C. God intends Scripture to be read canonically, with the key being the centrality and culmination that comes in Christ. Peter Gentry and Steve Wellum have produced the most extensive study of the biblical covenants published in over a century, arguing for what they call Progressive Covenantalism, a middle-way between Dispensationalism and Covenant … Kingdom through Covenant emphasizes the importance of the covenant concept throughout Scripture, showing that crucial theological differences can be resolved b. God established the Mosaic covenant just after the prospect anticipated in … God will raise up a Davidic descendant who will build a house for the Lord and his throne and kingdom will last forever. February 24, 2018 by David Orton. Personalize. . This of course leads to the necessity of infant baptism. Gentry and Wellum have produced what will … While we could single out many other positive aspects of this book, perhaps the most important is how the authors describe the nature of biblical covenants. 13. The Importance of Covenants in Grasping the Bible’s Story. to continue reading. Being the The covenants are seen as the backbone for the metanarrative of Scripture. It is essential that we understand that the biblical covenants are progressive: they build on one another until they are fulfilled in Christ. Summary “Kingdom through Covenant is directly applicable to a pastor faithfully seeking understanding of God’s Word as it reveals the structure that supports the narrative of God’s message throughout time. ... God's Kingdom through God's Covenants. He grew up in the south and attended college in Alabama. The kingdom is established as God himself keeps both sides of the covenant. ... Summary. Through them God gave the Scriptures and through them God has illustrated many of His attributes, especially those of His faithfulness, love, and righteousness. In this shorter volume, the authors have laid out the central theme of the larger … The relationship of the covenants, therefore, will likewise be coherent and united. These covenants form the backbone of the Bible’s storyline. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012. The Bible itself presents an unfolding, unified plotline. But Kingdom through Covenant accomplishes just that. The Bible’s theology is not inconsistent, nor are the human authors writing things that are hermetically sealed from one another — on the contrary, every human author is led by the same Spirit to write the words of God that are ultimately part of one revelation. However, the biblical metanarrative is built on the unfaithfulness of the covenant partners and thus the progressive establishment of God’s kingdom through covenants over time. Whether they agree with them or not, Gentry and Wellum have not sufficiently interacted with the long history of covenant theologians in the Baptist tradition (one thinks of the 1689 London Baptist Confession, for example). We are all in the debt of Gentry and Wellum for this excellent study, and it is my hope that it is disseminated and discussed for years to come. texts need to be understood on the basis of their place in the canon — it is important to know what is revealed before and after them). Text: edit remove. The first is theological and logical, and the second is exegetical and structural. Each covenant is intended to advance God's saving program, which culminates in the new covenant's fulfillment. In the ancient Near East royal grant covenants and suzerain-vassal covenants were common. These types are fulfilled in Christ, which is where their true significance is seen. Since God’s revelation is progressive, parts must be read in light of the whole, and earlier parts must be interpreted in light of the revelation that comes later in time. New Covenant. “Kingdom through Covenant has helped me better understand the Bible as a continuous narrative. The remainder of this article is premium content. Become a member The destiny of the kingdom of God administered through Old Testament covenants reached its climax through the work of Christ in establishing the new covenant. Through Abraham, God will re-establish His rule in covenant relationship with His people. A canonical reading of texts is not optional but necessary. Covenant theology and dispensationalism are two popular theological systems that disagree about how the covenants are related — this disagreement is not merely theoretical, but generates a host of practical entailments for Christian theology and practice. The biblical covenants form the unifying thread of God’s saving action through Scripture. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012. Review by Fred G. Zaspel-- Hurricane Sandy was for our family not the disaster it was for so many, but it was a major inconvenience. God’s unified plan is revealed in the unified Scriptures, but this unity progresses and develops until its culmination in Christ. Chapter 2 The question will be asked, why another commentary on Romans? You are purchasing a digital product. In this abridgement of the groundbreaking book Kingdom through Covenant, a biblical scholar and a theologian offer readers an accessible overview of the overarching structure of the Bible. It is a rare book that is able to move from systematic theology to biblical theology to exegesis and then back again to theological synthesis. The NT contains several key passages that hinge on reading covenants and Scripture canonically. Gentry and Wellum also claim that this way of reading the biblical story lines results in a “via media” between covenant theology and dispensationalism. The covenants are seen as the backbone for the metanarrative of Scripture. 