New Testament Theology, by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023. 1,224 pp. $69.99.
Eckhard Schnabel (PhD, The University of Aberdeen) is the Mary French Rockefeller Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Gordon Conwell Seminary, where he has taught since 2012. He previously taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School from 1998 to 2012 and at several schools in Europe before that.
This book consists of a total of 26 chapters in six parts. The first part is titled “History, Faith, and Theology.” It consists of three chapters: Introduction, Historical Contexts, and The Foundational Significance of Jesus. The second part is “The Proclamation of Jesus.” It also consists of three chapters. These chapters discuss the ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus’s life and mission, and Jesus’s proclamation. The third part is “The Proclamation of the Jerusalem Apostles.” This part only contains two chapters: The Jerusalem Apostles’ mission/pastoral responsibilities and the Jerusalem Apostles’ message. The fourth part is “The Proclamation of the Apostle Paul.” This section is over 300 pages, and it consists of seven chapters. Chapters in this part include Paul’s missionary work and pastoral responsibilities, the gospel being the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus the Messiah, proclamation of Jesus as Messiah, the reality of the world, salvation received through Jesus the Messiah, God’s messianic people, Jesus’s return, judgment day, and the final consummation. The fifth part is “The Consolidation of the Apostolic Mission.” This part has five chapters. These chapters each discuss the theological convictions of Mark, Matthew, Luke, John, and the author of Hebrews, respectively. That last part is “The Message of the New Testament.” This part consists of six chapters which discuss, respectively, the unity of the New Testament, the fundamental reality of the revelation of God as creator and savior, the incarnational revelation of Jesus as Messiah, Savior, and Lord, personal salvation as being the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God, the continuing transformation in the life of the church, and finally the joyful expectation of the return of Jesus and eternal life.
This book is an impressive work at over 1,200 pages. Schnabel lays out a comprehensive vision for New Testament Theology based on the theology and the mission of the early evangelists and churches firmly rooted in its first-century context. This book deals with the entire New Testament through those lenses. It is also amply sourced, so other New Testament scholars can use it for further research. Of particular note is the helpful introductory chapter, which briefly overviews the current academic landscape of New Testament theology. This discipline is noted for its fragmentation and lack of methodological clarity. All of the chapters covering the various New Testament books are very helpful. The last section is worth the cost of the whole book. It is an excellent mix of scholarship and practicality—the discussion of unity and diversity and the discussion concerning the theological significance of God and Jesus are a fitting capstone for the entire book.
Despite these significant positive qualities, the book does have several drawbacks. The first is the size of the book. The book has a lot of detail, and it is sometimes difficult to see the forest for the trees. Another issue is that the book is quite repetitive at times. Due to the book’s length and technical nature, it will be primarily useful for people with advanced training in biblical studies and/or theology, not lay people.
The book would be a fine addition to the library of most pastors since it covers the entire New Testament and approaches the task of New Testament theology thematically. The cost of the book is high but not prohibitive, considering its comprehensive nature; therefore, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in New Testament theology.
