An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Approach

by Bruce K. Waltke, Charles Yu

The Old Testament is more than a religious history of the nation of Israel. It is more than a portrait gallery of heroes of the faith. It is even more than a theological and prophetic backdrop to the New Testament. Beyond these, the Old Testament is inspired revelation of the very nature, character, and works of God. As renowned Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke writes in the preface of this book, the Old Testament’s every sentence is “fraught with theology, worthy of reflection.”This book is the result of decades of reflection informed by an extensive knowledge of the Hebrew language, the best of critical scholarship, a deep understanding of both the content and spirit of the Old Testament, and a thoroughly evangelical conviction. Taking a narrative,chronological approach to the text, Waltke employs rhetorical criticism to illuminate the theologies of the biblical narrators. Through careful study, he shows that the unifying theme of the Old Testament is the “breaking in of the kingdom of God.” This theme helps the reader better understand not only the Old Testament, but also the New Testament, the continuity of the entire Bible, and ultimately, God himself.

Genres: Theology, Old Testament, Biblical Studies, Christian, Reference, Nonfiction, Christianity

1040 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Bruce K. Waltke is Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Knox Theological Seminary, Fort Lauderdale, and professor emeritus of biblical studies at Regent College, Vancouver.

Reviews

[Spencer R · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Full review at SpoiledMilks, 9/14/20)

Bruce Waltke offers a canonical look at the OT and all of the 39 books really do contribute to one story. Waltke shows how God reveals himself in the OT (primarily in the narrative books—Genesis-Ezra/Nehemiah). He shows how the books of the OT fit together within both the OT and biblical canons.

Waltke wants his readers to know God personally for who he is, the "I am here" and "I am eternal" and to understand how God has revealed himself through his word throughout history. Waltke desires to turn the OT from looking like disconnected stories of biblical heroes to a unified narrative in which we all participate.

The book contains three main sections: Part One is the Introduction which looks at the basis, task, and method of OT theology. Waltke spends time explaining what narrative theology is to help us understand how to, well, read the narratives theologically. This serves a purpose to help us understand the depth of character in the people we read about.

Parts Two and Three (which cover the entire OT) view God's self-revelation to the world throughout history in the form of "gifts." In these chapters, Waltke explains the inner-workings of the OT's theology and even its connections to the NT,

The only really disappointment I found is the disproportionate amount of space dedicated to different parts of the OT. 630 pages are given to the Pentateuch/Historical books (Chronicles received only 11 pages). But, in Part 3, the Prophets receive 45 pages and Ruth + Poetical books receive 120 pages, a total of only 165 pages. The information is excellent, but Jeremiah and Ezekiel receive 1 page each, Isaiah receives 5, and the minor prophets receive anything from a few paragraphs to only one.

Recommended?
The OT was Jesus and the apostles' Bible, it is God's Word, and it deserves to be studied. Highly recommended.

[Jon Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waltke deftly moves through the entire Old Testament, in one moment crawling forensically through the pebbles, and in the next moment soaring above mountain ranges and oceans. He fairly deals with critical concerns, yet without leaving the reader wondering what Waltke believes. This modern sage both teaches the nuances of the textual criticism, redaction theories, and more — and also preaches the gospel from the Old Testament texts, and even bears occasional testimony to the Lord's work in his life through these texts.

I don't know that I've enjoyed a book on the Old Testament more, nor have I learned more from any other OT scholar. I highly recommend this, and all of Waltke's work, to any eager student of the Bible.

[Lindsay John Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully rich most of the time. But this is undermined a bit by the arrangement or biblical books and unevenness of attention given to them

[Nate Claiborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

All that being said, this is still an excellent treatment of Old Testament theology both in terms of style and substance. As I mentioned earlier, Waltke moves rather easily from interacting with obscure journal articles and doctoral dissertations to devotional insights and short pithy remarks ("tweetables" if you will). I really liked his thematic use of "Gifts" and will probably put it to use in my own Old Testament class in the coming weeks and months. Waltke is a scholar par execellence and publishing this book late in his academic career like he has means that it has the insights that come with decades of close biblical study. Though I don't have much to compare it to yet, I would say Waltke's book is an excellent starting point for someone wanting to read an Old Testament theology, or just take their study of the Old Testament deeper. There is a reason this book won the Christian Book of the Year back when it was first published, and if you're serious about understanding the theological themes of the Old Testament, it belongs on your bookshelf!