108, 125, 142) and thus keep God’s covenant by obeying his will (pp. Christ is the goal and fulfillment of every covenant. This book presents the central argument in the authors’ previous work Kingdom through Covenant in an abridged form. £28.99/$45.00. While these two errors are very different at a superficial level, Gentry and Wellum argue that they actually share a common problem: failing to understand the nature and symbolism of typology. In other words, the kingdom is established through the progressive fulfillment of God's covenants. God not only acts in time and space, he interprets his saving acts for us in Scripture. The New Covenant in Daniel’s Seventy Weeks 15. While some theologians argue that there are three covenants prior (the covenant of redemption, covenant of works, and covenant of grace), the first explicit covenant … Christopher R. Bruno Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012. of Kingdom through Covenant by a team of scholars who accept the basic biblical- ... the summary of this section will begin with the covenant made with Adam. The points in this chapter must be borne in mind when it comes to interpreting any of the biblical covenants. Therefore, Gentry and Wellum conclude, “God himself, as the covenant maker and keeper, must unilaterally act to keep his own promise through the provision of a faithful, obedient Son” (p. 668). Due to God’s intention and design, the Bible contains legitimate prophetic, typological realities. Because it is God’s revelation, everything in the Bible is true and trustworthy, and it is unified and coherent. Therefore, Gentry and Wellum conclude, “God himself, as the covenant maker and keeper, must unilaterally act to keep his own promise through the provision of a faithful, obedient Son” (p. 668). Scripture is God’s authoritative interpretation in verbal form of his redemptive acts. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. The study of the covenants provides a framework for understanding and applying the message of the Bible to life in the new covenant community. Since neither my space allowance nor your patience allows for a thorough summary of the book, we can only highlight a few key points by way of summary. Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants. One thinks of Rom 11, 2 Cor 3, Gal 3, Heb 8, or even Eph 2 as better candidates for careful examination in a book on the biblical covenants. First, because Romans provides the ABC’s of the Gospel, it is Christianity 101. It was formerly a print journal operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008. Quantity: 1 $ each. God’s Kingdom through God’s Covenants is the abridged version of Gentry and Wellum’s magisterial 2012 work, Kingdom through Covenant. Thus God’s kingdom is established through covenant. My suspicion is that such a treatment would have only strengthened the argument of this already outstanding exegetical study. Many evangelical Christians today find it difficult to believe that everything in Scripture after Genesis 3:15 concerns God’s kingdom administered through the unfolding of one covenant of grace. The majority of American evangelicals view Scripture as divided into periods of time governed by substantially different theological principles. In short, the authors see the biblical covenants as a means of fulfilling God's saving promises as outlined in previous covenants, with the goal of finally and fully establishing God's reign over his people. The problem seems to be that many self-professed covenant theologians are also advocates of credo-baptism. Both parties must meet the terms of the covenant. Sign In, God's Kingdom Through God's Covenants: A Concise Biblical Theology, High Quality, Excellent Content,Great community, Copyright © Books At a Glance | P.O. This is part 2 of a two-part review of Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum, Kingdom Through Covenant (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012). The discipline of biblical theology has been understood and attempted in different ways, but an evangelical approach recognizes that the Scriptures are God’s written Word and that all of their diversity is contained in a fundamental unity. The fundamental flaw of dispensationalism that Gentry and Wellum emphasize is insisting on the literal fulfillment of the land promises to the physical descendants of Abraham. My second critique takes considerably less space to explain because the authors have given us far less material to consider. In the former, kings gave special grants of privilege or possession to those they favored, while in the latter the greater would formalize obligations with the lesser. Introduction: Kingdom Through Covenant is written by Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum who both serve at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.Gentry is professor of Old Testament Interpretation and Wellum is professor of Christian Theology. Kingdom through Covenant is a careful exposition of how the biblical covenants unfold and relate to one another―a widely debated topic, critical for understanding the narrative plot structure of the whole Bible. That is to say, paedo-baptist covenant theology does not recognize the extent to which the new covenant is presently