Review: The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross

This work is a classic!

Leon Morris. The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross.  Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, September, 1965. 318 pp.

Many years ago I remember hearing Don Carson mentioned this book in passing during a conference with a local chapter of The Gospel Coalition.  The sermon by Carson really blessed me and I couldn’t forget the book he mentioned since I wondered what treasure I would find if I were to read it myself.  It took me nearly a decade to finally purchased this book but I finally did it: I bought it, read it and was exceptionally blessed by it.

This is the first work I read by Leon Morris and I was very impressed.  From what I understand The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross was originally Morris’ doctoral dissertation completed at the University of Cambridge in England.  It is an impressive work that looks at the doctrines related to the Gospel and the atonement.  Morris’ careful scholarship is worth emulating and definitely worth reading if only to learn from his example.  But it is more than that, this work is a robust exposition of doctrines that are held precious to those who love the Gospel.  Morris does this by going back to the Old Testament, other post-Old Testament sources such as the Rabbinic literatures and the Greek Septuagint in order to understand the New Testament background that shapes the New Testament preaching of the Gospel.  I must add that this work is not just a survey of background materials, Morris does examine and interact with the New Testament itself and properly employ the background materials to bear.  The chapters that really stood out to me were Morris’ chapters on redemption, propitiation and justification.  Morris powerfully argues for the historic Protestant views of those doctrines from an exegetical basis and I loved how he does it with the conscious awareness of Old Testament marching to the New Testament.  I like works that defend doctrines that organically flow from progressive revelation as I think it contribute to avoid mere proof texting, a real risk whenever we try to develop doctrines in systematic theology.  I really appreciated his word studies, how he handle the semantic ranges of words and considers Hebrew and Greek terminologies both in its Scriptural and also noncanonical usage (such as secular and LXX contexts).

For pastors reading this book I would say use this as a research material.  However, realize that there would be much work to bridge between the information in this work and what is shared in the pulpit to minister to those in the pews.  This is especially true with the doctrines’ implications.

I highly recommend this book.  Just to put it in perspective originally I borrowed this book from the library but then a few pages into it I realized I have to purchase my own copy so I can take notes and highlight it for future reference.  I bought it because I thought it was worth being a reference in my own library and indeed it has been.

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