Robert Grays Recommended Reading List on Biblical Theology

Books are in order of recommendation

Easiest Reading
(I recommend you start here in your explorations in Biblical Theology) 1) Clowney, Edmund P The Unfolding Mystery: Discovering Christ in the Old Testament. Phillipsburgh, !"# P$%, 1&'' Ed Clowney opens p the Old Testament and !rings Christ to the forefront of the te"t. #t is not primarily a work of dry theology$ ! t rather a demonstration of a rich Bi!lical%Theological approach to &cript re. 'e retells the Bi!lical narrative in an engaging way and draws s in to see Christ nveiled to s thro gho t script re. () %oberts, )aughan (od)s Big *ict re$ Tracing the storyline of the Bi!le. *owners +ro,e, I-# I)P Boo.s, (//( #n this easily accessi!le Bi!lical Theology$ +o!erts traces the kingdom%of%(od concept from creation to cons mmation. 'e aptly shows with !road !r shstrokes the vario s themes of (od,s redemption nfolding thro gho t script re. 'is paradigms and ill strations are helpf l for the organi-ing mind. M ch of his writing synthesi-es (oldsworthy,s material. .&ee (olsworthy citation/. This wo ld !e a good small gro p st dy. 0) 1aiser, 2alter C The Messiah in the Old Testament. +rand %apids, 3I# 4onder,an Publishing 5ouse, 1&&6 0alt 1aiser e"ams the messianic passages of the OT from (enesis 2:34 to Malachi 5:6. #f yo are wondering where it is that we see Christ prophesied in the Old Testament$ 1aiser shows yo and leaves yo with little do !t as to its pointing to 7es s. This wo ld !e a good !ook to read in preparation for the advent season8 7) -loyd8"ones, 9ally The 7es s &tory Book Bi!le +rand %apids, 3I# 4onder.ids, (//: This is a great children,s !ook that retells the drama of redemption. # partic larly love the literary style of this !ook along with the emphasis on p tting the individ al Bi!le stories in the conte"t of the hope of the Messiah. 9gain # highly recommend this for parents$ ! t it is helpf l !ook even for ad lts. 6) 5elm, *a,id % The Big *ict re &tory Bi!le 2heaton, I-# Crossway Publishing, (//7 0hile it is a children,s !ook$ it is a great synopsis of the entire Bi!le. # highly recommend this for parents to work thro gh with their children. #t is a !ea tif lly ill strated retelling of the drama of redemption.

;) +oldsworthy, +raeme The (oldsworthy Trilogy: (ospel and 1ingdom$ (ospel and 0isdom$ The (ospel in +evelation 3ilton 1eynes# Paternoster Press, (//(

Somewhat Challenging
(These may be di<<icult <or someone without much Bible .nowledge)
1) %obertson, = Palmer The Christ of the Covenants. Phillipsburgh, !"# P$%, 1&'/ +o!ertson,s !ook is a fairly reada!le primer on Covenant theology. 'e can get technical$ ! t he a!ly works thro gh the vario s administrations of the covenant witho t getting too !ogged down in academic de!ates$ which are s ally relegated to the footnotes. () Ber.ho<, -ouis &ystematic Theology. +rand %apids# 2illiam B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1&&; *art 6 of this &ystematic Theology is very helpf l in laying o t a thoro gh e"planation of Covenant Theology. This is the standard systematics in reformed and *res!yterian theology. #f yo are c rio s to read f rther$ Berkhof draws from his own D tch theological heritage$ in partic lar from 'erman Bavinck who has !een recently translated and is well worth reading.

0) >lexander, T *esmond, Brian 9 %osner, * > Carson, and +raeme +oldsworthy, :ew Dictiornary of Bi!lical Theology. *owners +ro,e, I-# Inter8)arsity Press, (/// This helpf l reference tool can shed light on different areas of Bi!lical Theology. :ot only can yo look p vario s topics in Bi!lical Theology$ ! t #t also e"ams the individ al !ooks of the Bi!le in their relation to the whole.

