Him We Proclaim, 1

1) Introduction: Preaching the Bible Like Peter and Paul

Dennis E. Johnson explains that the intent of his book is largely recovery. He poses the question as to how we can expositionally proclaim Christ from every biblical text and theme. He writes:

This book tries to answer that question, first by arguing in favor of reuniting insights and disciplines the apostles displayed in harmonious unity but that sadly have become disconnected since then. Then is suggests perspectives and strategies to help ordinary Christians discover their Savior throughout Scripture and to equip ordinary preachers to proclaim this Savior convincingly and powerfully from the diverse panorama of Scripture’s genres and eras (2).

In order to refocus biblical interpretation on Christ, Johnson wants to reunite bonds that over time have become wrongly separated. Herein rests the heart of this book’s purpose, “we need to reunite Old Testament and New Testament, apostolic doctrine and apostolic hermeneutics, biblical interpretation and biblical proclamation” (4). In the reunion of Old Testament and New Testament, Johnson gives a short historical overview of the wedge that has been put between the two. He discusses the Enlightenment and the historical-critical method along with dispensational theology which sought to “establish objectivity of its reading of Scripture by treating symbolism with suspicion and preoccupying itself with establishing the text’s ‘literal’ sense” (5). The following quote captures his point:

Thus over the last three centuries, the theological substructure of apostolic hermenuetics and homiletics has been assaulted both by the “hostile fire” of Enlightenment criticism and by the “friendly fire” of Bible-believing students who sought to develop an objective hermenuetic sufficient to withstand the acidic rigors of Enlightenment doubt (5).

In reuniting apostolic doctrine and apostolic hermeneutics, a key issue arises. This is especially a key issue in my personal understanding on the subject. There are a couple of main reasons why some people do not emulate apostolic hermeneutics, one of which is discomfort with the “unbridled embellishment exemplified in the allegorical excesses of the patristic School of Alexandria and the medieval church” (11). According to Johnson, this subject will be discussed in more detail in chapter 6. He does include an outline of what is to follow by mentioning three additional features of an apostolic approach to Christ-centered hermeneutics. He writes, “Apostolic preaching of Christ is redemptive-historically structured, missiologically communicated, and grace-driven” (16).

Finally, Johnson introduces the reunion of biblical interpretation with biblical proclamation. He is reacting here to the disconnect between biblical scholarship and ecclesiastical ministry. He gives a brief historical overview of how the Academy developed and the ensuing result that divided biblical research from its practical and personal applications. He writes:

Exegesis itself is impoverished when specialization and professional pressures in the academy inculcate into faculty and students a mold of biblical interpretation that aborts the process short of application, depriving it of its sweetest fruit (13).

The plan for the book traces two parts. Part 1 (chapters 2-5) makes the case for apostolic hermeneutics and homiletics. Part 2 (chapters 6-10) provides the framework and strategy of apostolic hermeneutics and homiletics in action by referring to the epistle to the Hebrews.

This introduction has me thrilled! I am excited to open this book and read slowly in hopes of learning how to better open the Book and proclaim rightly Christ-centered exegesis and application!