systematic theology and biblical theology. This distinction is helpful so as to not place biblical and systematic theology at odds with one another but recognizes the separate benefits that might be derived from each. The writers return to the question of how systematic and biblical theology work with, and complement, one another in chapter 13.

After providing the working definition, a majority of the first section is focused upon the salvation-history component of Scripture, and specifically Scripture’s witness to Christ in Old and New Testament. Over the course of several chapters and questions, the writers provide a helpful summary and explanation of how Christ is presented throughout the Testaments.

One topic of importance to biblical studies as a whole is the question of the New Testament use of the Old. The writers initially approach this question near the end of the first section and provide a guide for analyzing the use of the Old Testament. This guide places a significant emphasis on extrabiblical Jewish sources. This emphasis on extrabiblical writings has the tendency to overshadow or mute the benefit that can be derived from studying the context of the earlier texts. However, the writers do provide helpful caveats in their footnotes which help to prevent a complete overshadowing.

The writers provide a brief but helpful discussion of presuppositions that are incumbent with any approach to theology and discuss presuppositions that are important to biblical theology. This section is particularly helpful and necessary, which leads to a possible critique that this discussion of presuppositions be placed closer to the beginning of the book, rather than inserting it one-third of the way into the book.

At the end of the second section, the writers provide a helpful discussion and interaction with dispensational and covenantal theology with regard to biblical theology. While the writers demonstrate a bias toward covenantalism, they offer a short, but balanced presentation of dispensationalism and its more central components. However, the writers do conclude that a dispensational framework falls short as a heuristic grid for understanding fulfillment and eschatology. This assessment hinges on the writers’ definition of πληρόω, which is not clearly defined within these chapters. The extent of their conclusions, particularly with regard to assessing the ability of dispensationalists to rightly interpret New Testament passages, may create an unnecessary distraction for dispensationalists who would otherwise benefit greatly from the overall content of this book.

      The third section looks at several theological themes and provides an example for tracing themes that present themselves through the inductive study of Scripture. These chapters are helpful in demonstrating how one might go about the practice of biblical theology. The topics chosen are helpful and instructive not just as a method, but in the content itself and as a starting place from which one might probe deeper into the study of each theme.

The fourth section returns to the question of the New Testament use of the Old and works through five separate New Testament passages that quote or allude to Old Testament texts. Throughout this section the writers helpfully debunk the idea that the NT authors had a lack of respect for the meaning and context of the OT but rather show the beautifully woven tapestry of Scripture. This section is instructive in carefully and contextually approaching OT passages when seeking to understand their NT usage. The approach in these chapters helps to allay concerns of overemphasis on extrabiblical Jewish sources from the initial discussion of NT use of the Old in chapter nine.

The final section looks toward the application of biblical theology in preaching and teaching, as well as the lives of believer. The writers provide helpful suggestions in how the church can be more proactive in helping its members develop a practice of biblical theology. The concluding exhortation, which also functions as the motivation for the writing of this book, is that the beauty and finely woven tapestry of redemptive history might shine forth through the application of biblical theology and create a deeper love and gratefulness for our God and Savior.

In summary, 40 Questions about Biblical Theology is a helpful resource for theological studies and will be of great benefit to persons in the classroom as well as the church. In addition to providing a helpful distinction between biblical and systematic theology, it is an excellent starting point for understanding the essentials of biblical theology. The writers are both practical and accessible, and they leave the reader with a helpful framework for studying the unifying themes of Scripture.

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