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According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible

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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!

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.

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

Goldsworthy has written an excellent text outlining Biblical Theology in According to Plan. For anyone unfamiliar with Biblical Theology, this is an excellent introduction. Though he doesn't dive in too deep, Goldsworthy has definitely covered the basics.

A majority of the book is taken up by an outline of the Bible - connecting the theological points, if you will. This he does by working his way from Genesis to Revelation. It may seem like a lot, but Biblical Theology is focused upon connecting the whole of the Bible's theology together - the text would be pretty much useless without the overview.

Actually, I found the chapters concerned with Revelation and the new creation very informing and helpful. They are almost worth the price of the book itself. By drawing on the Biblical themes he established in the rest of his overview, he really enables the reader to put the Biblical understanding of Christ's Kingdom and second coming into their correct theological context - and even alludes to a practical understanding of this in everyday life.

In the end, this is a great text for anyone wanting to dive a little deeper into Theology and thinking about God Biblically. And if you've never read anything about Biblical theology, this is an excellent place to start.

Biblical Theology and the treatment of the narrative of scripture as a whole are sadly lost to most modern American Christians. Goldsworthy gives these a great treatment in "According to Plan." He discusses different ways of studying theology and then uses a "Biblical" approach to go through scripture and tie it together. (The only problem with Biblical Theology is the name. It makes it sound as though other forms of theology aren't biblical.) He ties the Old Testament to the New in such a way that the gospel is the lens through which to view the OT; but when you look at the OT through that lens, it serves to clarify and comment on the NT. The book is readable and easy to follow.

This book may not be the best for the "heavyweights" out there who have been through this stuff before. They may seek a book that delves a little deeper and is a little more exegetical. But it is one of the best introductions to the subject of Biblical Theology that there is and I highly recommend it.

This was the book that introduced me to biblical theology and really turned me on to the discipline. Before I read this book, my understanding of the OT was very limited as far as how it all fit together. How it related to the NT was even more of a mystery.

Goldsworthy walks you through the storyline of the bible (God's plan of Redemption) interpreting it through the lens of the gospel. He argues that since Christ is the fullest and final revelation of God, if we want to fully know the OT we have to understand that it was all leading, pointing to and finding it's fullfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel.

The book is set up in short chapters with a brief summary, charts, discussin questions and suggested resources for further reading at the end of each chapter. After an explanation of the discipline of biblical theology and its importance the book walks through the bible in chronological order so it begins in Genesis and ends in revelation.

One of the instant benefits for teachers will be the typology and illustrations for teaching the OT. You will be able to teach the OT and show where it fits in to God's plan of redemption and then incorporate Christ into your sermons.

I agree, along with many others including D.A. Carson, that biblical theology is such an important discipline. Its not at odds with systematic theology, rather they complement each other. Biblical theology is the foundation for systematic theology.

This book will help you learn your OT, not as jewish scriptures, but Christian scriptures. When someone says to you "God has changed, he's not like he was in the OT" or "people were saved differently in the OT" you will now be able to walk them through the storyline of the bible in 10 minutes showing how it all points to and finds its fulfillment in Christ.

A fellow pastor here on staff suggested that I read this book by Graeme Goldsworthy. I am so happy that he did. This book easily fulfills Goldsworthy's stated purpose of, "to introduce the reader to an integrated theology of the whole Bible." Each chapter walks you through another aspect of God's design in the Bible of "making Himself known" to man. I have looked for a good primary text that would help my Bible students understand the Bible as a whole and the message that it is attempting to deliver. Goldsworthy's book gives me that text.

Each chapter is well thought out, written in very understandable language for layman as well as pastor. At the end of each chapter there are study guide questions to help you reflect back on what you have just read as well as to provide discussion starters for a small group to talk about the material and further apply it to their lives.

One of Goldsworthy's main statements is that every Christian is a Theologian whether they want to be or not. This is because Theology is basically the study of God to get to "Know God." As such the Bible is the tool that God uses to make Himself known to us. We have to read it, study it, meditate on it and apply it to our daily lives if we want to grow in our relationship with God.

