The relationship between God and his people is understood in various ways by the biblical writers, and it is arguably the apostle Paul who uses the richest vocabulary. Unique to Paul's writings is the term the process or act of being "adopted as son(s)." It occurs five times in three of his letters, where it functions as a key theological metaphor. Trevor Burke argues that has been misunderstood, misrepresented or neglected through scholarly preoccupation with its cultural background. He redresses the balance in this comprehensive study, which discusses metaphor theory; explores the background to considers the roles of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; examines the moral implications of adoption, and its relationship with honor; and concludes with the consequences for Christian believers as they live in the tension between the "now" and the "not yet" of their adoption into God's new family.
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"Burke offers a clear, precise and coherent study of what emerges as a major Pauline metaphor that has long been overlooked. . . . I believe this to be a very valuable addition to Pauline studies, one that I recommend to students and scholars alike." (Mary L. Coloe, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia, in Review of Biblical Literature)
"Not only the importance of God's family, but also the enormous privilege of belonging to it, are powerfully underscored by Paul's understanding of what it means to be the adopted sons of God. With such themes in view, a wide array of pastoral implications soon springs to light. In other words, this volume not only probes a neglected theme--it also edifies." (D. A. Carson)
"Not only the importance of God's family, but also the enormous privilege of belonging to it, are powerfully underscored by Paul's understanding of what it means to be the adopted sons of God. With such themes in view, a wide array of pastoral implications soon springs to light. In other words, this volume not only probes a neglected theme--it also edifies." (D. A. Carson)
About the Author
Trevor J. Burke (Ph.D., Glasgow) is Professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, he has taught New Testament studies in seminaries in Nigeria, Wales and Fiji. He is the author of Family Matters and coeditor of Paul and the Corinthians.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having recently experienced a "long day's journey into night" in my own spiritual life, I know firsthand what it means to have temporarily experienced the seeming loss of God's presence and care and then to have found it again. In this process, I rediscovered the reality of God's relationship with me.
Trevor Burke's treatise on the subjective sense in which "sons" of God resonates with the personal experience of the believer in his/her relationship to God magnificently captures the concrete essence on what it means to be adopted into God's family; a condition that is far more relational than positional and characteristic of what it means to embrace a redefined understanding of what constitutes a family.
For anyone who perceives God to be an ephemeral presence, this book is a true wakeup call to what it means to be in sympathetic relationship with Christ and to all those who call on God as heavenly father who makes all things right.
Trevor Burke's treatise on the subjective sense in which "sons" of God resonates with the personal experience of the believer in his/her relationship to God magnificently captures the concrete essence on what it means to be adopted into God's family; a condition that is far more relational than positional and characteristic of what it means to embrace a redefined understanding of what constitutes a family.
For anyone who perceives God to be an ephemeral presence, this book is a true wakeup call to what it means to be in sympathetic relationship with Christ and to all those who call on God as heavenly father who makes all things right.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
What is most important in a book like this is the content that is inside, although I must share my thankfulness to the seller for granting me to have the book in mint condition. I give my thanks to Trevor J. Burke for his composition of a thoroughly detailed, truly theological perspective on the love of God the Father for undeserving sinners.
I must note that, before I had intended on purchasing this book, I had been struggling with legalism (the idea that, somehow or another, it is my duty to keep God's love for me by keeping his commandments, else I would perish in hell). Thanks be to God himself for sending his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for exactly that which I had thought was my duty to keep: God's law! But, no! No human being can keep God's law (James 2:8-11)! So, God, out of his love, sent his Son to deliver sinners from his wrath and from slavery under the law (1 John 4:9,10)!
This book is being a major blessing for me. Just to see - for example - that God the Father brought the Israelites out of Egypt - because of his love for them as his own children - and despite of their disobedience to him, is just amazing. And, did you know that when, in Exodus 4:22, the LORD says, "Thus, Israel is my firstborn son," he is actually pointing (by the word "firstborn") to another son (in that Israel was a nation, with the Israelites as sons and daughters of God, God is actually pointing to another nation of believers: non-Jewish sinners - Gentiles like you and me)? Oh the truth that God the Father determined before he created the universe that he would save a people to himself and adopt them into his family, with him as their loving Father (Ephesians 1:4-6)! It is glorious!... Read more ›
I must note that, before I had intended on purchasing this book, I had been struggling with legalism (the idea that, somehow or another, it is my duty to keep God's love for me by keeping his commandments, else I would perish in hell). Thanks be to God himself for sending his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for exactly that which I had thought was my duty to keep: God's law! But, no! No human being can keep God's law (James 2:8-11)! So, God, out of his love, sent his Son to deliver sinners from his wrath and from slavery under the law (1 John 4:9,10)!
