Preaching Biblical Theology

Today’s Classic Materials is drawn from Graeme Goldsworthy’s “Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture”. It concerns the great need for preachers to understand and convey biblical theology. After reading the quote, don’t miss the biblical theology links at the bottom of the post.

“My own impression of the modern literature is that it is predominantly weighted towards matters of effective communication and methods of sermon preparation. I find that questions regarding the nature of Scripture, which provide us with the principles of interpretation and application, are not so prominent.

It is here that biblical theology comes into its own. Much of the literature on preaching either ignores biblical theology completely or makes only passing reference to it. Assumptions are made about the application of the results of careful exegesis, but the principles for making the connection between the ancient text and the contemporary hearers are not always so clearly dealt with.

In asserting that biblical theology is the way forward, I am not thereby seeking to ride some hobbyhorse or to provide some brilliant revelation that no one else ever thought of. I am simply saying that the way the Bible presents its message, a message that reaches its climax in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth, provides us with the principles we need.

Biblical theology is nothing more nor less than allowing the Bible to speak as a whole: as the one word of the one God about the one way of salvation.”

Some Biblical Theology Links

Audio
Peter Jensen – Introductory Lecture to Biblical Theology
Don Carson lectures: the use of the OT in the New (parts one, two and three)
What does God want from us? An overview of the entire Bible by Mark Dever
Promises Made: an overview of the entire OT by Mark Dever
Promises Kept: an overview of the entire NT by Mark Dever
“Mark 2: [of a Healthy Church] Biblical Theology” by Mark Dever
Nine Marks interview with Dr O. Palmer Robertson on “Biblical Theology”
Desiring God – a list of talks on Redemptive History

Books
According to Plan: An Introductory Biblical Theology by Graeme Goldsworthy
“God’s Big Picture” by Vaughan Roberts
“Five views on the Law and the Gospel” – Counterpoints series
Jesus & Israel: One Covenant or Two? by David E. Holwerda

Articles
Expository Thoughts series: “The Relationship of the Testaments”
“An Introduction”
“Christological Hermeneutics”
“Apostolic Hermeneutic”
“The NT view of the Old”
“The Priority of the Old Testament”
“Walter Kaiser on 1 Peter 1:10-12”
“Paul’s use of Hosea in Romans 9:25-26”
“Common Mistakes in Preaching”
“Concluding Thoughts”

A plethora of biblical theology articles at Beginning with Moses
“Preaching and Biblical Theology” by Thomas R Schreiner
“Biblical Theology in the Study and in the Pulpit” by James Boyce
A four part bible overview
“2nd Mark of a Healthy Church Member: Biblical Theologian” by Thabiti Anyabwile

[If you have any other suggestions, do let us know….]