Difficult
(I would not recommend these boo.s unless you are <airly well ,ersed in Biblical studies)
1) )os, +eerhardus Bi!lical Theology. Edinburgh# Banner o< Truth Trust, 1&:6 ;os,s work is a classic in Bi!lical theology and # highly recommend it for someone who wants to wade thro gh some very challenging writing. My !rother in law$ Brad Bitner$ is hoping to p !lish a more accesi!le !ook containing ;os,s Bi!lical Theology in the coming year or so. .My shamef l pl g8/ () Collins, C "ohn (enesis 3%5: 9 <ing istic$ <iterary$ and Theological Commentary. Phillipsburgh, !"# P$% Publishing, (//; Collins is an OT professor at Covenant &eminary and was introd ced to me !y his st dent Derek Bates. 'is approach to interpreting the first three chapters of (enesis is gro nded in a solid e"egetical approach which highlights how the lang age and str ct re of the 'e!rew f nctions for its original a dience. 0) Beale, + 1 9 :ew Testament Bi!lical Theology. +rand %apids, 3I# Ba.er >cademic, (/11

Beale is one of the !est .if not the !est/ c rrent Bi!lical theologian. 'is work is partic larly foc sed in the :ew Testament$ ! t his initial chapters in this work lay o t his !asic Bi!lical Theology and are well worth the read. #n partic lar$ his e"amination of the #mage of (od in 9dam and the implications of that for Bi!lical Theology are very helpf l. 7) Beale, + 1 , ed The +ight Doctrine from the 0rong Te"ts: Essays on the Use of the Old Testament in the :ew. +rand %apids, 3I# Ba.er Boo.s, 1&&7 This Collection of essays is !rilliant in esta!lishing a correct approach to interpreting the Old Testament. #n partic lar the essays try to answer the = estion of how the :ew Testament ses Old Testament references. Of partic lar interest are the articles on typology !y Baker$ ' gen!erger$ and >o lkes. 6) 1line, 3eredith + 1ingdom *rolog e. Two >ge Press, (/// 9 diffic lt read that takes a thematic and theological approach to interpreting (enesis. There are some great ideas in here concerning kingdom and covenant$ ! t it can !e a !it esoteric and conf sing at times. 1line,s specialty is as an ancient%near%east scholar and he draws on a lot of e"tra%Bi!lical comparative material to draw o t the meaning and implications of the te"t. ;) 2alt.e, Bruce 1 9n Old Testsment Theology. +rand %apids, 3I# 4onder,an, (//: This recent p !lication was written !y a professor of Old Testament at 1no" &eminary formerly at +T& in 7ackson. 0altke is a thoro gh OT scholar and engages heavily in c rrent de!ates going on in OT scholarship. 'is opening section on 'ermene tics is especially helpf l. The vol me is well designed and easy to follow$ ! t it is = ite in depth.

Bibliography
9unday 9chool ?all@9pring (/1(810 Big Picture Sur ey of the !ld and "ew Testament Rob Gray Week 1-5 >lexander, T *esmond, Brian 9 %osner, * > Carson, and +raeme +oldsworthy, :ew Dictiornary of Bi!lical Theology. *owners +ro,e, I-# Inter8)arsity Press, (/// Beale, + 1 9 :ew Testament Bi!lical Theology. +rand %apids, 3I# Ba.er >cademic, (/11 Beale, + 1 , ed The +ight Doctrine from the 0rong Te"ts: Essays on the Use of the Old Testament in the :ew. +rand %apids, 3I# Ba.er Boo.s, 1&&7 Ber.ho<, -ouis &ystematic Theology. +rand %apids# 2illiam B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1&&; Clowney, Edmund P The Unfolding Mystery: Discovering Christ in the Old Testament. Phillipsburgh, !"# P$%, 1&'' Collins, C "ohn (enesis 3%5: 9 <ing istic$ <iterary$ and Theological Commentary. Phillipsburgh, !"# P$% Publishing, (//; 5engstenberg, E 2 Christology of the Old Testament. +rand %apids, 3I# 1regel Publications, 1&:/ 1aiser, 2alter C The Messiah in the Old Testament. +rand %apids, 3I# 4onder,an Publishing 5ouse, 1&&6 1line, 3eredith + By Oath Consigned. +rand %apids, 3I# 2illiam B Eerdmans, 1&;' A 1ingdom *rolog e. Two >ge Press, (/// %oberts, )aughan (od)s Big *ict re$ Tracing the storyline of the Bi!le. *owners +ro,e, I-# I)P Boo.s, (//( %obertson, = Palmer The Christ of the Covenants. Phillipsburgh, !"# P$%, 1&'/ )os, +eerhardus Bi!lical Theology. Edinburgh# Banner o< Truth Trust, 1&:6 2alt.e, Bruce 1 9n Old Testsment Theology. +rand %apids, 3I# 4onder,an, (//: