LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW

KNOWING JESUS THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT

BY CHRISTOPHER J.H.WRIGHT

SUBMITTED TO DR. STEVEN GUEST

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE COURSE,

OBST 591-D04

BY

GREG FLOYD

MARYVILLE, TN.

28 NOVEMBER 2010
 CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW: KNOWING JESUS THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT

I. Introduction

The Old Testament is often overlooked and underestimated in worth by the everyday

Christian pew sitter. Children will learn of Old Testament stories in church stretching from the

very beginning of Adam and Eve, to Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and Jonah. Those stories are more

than just good flannel-graph and power-point presentations; they are God’s special revelation of

written desire to call all mankind to Himself. Rev. Dr. Christopher J. H. Wright in his book,

Knowing Jesus: Through the Old Testament, slips past the cute stories we heard as children to the

most special part of revelation by understanding Jesus purposes therein. Wright was born into a

missionary family who later went on to study at Cambridge receiving his doctorate in the field of

Old Testament economic ethics. He has been a high school teacher, an Anglican pastor in

England, an author, a missionary to India, the academic dean of All Nations Christian College,

and more recently appointed by John Stott to oversee Langham Partnership International.1 It is

his ministry experience and doctoral understanding of the Old Testament that will truly enrich

the readers of this book. Wright’s intention in, Knowing Jesus: Through the Old Testament, is to

help one understand that the Old Testament was essential in shaping Jesus personal

distinctiveness, drive and doctrine.

II. Brief Summary

Rev. Dr. Wright has compiled a detailed description of what Jesus must have understood

through studying the Hebrew Scriptures as a child and young adult prior to the start of His

physical earthly ministry. The corresponding five chapters are designed is such a way to help the

reader understand the complete necessity of Jesus fulfilling all that was prophesized about his

1
http://www.langhampartnership.org/chris-wright/biography/

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life for the purposes of reaching all the nations with the love of God.

Wright quickly makes it obvious that it was essential for Jesus to have known the Hebrew

Scriptures that reveal His own distinctive characteristics. The opening chapter takes the first

seventeen verses of Matthew’s Gospel for more than just a lineage from Abraham to David to the

birth of Jesus to prove messianic lineage. Matthew starts with the genealogy of Jesus from as far

back as Abraham but his choice of the word “genealogy” is the same word translated “genesis”

in the Greek Septuagint. This sets the stage for beginnings as in the creation and in the

beginnings of a New Covenant (ex. Abrahamic and Davidic Covenant) “God is doing his ‘new

thing’.” (Wright 8)

I. Brief Summary (1–2 pages: no more than 20% of your review)

a. Do not state what every single chapter is about; instead, capture the main idea(s)
of the book along with the underlining subtopics and themes.
b. Briefly overview what the book as a whole is about as well as the issues, themes,
and solutions Wright presents.
c. Identify the main thrust of the book and differentiate between the central and
peripheral ideas.
II. Critical Interaction with the Book (2–4 pages: around 70% of your review)
a. Do not discuss your agreement or disagreement with Wright’s perspective;
instead, try to recognize what the author’s points are and what theological issues
are prevalent.
b. Document your assessment of Wright. If you make a judgment of Wright’s
opinion, give an example along with a footnote to designate where this can be
observed.
c. Where is Wright coming from? Identify his theological and biblical perspectives
on the subject.
d. What is Wright’s goal?
e. Does Wright prove his point? Why or why not? How?
f. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Wright’s arguments?
g. Document any published reviews of this book. Explain relevant issues or
questions raised by these reviews.

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 h. What important works have been written on this same subject? How does Wright
compare to others in terms of content, approach, style, etc.?
i. How might any person such as a lay reader or pastor use the book’s ideas in the
real world of relationships and ministry? How can he use the book’s information
in his own Bible study/interpretation and ministry? This is where your own
perspective is admissible.
III. Conclusion (half-page maximum)
a. Bring together all your interactions with the book and wrap up your review by
conveying how well you think Wright achieved his goals and to what degree his
purpose was achieved.
b. If you are of a different theological persuasion than Wright, how does he conflict
with your preconceptions?
c. In what ways does the book make you think?
d. With what questions does Wright leave you?

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