We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more



or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
Sell Us Your Item
For a $6.34 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Start reading We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry [Paperback]

G. K. Beale
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

List Price: $26.00
Price: $21.98 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $4.02 (15%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it Wednesday, May 29? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $12.48  
Paperback $21.98  
Image
Save on Popular Books This Summer
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more.

Book Description

October 21, 2008
The heart of the biblical understanding of idolatry, argues Gregory Beale, is that

Employing Isaiah 6 as his interpretive lens, Beale demonstrates that this understanding of idolatry permeates the whole canon, from Genesis to Revelation. Beale concludes with an application of the biblical notion of idolatry to the challenges of contemporary life.

Frequently Bought Together

We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry + The Temple and the Church's Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God (New Studies in Biblical Theology) + New Testament Biblical Theology, A: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New
Price for all three: $77.24

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

Review

"This thoughtful examination of a surprisingly significant biblical theme will richly reward all who read it. . . . It offers that rare combination of careful, insightful exegesis and perceptive application from which not only biblical scholars but all Christians can benefit." (Frank Thielman, Presbyterian Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School)

"This profoundly insightful study of idolatry brings into the spotlight a topic of exceptional significance. Illuminating a wide range of biblical passages, Professor Beale skillfully elucidates the life-defining and transforming nature of worship, both true and false. Everyone who reads this book will be deeply challenged to reflect afresh upon the way in which what we revere shapes not only our present lives but also our future destinies." (T. Desmond Alexander, Union Theological College, Belfast)

"Nothing else comes even close to this authoritative analysis of the destroying power of idolatry and its comparison to the renewing power of true worship of the one real God. Beale's relentlessly thorough coverage of the biblical material, using a purposely maximalist approach, gives the reader a close look at every possible reference to relevant passages, no matter how obscure or tangential, so that no stone is left unturned in demonstrating how idolatry--ancient or modern--ruins people's lives. Any biblical preacher or teacher would benefit from this book." (Douglas Stuart, professor of Old Testament, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary)

"This stimulating and in-depth study on idolatry is vintage Greg Beale. Beale argues that we become like the idols we worship, and he makes his case through a careful intertextual study of the Scriptures. Insights abound as Beale unfolds the biblical text. We are reminded afresh that idolatry is the root sin, and that it is so heinous because it robs God of the glory and praise and honor that he alone deserves." (Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)

"This is an original, brilliant and most satisfying treatment of a theme central to biblical understanding, but often misunderstood or ignored in the modern church. This book requires careful study but it repays far more than it requires." (David F. Wells, Andrew Mutch Distinguished Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary)

"We Become What We Worship is biblical theology at its best, weaving together Old and New Testament texts into a unified message. Beale's work is original yet traditional, profound yet simple, exegetical yet 'hyperexegetical,' sometimes provocative yet always profitable, for the scholar yet for every serious Christian. His message that we resemble what we revere, either for ruin or for restoration, is convincing and convicting." (Bruce Waltke, professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary)

About the Author

G. K. Beale (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is Kenneth T. Wessner Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College Graduate School in Wheaton, Illinois. His books include The Book of Revelation (New International Greek Testament Commentary), 1-2 Thessalonians (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series), The Right Doctrine from the Wrong Texts? Essays on the Use of the Old Testament in the New, John's Use of the Old Testament in Revelation and The Temple and the Church's Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God. He is also a contributor to the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 341 pages
  • Publisher: IVP Academic (October 21, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 083082877X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0830828777
  • Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #265,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

G. K. Beale is professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. In recent years he has served as President and as a member of the executive committee of the Evangelical Theological Society. He has written several books and articles on biblical studies and was the editor of Right Doctrine from Wrong Texts?

Customer Reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
(10)
3.9 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
72 of 73 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A Biblical Theology of Idolatry December 23, 2008
Format:Paperback
In We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry (IVP Academic, 2008), author G.K. Beale teases out the implications of a truth he first discovered during an extensive study of the commissioning of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6). Beale believes that one of the central aspects of Isaiah 6 is that "what you revere you resemble, either for ruin or restoration." His book is an attempt to show how this teaching is woven into the fabric of Scripture. We Become What We Worship illuminates this teaching by presenting a biblical theology of idolatry.

We Become What We Worship relies heavily on intertextuality - a method of Bible study that combines grammatical-historical exegesis with canonical-contextual exegesis. Beale uses this methodology in order to persuasively demonstrate that the concept of idolaters becoming like their idols is one that appears throughout the Bible.

The most helpful section of this book is the chapter on Isaiah 6. Pastors and teachers will find Beale's exegetical insights to be of enormous value. Next time I preach or teach on Isaiah 6, I will definitely consult this book again! Beale masterfully showcases the biblical allusions in the text, nuances that shed light on the passage's context and meaning.

Another important insight I gleaned from Beale's work concerns the Golden Calf narrative in Exodus. Beale shows how this pivotal event in Israel's history is alluded to in many Old and New Testament passages.

Many readers may not have the stamina to persevere through the rigorous exegesis that forms the heart of this book. We Become What We Worship is definitely geared to the academy and not the layperson. But I highly recommend that pastors consult this book whenever they are preparing to preach on one of the texts that Beale exposits. We Become What We Worship is a terrific resource that shines light on many passages of Scripture.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
69 of 77 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not Great January 1, 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The major premise of Beale's book is that we become what we worship, either for ruin or restoration. This thesis is generally solid, since Psalm 115.8 spells it out clearly. For this reason, the book is worth reading. In depth, it explores that concept elsewhere in Scripture.

Beale's methodology is somewhat surprising. One would guess, knowing Beale's great emphasis on the NT interpreting the OT, he would start with a few NT texts on idolatry and use them to interpret OT ones and other NT ones as well. However, he uses Isaiah 6.9-13 as not only the source of his thesis, but also as the lens by which he interprets other OT and NT texts. This is troublesome first, because almost no scholar says Isaiah 6.9-13 has idolatry specifically in mind, much less that it shows an idolater becomes like an idol.

It is troublesome second, because he bases his thesis on the allusions to Isaiah 6 in earlier and later Scripture, using his interpretation of Isaiah 6 as the lens for other texts. This does make for some great - really great - biblical theological insights, but elsewhere the reader has to pause to wonder if the biblical author really was talking about idolatry and becoming like idols in a certain text (i.e. the seven letters in Revelation 2-3). In Beale's defense, Isaiah 6 is alluded to in earlier and later texts; the problem is with the lens and possibility of allusions.

Of course this is a methodological and hermeneutical issue; Beale does talk about this extensively in his intro. He says he is a maximalist when it comes to finding intertextual allusions. In my opinion, he is a super-confident maximalist while probably the better option is to be a cautious maximalist to prevent the interpreter from finding allusions that the author did not mean to make.

One other critique I have is that this book claims to be "a biblical theology of idolatry" (subtitle); yet I believe that is too broad a subtitle. Were it a complete biblical theology of idolatry, there would have been more discussion on the first few commandments, idolatry and spiritual prostitution, idolatry and witness (i.e. Is 44.8-9), and the biblical teaching that idols originate in the heart, etc. This would tweak the thesis of the book, to be sure. The narrow scope of the book is how Beale's thesis from Isaiah 6.9-13 is found elsewhere in Scripture; it is not a comprehensive book on the nature, origin, essence, subjects, and effects of idolatry. To be sure, he does say that he is just exploring this one aspect of idolatry, but by not discussing the other threads/meanings of idolatry in Scripture, it seems that this one dominates the others and runs roughshod over other huge idolatry themes. Beale does say that this thread of the strand is the chief thread in the OT and NT. I think this is debatable.

In summary, the book is very much worth getting for considering the topic of idolatry. Beale steeps all his arguments in Scripture; even if the reader does not agree with him at all points, it is refreshing to stay in Scripture. It is not for the average layperson, as Beale takes the reader through an exhaustive dot-to-dot of cross references and word studies. It will be a great resource to consult along side other such works and commentaries. I only hesitate to call it the definitive work on idolatry.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
32 of 36 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Awful to read, awesome to think about April 20, 2009
Format:Paperback
G.K. Beale has written a book on one of the most fascinating subjects to be found in biblical studies. The title of his latest exegetical treatise is We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry, and it is one of the most interesting-and poorly written-books I have ever read.

I am not going to mince words. This book was in no way a pleasure to read. Turgid and scholastic from its beginning it drags on for 310 pages containing some of the most tortured and inaccessible prose one will ever encounter. How on earth the publisher allowed the author to compose this overly-technical piece of scholarship is beyond me. True, it is produced by the academic division of IVP, but I fail to see why or how a book like this is required to meet such rigorous standards. Obviously, Beale is an academic who unfortunately does not seem to publish much for the benefit of the popular reader. After reading this book, I am not even sure if he even tried to conceive of a popular reader (can he?) who would otherwise be very interested in the subject matter at hand.

With that out of the way, I only have good things to say about this book! One of the most powerful themes in Scripture is one of the least understood. In the words of Beale, "We resemble what we revere for our ruin or restoration." This is the thesis of not only Beale, but, as he shows with great meticulous detail, also Isaiah as well. Isaiah's vision of God presents the framework from which Beale constructs his case. In chapter 6, particularly verses 9-13, Isaiah testifies to his mission that he is to go preach a message of judgment to idolatrous Israel and make the hearts of people calloused, their ears dull and their eyes closed, so they will not turn and repent (this following centuries of pleading for repentance).

This may seem like a strange place to start, but it is a text that is quoted in the Gospels, Acts, and Romans. Both Psalm 115 and 135 summarize its teaching. The message is clear: God judges those that run after other gods by making them resemble what they run after.