This book is being a major blessing for me. Just to see - for example - that God the Father brought the Israelites out of Egypt - because of his love for them as his own children - and despite of their disobedience to him, is just amazing. And, did you know that when, in Exodus 4:22, the LORD says, "Thus, Israel is my firstborn son," he is actually pointing (by the word "firstborn") to another son (in that Israel was a nation, with the Israelites as sons and daughters of God, God is actually pointing to another nation of believers: non-Jewish sinners - Gentiles like you and me)? Oh the truth that God the Father determined before he created the universe that he would save a people to himself and adopt them into his family, with him as their loving Father (Ephesians 1:4-6)! It is glorious!... Read more ›
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By M. Aubrey
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Trevor Burke's book is a welcome addition to the New Studies in Biblical Theology series.
One of his essential premises is that the theme of adoption in Paul's letters has been historically misunderstood. Burke's goal is to help provide a balanced view of this theological theme and its implications for life.
His exegesis is stimulating and Trinitarian in focus, something which he clearly shows is directly from the text of scripture. All three Persons of the Trinity are in view considering the context of the five passages mentioning adotpion (though the Spirit occurs in four of the five).
Burke reveals an impressive grasp of Greek and the cultural situation of the times. And his vast knowledge of secondary literature surrounding the five passages in question is quite clear from the dialogue with contemporaries and also the footnotes and bibliography.
Finally to end with the beginning of the book, Burke's preface is excellent, providing an interesting glimpse into his own life and the impact that the concepts of adoption and sonship have had in his own life.
(...)
One of his essential premises is that the theme of adoption in Paul's letters has been historically misunderstood. Burke's goal is to help provide a balanced view of this theological theme and its implications for life.
His exegesis is stimulating and Trinitarian in focus, something which he clearly shows is directly from the text of scripture. All three Persons of the Trinity are in view considering the context of the five passages mentioning adotpion (though the Spirit occurs in four of the five).
Burke reveals an impressive grasp of Greek and the cultural situation of the times. And his vast knowledge of secondary literature surrounding the five passages in question is quite clear from the dialogue with contemporaries and also the footnotes and bibliography.
Finally to end with the beginning of the book, Burke's preface is excellent, providing an interesting glimpse into his own life and the impact that the concepts of adoption and sonship have had in his own life.
(...)
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
It took me a pretty long time, but I finally finished Adopted into God's Family, from the New Studies in Biblical Theology series, written by Trevor Burke. This is my second book from this series, the first being Slave of Christ by Murray Harris.
In Adopted into God's Family Burke explores the Pauline metaphor of Adoption found in Ephesians, Galatians and Romans. He concludes that the adoption metaphor was likely based on the Roman legal adoption by the paterfamilias of men primarily for the sake of family honor. Burke does a thorough job of expanding the metaphor from all different parts of scripture as well other historical and cultural contexts.
So far both books have been painful to read; literature that I really have to kind of trudge through. The majority of the reason being that there are various, basically, style and organization things that make it daunting to truck through. The two big ones are, one, the font seems to be slightly smaller than usual and two, the chapters are relatively long for the topic. Most of the classic literature that I read has an archaic style of breaking up content that, I think, is much better and keeps information rolling as well as well organized in my brain.
In lots of classic literature chapters will sometimes be 40 - 50 pages long (at least in modern reprints), but will be broken up every two or three pages by numbered headings, subheadings and sub-subheadings. In this series of books, it seems that the trend is more toward long winded chapters and just a few subheadings spread throughout the chapter. This kind of organization means that if you want to read, you need to be committed to a good 15 - 20 minutes of reading, otherwise you'll lose your place next time. No reading these babies on the john.... Read more ›
In Adopted into God's Family Burke explores the Pauline metaphor of Adoption found in Ephesians, Galatians and Romans. He concludes that the adoption metaphor was likely based on the Roman legal adoption by the paterfamilias of men primarily for the sake of family honor. Burke does a thorough job of expanding the metaphor from all different parts of scripture as well other historical and cultural contexts.
So far both books have been painful to read; literature that I really have to kind of trudge through. The majority of the reason being that there are various, basically, style and organization things that make it daunting to truck through. The two big ones are, one, the font seems to be slightly smaller than usual and two, the chapters are relatively long for the topic. Most of the classic literature that I read has an archaic style of breaking up content that, I think, is much better and keeps information rolling as well as well organized in my brain.
In lots of classic literature chapters will sometimes be 40 - 50 pages long (at least in modern reprints), but will be broken up every two or three pages by numbered headings, subheadings and sub-subheadings. In this series of books, it seems that the trend is more toward long winded chapters and just a few subheadings spread throughout the chapter. This kind of organization means that if you want to read, you need to be committed to a good 15 - 20 minutes of reading, otherwise you'll lose your place next time. No reading these babies on the john.... Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Well Argued Thesis
Adoption is only used in a small number of places in the New Testament, and then only in the writings of Paul. Read more
Published on October 16, 2010 by Russ White
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book on neglected topic
Really enjoying this. Somewhat detailed, lots of background into Greek, Roman, and Judean adoption practices. Read more
Published on September 28, 2010 by D. Beirne
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