WiseReader

This article first appeared in ChristianWeek (June 6, 2008). 

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Christian bloggers, journalists, authors, pastors and theologians - their single-string harps playing monotonously similar tunes - lament the biblical illiteracy of Christians today. Whether or not biblical illiteracy is at its lowest point in Christian history, I cannot say, but there seems to be ample evidence supporting the contention that today’s Christians are far less biblically informed than they ought to be.

In his stimulating article, “The Poverty of Love” (Christianity Today, May, 2008), Bradley Nassif writes about the early 4^th century Christian community of desert fathers and mothers whose passionate love for God translated into vibrant discipleship. I was surprised at Nassif’s claim that the literacy rate of these desert communities was a mere 4 percent as compared to 75 percent today. Though he does not say, I’m assuming the 75 percent refers to our contemporary Christian community.

Having highlighted this sharp contrast in literacy rates, and I do not know the source of his information, Nassif notes:

There is more Bible knowledge available now than at any other time in human history.

Given the apparent crisis of biblical ignorance among Christians today, Nassif’s observation is startling. But I think the operative word here is available. Without doubt, contemporary Christians - certainly so in North America - have a glut of resources from which to draw. But, are Christians making good use of the best available resources?

Rather than promote the latest formulaic “Five Steps to a Healthy Biblical Literacy” style book, I’m asking Christian pastors and leaders to encourage readers toward something a bit more solid. For example, reading a good Bible commentary series would direct Christians back to the source of spiritual life and health - the living and enduring Word of God.

One particularly good series with its

unqualified commitment to biblical authority, clear exposition of Scripture, readability, and practical application (publisher’s blurb)

is the Preaching the Word series, edited by R. Kent Hughes, Senior Pastor Emeritus of College Church, Wheaton, Illinois and published by Crossway Books.

The newest volume in the series, 1 & 2 Peter and Jude, is written by David Helm, a member of the pastoral staff of Holy Trinity Church in Chicago. Helm has written a warm, pastoral commentary encouraging Christians to “hold fast to their identity in Christ, ground themselves in the truth, live lives worthy or their calling, and vigorously contend for the faith.” Could there be subjects more pertinent to contemporary Christian living than these?

The ongoing series now stands at 24 volumes, covering 8 OT books, 20 NT books and an extended discussion of the Sermon on the Mount. The majority of volumes are written by the series editor, R. Kent Hughes, but among the other contributors are well-known expositors like Philip G. Ryken, Raymond C. Ortland Jr., and Ian M. Duguid, all currently serving in pastoral charges.

Brian Chapell, President of Covenant Theological Seminary (Tennessee), and author of the acclaimed Christ-Centered Preaching (Baker, 1994), says this is one of his favorite commentary series.

The focus upon explaining the text with preaching as its goal makes the series resonate with the priorities of the pulpit. No academic aloofness here, but down to earth, preacher-to-preacher meat for God’s people. (Disclaimer: Chapell wrote one of the commentaries currently published in this series.)

Why would a commentary series focused on the needs of pastors be a wise choice for the average Christian? In my view, any commentary providing good biblical exegesis with solid application in what Chapell describes as “down to earth … meat for God’s people” will be readily accessible to any serious Christian reader. And if sitting under the public ministry of pastors committed to this kind of teaching is helpful, it can only be good if Christians are supplementing their Sunday intake with daily doses of solid Bible teaching through commentaries of this kind.  

There are of course many worthy commentary series, too many to cover in a column of this nature. I recommend Crossway’s Preaching the Word series as a starting point because of Crossway’s demonstrable commitment to publishing biblically sound, evangelical material. Pastors committed to a robust, evangelical theology, sympathetic to reformation truths can confidently recommend this series to their people.

Check out the available volumes in this series at Crossway Books.

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Purchase the books mentioned is this article by clicking on the title(s) below.

1 & 2 Peter and Jude: Preaching the Word Series
By David R. Helm / Crossway Books & Bibles

Christ-Centered Preaching, 2nd Edition
By Bryan Chapell / Baker

A version of this review first appeared in ChristianWeek.

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“Is Woody Allen a Jew?” Coming on the heels of a lengthy conversation where my rabbi-friend had argued that Jews believing in Jesus were no longer Jews, my question was framed in light of his equating Jewishness with adherence to Judaism.

“Of course he is”, my friend replied. “Why would you ask?”

