Justin Taylor posted an interview of T. Desmond Alexander by Andrew Naselli on the topic of biblical theology. Biblical theology has revolutionized my understanding and appreciation of the Bible, and I thought this brief interview was a good introduction to biblical theology. I’m sharing the first part of this interview but encourage you to read the whole thing.
Consider picking up one of Alexander’s books on biblical theology, too. I have The New Dictionary of Biblical Theology on my shelf (it’s really good), and From Eden to the New Jerusalem is on my wish list.
1. What is biblical theology? How does it compare to systematic theology?
For me biblical theology is about understanding how the Bible as a whole should be read so that we can appreciate its message as the Word of God. I’m still a learner as far as this is concerned. What I’ve found to be helpful is discovering themes that tie together the big picture of Scripture. I’ve tried to convey something of this, hopefully in an accessible way, in my book, From Eden to the New Jerusalem. For me, it’s important that Christians grasp the grand story of what God is doing. Through the story, which I take to be historically true, we begin to understand something of ourselves and the world we live in.
It is this story dimension that sets biblical theology apart from systematic theology. While I think that there is an important place for a systematic understanding of what we believe, it is through Scripture that God speaks to people as they grasp the biblical metanarrative. Hopefully, good biblical theology sheds valuable light on how we should read the Bible. For this reason, I think biblical theology is exceptionally important.
2. Briefly sketch out an example of addressing a theme with a biblical theological approach (e.g., temple, throne of God, evil, lamb, tree of life, people of God, rest).
I’ve said something about most of the examples you list in my most recent book. So let me pick something that might not seem so obvious: the great city.
Fundamental to my understanding of biblical theology is the idea that God created this world with the intention that it should become his dwelling-place, a temple-city filled with people who love and serve him (as reflected in Rev. 20-21). This was the original creation plan. Adam and Eve’s betrayal of God threw the grand design into chaos. Created with the skills to be city-builders, humanity set about building god-less cities. Exhibit number one is obviously Babel. However, in Hebrew Babel is also the name for Babylon. Interestingly, the building of Babel/Babylon is associated with Nimrod in Genesis 10, who is also responsible for the building of Nineveh in Assyria. As a mighty hunter “˜against God’ (not “˜before God’) Nimrod is the founder of a city/kingdom that opposes God’s city/kingdom. Remarkably, the story in Genesis to Kings ends with what appears to be a victory for Nimrod’s descendants (the Assyrians and the Babylonians). The city of God, Jerusalem, is sacked, God’s house is destroyed, and the royal line through which the nations are to be saved is exiled.
Yet all is not lost, for the story does not end here. This big picture is important because it reveals how deep-seated aspirations to create human empires oppose what God desires. Obviously, the OT has lots to say about this (e.g., Habakkuk, Daniel). However, the NT picks up the same contrast. For example, the author of Hebrews has something important to say about the city of God, starting with Abraham. Likewise, the book of Revelation draws an important contrast between the here-and-now Babylon and the future New Jerusalem.
I hope that this very brief biblical-theological sketch of the city makes sense. We’re only scratching the surface. Yet it is a theme that pervades the whole of Scripture….
[Read the entire interview]
Totally agree with Biblical Theology. The problem with many sermons today is that people take the Bible and force it into a topic that has 3 easy to remember points. What ever happened to actually reading the passage, truly understanding it from a historical and cultural context, and then grasping the essence of God’s message to us? A great example of misuse of passages is when pastors say, “You have to tithe because that’s what Malachi says.” Have they ever considered who was speaking in this passage, and to whom this commandment was given? I won’t go any further into this on this reply. 🙂
A great book I picked up in seminary was “Christian Theology” by Millard Erickson. It is very easy to read, and it has a balanced view of Biblical and Systematic Theology.
I’m with you on the Malachi 3 point. But Biblical Theology is much bigger than just that. I’ve heard good things about Erickson’s book, I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for stopping by…
Thanks for posting this, Bob. I’ve just finished “From Eden To The New Jerusalem” and it’s been a feast. Great book. Contrary to you, I don’t have the “New Dictionary” but I can’t wait to buy it (which for me is a little hard because I’m in Chile and the only thing you can do is get it through Amazon or something like that –everything is always 10 dollars more expensive for me–).
I had to get the New Dictionary for a class in Bib Theology. I read through all the introductory articles which were fantastic. And the rest of the book is really helpful as well. The second section goes through each book of the Bible in a BT overview of it. The third section traces various themes and topics as they develop throughout the Bible.
You might like G.K. Beale’s book “The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God” (New Studies in Biblical Theology) by IVP. I’ve heard it’s really good, and I just started the copy I have. I got a foretaste of it in hearing Beale teach a short series on Revelation, and also in his book The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism, which I’ve reviewed here.
Thanks for stopping by.
Blessings in Christ,
Bob Hayton