Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Survey

All the articles in this volume were previously published in Kevin J. Vanhoozer, ed., Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible (Baker, 2005). The Book-by-Book Survey merely reprints the thirty-six articles on the various books of the Hebrew Bible, preceded by a lengthy introduction by Vanhoozer. In this review, I will focus much of my attention on the introduction, which provides a rationale for the book and the “theological interpretation” movement as a whole. As with the companion volume on the New Testament (Theological Interpretation of the New Testament: A Book-by-Book Survey), the authors are mostly British-trained scholars, and most teach in U.K. universities or conservative North American seminaries. Many are reliable old hands, but there are also a number of fresh faces. In order, they are: Gordon Wenham (Genesis), Walter Moberly (Exodus), Paul Redditt (Leviticus), Kent Sparks (Numbers), Daniel Block (Deuteronomy), J. G. McConville (Joshua), Alan Groves (Judges), Murray Gow (Ruth), Brian Kelly (Samuel), Richard Hess (Kings), Mark Throntveit (Chronicles), John Bimson (Ezra and Nehemiah), Paul Redditt (Esther), Lindsay Wilson (Job), J. Clinton McCann Jr. (Psalms), Raymond Van Leeuwen (Proverbs), Craig Bartholomew (Ecclesiastes), Tremper Longman III (Song of Songs), Richard Schultz (Isaiah), J. G. [Full Review]

An Evangelical survey of each book of the Old Testament, briefly considering the history of intepretation, the book’s role in the canon, and its major theological themes. [Full Review]