The Scriptures Testify About Me

There are eight contributors, including the editor, to this attractive publication. All are prominent evangelical pastors and scholars. As the subtitle, Jesus and the Gospel in the Old Testament, would lead us to think, it is a collection of expositions of various Old Testament texts, especially as they relate to the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is "the written form of the plenary addresses given in April 2011 at the national conference of the Gospel Coalition, in Chicago" (Preface). "What the addresses offer \[are\] ... some examples of Christian preachers handling a variety of highly diverse Old Testament texts" (Preface). Chapter 1, by R. Albert Mohler Jr., is a kind of introduction to the rest of the book. In it he talks, among other things, about the belief system of many young people in America, which he describes as "moralistic therapeutic deism", a term which he explains. There follow chapters by Tim Keller (on the Exodus) and by Alistair Begg (on Ruth). Then there are chapters by James MacDonald (on Psalm 25), Conrad Mbewe (on the Righteous Branch in Jeremiah 23:1-8) and Matt Chandler (on Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8). Finally, Mike Bullmore writes on Zephaniah and D A Carson on Melchizedek. Highlights, for this reader, were the contributions by Keller, Begg, Chandler, Bullmore and Carson. I think that it is written primarily, though not exclusively by any means, for preachers. The editor's hope is that it will prove to be an incentive for preachers and teachers to keep preaching and teaching Old Testament texts. I recommend it.