Do We Need the New Testament? - by John Goldingay (Paperback)

About the Book

While many Christians wonder whether we really need the Old Testament, John Goldingay turns the question around: Perhaps Jesus' Bible--the Old Testament--is enough. Goldingay probes our misreading of the Old Testament and brings out the richness of the "First Testament's" message as Israel's and the church's gospel.

Book Synopsis

Do we need the Old Testament? That's a familiar question, often asked. But as an Old Testament scholar, John Goldingay turns that question on its head: Do we need the New Testament? What's new about the New Testament? After all, the Old Testament was the only Bible Jesus and the disciples knew. Jesus affirmed it as the Word of God. Do we need anything more? And what happens when we begin to look at the Old Testament, which is the First Testament, not as a deficient old work in need of a christological makeover, but as a rich and splendid revelation of God's faithfulness to Israel and the world? In this cheerfully provocative yet probingly serious book, John Goldingay sets the question and views it from a variety of angles. Under his expert hand, each facet unfolds the surprising richness of the Old Testament and challenges us to recalibrate our perspective on it.

Review Quotes

"Do We Need the New Testament? offers a much-needed corrective to the tendency to neglect or devalue the OT found in much of the contemporary church. The book would be of great value to any theological student, pastor, or interested layperson who desires to explore the rich theological, spiritual, and ethical resources that the OT has to offer the church or who seeks to gain a better grasp of the relationship between the Testaments. Readers can expect to have their assumptions challenged, their minds informed, and their passion for the OT (re)ignited by Goldingay's insightful and engaging discussion, which pairs penetrating analysis with a fervent love for Israel's Scriptures."

--Brittany Kim, Themelios, April 2016

"[Goldingay's] tome is a breath of fresh air. It is well-written, thoughtful, and thought-provoking and should be required reading for those preaching and teaching. I once met a pastor who made what he thought was a laudatory comment: 'I never preach from the Old Testament since I want to bring people to Jesus.' Goldingay's book is the necessary prescription for this theological life-threatening illness."

--Joseph B. Modica, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vol. 59, No. 4

"All in all, this book is a delightful, stimulating, and challenging read. . . . Goldingay helps to explain how to interpret and understand the Old Testament's abiding theological witness to our triune God."

--Austin Britton, New Horizons, April 2016

"Bible readers who want to think through the relationship between the two testaments and its implications, and who would welcome help from an insightful and outspoken debate partner, should read and ponder this book."

--Kenneth A. Cherney Jr., Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring 2016

"Goldingay offers a solid case against the theological inferiority of the OT. Do We Need the New Testament? is a welcome corrective for those insisting that the OT does not speak to Christians today. The book would be a great addition to the library of seminary students, pastors, and informed lay people."

--Justin Langford, Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament, 5.1 (2016)

"The early church's problem with the Old Testament was completely different to ours. Their problem was not how to make sense of the Old Testament given the coming of Jesus, but the reverse: Given that the Old Testament is God's revelation, how do we make sense of Jesus? With this unusual question, Do We Need the New Testament?, Goldingay turns our modern thinking on its head and exposes the weaknesses in the way contemporary Christians understand the Old Testament--and the New. With thought-provoking ideas on every page, this book will help readers look at the Old and New Testaments in new and exciting ways."

--Nathan MacDonald, lecturer in Hebrew Bible and fellow of St. John's College, University of Cambridge

"With its scholarly tone, this title should be recommended to laypeople, students, and pastors who are familiar with Greek, Hebrew, and Latin and have a knowledge of biblical and secular history."

--John Berstein, CBA Retailers + Resources, June 2015

About the Author

John Goldingay is David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. His many books include The Theology of the Book of Isaiah, a three-volume Old Testament Theology and commentaries on Psalms, Isaiah and Daniel.