Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel and Kingdom

Paternoster Press, 1981, 148 pgs.

Summary: A careful introduction on how to interpret and apply the Bible by Graeme Goldsworthy, former Lecturer in Old Testament Studies at Moore Theological College in Australia.

Goldsworthy opens by showing how conservative Christians often unintentionally interpret and apply the Bible through an allegorical method especially in Old Testament narratives. For instance, Christians are encouraged by the example of David to kill the giants in their life with the five stones of faith, hope, love, trust, and repentance. The difficulty with this interpretation is that it was not the intent of the authors nor can it be recreated outside of the preacher’s imagination.

To thwart such interpretations Goldsworthy takes two steps: the first is to center interpretation on the kingdom of God and how God establishes and maintains that kingdom first in Eden and then as God unfolds the plan of salvation after humanity’s rebellion. The kingdom of God is advanced through the history of salvation until it is finalized by the “kingdom of the world” becoming “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Rev 11:15).

Second, Goldsworthy argues for a typological interpretation centered on our Lord Jesus Christ and using the entire Bible to establish the types or patterns of God’s Word to assist us interpreting and applying the Scripture (Rom. 5:14, 1 Cor. 10:6; Heb. 8:5—cf. Acts 7:4). The story of David and Goliath then becomes evidence of God’s people’s lack of ability to save themselves and God’s promise to send a deliverer to save them from their enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil). The world and the devil are represented by Goliath and the flesh by Saul’s and the nation’s lack of faith. Within this reading David becomes a type of Christ that destroys our true enemies, building anticipation for the coming of the promised victor over the Serpent (Gen. 3:15).

Benefits/Detriments: Warmly evangelical. A wonderful introduction to historical literalism or the grammatical-historical method of reading the Bible. Highly recommended for all, but especially anyone who teaches the Bible. (Cf. also review of Michael P. V. Barrett’s, Beginning at Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament.)