The massive diversity and complexity of the Bible can make it a daunting project for anyone to tackle. Getting a grasp on the unity of the Bible, its central message from Genesis to Revelation, helps immensely in understanding the meaning of any one book or passage. That is the goal of this book by Graeme Goldsworthy. Goldsworthy answers these questions with an integrated theology of both Old and New Testaments that avoids unnecessary technicalities. Concise, pithy chapters featuring dozens of charts, highlighted summaries and study questions make an enormously useful book for understanding how the Bible fits together as the unfolding story of God's plan for salvation.
According to Plan
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44 of 45 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Written from the conviction that "learning to grasp the unity of the Bible . . . is necessary for a right understanding of the meaning of any individual text" (p. 7), this introductory-level biblical theology is an excellent survey of the history of God's mighty redemptive acts as recorded in the unfolding narrative of Scripture.
Goldsworthy's stated aim is to (1) introduce his readers to an integrated theology of the Bible (2) written with a full acceptance of the full inspiration and authority of Scripture as God's Word, (3) for ordinary Christians. His work is a success.
The book is divided into four parts, answering the questions "why?", "how?", "what?" and "where?" about biblical theology. Part one is a single chapter which answers the "why?" question by raising several questions (about interpretation of problem passages, the relevance of the Old Testament to today, and whether there is a unifying theme to the Bible)which make biblical theology so necessary for believers.
Part two, the most academic part of the book (and the part most likely to intimidate Goldsworthy's intended audience of lay-people), answers the "what?" question in six chapters which introduce the foundational presuppositions which form the basis for the author's biblical-theological method. Biblical theology is compared to other forms of theology (systematic, historical, exegetical, pastoral) (chapter two), Christian theism is contrasted with secular humanism and theistic humanism (chapter three), and the nature of Scripture as God's divine-human word of revelation to man, which is focused on Christ as redeemer, is thoroughly addressed (chapters four - seven). Chapter five is especially helpful in fleshing out a distinctively Christian (Christ-centered) approach to Scripture, understanding that the Bible contains "progressive, redemptive revelation." "It is revelation because in it God makes himself known. It is redemptive because God reveals himself in the act of redeeming us. It is progressive because God makes himself and his purposes known by stages until the full light is revealed in Jesus Christ" (p. 57). This portion of the book should be read at some point, although some readers may prefer to skip ahead to part three and revisit part two later.
Part three is much more accessible as the author now answers the "what?" question in eighteen short chapters. These chapters cover the entire sweep of Scripture by highlighting the key epochs and events in the biblical story-line (e.g. creation, the fall, first promises of redemption (with Noah), the call of Abraham, the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the giving of the law, the wilderness temptation, the conquest of Canaan, the beginning of the monarcy, the exile of Israel into Babylon, the prophetic promises, the coming of Christ, the out-pouring of the Spirit, and the future consummation), all the while connecting the dots with biblical-theological themes of creation/new-creation, covenant/promise, kingdom, and regeneration. This portion of the book is invaluable and will forever change the way you read Scripture (if you have not already been exposed to biblical theology). These chapters make this book well-worth reading!
Part four addresses the application question of "where?" - that is, where do we apply biblical theology? Only two topics are covered (guidance and life after death), and those only briefly, but the aim is to show us how to apply the methodology of biblical-theological study to other areas. Both subject and Scripture indices are included and there are numerous helpful charts and diagrams scattered throughout the book, along with study questions, and suggestions for further reading. This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it!
Goldsworthy's stated aim is to (1) introduce his readers to an integrated theology of the Bible (2) written with a full acceptance of the full inspiration and authority of Scripture as God's Word, (3) for ordinary Christians. His work is a success.
The book is divided into four parts, answering the questions "why?", "how?", "what?" and "where?" about biblical theology. Part one is a single chapter which answers the "why?" question by raising several questions (about interpretation of problem passages, the relevance of the Old Testament to today, and whether there is a unifying theme to the Bible)which make biblical theology so necessary for believers.
Part two, the most academic part of the book (and the part most likely to intimidate Goldsworthy's intended audience of lay-people), answers the "what?" question in six chapters which introduce the foundational presuppositions which form the basis for the author's biblical-theological method. Biblical theology is compared to other forms of theology (systematic, historical, exegetical, pastoral) (chapter two), Christian theism is contrasted with secular humanism and theistic humanism (chapter three), and the nature of Scripture as God's divine-human word of revelation to man, which is focused on Christ as redeemer, is thoroughly addressed (chapters four - seven). Chapter five is especially helpful in fleshing out a distinctively Christian (Christ-centered) approach to Scripture, understanding that the Bible contains "progressive, redemptive revelation." "It is revelation because in it God makes himself known. It is redemptive because God reveals himself in the act of redeeming us. It is progressive because God makes himself and his purposes known by stages until the full light is revealed in Jesus Christ" (p. 57). This portion of the book should be read at some point, although some readers may prefer to skip ahead to part three and revisit part two later.
