Review of “Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament” by Christopher J.H. Wright

Review of “Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament” by Christopher J.H. Wright

Introduction

“Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament” is written by Christopher J.H. Wright and was published in 1995. In this book, a defined argument for the existence of the Jesus of the New Testament is outlined by the author, as observed from the Old Testament. Right from the beginning of the book, it is evident that through his book, Wright wanted his readers to know deeper about the life of Jesus while presenting them a side of Jesus' life that is not often researched in the current evangelical culture.

Wright is a son of missionary parents and that is why he had great religious influence. He had served as an associate pastor, ordained in the Anglican Church of England as well. He has authored several books centering the interaction with the God, Old Testament and the Holy Spirit.

Brief Summary of the Book

The thesis of Wright is that the story of Jesus cannot be fully known until or unless it is not seen in the light of rather longer story which dates back to many centuries. He works his thesis out in the five chapters which he has summarized at the end of the book. According to Wright, Old Testament sketches out the story which is completed by Jesus. The OT announces the promise which Jesus fulfilled. It offers a model and the pictures which shaped identity of Jesus. The Old Testament plans a mission which Jesus accepted and worked upon. The Old Testament is the teacher of moral orientation to God and the world which he authorized, honed, and laid as the basis for dutiful followers.

Wright argues that one cannot fully understand the mission and identity of Jesus until he does not completely understand the story of Old Testament. The author picks up Matthew 1-4 and explores its suggestions and proposition all through the book. He starts with Matthew 1: 1-17 in order to develop a link between the story of Israel and life of Jesus. The lineage of Matthews concludes the lineage of Jesus, making the stage for Jesus as the execution of Israel's redemption. According to the author, Israel did not come up to be the blessing to the world, so the Jesus did what Israel could not do. He is referred by Wright as the highlight and completion of the hope of Israel as well as the commencement of the nations' hope. Owing to this fact, it is evident that the major theme in the book is the “Jewishness” of Jesus. This theme takes its complete shape in chapter three where the Old Testament identity of Jesus is analyzed by the author as it communicates to his self-understanding.

The first third of the book is used to discuss about Israel and salvation of God through a process and the second two thirds of the book is structured around the Old Testament identity of ...