KNOWING JESUS THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT

Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament

Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament

Introduction

Christopher J. H. Wright. (PhD. Cambridge) is director of International Ministries for the Lang ham Partnership International (known in the US as John Stott Ministries). Formerly he taught Old Testament and served as principal of All Nations College in Ware? England. He is a prolific writer; his books include An Eye for an Eye: The Place of Old Testament? The Mission of God? and Old Testament Ethics for the People of God.

In Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament? Wright surveys the Hebrew Bible to discover Jesus' identity. Through the informed data of the OT? the author takes the reader back to the Hebraic roots of Jesus? his identity? his mission and teachings. Wright argues that Jesus gave meaning and validity to the events of Israel's Old Testament narrative.

Summary

Wright offers an imaginative and informed account of the life and ministry of Jesus rooted in a deep Hebraic faith. He masterfully links patterns? customs? types in the Hebrew Bible with the person of Jesus Christ. Wright connects Jesus' mission with the very mission of Israel.

Wright gives five chapters to describe the narrative of Jesus in light of his Jewishness. Each division of the book focuses on a main theme? and each theme substantiates the author's main idea. The thematic factors that follow the course of the book and drive its content are: Chapter one: Jesus and the Old Testament Story? chapter two: Jesus and the OT Promise? chapter three: Jesus and his OT Identity? Chapter four: Jesus and his OT Mission? and finally Jesus and his OT Values is discussed in chapter five.

Wright correctly observes that? “We cannot know Jesus without knowing his story.” This story is found deeply in Jesus' Jewish traditions. Throughout the book? Wright attempts to integrate Israel's own story with Jesus' life. He demonstrates a great deal of similirarities between these two. Jesus' life events are linked with those of Israel. As Israel's Messiah? Jesus therefore represents Israel in a particular way. For example? Wright illustrates and compares Israel's failures to yield to the terms of the covenant with Jesus' absolute obedience to the [God's] law.

Chapter one emphasizes the importance of the genealogy of Jesus given by Matthew (1:1-17). Wright contends that “we will only understand Jesus properly if we see him in the light of this story which he completes and brings to its climax.” For the story points to Jesus and Jesus makes it his own? by brining it to competition. Wright also adds that Jesus incessantly sheds light backward on it and follows the Matthean genealogical model to describe Jesus' Judaic origin. His way of noting this is worth noting. First? Wright observes the reference to God's promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3); second? God's choice of David to be Israel's King and so depicts the eternal kingdom of the coming Messiah. In other words? the author follows strictly Matthew's prologue: (1) From Abraham to David? 92) From David to the ...