Goldsworthy is conservative and well grounded in the Gospel. He comes from the school of, The Bible is God's Inspired Word and is accurate. It is without error. It will answer our human desire to know, "Why do I exist?" As well as answer the question, "Who is God and does He really exist?"

Goldsworthy divides his work about Biblical Theology into three parts, 1) Why, 2) How and 3) What. Each section builds on the previous. Each section gives us more information about God and makes us desire Him even more.

I would recommend this book to every Christian but especially to those students of the Word who are tackling the task of teaching a Bible class to children, youth or adults. You will not be disappointed with this book. It will give you a great overview of who God is and push you to desire Him more and grow to know Him deeper.

Enjoy!

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 his major ideas. His approach and intent in writing this book is not to speak only to an audience of the typical scholar or even seminarian, rather, it is for the layman that works five days a week, 40 hours a week, and sits in the pew on Sunday. Goldsworthy works out this objective by three means:
1. To introduce the reader to an integrated theology of the whole Bible.
2. To write this introduction wholly accepting the full inspiration and authority of the Bible as the Word of God.
3. To write for ordinary Christians at a level that avoids technicalities.

Goldsworthy is like no other in today's realm of Reformed evangelicals. When discussing a person or a ministry that is gospel-centered, we Americans so often mention the best known of today - John Piper, or Tim Keller, 9-Marks Ministry or Resurgence Ministries. However, in my personal opinion, there is no one that compares to Graeme Goldsworthy, especially on his level of compassion.

Goldsworthy's introduction is simple and can be easily read. No matter who the reader is, they can come with as little as they may know and have the major questions answered that one often asks about Old Testament Biblical theology. Goldsworthy explains that the reader is to find the meaning of the Bible as the basis of their understanding. He even shows how to deal with problematic passages which individuals often times struggle with. Goldsworthy sees the significance and meaning of Biblical theology as to understand and deal with the hardest of passages so one can see the truth about God in what they are reading. In addition, he sees the importance of not only dealing with the major or most well-known stories, but stresses how every section of the Old Testament is a framework in the whole message of the Bible. He brings out this view of the Old Testament in four ways:
1. The Old Testament is pre-Christian, and even though it never mentions the distinctions of the faith, the Christian can still look at Israel's life for example.
2. The Old Testament contains many areas that apply to the Christian life that are still in effect to the New Testament Christian. Example: the Sabbath.
3. Although the prophets, when talking about God's final saving work, may not make any reference of Jesus Christ by name, the kingdom of God - which includes Christ - is still portrayed.
4. The Old Testament is the preparation of the grounds that lie before the New Testament for Christianity.

Understanding the importance of Old Testament Biblical theology aids one's understanding of the interpretation of Scripture for hermeneutics. Goldsworthy, at the end of every chapter, provides four unique questions designed in helping the reader look deeper into the importance of Biblical theology in the Old Testament. These questions are crucial for the reader because with them the reader is able to take what he has read and put it into practical use with the Scriptures.


The second part of Goldsworthy's book deals with how every Christian should "do" Biblical theology. Here he discusses the number of ways that the Christian studies doctrine: through systematic theology, historical theology, pastoral theology, and Biblical theology. His emphasis is placed upon exegetical theology - that is, in how to deal with the text, what the source and meaning of the text is, and how the text is to be recognized as authoritative. Here Goldsworthy gives an apologetic approach to how one is to do this in his own practice. With the vast multitude of individuals that are falling into secular humanism, it is important - especially in the post modern culture - for the believer to know how to properly exegete a text. Goldsworthy gives three ways - or three presuppositions - that the believer is to stand firm on first and foremost, before even coming to the text.
1. God is completely different in being and is infinitely higher than mankind.
2. Mankind is partially independent of God, and there is truth that is far beyond man's understanding.
3. As the creator of everything, this means that God knows everything.