Part three is much more accessible as the author now answers the "what?" question in eighteen short chapters. These chapters cover the entire sweep of Scripture by highlighting the key epochs and events in the biblical story-line (e.g. creation, the fall, first promises of redemption (with Noah), the call of Abraham, the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the giving of the law, the wilderness temptation, the conquest of Canaan, the beginning of the monarcy, the exile of Israel into Babylon, the prophetic promises, the coming of Christ, the out-pouring of the Spirit, and the future consummation), all the while connecting the dots with biblical-theological themes of creation/new-creation, covenant/promise, kingdom, and regeneration. This portion of the book is invaluable and will forever change the way you read Scripture (if you have not already been exposed to biblical theology). These chapters make this book well-worth reading!
Part four addresses the application question of "where?" - that is, where do we apply biblical theology? Only two topics are covered (guidance and life after death), and those only briefly, but the aim is to show us how to apply the methodology of biblical-theological study to other areas. Both subject and Scripture indices are included and there are numerous helpful charts and diagrams scattered throughout the book, along with study questions, and suggestions for further reading. This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it!
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I just finished reading According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy. This is the book I've been waiting for since my graduation from seminary. One of the more revolutionary topics which I was taught in seminary is called Biblical Theology also known as the study of Redemptive History. I still have fond memories of wading through Vos's classic on the subject, Biblical Theology. A study of Biblical Theology opened my eyes to the consistent covenantal work of redemption accomplished by God through history. It was like reading the Bible for the first time as I saw type and antitype, promise and fulfillment, redemption accomplished and applied.
The only difficulty is that Vos's Biblical Theology is thick reading. It is certainly not something you just toss at someone and say, "Enjoy!" There should be a warning on the inside cover that reads, "Read only under the supervision of someone trained in Theology." Thus my dilemma, I wanted those under my pastoral care to understand Biblical theology but I did not have a helpful, lay-level teaching tool.
That is why I am so grateful for Goldsworthy's work. I have heard for a few years now that Goldsworthy had taken up Vos's mantle, publishing a number of very helpful books written around the theme of the Kingdom of God, found together under the title Goldswothy Trilogy: (Gospel and Kingdom, Gospel and Wisdom, Gospel and Revelation). I just had yet to read any of them. This book, According to Plan, by Goldsworthy's own admission, is intended to be a primer for his other works.
Goldsworthy accomplishes two goals in this book. First, he presents an overview of the study of Biblical Theology with special emphasis on Scripture's central theme: the person and work of Jesus Christ. Second, he takes a tour de force through Scripture tracing the movement of God's covenant founded Kingdom from Creation through Abraham and David, culminating in Jesus Christ and the New Testament church.
You might think after considering the depth and breadth of these two goals that this book would read like a masters level dissertation. But therein lies the genius of this book: deep, solid theology packaged to be understood and digested easily by those without a seminary education. Each chapter is short enough to read in short stints. Not only are there summaries at the end of each chapter but there are also short summary sentences after each subpoint in each chapter. Goldsworthy adds numerous diagrams to help illustrate his points and spends the last two chapters giving examples of how one might do Biblical theology. Someone went to a great deal of trouble to make this book incredibly easy to read. That work does not go unrewarded given that Biblical Theology is such an important but often confusing topic.
Someone with previous theological education will find this book to be a great refresher course on the basics of redemptive history. But it does not just rehash Vos's Biblical Theology. Goldsworthy has done some excellent scholarly work in the area of Biblical Theology. Much of this new work comes into the book with a greater emphasis on covenant, kingdom, and especially Christ.
I especially appreciated Goldsworthy's overt focus on Jesus Christ as the culmination of history, the centerpiece of the Bible. The complexities of Biblical Theology can often lead the unsuspecting student away from the cross and into interesting but periphery rabbit trails. Goldsworthy masterfully calls the reader back to Christ again and again. I cannot recommend this book enough to pastors and laymen alike. It will serve the church and seminaries for years to come as the definitive primer for Biblical Theology.
The only difficulty is that Vos's Biblical Theology is thick reading. It is certainly not something you just toss at someone and say, "Enjoy!" There should be a warning on the inside cover that reads, "Read only under the supervision of someone trained in Theology." Thus my dilemma, I wanted those under my pastoral care to understand Biblical theology but I did not have a helpful, lay-level teaching tool.
