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A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament
The purpose of this second edition of this popular text is to help students come to a critically informed understanding of the Old Testament as the church's Scripture. Giving increased attention to issues related to gender, race, and class, the book introduces the Old Testament both as a witness of ancient Israel and as a witness to the church and synagogue through the generations of those who have passed these texts on as Scripture.
504 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 26, 2012
Written by some of my favorite Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) instructors, A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament is the second edition of this textbook for colleges and seminaries. It doesn’t read like a textbook. It works for pastors, lay teachers, and just individuals who want a more sophisticated perspective on the theological make-up and themes of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible).
Even though my advanced degrees are in Old Testament Studies (funny foundation for a guy who teaches game design, huh?), I found these pages to be both a good summary of work up to this point, but also insightful. Almost every page would be valuable for leading a discussion around a text or grouping of texts and I believe a reading of this book would clarify some of the misperceptions surrounding the Deuteronomic legal system, the harsh prophecies of some of the prophets, the myth-like nature of many narratives, the dual perspectives expressed in the wisdom tradition, and the hyperbole and metaphor used in the sacred poetry. Sometimes, my stomach is turned by the way certain passages of the Bible are wrenched out of context or applied as meaning something different than it would have meant when God’s people originally needed such instruction. Reading A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament could mitigate some of those moments.
For example, I really enjoyed the way the authors handled portions of Exodus, all of Leviticus, the Book of Numbers, and The Book of Deuteronomy under “The Structures of Covenant Life.” They pointed out (as Jesus did during His ministry) that the Law was built upon the issue of “What best serves the relationship with God and the life, health, stability, and flourishing of the community?” such that the Law would “…not commonly yield once-for-all responses, so the hard work of interpretation and appropriation mus be undertaken anew in every generation.” (p. 134) Another important corrective in their approach had to do with the judgments of God. “The word of judgment is spoken not with the icy indifference of a judge, but with the mixed sorrow and anger of a lover who has been wounded.” (pp. 138-9) Again, “Judgment is understood to be intrinsic to the evil deed; God does not introduce it into the situation.” (p. 139)
Another provocative thought was found in the restatement of the relationship of “law” and “promise.” In our era of individual freedom, we tend to look upon law as restrictive and promise as open. So, we see “law” as something of a threat to our freedom and “promise” as a lure toward greater achievement. In the section on theological themes in Numbers, the authors used a different spin, stating: “In some sense, the ongoing promulgations of law is a witness that the promise of land will indeed be fulfilled (p. 136).
The book also notes several instances of theological wordplay: 1) the use of the root verb of (eventual King) Saul’s name in the Hannah narrative (prior to the birth of her son, Samuel, who would anoint Saul) of 1 Samuel 1 (p. 223); 2) the significance of the repetition of the verb “to take” in Samuel’s warning against the monarchy in 1 Samuel 8 (p. 230); and 3) the different uses of “house” in the Davidic narrative (p. 242). It also does a good job of pointing out repetitive themes such as the action of King Hezekiah in removing the high places, breaking down the pillars, and cutting down the asherah (2 Kings 18:4-8) versus the proscriptions against those three items in Deuteronomy 7:5 and 12:2-3 (p. 295). Personally, I find such insights particularly valuable.
Sometimes, the turns of phrase are particularly thought-provoking, such as describing King Solomon as a “Jekyll & Hyde” character (p.248) or prophets as “God’s prosecuting attorneys” (p. 305). The book rightly describes much of what is presented within the “United Monarchy” as a pattern of external success veiling internal rottenness (p. 272). The authors brilliantly describe the cynical wisdom material in Ecclesiastes as describing that struggle between “settled faith” and “new experience,” giving me new hope in the idea of believers learning to “grow” in their understanding (p. 421).
My favorite discussion in the entire book had to do with the authors’ description of God’s wrath, something very difficult for people to understand from a modern perspective. They state: “God uses judgment, not as an end in itself, but as a refining fire for salvific purposes—in the service of the word of promise. Unlike love, wrath is not a divine attribute (if there were no sin, there would be no wrath) but a contingent response to Israel’s sin.” (p. 284)
Even though my advanced degrees are in Old Testament Studies (funny foundation for a guy who teaches game design, huh?), I found these pages to be both a good summary of work up to this point, but also insightful. Almost every page would be valuable for leading a discussion around a text or grouping of texts and I believe a reading of this book would clarify some of the misperceptions surrounding the Deuteronomic legal system, the harsh prophecies of some of the prophets, the myth-like nature of many narratives, the dual perspectives expressed in the wisdom tradition, and the hyperbole and metaphor used in the sacred poetry. Sometimes, my stomach is turned by the way certain passages of the Bible are wrenched out of context or applied as meaning something different than it would have meant when God’s people originally needed such instruction. Reading A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament could mitigate some of those moments.