See the full review on my blog

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

That Bruce Waltke is revered in Old Testament scholarship is beyond dispute. His works on some OT books are the highest rated commentaries we have on them (particularly Proverbs and Micah). He’s written on most every section and genre of the OT and even contributed on Hebrew syntax. It comes as no surprise that Waltke would be chosen to deliver a comprehensive OT theology with those credentials. As he has done before, he even credits an associate who helped, in this case, Charles Yu, as a contributing author–but make no mistake—this is a Waltke work.

He gives 6 chapters of thorough explanation on what bible theology is as well as the importance of OT theology. By the time he’s done with this introduction, which compares to many a whole book on the market today, we are 170 pages deep.

Part Two covers chapters 7-28 and is labeled “Primary History”. It’s not just a chapter on every book or a combination of books of the Old Testament, yet every book that includes a historical element is covered. He lingers over the foundational Book of Genesis in covering the Cosmos, man, the Bride, the Fall, and the Noahic and Abrahamic Covenants. He follows a theological interpretation of Creation that doesn’t demand a literal creation, which is less than I would believe. Still, he was more conservative in places that I anticipated, and as works are graded these days, he would be labeled “conservative”.

Part Three covers chapters 29-35, is called “other writings” and addresses Wisdom Literature. As you probably know, that is one of Waltke’s specialties. The final 70 pages of this fine volume are made up of helpful indexes.

To my mind, this volume is one of the three most important OT Theologies on the market today. Because of the cruciality of OT Theology, and because of the three distinct approaches, I recommend having this Waltke volume along with Paul House and Eugene Merrill. If one is all you want, this book gives you the most material.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magisterial, superb, deeply insightful - these among other adjectives are a fitting description for this book. For anyone familiar with the field, Waltke is a top notch OT scholar, having writing numerous OT commentaries of books throughout the OT corpus (e.g., Genesis, Micah, Proverbs) and one of the most widely acclaimed Hebrew grammars. Waltke does not disappoint with this volume (though no book on the Bible is perfect) and this work will be a valuable resource for me for years to come. Essential reading for any serious student of the Bible. Very highly recommended.

[Michael Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for my Old Testament Theology class. This is an amazing resource. Waltke is top-notch. For anyone looking on how to understand the purpose of the Old Testament, proper approach to Biblical study, God's relationship to Israel, Creation, and the Old Covenant must read this work. A great reference tool for any topic on the Old Testament. A bit thin on the Prophets because of how much time was spent on Genesis-Joshua but an incredible resource.

[Ashley Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and very recently written Theology of the OT. Not for the faint of heart, since Waltke is nothing if not verbose. In this book especially his love for over-exploring a topic is demonstrated, but at the same time it is an excellent resource for anyone studying the Old Testament.

[Jeffrey]

Wait! What do I, an ST, AP, and CH/HT guy, doing with a book about the Bible? :)

[Steve Penner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent much of the past six months using this massive Old Testament theology as my morning devotions, attempting to read about ten pages daily. It was a good exercise as it helped me see the Old Testament as a whole. Waltke's thesis is that the irrupting of the Kingdom of God into the world is the leifmotif of the Old Testament. God's Kingdom presence is making an appearance in various ways through various people and events which culminates in the arrival of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament promises to restore the relationship between God and man lost in Genesis 3. There was much to appreciate in the volume. Some doctrine which I have adopted he explained and reinforced, such as the heavenly council of Genesis 1 and Psalm 82. He adopts a surprising eschatology in light of his dispensational background and education. While holding onto some dispensational vocabulary he is much more covenantal in his understanding of the OT and the future reign of Christ. He tends toward a literary understanding of the composition of the OT and uses typology and other literary figures to understand its meaning. This will rub some literalists the wrong way, but I think his approach is more than defensible. His claim that all OT promises are fulfilled in the first advent of Jesus and that we simply await his second advent, confirms my reading and interpretation of the entire Bible.
This is a textbook and not for the faint of heart. I thoroughly enjoyed it. One caveat though. Whoever did the proofreading, typesetting and final editing really deserves to lose their job. There are increasing numbers of typos in the final 100 pages. And in the chapter on Job, the footnotes lose their place until by the end of chapter footnotes are several pages away from their referent. I hope that in later editions these are corrected.