Unfortunately, in today's culture, evangelicals no longer hold to having presuppositions from the Scriptures before dealing with them. Goldsworthy places value and importance on this because he knows that man is still sinful and far from knowing all truth. He places a large emphasis and much import upon molding the mind of the believer before dealing with the text. This will help an individual stay away from a humanistic view, and instead will help to see the significance and magnitude of what God originally intended in His Word. Holding to this, Goldsworthy gives five presuppositions of Biblical theology that every Reformed evangelical should hold to, for no other reason but that they are Scriptural:
1. God made and decided every fact in the universe, and He alone can interpret all things and events.
2. Because we are created in the image of God, we know that we are dependent on God for truth.
3. As sinners we suppress this knowledge and reinterpret the universe on an assumption that we, not God, give things their meaning.
4. Special revelation through God's redemptive Word, reaching its high point in Jesus Christ, is needed to deal with our suppression of the truth and hostility to God.
5. A special work of the Holy Spirit brings repentance and faith so that sinners acknowledge the truth that is in Scripture.

It is crucial to take time in this review to draw out the importance of number four from the above. Goldsworthy reveals Christ to the believer more than most writers today. This is exactly what Goldsworthy does here, as he shows ways in which the Christian believer is to see how Christ has made himself known - not only in the gospel event itself, but in the whole of the gospel story. It is imperative when dealing with theology that the believer understands that man is restored in Christ. Grasping this assurance will then allow the believer to see the truth that lies in the gospel and in the whole of the Old Testament. The believer is to look at how Christ interprets the whole Bible, and that there is truth of the gospel through the entire Bible. Christ's relationship to the Old Testament is clearly seen in his completion and fulfillment of prophesy and foretold stories about him in the Old Testament.

Goldsworthy clearly marks the importance of knowing Christ in and throughout the Scriptures. This helps the believer to understand that the Old Testament - as the Word of God - was fully about Christ. This realization (that the Old Testament is about Christ) gives light to the New Testament usage of interpretation. It is utterly crucial for the believer to know Christ in Old Testament Biblical theology in the way Christ told his disciples to know it (Luke 24:25-27 and John 5: 39-40). It is also tremendously important to view the Old Testament the way he taught the disciples - that is, showing that the New Testament interprets the Old Testament. Often times mainstream evangelicals - fundamentalist and classical dispensationalist - leave out this importance of Biblical theology. I can think of no better way of saying it than how Goldsworthy says it himself:
"In doing biblical theology as Christians, we do not start at Genesis 1 and work our way forward until we discover where it is all leading. Rather we first come to Christ, and he directs us to study the Old Testament in the light of the gospel. The gospel will interpret the Old Testament by showing us its goal and meaning. The Old Testament will increase our understanding of the gospel by showing us what Christ fulfills."

Goldsworthy emphasizes the importance of seeing the whole Canon as the divine Word when doing Biblical theology. He says it best when he states, "The relationship of Jesus Christ is that he sums it up, brings it to fulfillment and interprets it, thus the word of God is Jesus Christ. Every word in Scripture points us to Jesus and finds its meaning in him. When dealing with the Word of God it is essential to understand the full revelation of Christ as being both God and man. Here lies the discovery that the Scripture itself is a divine-human Word. This human-word is summarized and fulfilled completely in the work and person of Jesus Christ. There are a number of ways to see this literalism, allegory and typology. When understanding these methods of hermeneutics, the individual will grasp how to do proper Biblical theology - seeing Christ and proclaiming the gospel in the way that God intended.

In part three of According to Plan, Graeme Goldsworthy deals with explaining exactly what Biblical theology is. He helps describe some of the main themes of Revelation so that the reader can understand the Old Testament in a way that they are able to see the person and work of Jesus Christ more clearly. Goldsworthy does this is by answering the "what" questions in 18 short chapters. While doing so, he highlights the key events of the Bible, such as creation, the fall, the promises to Noah, the call of Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt to Israel, the giving of the law, the wilderness temptation, the conquest of Canaan, the beginning of the monarchy, the Exile of Israel to Babylon, the prophetic promises, the coming of Christ, the outpouring of the Spirit, and the future consummation. Goldsworthy uses all these different storylines from throughout the Bible and intertwines them with a number of different theological themes, such as creation, covenant, kingdom, and regeneration.

