Biblical theology (BT) is a fundamental Christian discipline. Although there are at least five different definitions, I define biblical theology as the study of the overarching shape (e.g., story and themes) and connectedness (relationship between verses) of God’s inspired Word that finds its culmination in the person of Jesus.[1] I commend the brief article by D. A. Carson, “What is Biblical Theology?” for a more detailed description.
But more than just an academic exercise, biblical theology has practical implications for the believer. It is not an overstatement to say that the church is impoverished if it does not have a steady diet of biblical theology. So, here are ten reasons why I think it is essential.
- BT is Taught by Jesus and Modeled in the Earliest Preaching
Many scholars cite Luke 24 as the Scriptural foundation of biblical theology, and rightly so. In Luke 24:25-27 Jesus says to the Emmaus Road disciples,
“How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures” (CSB).
Notice that Jesus “interpreted for them things concerning himself in all the Scriptures.” In other words, Jesus teaches the disciples how to rightly read the Hebrew Bible.
In Acts 2:17-36, Peter models his first sermon after Jesus’ instruction. He preaches from Joel 2:28-32 and Psalm 16:8-11 and demonstrates for the hearers how Jesus is the key to understanding and applying these passages. Throughout the New Testament, the writers continually refer to the Old Testament as a way of interpreting the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and reign of Jesus. In fact, it is estimated that there are 295 quotations of the OT in the NT.[2]
- BT Helps Us See the Bible as a Unified Story
As Christians it is common to prioritize certain portions of Scripture over others. Perhaps we prefer the storied nature of the Gospels. Or maybe we are drawn to the propositional reasoning of Paul’s letters. The problem with prioritization is that we miss the unified story of Scripture. Scripture has an unfolding plotline structured around the larger chapters of creation, fall, redemption, and new creation. Whenever we come to a section of Scripture it is good practice to consider where the passage is located within this larger story. I also recommend consulting cross-references in a good study Bible. These cross-references show you not only where a passage falls within the storyline, but how a text relates to other portions of Scripture in the overarching narrative.
- BT Keeps Us Focused on Jesus
Many popular devotionals, sermons, and Bible reading tools fall short of being Jesus-focused. We often read the Bible for insight on how to better our lives; but this is not the focus of Scripture. The primary goal of the Bible is to reveal Christ and unpack the meaning—and implications—of his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Only when we understand that the Bible is first and foremost about Jesus can we then appropriately “apply our lives to the Bible.”[3] Although aimed at preachers, I recommend the podcast episode titled, “Gospel-Focused Sermon Preparation,” where Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry speak about the importance of keeping Jesus the focus in our reading and study.
- BT Teaches Us How We Should Think
The Bible should set the agenda for what we think about major issues. For instance, justice is a major topic of concern in our culture today. Christians typically fall into two camps. Either they want to avoid the topic altogether for fear of cozying up to unbiblical cultural ideas, or they adopt ideas and principles from our culture without giving serious consideration to their philosophical or theological foundations. As Christians we should prioritize what the Bible says about any topic over our own comfort or cultural understanding. We should ask questions like:
- What does the Bible say is the cause of injustice?
- What does the Bible say is the ultimate solution to injustice?
- How does the Bible say we should respond as God’s people?
The storyline of the Bible helps us to answer these and other questions regarding many different themes and topics.
- BT Shapes Our Vision of the World
Like the previous point, biblical theology gives us eyes to rightly see the world and our place in it.[4] Everyone views the world through a particular lens with an understanding of what is wrong with humanity/society and who or what will make things right.[5] For some, the answer to these questions is deeply political. This is evidenced in a keen ability to turn every conversation into a political monologue. For others, who have a nihilistic approach to life, there really isn’t an answer to these questions; but nevertheless, the lack of answers influences how they live. As students of Jesus, we should view the world through the lens of biblical theology and the large story of the Bible.[6]
- BT Informs Our Mission
Christopher Wright makes the important—and somewhat controversial claim—that the overarching theme of the Bible is God’s mission.[7] This means that when we come to the Bible, we should notice this mission theme from Genesis through Revelation. As we explore God’s mission throughout the Bible we can have a better understanding of the depth, richness, and role of the church in mission.[8]
- BT Increases Our Effectiveness in Evangelism
Biblical theology can increase our evangelistic effectiveness. Timothy Keller with his characteristic insightfulness says, “The gospel is not just the ABCs but the A to Z of the Christian life.”[9] By this he means that the gospel transforms our thinking and action in every sphere of life. This provides many entry points for evangelistic conversations. In conversations with non-Christians, I have said what I believe about a topic, and used that as a doorway to conversation about the difference Jesus’ has made in my life. The more we marinate in biblical themes and the overall biblical storyline, the more on-ramps we have for gospel conversations.