fulfilled. “The victory of that Kingdom … will be procured not by force or spectacular power, but by the sacrificial labor of God’s servant” (p. 149). The authors examine key issues of biblical and systematic theology, hermeneutics, and exegesis, all of which are necessary in order to come to a proper understanding of the significance of the covenants in God’s plan of redemption. Davidic Covenant – Unconditional The Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7) is an unconditional covenant. Kingdom Through Covenant presents a case for a via media between dispensationalism and covenant theology. Box 222, Kulpsville, PA 19443, THE PROGRESS OF DOCTRINE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, by Thomas D. Bernard, Book Notice: COMMENTARY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT, by Robert H. Gundry, Interview with Bradley G. Green, author of AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO: HIS LIFE AND IMPACT, John Frame: Author of SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY, David and Jonathan Gibson: Editors of FROM HEAVEN HE CAME AND SOUGHT HER, Kelly M. Kapic: Author of A LITTLE BOOK FOR NEW THEOLOGIANS. Category. The Abrahamic covenant, the Mosaic covenant, and the covenant that Jesus sealed with his own blood are all various expressions of one great covenant of grace. Biblical covenants are not contracts that are concerned with benefits and things — on the contrary. The kingdom is established as God himself keeps both sides of the covenant. The stated goal of the authors is to demonstrate the centrality of the covenant motif in both the plot of the Bible and the structure of Christian theology (p. 21). There is a marked progression as the covenants build on one another and move towards Jesus. The foundation to this claim is that each of the two systems has a central tenet that is fundamentally flawed. Covenants were made in Israel and across that nations of the ancient Near East. I have yet to read a better explanation of the conditional and unconditional aspects of all the biblical covenants. In this abridgement of the groundbreaking book Kingdom through Covenant, a biblical scholar and a theologian offer readers an accessible overview of the overarching structure of the Bible.Tracing the significance of the concept of "covenant" through both the Old and New Testaments, this book charts a middle way between covenant theology and dispensationalism--exploring th Tracing the significance of the concept of “covenant” through both the Old and New Testaments, this book charts a middle way between covenant theology and dispensationalism— Off the Record: Sorrow at Another’s Good? Already have an account? Romans: Kingdom through Covenant, Part 1. Davidic Covenant: God establishes David as king over Israel and promises to make his name great. One happy spot in it all, however,… Antioch School Hawai’i 70 %. “Kingdom through Covenant is hermeneutically sensitive, exegetically rigorous, and theologically rich—a first-rate biblical theology that addresses both the message and structure of the whole Bible from the ground up. This error leads to an unbiblical view of Israel and an expectation that the promised land of Palestine will be given to the geo-political nation of Israel during the millennial kingdom. Speaking the Truth in Love (Ephesians 4:15): Life in the New Covenant Community. 848 pp. That feat alone puts this volume ahead of most others. OT covenants may contain elements of both. Bible Personalization (1): $ 6.99 each. He’ll give David a royal kingdom in which the promises made to Abraham and Israel will be fulfilled through his lineage. Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants. They have staked out their position as a middle way between covenant theology and dispensationalism. The kingdom is established as God himself keeps both sides of … Dispensationalists have failed to see how the land promises were types of Christ as the king-not only of a small parcel of land in Palestine, but also of the whole earth. The purpose of the Abrahamic covenant, of course, is to continue God’s program of “kingdom through covenant” by means of Abraham’s family. However, I am not persuaded that the mostly solid arguments against infant baptism constitute in and of themselves an argument against covenant theology. As the authors demonstrate with careful attention to the exegetical details of every major covenant in the OT, all of the biblical covenants are in fact conditional. Covenants form the backbone of the Bible’s storyline, and God’s historical covenant making and covenant activity is essential to his revelation and a proper understanding of the work of Christ. However, while I find myself persuaded by the many of their arguments against infant baptism, I am not yet convinced that these constitute a complete argument against covenant theology. Progressive Covenantalism sees it-self as a version of New Covenant Theology, and New Covenant Theology itself is a revision, reformulation, of traditional Covenant Theology, one that refocuses the cov- Introduction: Kingdom Through Covenant is written by Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum who both serve at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.Gentry is professor of Old Testament Interpretation and Wellum is professor of Christian Theology. DeRouchie … While I have no complaints with their treatment of this text, closer attention to any number of NT texts likely would