That is why I am so grateful for Goldsworthy's work. I have heard for a few years now that Goldsworthy had taken up Vos's mantle, publishing a number of very helpful books written around the theme of the Kingdom of God, found together under the title Goldswothy Trilogy: (Gospel and Kingdom, Gospel and Wisdom, Gospel and Revelation). I just had yet to read any of them. This book, According to Plan, by Goldsworthy's own admission, is intended to be a primer for his other works.
Goldsworthy accomplishes two goals in this book. First, he presents an overview of the study of Biblical Theology with special emphasis on Scripture's central theme: the person and work of Jesus Christ. Second, he takes a tour de force through Scripture tracing the movement of God's covenant founded Kingdom from Creation through Abraham and David, culminating in Jesus Christ and the New Testament church.
You might think after considering the depth and breadth of these two goals that this book would read like a masters level dissertation. But therein lies the genius of this book: deep, solid theology packaged to be understood and digested easily by those without a seminary education. Each chapter is short enough to read in short stints. Not only are there summaries at the end of each chapter but there are also short summary sentences after each subpoint in each chapter. Goldsworthy adds numerous diagrams to help illustrate his points and spends the last two chapters giving examples of how one might do Biblical theology. Someone went to a great deal of trouble to make this book incredibly easy to read. That work does not go unrewarded given that Biblical Theology is such an important but often confusing topic.
Someone with previous theological education will find this book to be a great refresher course on the basics of redemptive history. But it does not just rehash Vos's Biblical Theology. Goldsworthy has done some excellent scholarly work in the area of Biblical Theology. Much of this new work comes into the book with a greater emphasis on covenant, kingdom, and especially Christ.
I especially appreciated Goldsworthy's overt focus on Jesus Christ as the culmination of history, the centerpiece of the Bible. The complexities of Biblical Theology can often lead the unsuspecting student away from the cross and into interesting but periphery rabbit trails. Goldsworthy masterfully calls the reader back to Christ again and again. I cannot recommend this book enough to pastors and laymen alike. It will serve the church and seminaries for years to come as the definitive primer for Biblical Theology.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In According to Plan, Goldsworthy endeavors to show the New and Old Testaments fit together. He does that, by responding to fundamental biblical questions: What is the overall story of the Bible? What is the aim of biblical theology? And what is the relationship between both testaments?
The book is the sequel of the author's two former published works. "In Gospel Kingdom," his first volume; Goldsworthy's aim was to help Christians understanding the OT Scripture through the use of biblical theology method. His subsequent works entitled "THe Gospel in Revelation and Gospel and Wisdom give a full treatment to the topic. Both books supplement his former work by showing the relationship of the OT wisdom literature and the book of Revelation. "According to Plan" completes the author's work as he demonstrates the integration of both New and Old Testament Scriptures.
To answer the first question, what is biblical theology?
It is, in effect, the study of the message of the Bible, said the author (20). Biblical theology aims the reader solves problematic passages in the Bible "by relating them to the one message of the Bible (21). Moreover, Goldsworthy believes that every part of the Bible ultimately points to the person and saving work of Christ. The overall grasp of the biblical message is essential to comprehend each text individually. He writes, "Behind this endeavor is the conviction that learning to grasp the unity of the Bible, of its one overall message from Genesis to Revelation, is necessary for a right understanding of the meaning of any individual text" (7).
Goldsworthy is correct when he writes, "Every Christian is a theologian" (30).Hence, Christians are theologians because they know God and think about Him and make statements that relate to Him in direct and intimate ways. More importantly, Christians are theologians because of their relationships with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
How can we know anything? Or how can we know anything about God? According to the author, the question of epistemology is one of the most contentious issues in philosophy and theology. For the Christian theist, knowledge is dependent on God. Christian scholars often contend that God is the source of all knowledge and all understanding. What is knowable is, therefore disclosed by God. Man is dependent on God for his continuous existence and for anything that he comes to know and identify as "knowledge and truth." Goldsworthy notes that, in secular humanism; knowledge is independent from God. Humanists tenaciously argue that we can only know certain things through our senses. In other words, we use our entire faculty to come to the understanding of the world, ourselves, and everything around us. This position promotes human's strengths and rests solely on human's ability. This view, in particular, denies anything supernatural or transcendent. It is also the belief that rejects anything that cannot be comprehended by the human's reason and our natural mind.
"According to Plan" is both an introduction to integrated biblical theology and an attempt to present the whole message of God's revelation
The book is the sequel of the author's two former published works. "In Gospel Kingdom," his first volume; Goldsworthy's aim was to help Christians understanding the OT Scripture through the use of biblical theology method. His subsequent works entitled "THe Gospel in Revelation and Gospel and Wisdom give a full treatment to the topic. Both books supplement his former work by showing the relationship of the OT wisdom literature and the book of Revelation. "According to Plan" completes the author's work as he demonstrates the integration of both New and Old Testament Scriptures.
