Think theology

BIBLICAL REASONING:
Christological and Trinitarian Rules of
Exegesis
By R.B. Jameison and Tyler R. Wittman
Baker. 289 pages. £20.99
ISBN 978 1 540 964 670

This book has been warmly commended on a variety of social media platforms, so I thought I would read it to see what the fuss was about.

Is it worth it? The short answer is: ‘Yes.’ This book seeks to provide a resource for reading Scripture exegetically and theologically.

First, this is achieved by reminding the reader that reading Scripture is a spiritual exercise that has the goal of gaining a vision of God’s glory. ‘We exist so that we might see God, intimately commune with Him, and become decorated in His light.’

It is valuable to be reminded that the act of reading Scripture is not a quick, perfunctory task, but one that requires care, effort and thoughtful contemplation.

Secondly, the book lays out seven principles and ten rules for reading Scripture in a ‘God-befitting way.’ These rules are described as Christological and Trinitarian because they seek to help the reader reflect on Scripture in a way that carefully honours the triune God who is revealed in its pages. Preachers will be more than aware of preaching on the Gospels in such a way as to honour the true humanity and true divinity of Christ. The principles and rules are forged out of careful excavation of Scripture; a broad engagement with a range of theologians from the indispensable Augustine of Hippo to the stimulating John Webster, provides helpful rules of thumb in this crucial process. The co-authors are to be congratulated for their intellectual generosity in interacting with a wide range of theologians, and the considerable spade work that has unearthed a workable model for reading Scripture well.

Finally, the principles and rules are put together into a worked example, ‘Putting the Rule-Kit to Work,’ which is a close reading of the challenging Christological passage in John 5:17-30.

This book is not a light read, but it is a worthwhile one. It is good for Christians, particularly preachers, to read books from time to time that are a size too big for us. That is the way to stretch ourselves as we seek to love God with all our mind.