have served their purposes better. It is best to begin with the theological point, for the authors have clearly indicated that this was their goal in writing the book. This helpful definition of the kingdom is directly related to the biblical covenant. Summary . This book reveals the structure that supports the revelation of Gods message throughout time. In this abridgement of the groundbreaking book Kingdom through Covenant, a biblical scholar and a theologian offer readers an accessible overview of the overarching structure of the Bible. There is little doubt that Kingdom Through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants (hereafter KTC) is a significant work.It has already garnered much attention online (see here, here, and here for a sampling). The Mosaic Covenant. While some will disagree with me, I happen to think their critique of dispensationalism is, on the whole, rather solid. Published on October 1, 2015 by Todd Scacewater, Members click The New Covenant: Jeremiah 14. The provisions of the covenant of David therefore form a broad platform for the eschatology of Israel embodied in the Davidic kingdom. Kingdom through Covenant, a biblical scholar and a theologian offer readers an accessible overview of the overarching structure of the Bible. Since The Intolerance of Tolerance was published, readers have been sending me new examples they have spotted-examples of egregious intolerance masquerading in the name of tolerance... Themelios is a peer-reviewed international evangelical theological journal that expounds on the historic Christian faith. Proper biblical theology seeks to read Scripture as a divine revelation that progressively develops over and through time. Along with many others, I have long doubted the overly clinical distinction between covenants that fall into the unconditional/royal land grant and covenants of the conditional/suzerain-vassal type. 4. Being made in the image of God denotes Adam’s role as “servant-king” over God’s world. Kingdom Through Covenant presents a case for a via media between dispensationalism and covenant theology. The kingdom and covenant belong together. The review is written by Harrison Perkins. kingdom of salvation through the covenants of Scripture, all of which culminate in Jesus Christ–hence, “kingdom through covenant.” The second purpose of resolving “numerous theological differences” is the result of what naturally follows from this system. However, throughout the Bible, while God faithfully meets his covenant commitments, the human parties consistently fail to meet their obligations. Some of the most valuable and lasting contributions made to the Christian faith have come through Christian scholarship... Music, singing and emotions: what are the connections? The book is written with the conviction in mind that “biblical theology and systematic theology go hand in hand” (p. 11). 133, 170). God makes covenants in history that are interpreted in Scripture and which are organically related. . Kingdom through Covenant is an important book. Some of the more technical arguments of their first work are glossed over, but the main points with the main supporting arguments are presented in a clear and succinct manner. Summary Total; Items in Cart: Cart items subtotal: Close Personalize Your Bible. Just as his acts do not all take place at one time, his Word is not given all at one time. However, throughout the Bible, while God faithfully meets his covenant commitments, the human parties consistently fail to meet their obligations. To accomplish this goal, they begin with a prolegomena covering the current theological conversation surrounding the biblical covenants. God's Kingdom through God's Covenants is hermeneutically sensitive, exegetically rigorous, and theologically rich - a first-rate biblical theology that addresses both the message and the structure of the whole Bible from the ground up. Davidic Covenant. There is a marked progression as the covenants build on one another and move towards Jesus. It is therefore perhaps more accurate to say that while dispensationalism has an insufficient view of typology, paedo-baptist covenant theology has an under-realized view of typological fulfillment, for in the new covenant there is no gap between the sign (baptism) and the thing signified (circumcision of the heart). British Missionaries and the End of Empire: East, Central, and Southern Africa, 1939–1964, The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt, Theology in the Public Sphere: Public Theology as a Catalyst for Open Debate, Faith, Hope and the Global Economy: A Power for Good. From here, they introduce the key questions that they intend to address in the rest of the book. Kingdom through Covenant. Covenants in the Bible and the Ancient Near East. Gentry and Wellum have produced what will … Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015. Summary: In this abridgement of the groundbreaking book Kingdom through Covenant, a biblical scholar and a theologian offer readers an accessible overview of the overarching structure of the Bible. Peter J. Gentry and Steven J. Wellum, Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012). It is critical to understand the interrelationship of the biblical covenants. Part 3: Theological Integration 16. “Kingdom through Covenant”: A Biblical-Theological Summary 17. “Kingdom through Covenant”: Some Theological Implications The study of the covenants provides a framework for understanding and applying the message of the Bible to life in the new covenant community. Types are invariably connected with covenants. Covenants formalize relationships and carry obligations. While the authors do give space to the NT fulfillment of certain OT texts and themes, I was very surprised to find Eph4:15 as the only NT passage given its own chapter in a book that aims to present a biblical-theological understanding of the covenants. In brief, they contend that the rule (“Kingdom”) of God given to humanity but abandoned in the fall is restored for us by the Lord Jesus as promised and typified in the divine covenants. 