The section that can be appreciated most is Goldsworthy's illustration and clear revealing of the climax of history and the centerpiece of the Bible - Jesus Christ. He makes this clear in the beginning of part three when he states:
"The main message of the Bible about Jesus Christ can easily become mixed with all sorts of things that are related to it. We see in the way people define or preach the gospel. But it is important to keep the gospel itself clearly distinct form out response to it or from the results of it in our lives and in the world. If our proper response to the gospel is faith, then we should not make faith part of the gospel itself. It would be absurd to call people to have faith in the faith! While the new birth bears a close relationship to faith in Christ, it is a mistake to speak of the new birth as if it were itself the gospel. Faith in the new birth as such will not save us."

When studying Biblical theology in this day and age of post modernity, many theologians, critics, and scholars seem to look so deep and try to find hidden meanings, that as a result they miss the cross as being central to both Old and New Testament theology. Throughout Goldsworthy's outline of Biblical history, he reveals over and over again the main themes, key words, and gives the path in which each step unfolds in dealing with Old Testament Biblical theology.

To me, the key chapter of part three is chapter 22, The New Creation for Us. After summarizing the whole outline of the Old Testament, Goldsworthy brings together the unity of it, which lies in the New Testament gospels. He then shows that the climax of redemption is unquestionably that of Christ being the true God - that is, the true person of God. He spends a good portion of time showing this fact, as Jesus was the `new Adam,' had the role of a servant, a true prophet, the role of priest, was in the kingship of David, and was the fulfillment of all prophecy through his existence. Here Goldsworthy shows that Jesus is the new creation and the promise of redemption. He also states, "The divine strategy of salvation now emerges with greater clarity. All that God has promised in the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ, especially in his resurrection from the dead."

In the final part of Goldsworthy's book in dealing with Old Testament Biblical theology, he addresses the topic of how the Biblical theologian is to apply what he has learned. Goldsworthy sees the importance of not only intellectual knowledge or the learning of Old Testament theology, but also the necessity of understanding the simple fact that `what one knows, he must apply.' Here Goldsworthy covers two topics on how to apply Old Testament theology. These are:
1. Knowing God's Will- This is the guidance for the life of a believer.
2. Life After Death- This is dealing with the problem of death.

Goldsworthy addresses both of these by showing what the common problem is for the Christian, and how that problem is played out in their life. From there he gives some of the pitfalls that the Christian may develop from their problem (for example, a problem in knowing God's will). Here Goldsworthy gives tremendous help as he lays out a number of suggested approaches from Scripture for the Christian to live out gospel-centered Biblical theology. All of his approaches are focused with the same intent as his Biblical method in studying Old Testament Biblical theology. That is, his focus for the layman in the pew to gain a personal piety so that he will know the will of God the way in which God has intended it to be known. Goldsworthy gives a number of different conclusions that one can apply, and which also lead to a careful self-examination one's own life and what they view from Biblical theology. Lastly, Goldsworthy gives a few questions to help focus the minds of the reader so that he may put into practice what he has read in the two-hundred-plus pages of this book. For example:
* Many ideas about being called by God to a particular ministry or to be a missionary in some particular place have little biblical basis. Work out a biblical theology of "calling." Pay special attention to what kinds of ministry people in the Bible are called to do. What does the New Testament say about the way people are appointed to the various ministries in the church?
* There is much mythology about the human soul. Part of the problem is the word is used with a number of meanings in both the Old and New Testaments. With the aid of a concordance, investigate the biblical usage of the word. What biblical data can you bring to bear on the question of whether or not the dead consciously enjoy the presence of Christ while awaiting the resurrection?

