What is Biblical Theology? By James M. Hamilton Jr.
I
love Biblical Theology. I love it
because Jim Hamilton inspired me to love it. I love it because it makes me love my Bible and the God that
it reveals. I am privileged to
have studied with Dr. Jim Hamilton at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jim was not only my
professor, but pastor, and friend.
I could not have been more happy to see this little manual (128pp), What is Biblical Theology?, published
because it gives me one more staring point in sharing the passion I learned
from Jim for God’s Word with my friends.

In What is Biblical Theology? Jim
communicates an intense passion for the Word (and I would expect nothing less). It is in the Bible that we experience
God. We come to know Him by
learning to read well his revelation of Himself (20). And that is what Biblical Theology is, “learning to read the
Bible from the Bible itself” (20).
Jim’s main Hope is that after reading his work “you want more – more of
the Bible” since it is the seat of God’s self-revelation (21).
What is Biblical Theology? is broken up into three
parts: part 1 recounts the Bible’s big story; creation, fall, redemption,
restoration, part 2 explains the parlance of Biblical Theologians; what do they
mean by symbols, imagery, typology, and patterns, and part 3 puts what the
reader has learned to use as the Bible’s love story is laid out. What is really great about the whole
book is that it is teaching you Biblical Theology by doing it throughout. Jim cannot describe Biblical typology
without showing you amazing types in the Bible! Not only does he show you amazing connections in the Bible,
but He applies their significance to life. This is Biblical Theology done well. I guarantee the reader will find
something new about the word of God through Jim’s explanation of Biblical
Theology. As an example, my mind
was blown on page 51 where Jim describes the way Isaiah’s reflections on David
influenced the writing of his prophecy of the suffering servant.
The
mystery and surprise to Jim’s work is its radical focus on the church! This is a really refreshing breath of
air in the midst of an evangelical culture that regularly tears down the bride
of Christ. Through good Biblical theology modeled Jim tackles the question, “If the church is so special in
God’s program, why does it seems so unimpressive?” (97). I will leave the answer to this
question for the reader to discover.
Jesus will marry His righteous, redeemed bride.
My
only critique of What is BiblicalTheology? is that those looking for a didactic cut and dry guide to
Biblical theology may find themselves lost in the sea of imagery that is
throughout the book. Jim loves the
imagery of the Bible and cannot speak about the Bible or life but by talking in
the Bible’s imagery about its imagery.
This is the mark of a true Biblical Theologian! By nature of my
relationship to Jim, I knew exactly what he was saying, but someone fresh to
the discipline of Biblical Theology may find himself or herself grasping for an
anchor. My advice for that reader
is to take the ride. Relax in the
imagery of the Bible and let it wash over your soul again and again until the
Holy Spirit sets his anchor by giving you eyes to see and ears to hear.
Hearing
the big story of the Bible for the first time was my biggest take away from
Seminary. I am saddened that I had to what so long for something so critical to
the way I read my Bible. But you
don’t have to go to seminary to get the story of the Bible. I highly encourage you to pick up What is Biblical Theology?. Biblical Theology helps Christians
understand that the classic literature narrative of hope, salvation, and the
defeat of evil is true! And God is
the original author of this grand story line that we love! As Jim says, “Biblical Theology… [is] a
way of getting out of a false world into the real one, a transporter enabling
us to inhabit the story of the Scriptures” (97).
Hamilton,
James M. What is Biblical Theology?: A
Guide to the Bible’s Story, Symbolism, and Patterns. Wheaton, IL: Crossway,
2014. 128pp. $12.99
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