Graeme Goldsworthy. The Son of God and the New Creation. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, October 31, 2016. 144 pp.
3 out of 5
Purchase: Westminster | Amazon
What is the significant of the theme of the son and the son of God in the Bible? If you are interested with this theme this book is for you! The author is Graeme Goldsworthy a retired Old Testament professor and Biblical Theology specialist.
This book is part of the “Short Studies in Biblical Theology” series published by Crossway. I have finished ten out of eleven of the books in this series and this book is actually the first volume in the series. Yet I felt it was one of weaker books in this series. I fear if I read this book as the first book I read in this series I might have not read the other volumes. A lot of that has to do with the method and writing style of the author.
There are four chapters in this book. The first is titled “Thematic Studies: A Biblical-Theological Approach.” This is more on the theological method Goldsworthy is using for the book. Chapter two is on the New Testament data on Jesus as the Son of God. Chapter three is on the Old Testament data of Adam as the Son of God. The final Chapter is on believers as Sons of God and relations to Jesus as the Son of God.
I think the approach Goldsworthy adopted made the book choppy. He goes form New Testament to Old Testament and then to application for the Christian life. I think it wasn’t as helpful as a method; I am aware that practically Christians do functionally know the New Testament better than the Old Testament and many begin with the New Testament. Yet I felt when the book focus on the New Testament as the first chapter diving into the Bible it left a lot of question about the root of the meaning of terms and what’s the background to the New Testament use of titles and terms. I also think practically most learn best in a linear presentation form Genesis to Revelation. Teaching Biblical theology as progressive revelation seems more helpful than jumping to the New Testament and then back to the Old Testament.
I also thought at times Goldsworthy seem to take a more minimal approach towards his interpretation of the Bible. That is, there’s time where I think the Bible give more support for a certain view or interpretation but Goldworthy downplays it. Now I know there’s a place to be cautious in scholarship and also one should be able to back up what one is presenting and claiming. Nevertheless I felt many times he could make the case that the Bible is saying much more. For instance in chapter one he summarized that the Son as title used for Jesus refer mainly to Jesus’ humanity and not so much His Divinity. After Goldworthy made a compelling case that we can’t study the Son of God with just the title Son of God but adjacent titles and names, Goldsworthy mentioned the Son of Man is also interchangeable with the Son of God. Mark 2:10 mentioned that Jesus demonstrated to the religious leaders that He was the Son of Man with the authority to forgive sin by healing the paralyzed man. Forgiving someone’s sins of course is the prerogative of God (we’re not talking about personal offense and wrong do to individuals in specific instances) and thus the Son of Man as part of the Sonship of Jesus shows Jesus is Divine. Sadly the book doesn’t interact with Mark 2:10. I also wish more could have been written about the divine Dimension to Jesus as the Son.
While I didn’t think this was the best of the books in this excellent series on Biblical Theology nevertheless I didn’t find the book to have serious theological concerns; often much of what he said I think is agreeable though I was expecting so much more profound insight and observation given how promising his first chapter’s discussion about methodology was.
The Domain for Truth 
Great insight. Didn’t expect that’s how he approached the subject.
Yeah I was surprised. I do think most of the things he said in the book is right. I have seen other books do a good job with NT use of the OT. I think I was hoping he get into more details of the passage in many instances. The other volumes were also short and seem to be able to accomplish that better. How was your Lord’s day?
Thanks for the insight. Always appreciate your reviews. Blessings.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thanks for the review! Too bad this book is a bit weak. The Son of God is a daunting theological topic. I’m wondering if you’ve read other theologians that did a better job of examining this specific topic?
Good question! I actually enjoyed Carson’s book: https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/review-jesus-the-son-of-god-by-d-a-carson/
Also since this last chapter in the book is about believers sonship I thought this biblical theology book is gold: https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2016/08/11/review-adopted-into-gods-family-by-trevor-burke/
Also while this is more systematic theology this book’s handling of the Biblical data was helpful: https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/review-god-the-son-incarnate-by-stephen-wellum/
How did Sunday shift go and how is your day so far?
Thanks for the posts. I will read them tomorrow AM when everybody’s in bed.
RE: shift
Thanks! Sunday was pretty busy but got caught up and was able to downshift from 4-6:30. How did your Sunday go and what’s on the agenda for today, rest day?