For example, I really enjoyed the way the authors handled portions of Exodus, all of Leviticus, the Book of Numbers, and The Book of Deuteronomy under “The Structures of Covenant Life.” They pointed out (as Jesus did during His ministry) that the Law was built upon the issue of “What best serves the relationship with God and the life, health, stability, and flourishing of the community?” such that the Law would “…not commonly yield once-for-all responses, so the hard work of interpretation and appropriation mus be undertaken anew in every generation.” (p. 134) Another important corrective in their approach had to do with the judgments of God. “The word of judgment is spoken not with the icy indifference of a judge, but with the mixed sorrow and anger of a lover who has been wounded.” (pp. 138-9) Again, “Judgment is understood to be intrinsic to the evil deed; God does not introduce it into the situation.” (p. 139)
Another provocative thought was found in the restatement of the relationship of “law” and “promise.” In our era of individual freedom, we tend to look upon law as restrictive and promise as open. So, we see “law” as something of a threat to our freedom and “promise” as a lure toward greater achievement. In the section on theological themes in Numbers, the authors used a different spin, stating: “In some sense, the ongoing promulgations of law is a witness that the promise of land will indeed be fulfilled (p. 136).
The book also notes several instances of theological wordplay: 1) the use of the root verb of (eventual King) Saul’s name in the Hannah narrative (prior to the birth of her son, Samuel, who would anoint Saul) of 1 Samuel 1 (p. 223); 2) the significance of the repetition of the verb “to take” in Samuel’s warning against the monarchy in 1 Samuel 8 (p. 230); and 3) the different uses of “house” in the Davidic narrative (p. 242). It also does a good job of pointing out repetitive themes such as the action of King Hezekiah in removing the high places, breaking down the pillars, and cutting down the asherah (2 Kings 18:4-8) versus the proscriptions against those three items in Deuteronomy 7:5 and 12:2-3 (p. 295). Personally, I find such insights particularly valuable.
Sometimes, the turns of phrase are particularly thought-provoking, such as describing King Solomon as a “Jekyll & Hyde” character (p.248) or prophets as “God’s prosecuting attorneys” (p. 305). The book rightly describes much of what is presented within the “United Monarchy” as a pattern of external success veiling internal rottenness (p. 272). The authors brilliantly describe the cynical wisdom material in Ecclesiastes as describing that struggle between “settled faith” and “new experience,” giving me new hope in the idea of believers learning to “grow” in their understanding (p. 421).
My favorite discussion in the entire book had to do with the authors’ description of God’s wrath, something very difficult for people to understand from a modern perspective. They state: “God uses judgment, not as an end in itself, but as a refining fire for salvific purposes—in the service of the word of promise. Unlike love, wrath is not a divine attribute (if there were no sin, there would be no wrath) but a contingent response to Israel’s sin.” (p. 284)
September 27, 2016
I had to read this book for my Old Testament Theology class. We had to read the book and summarize its contents into 18 pages single-spaced, including headers and sub-headers. It was a tough assignment but it was well worth it.
This is a phenomenal book. I found that the authors did a great way of explaining and introducing the theology of the OT. There was so much I learned throughout this. Although I do not agree with many of their arguments and conclusions, I do appreciate them.
I was intrigued by their perspective of reading the OT as a theological witness of Israel, meaning that it details Israel's history in relation to God. This has many profound implications, but I'll give the one that struck with me the most: the OT does not necessarily present a unified voice, but rather diverse voices. The many people experienced God in various, sometimes even contrasting, ways. Instead of seeing this an an attack on the unity and integrity of the Bible, we should appreciate it. God cannot be condensed into a clean, ordered theology or into a bunch of rules. God is a living, active, and dynamic being. This means that our ideas about God will never perfectly describe him. The Bible is not a book of rules and systematic theology, but rather a (true) story about God who enters into a relationship with humanity. This idea was humbling for me, especially as a Bible college student. But it makes theology wonderfully messy.
I liked the last 3 chapters the most, especially chapter 11 since the authors did an amazing job describing wisdom literature and the correlation between Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes.
I would certainly suggest people to read this book, though to slowly take their time through it to engage with the authors' ideas and claims.
This is a phenomenal book. I found that the authors did a great way of explaining and introducing the theology of the OT. There was so much I learned throughout this. Although I do not agree with many of their arguments and conclusions, I do appreciate them.
I was intrigued by their perspective of reading the OT as a theological witness of Israel, meaning that it details Israel's history in relation to God. This has many profound implications, but I'll give the one that struck with me the most: the OT does not necessarily present a unified voice, but rather diverse voices. The many people experienced God in various, sometimes even contrasting, ways. Instead of seeing this an an attack on the unity and integrity of the Bible, we should appreciate it. God cannot be condensed into a clean, ordered theology or into a bunch of rules. God is a living, active, and dynamic being. This means that our ideas about God will never perfectly describe him. The Bible is not a book of rules and systematic theology, but rather a (true) story about God who enters into a relationship with humanity. This idea was humbling for me, especially as a Bible college student. But it makes theology wonderfully messy.
I liked the last 3 chapters the most, especially chapter 11 since the authors did an amazing job describing wisdom literature and the correlation between Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes.
I would certainly suggest people to read this book, though to slowly take their time through it to engage with the authors' ideas and claims.
