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Listening to the Spirit in the Text

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In Listening To The Spirit In The Text, Gordon Fee (professor of New Testament studies at Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) has gathered together his best studies and reflections on the art of attending to the biblical text critically, yet with spiritual sensitivity. Ranging over a host of relevant New Testament themes, these insightful essays shed light on the meaning of Scripture for the spiritual life of the church. Fee's twelve engaging and informative essays are divided into two sections: The Text and the Life in the Spirit and The Text and the Life of the Church. Listening To The Spirit In The Text is enthusiastically recommended contribution to personal and academic New Testament studies reading lists and library collections.

This is another great work by Gordon D. Fee. This is a book I consider a serious student of the Bible must have. It is very well written and it is easily understood. I found no bias from the author as he exposed some doctrines even I had doubts about or was against them in thought. This book is a great tool as one re-visits the New Testament times concerning the Primitive Church and as they re-visit doctrines concerning issues which are found in today's churches. Mr. Fee addresses the issue of Exegesis and Spirituality as two concepts which must go together and not as separate thoughts as even Bible academic institutions have taught for many years. He also addresses the gender issues a great number of Christians have, even today, concerning the role of ministry for both men and women. He addresses as well a very important topic of Laos and the Leadership under the New Covenant. He focuses on functions and not positions which in today's Churches is the other way around. I really enjoyed reading it and meditating on what Mr. Fee had to say concerning the lost ability of Listening to the Spirit in the Text.

In the Church, we do a lot of "Bible Study", a group of Christians who gather with the intent of gleaning all they can from the incredible truths of God's Word, right? Dr. Fee has changed the way I go about Bible "study". Rather than coming to God's Word to study it, I am realizing that God's powerful Word (sharper than a double-edged sword) is the one that studies me. Scripture is no ordinary object of study. It is powerful, it goes forth from the mouth of God and does not return to him without accomplishing what it was sent to do. In reality, God's Word works on me, convicts me, teaches me. It judges my thoughts and the intentions of my heart. It truly STUDIES me, not the other way around. I highly recommend Fee's book that encourages us to come to God's Word and listen to what his spirit has to communicate to us.

Being a collection of essays, a wide variety of topics are addressed in this book. Of all the essays, the most interesting one for me is Fee's use of the term Trinitarian Christian. Presented as an address to graduating seminarians, Dr. Fee stresses the importance of the Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the spiritual life as they seek to minister in the world. In addition to this, his chapter on gender issues raises the idea of women in ministry by looking at their presence found in early church history. Whether one agrees or disagrees with him on this issue, Dr. Fee raises the point that this issue is directly influenced by the culture we live. The question of women in ministry is overemphasized today, while other theological and moral issues, which Paul wrote about are hardly ever addressed in our modern form of Christianity. At the very least Dr. Fee calls us to think about how our culture is shaping our practice of Christianity and that point alone is worth the reading of the book.

The book is entitled such because of the central theme of the Holy Spirit's work in the lives of the believers and the church, which is derived from examining passages throughout the Gospels primarily Luke's and the Pauline epistles. In the final chapter, Dr. Fee examines the Holy Spirit's role during Jesus' earthly ministry, which provides a standard for us today. However, some of the issues of these essays overshadow this central thesis: like the role of women and church government. Although a very informative book, perhaps a more adequate title of the book is somewhat needed. That not withstanding, Gordon Fee writes very encouraging and thought provoking essays, which leads the devout Christian to a deeper devotion to God and a desire to minister to His people.

Fee is an esteemed professor, a prolific author, and a highly-respected Pentecostal theologian. His positive view of Pentecostal Christianity and his theological appreciation for the contemporary work of the Holy Spirit is evident.

At times, the wording and ideas in this book seem to be taken directly from his note-worthy God's Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Hendrickson, 1994). Fee's discussions of Spirituality, glossolalia, worship and life in the Spirit are technically investigated in the synthesis section (pages 799 to 903) of the earlier volume. The shorter nature of Listening to the Spirit causes the impact of Fee's arguments to be more readily understood, but readers of the recent text will greatly benefit from the stronger Scriptural foundation of the earlier exhaustive effort.

As an author of numerous reference works on the Greek and Syriac New Testaments I have found myself in similar circumstance mentioned by Dr. Fee in the first chapter. To read the wisdom from a scholar and elder like Dr. Fee was both comforting and disturbing...disturbing only because in these many years I have found myself focusing on the academic rather than the true goal of theological study. This text brought back a wise remembrance that the Scripture is a living fount of God's presence and means of transforming His people, and in doing so, draws us closer to Himself. This book is a wise reminder to students, scholars and teachers of our priorities and debts to the Kingdom of Heaven. Thank you Dr. Fee.

Fee does a good job in explaining his approach but his book is a boring read. He gives good insight into the need to stay with the original intent of the writers.

I love the way Gordon Fee really focuses on listening to the spirit and totally brings new revelation to scripture.