Interpreting the Psalms by Mark D. Futato

December 6, 2007December 6, 2007 Tony Reinke BR > Kregel, Exegesis, Psalms

book announcement
Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook (Kregel: 2007)
by Mark D. Futato

“Futato takes his student by the hand through the complexities of Hebrew poetry, soars high to get a bird’s eye view of the book and its themes, returns to earth and deftly guides through the thorny patch of textual criticism, gives ‘Aha’ moments in explaining form criticism and how the Psalter’s categories refer to Christ, and ends with practical pointers on how to preach the book. Next time I teach the Book of Psalms this will be my text.”’

— Bruce Waltke, Professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary

Notes: A background in Hebrew will help the reader grasp the details of this book. However, preachers with little or no Hebrew background will also benefit from most of the discussion. … The section comparing the old/new perspectives on Hebrew parallelism is especially helpful (see pp. 37-41). In the past, interpreters like C.S. Lewis have concluded that parallels in the Psalms were redundant. Futato argues these parallels display “the art of saying something similar in both cola but with a difference added in the second colon” (p. 38). With this new understanding of Hebrew parallelism the interpreter is less likely to “flatten the text” and will glean “a richer reading” from these parallels (p. 40). … The book also excels in explaining the overarching themes of the Psalter. It may have been better titled, An Exegetical and Theological Handbook. A very helpful new volume.

The Law of Kindness by Mary Beeke

December 6, 2007December 6, 2007 Tony Reinke BR > Reformation Heritage Books, Children, Cross of Christ, Cross-centered life, Joel R. Beeke, Marriage, Wives

Today I have the honor of pointing you to Mary Beeke’s new book, The Law of Kindness: Serving with Heart and Hands (Reformation Heritage: 2007).

My wife and I have enjoyed brief but precious time with the Beeke family and have benefited from Mary’s display of kindness. As the mother of three kids and the wife of a busy seminary president, author, and pastor — Mary’s many duties are fulfilled in a display of selflessness and kindness. She is, in the words of Sinclair Ferguson, “Mrs. Kindness personified.”

Her new book was written to help the reader cultivate kindness. The book covers topics such as understanding kindness and its root (chs. 1-3), learning kindness as a wife, parent, or teacher (Mary was a teacher), and helping children and teens learn kindness (chs. 4-9). Finally, she concludes with chapters on the display of kindness: kind thoughts, kind words, and kindness displayed toward the needy (chs. 10-13).

It’s a book intended for a broad audience, not limited to wives and mothers.

The Kind Husband

The Law of Kindness features a very helpful chapter (ch. 5: “The Kind Husband”) written by Mary’s husband, Dr. Joel Beeke (also an example of kindness). His chapter sets out to help husbands understand and apply Ephesians 5:25-29. Dr. Beeke begins his chapter with a proper awareness of the Cross.

He writes:

We are to show our wives loving-kindness because we are to treat our wives the way Christ treats His bride, the church. This is what Paul is saying in Ephesians 5:25-29. Here are three ways we are to show our wives loving-kindness:

1. Absolutely. Christ gives “Himself” for His bride — His total self (v. 25). He holds nothing back. That is obvious from what He has done (think of Calvary), is doing (think of His constant intercession at the Father’s right hand), and what He will do (think of His Second Coming). We, of course, do not merit salvation for ourselves. But in terms of the consistent, absolute giving of loving-kindness, Christ is our mentor. We, too, are to give ourselves to our wives. That is a call to consistent, absolute loving-kindness.

2. Realistically and purposely. Christ shows kindness to His bride to sanctify her so that He might present her without spot or wrinkle to His Father (vv. 26-27). Christ realizes that His church is far from perfect; she has many spots and wrinkles. She has numerous shortcomings. So we as husbands are to love our wives as if they were perfect, even when we know they are not. Our call and challenge is not to show consistent loving-kindness to a perfect woman but to model Christ in showing consistent loving-kindness to an imperfect wife who has numerous shortcomings. Our purposeful goal must be to influence our wife to good, hoping that our kind love may remove some of the shortcomings, so that our partners may receive freedom to flourish, basking in our kindness.

