Dominion and Dynasty: A Biblical Theology of the Hebrew Bible (New Studies in Biblical Theology) [Paperback]

Stephen G. Dempster (Author)

Book Description

Series: New Studies in Biblical Theology | Publication Date: November 7, 2003

Christian theologians rarely study the Old Testament in its final Hebrew canonical form, even though this was very likely the Bible used by Jesus and the early church. However, once read as a whole, the larger structure of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) provides a "wide-angle lens" through which its contents can be viewed. In this stimulating exposition, Stephen G. Dempster argues that, despite its undoubted literary diversity, the Hebrew Bible possesses a remarkable structural and conceptual unity. The various genres and books are placed within a comprehensive narrative framework which provides an overarching literary and historical context. The many texts contribute to this larger text, and find their meaning and significance within its story of "dominion and dynasty," which ranges from Adam to the Son of Man to David, and to a coming Davidic king.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dempster's reading of the story line of the Old Testament is fresh, provocative, helpful--and doubtless will prove to be the stuff of many sermons and lectures. His closing chapter points to some of the links that bind the Old and New Testaments together, an obviously urgent goal for the Christian preacher and teacher." (D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois )

Product Details

• Paperback: 267 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (November 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830826157
• ISBN-13: 978-0830826155
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Letting the Old Testament (T)ext tell its own story with many (t)exts . . ., October 12, 2008

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Tyler Wittman "barking mad" (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dominion and Dynasty: A Biblical Theology of the Hebrew Bible (New Studies in Biblical Theology) (Paperback)

According to Dempster, the problem with many biblical theologies is that they end up being the particular theologies of the theologians doing the theologizing. He argues that this is because thematic approaches often impose a lens upon the reading of the larger Text; they often miss the `Text' for the `texts' that make it up. Dempster proposes that instead, biblical theology should strive to acquire its lens from the Text itself, necessitating a belief in the unity of the one Text. Furthermore, if there is unity to the one Text, then questions pertaining to the literary structure of that Text have profound hermeneutical implications. He then proposes that the literary structure perhaps most helpful in determining the central message of the Old Testament is the Tanakh, since it is the oldest such structure and very likely the Bible of Jesus Christ. Discerning a fundamental theme of this text then becomes imperative to the discipline of hermeneutics. When it comes to any such theme(s) in the Hebrew canon, Dempster argues that the central storyline is composed of two main themes, dominion and dynasty, being realized through the house that God is building for David.

Get past the introductory chapters and the rubber really hits the road in chapter 3 as he starts with Genesis, showing how Adam and Eve were made God's vice-regents over the land, failed at this task, and were then promised a coming seed to reestablish divine dominion. This proceeds to Abraham who was promised land for his descendants, who would be innumerable. One of these descendants, Jacob, at the end of Genesis then foresees Judah exercising dominion over the whole world. Dempster then walks through the rest of the Hebrew canon showing how the story of Scripture unfolds slowly but surely, with God demonstrating piece by piece what this coming dominion will look like. Israel is delivered from exile, conquers the land and institutes the Davidic dynasty, only to lose the land and find Judah exiled. All along the way, it is evident that the coming seed would serve as a priest-king over the people, who were to be a kingdom of priests and a light to the nations. Dempster argues that the middle of the Tanakh offers reflection on what has happened a view of what is to come.

At the beginning of this middle section, Jeremiah states that all it not lost and God is tilling the ground, in essence, in preparation for planting and building. Such building is powerfully visualized for the reader in the book of Daniel, where the coming seed not only reestablishes dominion but also institutes a new world order where righteousness reigns in the place of sin. Before this, however, Dempster shows how the prophet Isaiah offers a stunning twist in the story. Israel must be torn apart because it is a vineyard that has failed and produces bitter grapes. At the same time, there will be a new Israel. The coming servant of the Lord will be different from the kings of the earth and will bring salvation to all nations. He will restore Israel and forgive her sins, bringing this new world order with him.

The Hebrew canon then closes with Chronicles, which Dempster stresses ends on a note of eschatological expectancy. The exile in Babylon ends and Israel is commanded to rebuild the destroyed temple. The Tanakh therefore "orients its readers to the future. As such the Story is unfinished. The long, dark night of exile awaits a sequel--the dawning of a new light that will radiate to the ends of the earth" (227).

Dempster then concludes his book with some brief reflections on how these twin themes of dominion and dynasty are immediately picked up in Matthew and begin to be fulfilled typologically all across the New Testament. Jesus brings the Kingdom of God and serves as the new David, the new Israel who does not fail in the wilderness and whose followers serve as a city set on a hill, etc. He is the obedient Son who suffers the curse for the disobedient son, but whose death inaugurates the end and ultimately brings about a new creation.

The careful and meticulous demonstration of how the Hebrew canon sheds light on the central theme of the Old Testament, Christ, is both the aim and resounding success of this book. Dempster's rigorous defense of his thesis by highlighting the centrality of the literary structure and narrative concentration of the Tanakh is not easily dismissed or missed. One of the crucial ways he does this is by showing the literary and narrative significance of what have been often overlooked passages.