[J. Rutherford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waltke's volume represents a lifetime of fruitful labour in the study of the Old Testament. It is brimming with exegetical and thematic insights sure to benefit the reader. Yet, despite is great value, it is seriously weakened by the approach Waltke takes towards the Old Testament. Instead of recognizing its historical and literary contours, he follows Freedman and others in adopting a narrative/poetry structure of the OT canon, prioritzing the "primary history" in interpreting the Old Testament. Doing so, Waltke does not reckon with the tri-partite structure of the Old Testament and its implications and his analysis of the individual prophetic books is lacking (e.g., by considering them chronologically, he doesnt consider Isaiah as a unity but in three seperate sections, an approach he also takes towards the Twelve). (His dependence on Fokkelman's massive and often insightful, but not quite sure footed [often getting lost in the trees], analysis of 1-2 Samuel is useful as a summary of Fokkelman's work, but not necessarily the best approach to 1 and 2 Samuel.)

[Mark Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more scholars like Waltke. The canonical and thematic elements of the Hebrew Scriptures are prioritized here over the all-too-common imbalanced emphasis on the historical-critical approach to exegesis in biblical theology - and we are so enriched because of it!

Also, I love Waltke’s use of “I Am” everywhere when referring to God in his writing. That’s how God reveals himself in the OT and I appreciated how Waltke reflected that in this book.

[Matthew Stidham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book full of great thoughts on both the Old and New Testaments. Waltke does a great job of unified Biblical theology, forming his thoughts in the Hebrew texts, and extending their application and locating their presence in the Greek texts. Though I don't agree with him on some of his points, his writing is very well researched, very well footnoted, and eye-opening to read. It's over a thousand pages, but I'm richer for having spent the time with it.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a detailed look into the Old Testament from start to finish. Not only does the author look into each of the books and describe how they work together, but he also gives a clear theological approach to the Old Testament as a whole.

[Sam Luce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. A look at he Theology of the Old Testament that is biblically faithful and at the same time very accessible.

[Holly Lazzaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omgh I actually read this whole thing. Anyone who wants to understand the OT better should have this on the shelf. Refer to the chapter of the book you’re reading as you read it. So valuable.

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, accessible starting place on the topic. For OTST 520, Gregor prof. Fall 2019 at Union.

[John B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magisterial and so rich in incisive analysis and insight.

I turn to this masterpiece all the time to settle matters of theology and interpretation. So rich I can’t get enough!

[Ron Skrabanek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This chapter aims to substantiate the claim that the center of the Old Testament, the message that accommodates all its themes, is that Israel’s sublime God, whose attributes hold in tension his holiness and mercy, glorifies himself by establishing his universal rule over his volitional creatures on earth through Jesus Christ and his covenant people. - Waltke, Bruce K.; Charles Yu (2011-04-19). An Old Testament Theology (p. 144). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

[Jacob O'connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was this close to having this guy as my Old Testament professor. He taught at Knox Seminary a few years ago, and they still use his text book. It's a fine one. It’s a brick, but what can you expect given the subject material.

[Mike]

I have read other books by waltke and they have all been excellent. From what I've read this one won't disappoint.

[Maer]

Reading

[Bryan McWhite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only 200 pages in, but this book is worth its weight (and it's a heavy one) in gold. I'm reading it while I work through Genesis, and it is fantastically edifying and eye-opening.

[Sean McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good OT theology. Recommended for anyone studying the OT text.

[Drew Van Gorder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the definitive book on Old Testament theology. There are many differing views on what the Old Testament was trying to communicate; however in the end Waltke argues there is no central theme to the Old Testament, rather the Old Testament must be taken apart book by book and section by section. I will probably re-read this someday just because it was written so well.