3. Sacrificially. Christ nourishes and cherishes His bride at His own expense (vv. 28-29). So ought we husbands treat our wives at our own expense with the care that we treat our own bodies. If you have something in your eye, you don’t say to yourself, “I think I’ll take care of that tomorrow.” You give it immediate, tender care. So we ought to treat our wives, sacrificing, at times, our own time and desires. We must care for, protect, nurture, and respect our wives as we would our own bodies.

Are you showing your wife the exemplary loving-kindness of Christ absolutely, realistically, purposely, and sacrificially? “No,” you confess, “that is impossible.” You are wrong, my friend. Yes, you will always fall short of the mark of perfection since you are not Christ, but by Christ’s grace and His Spirit, you can learn to treat your wife with Christlike loving-kindness (pp. 72-73).

The majority of the chapter explains very practical ways that husbands can display loving-kindness towards their wives.

Conclusion

I believe The Law of Kindness is Mary Beeke’s first official book project. Her writing style is very energetic and engaging. She is unafraid to discuss personal issues and offers much practical advice for wives to display kindness towards their husbands and children. Her words in chapter nine challenge children and teens to display kindness, too. And her expressed appreciation for her husband is itself a model of kindness. For example, she concludes the introduction with these words:

“Words fail to express my gratitude to my dear husband, Joe, for his steadfast love and tenacious support of me. He has encouraged me to continue writing about this subject that I love so much, in spite of times when I felt completely unworthy to do so. He has overlooked dust and clutter and has offered to take the family out to eat more times than he probably should have, so I could have time to write. I am deeply grateful to God for this man who lives by the law of kindness” (p. 7).

Whether in wise counsel, practical illustrations, or even in the way they talk about one another in the book, the Beeke family displays the law of kindness. It’s a rich blessing for the church to now have their influence in book form.

Title: The Law of Kindness: Serving with Heart and Hands
Author: Mary Beeke with one chapter by Joel Beeke
Reading level: 2.0/5.0 > readable and engaging
Boards: paperback
Pages: 247
Volumes: 1
Dust jacket: no
Binding: glue
Paper: white and clean
Topical index: no
Scriptural index: yes
Features: 17-pages of study questions
Text: perfect type
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Year: 2007
Price USD: $ 9.00 from RBH
ISBNs: 9781601780294

What I Learned in a Spiritual Storm

December 4, 2007December 4, 2007 Tony Reinke Depression, Faith, Trials

Only a few men have the joy and privilege of being part of Jon Bloom’s care group. I am one of them. The wisdom of this one man has made a deep impact in my life and I am grateful for his humility, wisdom, and counsel.

Jon is also the Executive Director of Desiring God and has written a very helpful article titled, What I Learned in a Spiritual Storm.

After months of darkness, light pierced the clouds. My storm didn’t stop suddenly, but it gradually lost power and dissipated and I flew into clear skies. God’s promises again proved reliable instruments. I didn’t crash. In fact, the storm served me very well. I learned more than ever before how to “walk (or fly) by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). I thank God for every minute of that frightening storm.

I would encourage you to read the entire post.

An Old Testament Theology by Bruce K. Waltke

December 4, 2007December 12, 2007 Tony Reinke Book reviews, BR > Zondervan, Old Testament

Although I rarely purchase books at conferences, I spend a lot of time in conference bookstores. Part of this is purely because I’ve got some strains of N-E-R-D in my DNA. But I also linger around conference bookstores to watch and listen to what titles excite pastors. Which books get the most play? Which books sell out? Which books go untouched?

Focusing a bit of attention on a conference bookstore can prove revealing.

At Together for the Gospel ’06 in Louisville I noted Mark Dever’s two volumes of sermons throughout the entire Bible were recently released and both were on sale. One volume contained the sermons through the New Testament [The Message of the New Testament (Crossway: 2006)] and the other volume contained his sermons through the Old Testament [The Message of the Old Testament (Crossway: 2006)]. They were about the same size, price, format, and design — presented at the conference in equally tall stacks, sitting side-by-side. But despite these similarities, I noticed the Old Testament volume was selling much quicker than the New Testament. In fact, I had planned to make a rare conference purchase, only to be surprised the Old Testament volumes were soon gone! A pile of New Testament volumes remained on much later in the conference.

Both volumes were well received (as they should have). Mark Dever’s gift of overview sermons is obvious and a great blessing to the Church. But also obvious was a pronounced interest in young, Reformed pastors to understand the theology and storyline of the Old Testament.