'Jesus not only saves us, He also informs our minds of the nature of the truth. We cannot separate the saving and revealing work of Christ.' p 48

Strongly akin to BB Warfield's apologetic in seeking grounds for the Christian faith in 'right reason', Graeme Goldsworthy develops hermeneutical pre-suppositions beneficial to Biblical Theology as a discipline. Yet the influence of the indomitable Geerhardus Vos is the distinctive design of this book, which as an independent work is of similar character. This work is altogether helpful to all those interested in Biblical Theology as it marks well the watershed era of biblical truth prevalent in the distinctive battles of old Princeton, which may help us re-consider and re-evaluate the manifold errors advocated in altered doctrines of Scripture.

'We must remember that the revealing acts of God never appear separated from His verbal communications of truth.' Geerhardus Vos, Redemptive History & Biblical Interpretation, ed Richard B Gaffin Jr p 9

Bolstering the ideas that revelation and redemption have a divine origin, Goldsworthy retains his fidelity to Scripture by appropriating the history of God's associations with His creation in terms of progressive disclosure according to the secret counsel of His will, and yet, according to plan. 'God in fact reserves His greatest revelation until the point of fulfillment. Jesus does not simply fulfill the promises; rather, He is the final and fullest revelation of what the promises are really about. This means that the form and the content of the fulfillment exceeds by far the form and the content of the promises themselves. The very act of fulfilling the OT promises is itself the most important revelation of all.' p 65

This focus by Goldsworthy on how, why, where and what Biblical Theology is, comes to its fullest expression in the historical life of Christ, as the Holy Spirit solemnly attests to: 'Every word of the NT comes from the Holy Spirit's testimony to Jesus.' p 50 And, again, 'Our only knowledge of Christ comes from the Scriptures, and they give a united testimony to Him. Christ is proclaimed as the one who reveals God to us; He is the Word of God. God has ensured that the Bible gives an infallible testimony to Christ.' p 47

Goldsworthy enlists a valuable visual aid to discuss the different views of progressive revelation. The differences could quiet easily be overstated, but once the reader has dwelt on the relationship of the OT to the New, much light is shed on the topic. In similar vein, he distinguishes between the suppositions of secular humanism, theistic humanism and Christian theism in chapter 4. Through his appeal to presuppositions that have been historically identified with believing Christian scholarship, Goldsworthy precludes critical scholarship which has sought to divest the Bible of its divine investitures and heavenly disclosures, brilliantly anticipating modern anti-soterical thought evident in the church. 'Thus, when the biblical theologian sets out to describe the theology that is in the Bible, he must understand the pre-suppositions that he accepts as the basis of his method.' p 44

In showing his allegiance to a thoroughly biblical method of investigation, Graeme Goldsworthy has sounded a courageous call for the authority of the Scripture. 'Textual criticism is a necessary task whereby the oldest known texts of the biblical documents are compared along with various ancient translations into other languages (called versions), and the history of these texts inquired into in an attempt to uncover the most reliable text of the Old and New Testaments. Notwithstanding the negative and unacceptable aspects of such scholarship, many of the questions being asked are valid and relevant. It is also concerned with whether the biblical form is the original form or whether it involved the use of earlier traditions either oral or written.' p 33

Goldsworthy recaptures the unity of the Old and New Testaments by reminding us that Jesus Himself said that OT Scripture was to be fulfilled by His coming. 'Those Jews who looked for a literal fulfillment of the OT promises failed to recognize Jesus as the fulfillment. They should have understood the Scriptures better than they did, but even that would not have been enough. It needed Jesus' own word about Himself (Luke 24:8) and the Holy Spirit's testimony through the apostles.' p 66

His congenial affirmation of the exclusivity of the gospel is re-assuring, stating that it remains the power of God unto salvation: 'Jesus Christ is the one mediator between man and God (1 Tim 2:5). God's word in the Bible is mediated to us through Jesus Christ. There is no direct word from the Father to you and me.' p 72

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. It is not an easy read because of the depth of knowledge it contains.