November 20, 2017
A brilliant way to bring yourself up to date with modern scholarly thinking on the Old Testament. It's amazing - the latest fashion among scholars is actually to read the text rather than spend all their time dissecting it. And it's astonishing what they have learnt as a result.
April 21, 2024
This book was our text for a church class this semester. It is not easy reading and I personally found the arrangement of information not very helpful in assisting my understanding. Overall I would have given the book three stars, but the chapter on wisdom literature (chapter 11) is so excellent (5 stars!) that it brings up my rating for the whole book.
With that said, I have to confess that my understanding of Israelite history, plural voices in scripture, retelling of history based on new lived experiences, have all been significantly enhanced. Or to say it plainly, I learned a lot!
If you are willing to put in a bit of time and effort with this text you will be rewarded with better understanding.
With that said, I have to confess that my understanding of Israelite history, plural voices in scripture, retelling of history based on new lived experiences, have all been significantly enhanced. Or to say it plainly, I learned a lot!
If you are willing to put in a bit of time and effort with this text you will be rewarded with better understanding.
August 8, 2021
This "theological" introduction fills a much needed niche among Old Testament introductions. By honing in on the theological content of the OT literature, the authors illuminate the meaning of it all, not just historical, literary, and philological details of the parts. How refreshing to get the broad scope of what God was up to in ancient Israel! I'm very grateful for this collection of theological insights which will greatly enhance my current course notes on the subject.
September 23, 2012
A group of Bible scholars explore theological themes in the scripture. Greater attention is given to the first five books and there influence on the rest of the canon. although the uniqueness of each book is also explored. This is a good reference book for preachers and teachers of the Hebrew Scriptures.
July 3, 2021
I just finished "A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament," by Bruce C. Birch, Walter Brueggemann, Terence E. Fretheim, and David L. Peterson.
I make no bones about owning my dislike of the OT. The distance between me and the two Testaments are less with the New. I've often thought that was because of Alexander The Ok spreading Greek ideas which are more in the NT than Old.
Even at 450 pp I doubt I'm going to write much down other than posting that I finished this as my W.
Really digging the JEP concept here of different writers, editors and reactors at different times. I had heard of this, mainly from the priestly-in-exile perspective but this digs in just a bit more.
So the chapters deal with criticism and sometimes with NT references but this is OT theology. My ignorance is profound in this area so my comments will be little. There are nuggets along the way which make this worth the read. I think the section on the sacrificial system and its implied relation to Christ was great.
I can pick out Fretheim along the way by his amplification of all the elements of open theism. And I believe I can pick out Brueggemann by the amplification of justice in sections.
Towards the end when Porverbs and Jobs theodicy is covered things get good. There is a comparison between how Proverbs says one is to live and who Job was...and yet. Jobs friends are giving Job a dose of pastoral help straight out of Proverbs, though it seems they have twisted a bit of it. This is quite good.
Most rewarding was the straightforward criticism dealing with age of and types of literature.
I make no bones about owning my dislike of the OT. The distance between me and the two Testaments are less with the New. I've often thought that was because of Alexander The Ok spreading Greek ideas which are more in the NT than Old.
Even at 450 pp I doubt I'm going to write much down other than posting that I finished this as my W.
Really digging the JEP concept here of different writers, editors and reactors at different times. I had heard of this, mainly from the priestly-in-exile perspective but this digs in just a bit more.
So the chapters deal with criticism and sometimes with NT references but this is OT theology. My ignorance is profound in this area so my comments will be little. There are nuggets along the way which make this worth the read. I think the section on the sacrificial system and its implied relation to Christ was great.
I can pick out Fretheim along the way by his amplification of all the elements of open theism. And I believe I can pick out Brueggemann by the amplification of justice in sections.
Towards the end when Porverbs and Jobs theodicy is covered things get good. There is a comparison between how Proverbs says one is to live and who Job was...and yet. Jobs friends are giving Job a dose of pastoral help straight out of Proverbs, though it seems they have twisted a bit of it. This is quite good.
Most rewarding was the straightforward criticism dealing with age of and types of literature.
February 22, 2022
I have more than a few excellent introductions to the Old Testament, but this one stands apart as it seeks to introduce it to us theologically; to help us understand what is happening in relation to God, not just historically.
I would recommend this as an introduction, not as a thorough commentary.
I would recommend this as an introduction, not as a thorough commentary.
May 7, 2024
Though the authors take an essentially critical though sympathetic approach to the Old Testament, they do offer theological insight into the text of the OT through the book and, as such, this book is worth consulting for any serious student of the Old Testament, especially as a supplement to such works as Waltke's Old Testament Theology.
September 17, 2016
This book did a great job of an overview of the Old Testament. I read it quickly for a 6 week class, I am sure I could have gotten more out of it if I had taken more time to read it. But it was very informative and challenging
March 15, 2024
Such a baller book
December 26, 2021
A helpful overview of the Old Testament.
February 16, 2023
Read for a 7-week course. Would probably enjoy a slower more methodical reading.
July 30, 2024
Detailed, comprehensive, yet accessible. Much attention is given to the themes, historical context, and scholarly interpretations of the OT from Genesis to Malachi.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews