"I am a bit puzzled over why many Christians seem to think the Old Testament is such a 'problem.' I know the usual answers to that but I can find many of the same 'difficulties' with the New Testament. What I am not so puzzled about is why some pastors and teachers are perplexed about expounding Old Testament texts. For nearly two hundred years a skeptical brand of Old Testament criticism has largely held sway in our universities and divinity halls; it 'un-godded' the Old Testament, implied the Old Testament documents were extremely complex and involved and managed to make Old Testament studies mostly boring, lifeless and dull. Of course the occasional student finds this high priestly craft of Old Testament criticism attractive but many simply write the Old Testament off. If it's as complicated as they have been taught then it is far too bewildering and esoteric for them to bother about - except for dipping into the Psalms for occasional funerals. I'm not on a crusade against the villains of Old Testament studies. One learns even from the 'villains.' And there have been far more hopeful signs in Old Testament studies in recent years. But I still believe that traditional Old Testament criticism has had the effect of killing the Old Testament for the church. This little tome can hardly reverse that, but it is meant as an exercise in reading the Old Testament for fun and profit. As my mother-in-law used to say, 'It's different anyway.' And maybe it will help. Most of what I do in the following pages involves discussing examples of Old Testament narratives. I have tried to select examples from a broad range of possibilities. By the way, I assume that you have the biblical text handy in order to carry on your 'Berean' work." Dale Ralph Davis
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About the Author
Dale Ralph Davis is pastor of Woodland Presbyterian Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Previously he was Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top notch preacher, pastor and writer,
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This review is from: The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts (Paperback)
About a decade ago one of my former customers encouraged me to read the first of Dale Ralph Davis' Old Testament commentaries. It was on the Book of Judges, and subsequently, Davis produced commentaries on Joshua, 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings, all of which I acquired and read - usually more than once.
If six commentaries strike you as too much for one book review, then the solution is to check out the book Davis produced in 2006 called The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts. While this book does focus on preaching the OT, it also gives a clear outline of Davis' approach to studying the OT, and I believe you'd be hard pressed to find a better overview of OT Bible study anywhere. This book, like Davis' commentaries, is very readable and not at all heavy-going. Nor, on the other hand, is it lightweight; while Davis doesn't have the room here to work in detail, as he does in the commentaries, he still discusses background and structure. Davis is no slouch: he not only preaches what he writes, but he's also a full-blown Bible scholar. His footnotes often contain the views of other commentators he disagrees with. While he's never unpleasant towards these other writers, it's plain he's done his homework, and his reasons for saying what he does are valid. He's also a great storyteller. Both in this book and in his commentaries he backs up his arguments with stories from the American Civil War, or the Second World War (remember there are a lot of battles in the narratives!), or from his own experience. His own stories, like the rest of his writing, are full of wit and good humour. He treats the text with great respect. If something is there, he sees it as being there for a good reason. If it's obscure he'll do his best to elucidate it, but he won't speculate just so he can give an answer. Sometimes he admits that the answers aren't easy for modern readers. Perhaps his greatest gift is to remember that the Bible is literature. Time and again he clarifies the layout of a section or chapter by looking to see how the writer has planned the story. This is one of Davis' great skills: to be able to see the structure in the midst of what might appear to be randomness. This is a book for preachers, teachers and lay people. I can't recommend it highly enough!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not just for preachers...,
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This review is from: The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts (Paperback)
Ralph Davis has done an excellent service by providing a very readable yet challenging primer on Hebrew narrative. If you are familiar with the text of the Old Testament, it is simply too easy to pass over the nuances within the text that actually establish the tension and complexity of a good narrative. I thoroughly recommend this book for everyone who wants to read their Bible. If you are in a teaching capacity, say in Sunday School, this will challenge you to read familiar texts with fresh eyes.
The freshness Davis brings is not a quest for novelty (as is often the case for books like this), but rather a freshness of pulling out both the magnifying glass and the telescope. The tapestry of God's Word is much more exciting if you can see the individual stitches and if you can see the whole pattern. Worth your time.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Helpful and Practical Aid to OT Narrative Preaching,
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This review is from: The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts (Paperback)
Dr. Davis has written mulitple homiletical commentaries on the historical books. Having read these I was eager to read The Word Became Fresh and it did not disappoint! He has a passion for the narrative sections of the Old Testament, and that passion shows clearly in his writing. "But many simply write the Old Testament off. If it's as complicated as they have been taught, it is far too bewildering and esoteric for them to bother about, except for dipping into the Psalms for occasional funerals." (preface). Fortunately, the author is very helpful in making the OT accessible for the preacher who desires to preach "the whole counsel of God". Many of his tips and suggestions seem obvious, and yet he shows how they make the OT narratives come alive and suggest many fruitful directions a preacher can go in preaching them. Davis is also very humble and entertaining as he writes - a rare bonus! And there are little nuggets of wisdom and direction throughout the book:
"We are guilty of arrogance, not merely neglect, when we fail to beg for the Spirit's help in the study of Scripture." (pp. 1). "In my view, however, if we omit 'application,' we fail to answer the 'So what?', we are short-circuiting the whole purpose of Scripture (and 'is profitable for..,' 2 Tim. 3:16). If I cannot rub the results of my labor into the pores of the souls of God's people (or of pagans), why am I taking the trouble to do this? If what I study won't preach, there is something wrong with the way I study what I study." (pp. 7). This book is very helpful and practical and I would highly recommend it to any preacher who wants to faithfully preach from the OT to his congregation.
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