Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method

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Summary: For Every Preaching Seeking to Speak for God
Review: Greidanus is already known for his other works on preaching from ancient texts. Here in Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, Greidanus wants to safeguard the modern preacher from reading Jesus Christ back into the OT, and seeks to assist the preacher to develop better skills--models, hermeneutics--to utilize the OT to preach the redemptive historical meaning of the text. I believe the shallowness and impotent preaching that pounds the pulpit in most Americanized churches stems from the poor hermeneutical and exegetical skills of most preachers. Reading a book like Preaching Christ from the OT will give the modern preacher a better framework to think about, in this case, OT texts and how they should and could be preached. Most how to preaching books concentrate on style or application--that is so utilitarian and practical American ingenuity. Greidanus brings us back to where the power of preaching comes from--the text of Scripture and how we handle it.

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Summary: A Review of Preaching Christ from the OT
Review: In this work, Greidanus takes up his pen to develop a theme he only touched upon in his previous work, "The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text." This is the theme of preaching Christ. The bold departure that this book makes is that Christ should also be the very center of every sermon from the OT.

At this point one may seem skeptical to ask if he is suggesting that preachers should read Christ into OT texts that were not historically about Christ. He addresses this both historically and methodologically with a firm no.

The thought of the book progresses smoothly and naturally. The first four chapters of the book are an historical survey of preaching Christ throughout Church history. This survey focuses in on the Patristic and Reformation periods.

In the last four chapters, Greidanus turns to a viable methodology for preaching Christ from the OT. For Greidanus, (who is firmly anchored in Dutch Reformed covenant theology), Christ is the center of all of the history of remption to which all the OT institutions and events ultimately pointed.

The work is both timely and provocative. It is sure to challenge any average preacher, especially those who deliver a steady diet of New Testament based sermons.

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Summary: One of the most helpful books on preaching that I've read
Review: Preachers face a wide range of homiletical choices, and many disagree about what counts for "good preaching." In light of first-century options, the Apostle Paul stood with this plain conviction: "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Cor 1:23). Likewise, Greidanus' burden is crystal-clear: "In preaching any part of Scripture, one must understand its message in the light of that center, Jesus Christ" (p. 227).

Greidanus, professor of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary, blends hermeneutics and homiletics to help pastors work out their commitment to Christ-centered preaching. First, he demonstrates the necessity of preaching Christ and preaching from the Old Testament (chs. 1-2). He then surveys the instructive but rather checkered history of christological interpretation as expressed in preaching from apostolic to modern times (chs. 3-4). The theoretical foundation of the book which follows is a well-illustrated treatment of seven biblical ways in which the testaments are united in Christ (chs. 5-6). These are the ways of redemptive-historical progression, promise-fulfillment, typology, analogy, longitudinal themes, New Testament references, and contrast. He concludes by laying out a 10-step process for the construction of Christ-centered sermons and invites the student into his study (so to speak) to work through the process with six separate messages (chs. 7-8).

Given the challenges of interpreting the Old Testament christologically and the temptations to engage in man-centered preaching, pastors desperately need encouragement and help to address the Church and world today with genuine Christ-centered, biblical preaching. Readers will immediately notice the Reformed theological framework of the book and may take issue with some individual interpretations, but none should miss or minimize the enormous help it offers. Greidanus is hermeneutically convincing and homiletically sound. This book will inspire you with fresh possibilities for presenting the life-changing message of Jesus!