The Old Testament and the Significance of Jesus [Paperback]

Mr. Fredrick Carlson Holmgren (Author), Mr. Walter Brueggemann (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 1999

A perennial question throughout the history of the Christian faith has centered on the character of the Old Testament and its relationship to Jesus Christ. It is in this area that Christians and Jews have parted ways, creating a deep and enduring chasm between the two faith communities. With this new volume, Fredrick Holmgren aids in closing this hurtful breach by engaging with views on both sides of this important conversation. Holmgren dialogues with Christians from every point on the theological spectrum, urging the church to a new respect for the Jewish Bible, the enduring role of the Old Testament as "Christian scripture," and the valuable contributions of Judaism to the Christian faith. Warning the church against either caricaturing the Old Testament and Judaism or romanticizing Christianity, Holmgren sensitively shows that the New Testament proclamation of newness in Christ carries forward the witness of the Old Testament without making obsolete its Jewish interpretation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 222 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (February 10, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802844537
• ISBN-13: 978-0802844538
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,418,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A complex but good book., January 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Old Testament and the Significance of Jesus (Paperback)

Fredrick Holmgren's novel, "The Old Testament and the Significance of Jesus," gives the reader an in depth look at several important aspects of the Old Testament. One aspect of the Old Testament that Holmgren discusses in the book is the importance of both the Old and the New Testament in providing understanding about how the prophesies are 'fulfilled' in the New Testament. Another topic discussed is how the Old Testament relates to people of both the Christian and Jewish faiths. The author provides the reader with an in depth look by using quotes from theological and Biblical experts, from examining different Bible stories, and by using his own insight. Holmgren breaks the book into nine different topics to focus his discussion on.

"The Old Testament and the Significance of Jesus," although sometimes very complex, is very thorough in discussing the topics that were covered. One feature I particularly liked was the last chapter, a conclusion to the book that reviewed the main ideas well and tied them together very nicely. The synopsis that starts off each chapter, and the summaries that are not always there but are very common, are also great plusses. For example, I fully understood the importance of the Qumran only after I read the helpful summary to tie it together to the other topics in the chapter. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an interesting novel about how Jesus is signifigant in both the Old and New Testaments, and that doesn't mind a challenging book.