The tapestry this religious anthropology begins in Genesis 1 where it is said that humanity is made in the image of God. It is we, not what we make, that is made to bear a holy image. The travesty of idolatry lies in an unholy reversal that makes us the maker and the Maker the made. Idolatry refers to things both broad and specific. It can be thought of in the usual ancient Near Eastern way of bowing down to statues of metal and wood as well as the metaphorical way that sees ultimate security resting in created things (like wealth, power, sex) rather than the Creator. In general the Old Testament deals with ancient Near Eastern idolatry and the New Testament confronts it in metaphorical ways (though not always).

The genius of Beale's interpretation of both Testaments lies in his method of "intertextuality." This is the method of reading texts and finding allusions to earlier texts by way of some literary connection (similar wording, ideas). Beginning in Exodus, after Israel worships the golden calf, YHWH judges the nation as a "stiff-necked" people. This is a wry commentary on the nature of the people in connection with the object of their worship. They are like a "stiff-necked" calf who casts of the guiding yoke of its master that must be bridled into submission. Similarly, when the people devote themselves to Baal worship, they are said to "lay down as a prostitute" under "every spreading tree." The imagery references both the love-covenant YHWH made with his people and the pagan fertility rituals where worshipers performed sex acts as offering to Baal. Israelite worshipers were not only engaging in adulterous behavior among themselves, but were being "bought-off" by the Baals, so to speak, and became what they worshiped: prostitutes.

When idolatry transcends wooden statues it often reflects our pride in things we find ultimate security in. Beale draws our attention to Ezekiel 28 and offers a very nuanced and helpful interpretation. The passage is confusing because it alludes to three different people: Satan, Adam of the Garden of Eden, and the King of Tyre. This "telescopic" vision unearths layer after layer of the "main problem" with the human psyche in historic, mythic, and cosmic demensions: we become proud on account of our beauty and abilities and exalt ourselves higher than what God intended us to be. By pride in our wisdom we become fools.

This is echoed by Paul in Romans 1:18-24, which is the NT's most extensive treatment of idolatry. After expositing the gospel Paul gives the reversal of idolatrous worship with true worship in Romans 12:1-2. Instead of offering our bodies to whatever urge we might have, we offer them unto God for his purposes and use. Instead of serving created things we commit a "spiritual act" of worship that transforms and renews our minds. Rather than being subject to futile thoughts of a depraved mind that does not even retain the knowledge of God (Romans 1:28), we are able to approve of what is good and discern the right way for our lives and ultimately be conformed the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

Though the above passages focus our attention on sexual issues, the Gospels portray this theology in much more ironic terms. Jesus is frank in his charge against the religious establishment of his day. The Pharisees, the wise and respected Teachers of the Law, are accused with putting the traditions of men above the word of God (Mark 7:6-13). The hypocrisy of staged religion and its pious showboating bring indignant condemnations anyone familiar with Jesus' ministry will know (Matthew 23). White-washed tombs. Blind guides. Dirty dishes. They are all images of what the hearts clings to when it is zealous for religious practice that is about exalting us rather than God.

Beale concludes his long meandering study with some "final thoughts" that constitute the best part of the book. He takes time to excoriate the vacuous concepts of self-esteem, the church's pandering to people's "felt needs," the practical atheism found in the media, and vain philosophies of life that have no sense of transcendent meaning. While one may not fully agree with where Beale applies things, one cannot come away with not applying the very relevant themes of this book to an examined life. A great deal of good thought and self-reflection can reveal where our hearts rest where our spiritual compass is truly pointing in our lives.
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Academic & Biblical Theology of Idolatry
Beale has written an excellent theology of idolatry in this book. His main thesis is stated in the title of the book: we become like what we worship. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jason Custer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
First off, I don't agree with all that is in this book. That being said, this book made me think and ponder the prohibitions against idolotry in the bible in ways I never had... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Shawn White
3.0 out of 5 stars joyful grandma
I only gave this a 3 star because my expectations were not met... no fault of the quality of the book. The author tried to balance a scholarly work with appeal to the lay person. Read more
Published 12 months ago by joyful grandma
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Buy!
Every Christian needs a thorough understanding of idolatry to minister to themselves and others. This is the book! Get it, read it, study it, and master it!
Published 12 months ago by K. T. Milliken
3.0 out of 5 stars Those who make idols will become like them (psa 135:18)
Though Beale uses Isa 6:1-13 as the lens from which he compares all other scriptures on idolatry, the book's focus, which is imbedded in its title, is probably best summed up by... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Peter Dubbelman
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth Reading
What is the meaning of the various passages in the Scriptures that say Israel like an Ox, or Israel has a stiff neck? Read more
Published on October 16, 2010 by Russ White
4.0 out of 5 stars We resemble what we revere-- either for ruin or restoration
Beale's thesis, that we reveal what we revere either for ruin or restoration, is shown in multiple biblical contexts in both the Old and New Testaments. Read more
Published on February 8, 2009 by Jason Bradshaw
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews


Forums

There are no discussions about this product yet.
Be the first to discuss this product with the community.
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 



So You'd Like to...



Look for Similar Items by Category