Graeme Goldsworthy lectures on biblical theology
Graeme Goldsworthy delivered three lectures on biblical theology at Southern Seminary last week. You can find links to the lectures at “Between Two Worlds“.
I’ve only listened to the first lecture, which is titled “The Necessity and Viability of Biblical Theology”. If the other two lectures are anything like the first, then these three lectures will be very important for those who are interested in biblical theology or exegesis, and probably those interested in systematic theology as well.
Here are two definitions that Goldsworthy gives at the beginning of the first lecture:
Gospel: The gospel is God’s solution to how to justify the ungodly… The gospel is God’s message of the person and work of Jesus testified to by the Old Testament and coming to its climax in the exaltation of Jesus.
Biblical Theology: Biblical theology is the study of how every text in the Bible relates to every other text in the Bible. It is the study of the matrix of divine revelation. At the heart of the gospel is the person of Jesus Christ. He is the word of God come in the flesh. The nature of the gospel is such that it demands that it be the center of the biblical message. Biblical theology is, then, the study of how every text in the Bible relates to Jesus and his gospel.
Any comments on these definitions?
I like the emphasis on Christ as the center. I wonder how they mesh with my own definitions.
Theology is the way we interpret the revealed Doctrines of God so that we can effectively address the basic needs of modern Man.
Systematic Theology is the way we study God with the end goal of reflecting the unity of God and providing a uniform system of discovering the purpose and function of our Christian service to Jesus Christ.
Not sure I agree with Bib Theo relating all texts to Christ. Plenty of OT texts that seem to miss this key.
J.R.,
Thanks for the comment and for sharing your definitions. I think theology – however we define – can be beneficial, as long as we recognize that any kind of summary by defintion leaves out something. If all of Scripture is important, then any theology leaves out something important.
Ed,
Yes, I agree with you. I think the Scriptures can point to Christ and reveal Christ without being only about Christ.
-Alan
I agree Alan. Far too often we destroy the mystery of God.