“How could he be a Jew?” I exclaimed. “You are an orthodox rabbi and he is, as far as I can tell, a secular Jew. He is everything you are not! How can you say a secular Jew, who apparently believes little about traditional Judaism is still deemed Jewish, but a Jew believing in Jesus and seeking to live a godly life is not Jewish?”

Undaunted, my friend countered, “Woody Allen is an uninformed Jew.”

“Following that logic,” I said, “every Jewish person believing in Jesus is simply an ‘uniformed Jew,’ but he or she is nevertheless still Jewish.”

“No,” my rabbi-friend countered. “A Jew who believes in Jesus makes a conscious decision to become an idolater, because Jesus claims to be God and there is only one God.”

I have had many conversations with my friend since that day, and invariably our conversations revolve around a familiar set of Jewish objections to Jesus and the Christian faith. Because my main vocation is leading an evangelistic, discipling ministry in Toronto’s Jewish community, I am always in the hunt for good resources to assist me in answering those objections.

One of the best resources I have found is the multi-volume work Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus (BakerBooks, Vols. 1 & 2 - 2000; Vol. 3 - 2003; Vol. 4 - 2006) by Michael L. Brown. Described by Barry Leventhal (Academic Dean & Professor at Southern Evangelical Seminary) as the “foremost messianic apologist in the world,” Brown is an able defender of the Messianic Jewish/Christian faith.

With a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University, Brown, a Jewish believer in Jesus, has been a visiting professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Fuller Theological Seminary. He has authored more than 15 books and contributed to the Oxford Dictionary of Jewish Religion. Currently Dr. Brown serves as president of the FIRE School of Ministry. Having appeared in numerous public debates with Jewish leaders, Brown is well-qualified to answer the objections his fellow Jews raise against Christianity.

In volume one Brown addresses 35 objections of a general and historical nature. He responds to such statements as “I was born a Jew and I will die a Jew”; “I won’t betray my ancestors”; and “If Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, why isn’t there peace on earth?” At the heart of these sorts of objections is the sentiment that “Jesus is not for Jews,” that Jesus cannot be the Messiah since we are not living in the Messianic Age.

His second volume deals with 28 theological objections to Jesus. Among the doctrines discussed are such matters as the Trinity, the Deity of Jesus, the concept of a suffering Messiah and the continuity/discontinuity of the law. Brown believes these objections are among the most serious, cutting to the very heart of what divides Messianic Jewish/Christian faith from traditional Judaism. Underlying objections of this kind is the opinion that the New Testament portrays a foreign religion, a religion unfaithful to the Hebrew Scriptures.

Brown tackles 39 Jewish objections to Jesus as the fulfiller of OT messianic prophecies in volume three. Accusing Christians of mistranslation, misquotation or taking verses out of context, Jewish objections in this area relate to the belief that Jesus did not live up to the Biblical description of Messiah.

In volume four, Brown answers 34 objections raised against the veracity of the New Testament. Those objections revolve around claims that the New Testament is historically inaccurate, that the Gospels portray a mythical Jesus who was a false prophet.

Throughout each volume, Brown follows a consistent format: concisely stating an objection, presenting a clear answer, supporting his response with appropriate citations, both Biblical and extra-biblical, and giving attention to possible objections leveled at his answers.

Brown writes for three groups: Christians interested in sharing their faith sensitively with Jewish people; Jewish believers who are being confused by the growing stridency of Jewish anti-missionary organizations; and for Jews of every background who do not believe that Jesus is Israel’s promised Messiah.

A careful reading of these volumes will reveal that many Jewish objections to Jesus are rooted in misconceptions about Christianity - misconceptions born and cultivated in the soil of a “gentilized” Christian faith disconnected from its Jewish roots. As Brown convincingly demonstrates, Christianity is a lot more Jewish than you think.

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You can purchase these books from Christianbook.com by clicking on the title below.

Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, 4 Volumes
By Michael L. Brown / Baker

When Christians share their faith with Hebrew friends and family, difficult questions often arise. Combining scholarship, spiritual seriousness, and an engaging style, Jewish believer Brown offers fair and comprehensive answers to more than 100 general, historical, and theological queries regarding New Testament teachings, the Messiah, Old Testament prophecies, and more. Thoroughly documented and footnoted. 250–350 pages each, four softcovers from Baker.