One of the most common laments of most Bible readers is how much they struggle with the Old Testament. Whether it is because of the violence, or the strange, almost other-worldly customs, or even just the endless lists and genealogies, the Old Testament is at best ignored by many Christians, and at worst viewed with a great deal of suspicion and anxiety.
Christopher Wright does not agree with this viewpoint at all. In fact, he believes the Old Testament is an incredibly valuable spiritual resource for Christ-followers because it was so essential to the formation of Jesus’ identity and mission. Wright is convinced that Jesus’ own story is rooted in the story of Israel, and that understanding the story of Israel will broaden and deepen our understanding of Christ.
Wright is an acclaimed Old Testament scholar, but wears his scholar’s mantle lightly and instead writes with a good communicator’s instinct for the lack of understanding that the average reader might have in regards to a subject he is so proficient in. Wright is passionate about the importance of studying the Old Testament, but he is equally passionate about convincing his audience to agree with him on this. The result is a book that is designed to draw the average reader past any misconceptions and prejudices, and into the fascinating world of the Old Testament.
Rather than tackling the Old Testament en masse, Wright takes 5 chapters in which he relates Jesus to the following five themes – story, promise, identity, mission and values. Each chapter is engrossing, and will give you plenty to think about as you learn just how much the Old Testament can increase your appreciation of the Jesus story. In his own words, Wright sees the Old Testament as telling “the story which Jesus completes”.
My favourite part about this book is how much it empowers readers to appreciate more deeply those parts of the Scriptures which shaped Jesus himself. This book comes highly recommended and is well worth reading, especially if you are one of those who finds the Old Testament scary, off-putting or obsolete.