I think it’s fair to say that for many pastors, the theology and storyline of the Old Testament is veiled in the shadows. Sure, we understand the first Adam and the second Adam, the first David and the second David, and the contours of the Abrahamic covenant. But do we truly understand how all those (sometimes very odd) Old Testament details fit together?

I’ll be the first to say, No. My understanding of the Old Testament narratives and theology is woefully inadequate.

One new book has set out to help — An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Approach (Zondervan: 2007) by Bruce Waltke. At 1,040 pages and 67-ounces, it’s not the biggest volume published this year (the Banner of Truth just unleashed a 100-ounce volume!), but it’s one of the most useful. I would argue this is one of the top-five most important books published in 2007.

Among reformed Old Testament scholars, Waltke is among the best. Just a glance through his biography at the Reformed Theological Seminary website and it becomes apparent his career has been fruitful. This new work is billed as the culmination of his lifelong work.

An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Approach provides a detailed walk through the Old Testament narratives and theology. Waltke provides exceptional outlines to help the reader follow the flow of events and view the theological value at each step.

I would suggest the best way to familiarize yourself with the content is to browse the book at the Zondervan website here.

Identity Crisis?

With my theological background I lean towards premillenial dispensationalism. Waltke, however, is no dispensationalist, and thinks “classical dispensationalism” – by dividing God’s relationship between Israel, Gentiles, and the Church – has been partly to blame in the contemporary ignorance of the Old Testament (pp. 42-43). I think that’s a fair critique. But Waltke has also learned from dispensational theology and carefully appreciates the continuity and discontinuity with the Old Testament (p. 21). His presentation is sensitive to schools of differing theology.

But even a dispensationalist can appreciate Waltke’s emphasis on the Old Testament and its value in helping us to understand our identity as God’s children.

Our church culture is in a bit of an identity crisis. How do we relate to culture? Where do we fit? What identifies us as the Church? Add this to the Emergent emphasis on embarking on a journey — and that journey being presented as an end in itself — and I think it’s possible for some to say the Church is struggling with an identity crisis.

For the purpose of forming our identity as God’s children, Waltke is especially helpful. Take this one excerpt:

“The Old Testament contains much that seems trivial to the modern Christian. That is because we fail to understand the functions of these texts. Aside from teaching us about God, sin, and the need for redemption, a significant portion of the Old Testament recounts the history of the people of God. These are the narratives that constitute the memories of the Christian community. These memories inform our identity as Christians. Thus, Abraham is our spiritual father. His story becomes part of our past. The exodus, the monarchy of Israel and Judah, and the exile cease to be ancient tales of a distant people, but the triumphs and tragedies of our own history. Moreover, its ceremonial laws, such as abstaining from ‘unclean’ foods are ‘visual aids’ to instruct God’s people of all ages to be pure. …

… the stories of the Old Testament communicate at a level beyond cognitive propositions. They challenge us to identify with Abraham as our father, to share his faith that rejoices to see the day of Jesus Christ, and to look forward to a heavenly city whose builder and maker is God. They engender a transformed self-perception and an altered worldview. This is one of the most powerful functions of the Old Testament; unfortunately, it is also one of the least understood among the community of faith. In sum, a goal of this theology is to help the covenant community understand their identity as the people of God within the context of the memories and hopes proclaimed in the Old Testament. In short, biblical theology ‘is that learning by which a human being is made whole’” (p. 14).

And earlier, Waltke wrote:

“In the Bible we sail on the clouds to heaven, submarine down to the depths of our hearts, and are transported back to ancient kingdoms that serve as paradigms for interpreting the present. The Bible explores and answers with authority the most fundamental issues facing human beings: Who are we? What is the world and our place in it? How can we find happiness in this conflicted world? How do we deal with choices that confront us, and what happens as a result? This is the stuff of great literature, and the Bible is the greatest expression of it. This book is a profession of faith – a reasoning faith, I hope, and reasonable: what Saint Anselm called ‘faith out on a quest to know’” (p. 10).

This emphasis on helping the Church find Her identity – on a journey to understand – is perhaps the great strength of Waltke’s new work. This will happen as An Old Testament Theology equips expositors to grow more comfortable in the Old Testament narratives and encourages them to work through large sections of the Old Testament. Unashamedly, it’s an Old Testament theology for the Church.