146, 149, 156, 160), who through suffering have been given a clean heart (pp. Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants. When we engage in biblical theology, we must approach the text in light of what it is, which is the very Word of God. Even so, as in all other divine covenants, the basic dynamics of biblical covenants are evident in the new covenant in Christ. Theology. In the coming kingdom of God, in the new covenant inaugurated through Jesus’ own sacrifice, there is no need for a temple in Jerusalem, or anyplace else for that matter. Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum have produced a remarkable work. The book maintains that God establishes his kingdom through the biblical covenants, all of which point forward to, terminate in, and are fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Stephen J. Wellum (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is professor of Christian theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and editor of the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology. Thus biblical texts need to be read with a sensitivity to both their immediate context and to their location in God’s unfolding revelation (i.e. here for audio: Peter Gentry and Steve Wellum have produced the most extensive study of the biblical covenants published in over a century, arguing for what they call Progressive Covenantalism, a middle-way between Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology. Wellum, Stephen, and Peter Gentry. Gentry is professor of Old Testament interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Summary. In fact, it is somewhat ironic that this review falls under the heading of “New Testament,” at least in this journal, because the most glaring omission (at least to my NT eyes) is the lack of serious and sustained interaction with the key covenant texts in the NT. Following Goldsworthy’s lead, Vaughan Roberts summarizes the concept of the kingdom as follows: “God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule and blessing.”7. ... Summary. The book is written with the conviction in mind that “biblical theology and systematic theology go hand in hand” (p. 11). If any editors from Crossway happen upon this review, I would like to make a suggestion: perhaps the most effective way to get this book into the hands of pastors in a readable and accessible way would be through publishing a condensation along the lines of the summary of Thomas Schreiner's Magnifying God in Christ: A Summary of New Testament Theology. Gentry, Peter J., and Stephen J. Wellum. The strength of the book is in the way the issues are laid out in the first part of the book, as well as the summary and theological implications in the third part. Written by Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum, The Writing Pastor:  An Essay on Spiritual Formation, Music, Singing, and Emotions: Exploring the Connections, The Present and Future of Biblical Theology1. While we could certainly discuss other critiques of classical covenant theology that I happen to agree with, the authors give most attention to infant baptism. Answer: The Davidic Covenant refers to God’s promises to David through Nathan the prophet and is found in 2 Samuel 7 and later summarized in 1 Chronicles 17:11–14 and 2 Chronicles 6:16. The book seeks to provide a third way between “covenant theology” and “dispensationalism” through an impressive collection of exegetical and … Wheaton: Crossway, 2012. Summary The strength of the book is in the way the issues are laid out in the first part of the book, as well as the summary and theological implications in the third part. It is only when Scripture is interpreted this way that a proper foundation is laid for systematic theology, which is the discipline that seeks to apply Scripture to every area of life. Peter J. Gentry (PhD, University of Toronto) is professor of Old Testament interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and director of the Hexapla Institute. After all the groundwork and exegesis, the book closes with a discussion on the implications of this middle way. They were made to operate at different levels, from individual agreements to national and international treaties. 304 pp., $19.99. They are viewing the development of the covenants (the “s” is also an … Foundationally, they argue that “it is through the biblical covenants that God’s kingdom comes to this word centered in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ” (p. 591). The six major biblical covenants are the covenant with creation, Noah, Abraham, the covenant made at Sinai, the covenant with David, and the new covenant. Because of the fulfillment that is found in Christ, the relationship between the biblical covenants is marked by both continuity and discontinuity, tied largely to promises made and fulfilled.