Book Review: Preaching The Whole Bible as Christian Scripture

As a lecturer in Old Testament, biblical theology and hermeneutics at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia, Graeme Goldsworthy is certainly qualified to write on the subject of Preaching The Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching. ¹

Goldsworthy’s purpose in writing Preaching The Whole Bible as Christian Scripture “is to provide a handbook for preachers that will help them apply a consistently Christ-centered approach to their sermons” (ix). Later in the book he repeats and further clarifies his thesis as “to understand the place of the gospel in expository preaching” (95). Goldsworthy argues that all expositions should begin “with the definitive word of fulfillment in the gospel and allow this to show us what the real structure of the Old Testament revelation is” (97).

The book is divided into two parts. In the first Goldsworthy attempts to place himself in the pastor’s shoes and ask and answer the questions he would ask of the text, theology and preaching in general. The second part of the book is where he applies the biblical theological methods which he has proposed in the first part to various biblical genres. He begins by examining what evangelicals believe concerning the Bible. He concludes that the “proclaimed word of God [is] his chosen means of both creation and new creation” (45). Next he draws the reader’s attention to the way Jesus and the apostles approached the Old Testament texts.

From this examination he develops what he calls a “salvation history perspective” (142). According to his view the Scriptures from the creation up to Abraham serve as a “prologue to salvation history”(104). The period of time from Abraham to the reigns of David and Solomon are understood as the “progressive revelation of salvation and the kingdom of God” (104) or as “positive salvation history,” (104). The time following Solomon’s reign through the end of the Old Testament marks the “progressive decline of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah under judgement” (104) or a “negative salvation history” (104). The major prophets of the Old Testament operate during this epoch and provide a “view of salvation and the coming kingdom” (107). The final epoch is delineated by the coming of Christ, who ” fulfills all the expectations of the Old Testament” (109). Goldsworthy utilizes this “salvation history perspective” (142) for all of Scripture.

A major strength of Preaching The Whole Bible is the view of Scripture as God’s Word presented. Goldsworthy rightly points out that, “The preacher who does not have confidence in these teachings cannot preach according to the Bible” (13). He further states that though a composite of twenty-seven distinct documents, the New Testament is unified as a book about Jesus who is the Savior who came to live, die, and rise again; who comes to his people now through his word and Spirit (19).

Goldsworthy clearly reveals that Jesus himself held a high view of the Scriptures and understood that they spoke of him. Therefore, those who seek to deny the validity of the word written, in effect deny the Word incarnated because “the authority of Christ and the authority of Scripture stand or fall together”(47). Finally, Goldsworthy asserts that any approach to preaching that is biblical is predicated on “the determination of the preacher to sit under the authority of the word of God” (121).

Another strength of this work is the high Christology which is maintained throughout the volume. In conjunction with its thesis, Jesus may be preached from the whole of Scripture because he is “God’s final and fullest word . . . he is not simply fulfillment; he is further and final revelation” (79). Because of this work of Christ in expanding and completing the revelation of God, we need not be tentative in preaching the reality of Christ from Old Testament texts because “only in Christ is the veil set aside” (79). Furthermore, this revelation that is clarified in the New Testament announces that God’s work throughout history has always been designed to bring salvation to man, indicating that “the gospel is not an afterthought but is in fact the reason for the creation in the first place” (204). Goldsworthy also correctly asserts that the gospel, not “self-esteem, happiness, health, self-fulfillment or any other desirable quality,” is the appropriate subject of responsible preaching (80).

A third strength of Preaching The Whole Bible is that, in spite of his acknowledgment that the “term ‘expository preaching’ is fairly elastic” (119), he still presents a positive view of systematic expository preaching. While Goldsworthy’s approach is more of a refinement of Greidanus’ Bible-centered model than Vines’s unapologetic preference for systematic exposition, he does come close to accepting Vines’s position. In his discussion of preaching from Acts and the epistles, Goldsworthy states, the best preventative against legalism is systematic expository preaching, with this one proviso: no one sermon should ever be allowed to stand apart from the whole gospel-based thrust of the epistle (244).

According to Goldsworthy, “Expository preaching means biblical preaching and that biblical preaching involves a great deal more than the exegesis of a biblical passage” (124). He clarifies his position further when he states,

One-time sermons on any part of the Bible are . . . permissible, but a taste for the perspective of biblical theology cannot but commend expository preaching and more concerted efforts to expound the message of whole books. One can achieve this and still be selective in the portions of the books chosen (221).

While it is clear that Goldsworthy is using the term “systematic exposition” more in keeping with Vines’s term “general exposition,” it is refreshing to find an author who seriously discusses the need for doing systematic expositoin.

Another strength of Goldsworthy’s work is the charts he uses to enable the reader to visualize the historic time lines that he utilizes throughout the discussion. This feature may be less important to some, but those who think visually will be greatly helped by this inclusion. It also serves as an effective means of limiting the various strands within the discussion of his salvation history approach.

One glaring weakness of this work for a Southern Baptist is Goldsworthy’s attack of what he labels the distortion of “‘Jesus in my heart’ theology” (72) related to the gospel message. He argues that when “‘you must be born again’ is made to be the gospel, the real objective and historical nature of the biblical gospel is compromised” (72). While this perspective may be attributed to his Anglican heritage, one who takes Jesus’ command to evangelize the lost seriously and passionately must strongly disagree with his assessment. While it is true that many have misconstrued the gospel message and caused what Goldsworthy rightly deems a “‘feel good’ religion” (72), he is wrong to lump all who take Jesus’ statement to Nicodemus that “you must be born again” seriously, into this group. The gospel does contain a historic propositional core, but to only “rejoice when the answer [to the gospel] comes in the third person” (95) is to deny people through our preaching the need to appropriate the call of the gospel personally and be born again. This methodology leads people to intellectual assent of Christ only which denies them the power of the gospel unto salvation. This position is untenable in that it denies experience totally and makes human reason alone the means of salvation.

A second weakness related to that previously stated is the over-emphasis placed on Goldsworthy’s rubric of salvation history as being the means through which the entirety of Scripture must be interpreted. While one would never argue that salvation history is not a major theme of the entire corpus of the Scripture, Kaiser’s concept of promise, or the view of covenant, may be considered as a unifying theme with equally good results. Thus, while Goldsworthy’s perspective is helpful and valuable, he is guilty of overstating its importance.

Goldsworthy disagrees with McDill that expository preaching should utilize the inductive method alone; he sees nothing wrong with the method per se but recognizes that “this method alone is insufficient” (4). While discussing the exposition of prophetic texts, however, he does observe that “expository preachers are more inclined to be inductive in their approach”(181).

This book is well written, and the author’s argument is clearly stated. The scholarship evident by the footnotes is an example worthy of imitation. These outcomes are the result of the Goldsworthy’s intention “to keep technical language fairly muted while . . . providing necessary references and technical comments in footnotes” (ix). Pastors, professors, and students will profit from reading this book and carefully considering Goldsworthy’s emphasis on making the gospel central in our preaching.

End Notes

1. Goldsworthy, Graeme. Preaching The Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.