“Indeed, it would not be an exaggeration to claim that the Bible is the fount of life, the source of identity, and the supreme arbiter of ethics. Therefore, it makes sense that a book written about the theology of the Old Testament should be written for the church. After all, this people has more at stake in understanding the Bible’s message than anybody else – they are the ones committed to live out fully the implications of that message to the point of dying for its truth” (p. 19).

Conclusion

On my shelf An Old Testament Theology will sit next to The Message of the Old Testament by Mark Dever (Crossway: 2006) and Old Testament Theology by Paul House (IVP: 1998). All three are good but I think Waltke will best serve expositors and theologians as they help the Church define Her identity.

J.I. Packer calls this volume “pure gold.” I would certainly agree that Waltke’s new book is excellent. And if I’m reading you correctly, Waltke is one volume that many pastors and Christian readers will find timely and necessary.

Title: An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Approach
Author: Bruce K. Waltke
Reading level: 3.0/5.0 > moderately difficult
Boards: hardcover
Pages: 1,040
Volumes: 1
Dust jacket: no
Binding: glue (not sewn)
Paper: white and clean
Topical index: yes (extensive)
Scriptural index: yes (extensive)
Text: perfect type
Publisher: Zondervan
Year: 2007
Price USD: $29.24 from Westminster; $29.95 from MB
ISBNs: 0310218977, 9780310218975

Banner goes miniature. Banner goes gargantuan.

December 2, 2007December 3, 2007 Tony Reinke BR > Banner of Truth, Funny business

The recent wave of releases from Banner of Truth added two books to my library – one the smallest book in my library, the second, the largest and heaviest book in my library.

Remember to lift with your legs when you pick up the mammoth, 100-ounce(!), Works of Andrew Fuller (Banner of Truth: 2007). And at 11.25-inches tall, it’s also the tallest book in my library. You can afford this volume by canceling your gym membership. You won’t need the gym. Just crisscross your arms over this tome on your chest while doing sit-ups. Guaranteed sculpted abs! Put this volume in a backpack and you’re ready for walking lunges. The Banner is one infomercial away from a real publishing breakthrough.

Which is funny because in the same box arrived a wee little 3-ounce book titled The Loveliness of Christ: Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford (Banner of Truth: 2007). Don’t judge this book by its density.

Here is a brief look at where these new Banner titles weigh into my library:

Heaviest books (single volumes)

100 oz. – The Works of Andrew Fuller (Banner of Truth)
71 oz. – A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (Soli Deo Gloria)
71 oz. – Systematic Theology by Robert Duncan Culver (Christian Focus)
70 oz. – Archeological Study Bible (Zondervan)
67 oz. – An Old Testament Theology by Bruce Waltke (Zondervan)
62 oz. – An Exposition of Hosea by Jeremiah Burroughs (Reformation Heritage)
57 oz. – Christ Crucified by James Durham (Naphtali Press)

Lightest books (each with weighty content, of course)

7 oz. – The Truth of the Cross by R.C. Sproul (Reformation Trust)
4 oz. – Christ Our Mediator by C.J. Mahaney (Multnomah)
3 oz. — The Loveliness of Christ by Samuel Rutherford (Banner of Truth)

Both fresh Banner titles look great and please join us later in the week when we look at them individually. But tomorrow we look at Waltke’s new 67-ounce, An Old Testament Theology (Zondervan: 2007).

The Living Church by John Stott

December 2, 2007December 3, 2007 Tony Reinke BR > IVP, John Stott

Book announcement
The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor
by John Stott

“Young pastors with a love for Jesus’ church will be blessed by this timely gift from one of the most important evangelical voices.” Mark Driscoll, pastor, Mars Hill Church, and president, Acts 29 Church Planting Network

“Vintage Stott: faithful, rigorous biblical exposition; crystal clarity; challenging contemporary applications with plenty of punch; great wisdom.” Vaughan Roberts, author, God’s Big Picture

“I have relied on John Stott’s books for decades as both guides to practice and nourishment to belief. Our church, Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City, has attempted to incarnate all that I, and a generation or more of Christians, have learned from him. This new book promises to be just as helpful in navigating modern controversies and issues.” Dr. Timothy Keller, senior pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City