To answer the first question, what is biblical theology?
It is, in effect, the study of the message of the Bible, said the author (20). Biblical theology aims the reader solves problematic passages in the Bible "by relating them to the one message of the Bible (21). Moreover, Goldsworthy believes that every part of the Bible ultimately points to the person and saving work of Christ. The overall grasp of the biblical message is essential to comprehend each text individually. He writes, "Behind this endeavor is the conviction that learning to grasp the unity of the Bible, of its one overall message from Genesis to Revelation, is necessary for a right understanding of the meaning of any individual text" (7).
Goldsworthy is correct when he writes, "Every Christian is a theologian" (30).Hence, Christians are theologians because they know God and think about Him and make statements that relate to Him in direct and intimate ways. More importantly, Christians are theologians because of their relationships with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
How can we know anything? Or how can we know anything about God? According to the author, the question of epistemology is one of the most contentious issues in philosophy and theology. For the Christian theist, knowledge is dependent on God. Christian scholars often contend that God is the source of all knowledge and all understanding. What is knowable is, therefore disclosed by God. Man is dependent on God for his continuous existence and for anything that he comes to know and identify as "knowledge and truth." Goldsworthy notes that, in secular humanism; knowledge is independent from God. Humanists tenaciously argue that we can only know certain things through our senses. In other words, we use our entire faculty to come to the understanding of the world, ourselves, and everything around us. This position promotes human's strengths and rests solely on human's ability. This view, in particular, denies anything supernatural or transcendent. It is also the belief that rejects anything that cannot be comprehended by the human's reason and our natural mind.
"According to Plan" is both an introduction to integrated biblical theology and an attempt to present the whole message of God's revelation
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
God's Plan of Salvation for the world
This book goes hand in hand with the first book mentioned above. The author ties all the Old Testament and New Testament to show the divine plan of salvation for the world and why... Read more
Published 2 months ago by James Hubble
3.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended with hesitancy
This is a hard book to rate. I think it's ultimately helpful for those who have next to no understanding of biblical theology (the intended audience as stated by Goldsworthy). Read more
Published 6 months ago by Dwight Davis
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very evangelical introduction to biblical theology
The cover of Graeme Goldsworthy's According to Plan gives the book a "sub-sub-title" that is helpful in understanding the nature of the work under consideration: it is "An... Read more
Published 14 months ago by William T. Barto
5.0 out of 5 stars
Underestimated book
For those wanting to take a deeper dive into understanding the Scriptures as a whole and learning what exactly 'Biblical Theology' is, this book is a near-perfect start. Read more
Published 15 months ago by B. Cravens
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book and Intro to OT BT
My purpose in reviewing Graeme Goldsworthy's According to Plan is not to merely repeat and summarize what he has already said, but is to bring out the truths in it which highlight... Read more
Published 21 months ago by michael
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's OK If You Support His Assumptions
In the preface, Goldsworthy states that his goal is three-fold: introduce the reader to an integrated theology of the whole Bible, 2) accept the full authority and of the Bible as... Read more
Published on March 24, 2011 by David Somers
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Biblical Theology
This was the book that introduced me to biblical theology and really turned me on to the discipline. Read more
Published on January 27, 2011 by Luke J. Gorsett
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Introduction to Biblical Theology
A fellow pastor here on staff suggested that I read this book by Graeme Goldsworthy. I am so happy that he did. Read more
Published on January 26, 2011 by William D. Curnutt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Biblical Theology ( not complete)
I really like this book by Dr. Goldsworthy it does a great Job of explaining how all the Scriptures are about Jesus Christ. Read more
Published on July 2, 2009 by J. Barginear
5.0 out of 5 stars
According to Plan: The Unfolding Revalation Of God In The Bible
This book was purchased as a text book for a class. It is packed with insight into the why, how, what, and where of Biblical Theology. Read more
Published on February 7, 2009 by Stephen E. Ekblad
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 22
books:
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13
books
cite this book:
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- Gospel and Wisdom (Bible Christian Living) on 4 pages
- The Christ of the Covenants by O. Palmer Robertson on 4 pages
- Gospel in Revelation (Bible Christian Living) in Front Matter, and page 233
- Old And New Testaments (Brittingham Prize in Poetry) by Lynn C. Powell on page 51, and page 200
- Christ & the Bible on page 51, and page 58
See all 22 books this book cites
- Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching by Graeme Goldsworthy on 7 pages
- Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing by C.J. Mahaney on page 1, and Back Matter
- Shaping a Christian Worldview: The Foundation of Christian Higher Education by David S. Dockery in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Genesis Factor: Probing Life's Big Questions by David R. Helm in Back Matter
- The Kingdom of God (Lifeguide Bible Studies) by Greg Jao on page 6
See all 13 books citing this book
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