Unpacking the Concept of Biblical Theology
At its core, biblical theology is an attempt to understand the grand narrative of the Bible as a unified whole. It seeks to uncover the underlying themes, motifs, and patterns that weave together the various books and stories of Scripture. But what exactly does this entail?
A Historical Approach
One way to approach biblical theology is to consider it as a historical discipline. According to Geerhardus Vos, the grandfather of biblical theology amongst evangelicals, biblical theology deals with the “process of the self-revelation of God deposited in the Bible.” This means that biblical theology focuses on the actual events and activities of God in history, rather than just the written record of those events.
Tracing the Storyline
Biblical theology also involves tracing the development of key themes and concepts throughout the Bible. Don Carson notes that biblical theology seeks to “uncover and articulate the unity of all the biblical texts taken together, resorting primarily to the categories of those texts themselves.” This means that biblical theology attempts to relate the meaning of the story in the terms of the story itself.
Central Themes and Coherence
Tom Schreiner summarizes biblical theology as asking “what themes are central to the biblical writers in their historical context, and attempts to discern the coherence of such themes.” This involves identifying the key ideas and motifs that run throughout the Bible and understanding how they fit together to form a cohesive whole.
The Unity of Scripture
Steve Wellum emphasizes that biblical theology “contends that to read the Bible as unified Scripture is not just one interpretive option among others, but that which best corresponds to the nature of the text itself, given its divine inspiration.” This means that biblical theology assumes that the Bible is a single, unified story that emanates from a single divine mind.
Practical Applications
So what’s the point of biblical theology? Ultimately, it provides a framework for understanding the Bible as a whole and for applying its teachings to everyday life. By grasping the big picture of the Bible, we can better understand our place within the story and live out our faith in a more informed and intentional way.
Defining Biblical Theology
Perhaps the simplest definition of biblical theology is that it’s an attempt to tell the whole story of the whole Bible as Christian Scripture. It’s a story that has an authoritative and normative claim on our lives, because it’s the story of God’s glory in salvation through judgment.
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