The lengthy genealogies that appear suddenly in the opening chapters of Genesis and the middle of Nehemiah are demonstrated to be elemental in pointing the reader to the flow of history towards its purpose. This is evidenced by the short side-story of Judah at the end of Genesis. A text often seen as of little relevance to those who are text-minded suddenly takes on monumental significance for the Text-minded. The story of Ruth prefigures the inclusion of the Gentiles. The subtle mention of Mordecai as a descendent of Saul in Esther demonstrates both that forgiveness has come even to Saul's house and that God sees to his purpose in history to exterminate the Agagites. The preservation of Joash from Athaliah shows how close the line of Judah comes to being extinguished, yet protected by the providence of God. The apparent randomness of the insertion of details like those of Jehoiakim's at the end of 2 Kings prove to be part of a literary and narrative fabric that is larger than one text. Dempster's work is profoundly effective at demonstrating the unity of Scripture and making a case for the reading of the Old Testament according to its original structure.

The only complaint that might be leveled at the book is that it doesn't labor too long on the New Testament evidence for his thesis. The book is a theology of the Hebrew Bible, so it is somewhat understandable that the New Testament only receives four pages' attention. However, given the hermeneutical presuppositions that the author works with, one might like to see this thesis carried out through the whole Text, which would include the New Testament. Dempster uses the four pages of New Testament reflection to great effect, focusing on how these themes are carried out in the New Testament. Nevertheless, the book would likely have profited from an extended discussion of the ordering of the New Testament and how that plays into the overall literary structure of Scripture as a whole. One further minor quibble might be that the author point the way forward towards application for the church. This is a minor quibble because the book essentially helps us to understand the central themes of the Old Testament better and how they anticipate the Lion of Judah found in the New Testament plainly enough. The application can easily be found with the way this book helps us to grasp Scripture more effectively.

This book will likely help to legitimate the `wide-angle lens' of the Tanakh as a launching pad for further studies into the themes of the Old Testament. Quite simply, I don't think I will ever read the "normal" ordering of the Old Testament found in most bibles again. I believe it simply must be read according to the Hebrew ordering in order to 'get it.' While this book will undoubtedly find its critics amongst those who have prior reservations over the reality or possibility of a Text, it will surely find a place on the desks of those with a thirst for seeing Christ in the Old Testament. The literary/theological approach of this work elucidates the redemptive story and how it anticipates Christ at every turn. As such, it should be read by pastors who desire to faithfully preach Christ from every text or by laypersons who, like Philip in Acts, desire to faithfully demonstrate Christ in all of Scripture.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on OT theology I've read, September 18, 2006

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Brian G Hedges (South Bend, Indiana) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Dominion and Dynasty: A Biblical Theology of the Hebrew Bible (New Studies in Biblical Theology) (Paperback)

This is without doubt the best book on Old Testament theology that I have yet read. I don't have time for a full review, but in brief, Dempster traces the twin themes of geneology and geography (seed and land/dynasty and dominion) throughout the Old Testament Hebrew canon (the order of the books in Hebrew is different from our English canon) and shows them to be the unifying themes of the Old Testament.

Dempster's book did something more for me than even Graeme Goldsworthy's excellent book Gospel and Kingdom (which hitherto has been my favorite book on the Old Testament). Goldsworthy's book gave me an understandable outline of redemptive history in broad brush strokes. And it was invaluable to me, and really the foundation for understanding Dempster's book. But Dempster added to those broad brush strokes color and texture. Whereas Goldsworthy framed the puzzle for me, Dempster started putting significant pieces into place. So, really the two books complimented one another.

Be warned: Goldsworthy writes for the layman, but Dempster writes on a more academic level. But that doesn't mean his book is boring. Far from it! It really is one of the most compelling books I've ever read. If you want to read a book that will help you make better sense of the Bible and open your eyes to see just how interwoven the tapesty of the Old Testament actually is, get Dempster. It is a great book and one that I am sure I will return to over and over again for many years.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to Read, Great Content, December 7, 2004

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C. McCutchen (NC, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dominion and Dynasty: A Biblical Theology of the Hebrew Bible (New Studies in Biblical Theology) (Paperback)

Dempster's work is one of the latest in the New Studies in Biblical Theology Series. Of all the books I have seen in this series, this one is probably the closest to a pure Biblical Theology. Dempster traces two main themes throughout the Hebrew Canon (he adopts a canonical view using the Hebrew canon, not the Septuagint order we have in our English Bibles) of Dominion and Dynasty. The reason I say this is probably the closest to a pure Biblical Theology is because Dempster does not step out of the pages of Scripture to trace these themes. He does not look to historical evidence or other event oriented material, but simply looks at how the Pentateuch sets up the necessity of Messiah and the gift of the land to the people Israel. He then looks at the Prophets and Writings sections of the corpus and sees how they interpret and further realize the hopes for Israel found in the Pentateuch. This book is informative and a great introduction to the Biblical Theology of the Old Testament because of its macroscopic view. It is simple to read which was one of the goals of the series. I encourage anyone just starting to look at the Bible to those who have been doing Biblical Studies for years to read this book. Another great one is Pentateuch as Narrative by John Sailhamer which takes more of a microscopic look at the Pentateuch and its Theology.