- BT Edifies the Corporate Gathering of the Church
Biblical theology edifies the local church. The book of Hebrews has been described as a “homily in letter form.”[10] If you read through Hebrews notice how frequently the author connects an Old Testament theme and its fulfillment in Christ as a way of edifying or exhorting early Christians to remain faithful. Introducing a congregation to biblical theology is a way of feeding Christ’s body with the nutritious food of God’s Word (Hebrews 5:11-14).
- BT Enriches Our Prayer Life
Recently I began praying through the Psalms. In this practice I have noticed what many have affirmed, that the Psalms give us a rich prayer vocabulary for any emotion or situation in life. But as post-resurrection people we have the privilege of seeing how the Psalms and the themes within the Psalms find their fulfillment in the person of Jesus. For example, we can pray Psalm 22, see its fulfillment in Christ, and give thanks to God that he will never forsake or abandon us because of what Jesus has accomplished.[11]
- BT Helps Us Recognize Patterns of How God Works in Our Own Lives
Finally, biblical theology helps us to recognize patterns of how God works throughout Scripture. As we trace these patterns throughout the Bible, we become more confident to recognize the patterns of how God works in our own lives. Sinclair Ferguson describes it this way, “Because of our union with Christ, we find in our own lives the pattern of Christ’s death and resurrection—sufferings and glory—worked out in our lives.”[12] This means that we can look to Christ and we can look to other biblical figures who anticipate the coming of Christ as examples of the pattern of God’s faithfulness.
Where to Go from Here…
No doubt there are many more reasons why believers in Jesus should engage in biblical theology, but my hope is that these ten reasons are enough to convince you that it is important. For more information on biblical theology and why it is essential here are some recommended resources.
Introductory
NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible
Intermediate
Biblical Theology for Life Series
Essential Studies in Biblical Theology Series
Advanced
Christopher, J. H. Wright, The Mission of God
Christopher Watkin, Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture
About the Author
Tucker Anderson
Tucker Anderson served at Calvary Church 2015 to 2023. He is a graduate of Bethel Seminary and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His passion is helping people develop a biblical worldview by understanding the relationship between the Old Testament and New Testament.
Works Cited
Bartholomew, Craig G., and Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004.
Beale, G. K. Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament: Exegesis and Interpretation. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.
Keller, Timothy. Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
Keller, Timothy. King’s Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus. New York: Penguin Books, 2011. Kindle.
Sinclair Ferguson, “What is Typology: How Can We Use It Responsibly in Bible Study?” Ligonier. Accessed March 22, 2023, https://www.ligonier.org/learn/qas/what-is-typology-how-can-we-use-it-responsibly-in-bible-study.
Watkin, Christopher. Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2022.
Wright, Christopher J. H. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006.
Wright, N. T. and Michael F. Bird. The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019.
https://www.zondervan.com/p/biblical-theology/what-is/
https://www.zondervan.com/p/biblical-theology/five-ways/
[1] D. A. Carson, “What is Biblical Theology,” Accessed March 23, 2023, https://www.zondervan.com/p/biblical-theology/what-is/.
[2] G. K. Beale, Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament: Exegesis and Interpretation (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012), 30.
[3] Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006), 534.
[4] Christopher Watkin, Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2022), 12.
[5] Wright, The Mission of God, 55; Timothy Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 33.
[6] Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 19-20.
[7] Wright, The Mission of God, 62.
[8] Wright, The Mission of God, 61-62.
[9] Keller, Center Church, 48.
[10] N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019), 714.
[11] Timothy Keller, King’s Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus (New York: Penguin Books, 2011), 200, Kindle.
[12] Sinclair Ferguson, “What is Typology: How Can We Use It Responsibly in Bible Study?” Ligonier. Accessed March 22, 2023, https://www.ligonier.org/learn/qas/what-is-typology-how-can-we-use-it-responsibly-in-bible-study.