I had my annual physical this AM and then picked up our son at the airport at 12:30. Great to see him after three years! No reading this week.
“Teaching Biblical theology as progressive revelation seems more helpful . . . . “ Can’t help but agree with you here.
pax,
dora
Agreed! I think it’s more helpful teaching wise for the sake of students and congregation. Have a blessed day, it’s finally raining here in California.
Praise the Lord! 🌧
So, you have me curious, as an OT girl I was like man, this seems a bit harsh! From the amount that I can read for free on Amazon, he did mention at the beginning Jesus being called Son of God and Son of Man. What I can’t tell is did the author present any material on how son(s) of God we understood in the Ancient Near East? Pharaohs were considered sons of gods as well. I am NOT making excuses for the author, I have experienced this in my own life and ministry. Christians can get VERY nervous when they learn there are other creation accounts and flood accounts in the ANE. Sometimes appealing to the NT before the OT can calm peoples anxiety and nervousness. I am reading Heiser’s Unseen Realm right now and he is really opening my eyes to how “sons of God” would have been understood by ancient readers as well. I think using 2 Peter and Jude helps explain Gen 6. Maybe the author felt it would be better or more concise to work fromNT fuller revelation to original understanding. Like how they NT understood the son of God and work backwards. Anyway, I haven’t read this, but I hope for others this format won’t be a deal breaker in reading! I am even more interested in your thoughts on Jeffrey Niehaus’s book because I think outside the Bible that book changed my life the most!
He didn’t go into the ANE; I wished he did! Also even with Gospel of Mark ending with Centurion saying Jesus was Son of God I think there’s a place for Greco Roman background to explore! My wife and I and another couple thought the format could have been better with a more traditional order of Biblical Theology progressively through the Canon and that at various instances the author could bring out more insight from the passage that’s there rather than playing it too cautious. I’m not totally against NT use of the OT (thanks by the way!) and then bringing the fruit of that to illuminate how we interpret OT. Your examples are good ones for Genesis 6; I also think Acts use of OT books and argument for the Messiah is also relevant. I wished I guess he did that heartedly than the way he did it. I guess I reveal my card with my preference for the staple being OT to NT with the model I Loke being the antecedent theology of Walter Kaiser.
I hope I can have a review of Niehaus book next month! Today’s interview was there any faculty on board? I imagine not as profs can be so busy…but if any let me know!!! Keep us posted!!!
I am a huge proponent of NT use of OT!! (Also OT use of OT😎😜) I look forward to your review! No faculty, advisors. Thanks for your prayers!
I appreciate the review, Jim. I have quite a few books on my reading list now but am always ready to add more.
What books are you presently reading through? Always love to know what people are reading.
Right now I am reading Humility by Andrew Murray. After that Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney. Then Person of Interest by J. Warner Wallace.
Just finished two others and actually did a post on the blog about them.
I am not a great reviewer of books but haven’t posted anything for a while and wrote something for school so…
Started working on a D.Min, second class started today.
Son of Man refers to Christ diety, more than his humanity.
https://www.ligonier.org/posts/difference-between-son-god-and-son-man
Exactly! Thanks for the article from Ligonier!
Thank you
Your welcome
Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. Pretty good, indepth, and thoughtful critique.
Thanks brother. Appreciate the comment and support. This coming from a Bible expositor such as yourself means a lot to me. I hope and pray that the people who use search engines for answers to these contradictions will find this post helpful, if you can pray for that, as there is a steady small stream of searches that end up on these types of posts.
Just prayed and will be praying for you and your ministry.
Do you know if pets go to Heaven?
I don’t know if we can say for sure. Isaiah 11:6-9 does talk about a New Earth that is after this present one in which animals are around humans (some say its a transitionary Millennial Earth before its the Eternal State). Whether those are animals from our current world I don’t know…I imagine many of us wish it would be. But I also don’t want to go beyond what Scripture directly states or say something is for sure if its not as explicit; hope that makes sense?
Perfect sense, Jimmy. I appreciate that you stay within the boundaries of the Word.
Which version or translation of The Bible do you read, Jimmy?
What is your Christian denomination?
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Sounds like a good resource for Bible study!
Your review shares the complexity of organizing material in any publication. I appreciate your honest look at this book.
My friends needs a couple of boatloads of your book delivered ASAP!