"According to Plan" is an easy-to-follow explanation of how the entire Bible works together to communicate one central theme: the gospel of Jesus. I bought this book because "biblical theology" and the gospel are (sadly) not always emphasized well in my undergrad religion program. Studying scripture in its historical context is so important, but I wanted a resource that would help me make sense of the way different books relate to each other and to the church today. Enter "According to Plan." This books explains how to understand all of Scripture in its proper context within redemptive history. This book is geared not toward the scholar but to the general reader. It fulfills this purpose well--Goldsworthy's writing is clear yet meaningful, and the whole book is packed with useful diagrams and summaries.
In his introduction, Goldsworthy suggests that the reader might skip Part 2 (entitled: Biblical Theology--How?) if he/she doesn't feel prepared to take on questions of a more theoretical nature. Don't listen to him!:) I found this to be the most helpful part of the whole book. After listening to multiple religion professors explain to me that we must set aside all presuppositions (including the gospel) when we approach biblical texts, Goldsworthy's words here felt like a breath of fresh air. He argues instead that the gospel, as we see it in Jesus Christ, is in fact the only sure guide to help us see what God is communicating in the Old and New Testaments. In other words, Jesus is the final, fullest revelation of God, and by him we interpret all other revelation. The gospel provides the lens through which we must view Scripture. This section is worth the price of the book!
In Part 3, which along with Part 2 takes up the bulk of the book, Goldsworthy gets to work examining the storyline of Scripture from start to finish. He explains how each part of redemptive history reveals to us something of "the kingdom of God": God's people, in God's place, living under God's rule. God's kingdom culminates in his work through Jesus to perfect a people for himself and make all things new. Because this books is meant to provide an overview of Biblical theology, Goldsworthy only goes into so much depth here, but his insights are still helpful.
Overall, I would heartily recommend this book for individual study or church use. If you are a layperson, never fear! You don't need a theology degree to benefit from this book. If you are a pastor, I would also recommend Goldsworthy's work. In fact, I think this book would make an excellent teaching resource for a Bible study class. It truly changes the way we approach scripture. This book led me to greater worship and awe of God and his amazing plan of redemption, and I suppose that is the highest praise I can give any theological book.
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