“How do I faithfully interpret and preach old covenant materials in a way that embraces that ‘only through Christ’ does God lift the veil, allowing us to fully understand and appropriate their significance (2 Cor 3:14–15)?” This has been one of the driving questions behind my theological journey since 2005, searching the Scriptures for how to preach Jesus’ Bible through Christ and for Christ.
In a recent article for the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (SBJT 22.3 [2018]) titled “Lifting the Veil: Reading and Preaching Jesus’ Bible through Christ and for Christ” I interacted with the work of three evangelical “fathers” (1 Tim 5:1)—Vern Poythress, Elliott Johnson, and Daniel Block—on how best to proclaim the divine Son from Jesus’ Bible.
I was one of ten total reviewers, others of whom included Tom Schreiner, Greg Beale, Peter Gentry, Sidney Greidanus, Graeme Goldsworthy, Craig Carter, Abner Chou, Aubrey Sequeira, and Hershael York. You can read the whole issue here.
My article first addresses the guiding hermeneutical principles from each author, and then I interpret and set a trajectory for preaching Genesis 15:1–6 according to the guidelines I set forth. Important issues to draw out include the messianic context of Genesis 15:1–6 along with justifying faith and the need for a perfectly obedient Messiah. My conclusion is that A Christocentric hermeneutic that reads the OT both forwards and backwards most faithfully aligns with the nature of Scripture as divine revelation and with the explicit statements and approaches of the biblical authors themselves.
DeRouchie, Jason S. “Lifting the Veil: Reading and Preaching Jesus’ Bible through Christ and for Christ.” SBJT 22.3 (2018): 157–79.
Introduction (157)
Guiding Hermeneutical Principles (159)
Vern Poythress on Method (159)
Elliot Johnson on Method (160)
Daniel Block on Method (161)
Interpreting and Preaching Genesis 15:1–6 (167)
The Messianic Context of Genesis 15:5 (168)
Justifying Faith in Genesis 15:6 and the Need for the Perfectly Obedient Messiah (171)
Conclusion (177)
You can download the article here: PDF.
