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The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story
This bestselling textbook surveys the grand narrative of the Bible, demonstrating how the biblical story forms the foundation of a Christian worldview. The second edition has been thoroughly revised.
272 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2004
416 people are currently reading
1811 people want to read
About the author
Craig G. Bartholomew
74 books52 followersCraig G. Bartholomew (PhD, University of Bristol) is the H. Evan Runner Professor of Philosophy at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, and the principal of the Paideia Centre for Public Theology. He founded the internationally recognized Scripture and Hermeneutics seminar and is coauthor of Living at the Crossroads and Christian Philosophy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
March 9, 2015
The Drama of Scripture is one of the best books I have read in a while. Most Christians approach the Bible as a roadmap to life or a book on how to live their life when in reality it is a story about God. A story about His creation, the fall, redemption through Jesus Christ, and ultimately the restoration of all things. This book gives the reader a great overview of the Biblical Metanarrative. I found the chapter on the intertestamental periods to be the most helpful. It was excellent in showing why Jesus attracted big crowds and why the religious leaders as well as the common jews were so confused at his teachings.
"What you and I believe to be the goal of history will give particular significance and form to our lives today. If we recognize that we have been called to provide our world with a preview of God's coming kingdom, the hope of that kingdom's coming will shape all that we say and do in the here and now."
"What you and I believe to be the goal of history will give particular significance and form to our lives today. If we recognize that we have been called to provide our world with a preview of God's coming kingdom, the hope of that kingdom's coming will shape all that we say and do in the here and now."
January 24, 2023
Excellent book. The word that comes to mind is “illuminating.” Bartholomew and Goheen do a great job of painting the picture of God’s redemption of his people in a historical context. I am walking away from this book with a much better understanding of the overall narrative of scripture and a better understanding of Gods great purpose: to redeem all of creation.
September 16, 2019
The title of the book itself sets the main premise of the book. The Drama of Scripture: Finding our Place in the Biblical Story points to the need for the individual to see the Bible as a unified story and not as a collection of independent books written over several hundred years. The authors argue that the Bible presents a meta-story of creation and points to the need for each individual to find his or her place in this narrative. In this attempt the authors borrow the idea from N.T. Wright, who is quoted numerous times, and present the meta-story of the Bible in the form of Roman tragedies, adjusting the Senecan form of five acts to six. This approach helps the authors present the biblical narrative as “the story of redemption as a unified, coherent narrative of God's ongoing work within his kingdom.”
As there is a number of world-views that claim to be the meta-narrative this approach is very important as it helps the individual to find their place in the unity of the Biblical story. This is also very important in view of the present day rise of world-views that challenge the authority, unity, and coherence of the biblical account. Examples of such world-views are natural humanism which attempts to dismantle the authenticity of the biblical account or Islam that presents itself as a more superior and more coherent meta-narrative.
The authors suggest that the best way of approaching the understanding of the biblical story is entering it through the prism of two concepts - the covenant and kingdom. These two concepts, revealed in Old and New Testament respectively, allow the reader to see the biblical narrative “as one whole and vast structure.”
Keeping these concepts in focus, the authors open the biblical account with Act One, introducing God as an architect of the universe. God is the originator of the world which is presented as God’s very kingdom and humanity is described as the masterpiece of the divine artist enjoying a perfect relationship with the Creator. Act Two describes the breakdown of this relationship with God through rebellion which consequently leads to the relational crisis of humans with one another. In Act Three the story focuses on God initiating the process of redemption moving His focus from individuals to choosing a people group - the nation of Israel. The story unfolds the covenant relationship between God and the nation of Israel describing its establishment, calling, repeated failure in its mission, exile and return to the promised land.
After a short interlude where authors give a historic and political background set over four hundred years during which God is keeping silence. During this time the events in the world set the stage for Act Four in which God enters the history through Jesus Christ’s incarnation who teaches about the Kingdom of God as both already present and yet to come. The climax of this act is the death and resurrection of Jesus who makes the entry into the kingdom of God possible for the whole of humanity. Faith is set as the means by which salvation is appropriated because of what Jesus accomplished through resurrection. Act Five describes the birth, development, and story of the church as it spreads the Good News from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth pointing to the mission of the church as it should be enacted even at present time. Love is the mark of the community of believers and is set as the outward expression of faith. Finally Act Six introduces the hope and expectation of the restoration of God's kingdom including the whole of creation.
The authors set as their goal to communicate to the beginner students on university level the fact that the biblical story of redemption is a “unified, coherent narrative of God's ongoing work within his kingdom.” Their desire is two-fold. They are trying to show the true nature of Scripture as true story of God and His relationship to the world. The authors also purpose to “articulate a thoroughly biblical worldview by systematically developing the most comprehensive categories of the Bible's story line: creation, sin, and redemption.”
Overall the authors are successful in revealing the biblical story in the way intended. As the story unfolds, the authors are skillfully demonstrating the application of the events to humanity and introduce important insights by using geographical maps, explaining geo-political situations of the time, focusing on customs and cultural peculiarities as well as extra-biblical historical events. The authors are successful in drawing coherent connections and relationships between the Six Acts and in helping the readers to understand their place, role, and mission in this drama about the relationship between the Creator and His creation.
Even though the authors achieve their goals, there are a couple of dangers in using an approach to the Bible as a narrative that are important to consider. The first danger, as this book represents a survey of the Bible, is to retell the story based on dogmatic presuppositions that distort the intended meaning and fit the narrative to the theological framework of the authors. This is revealed in one of author’s on-line resume . It states that he has a background in Calvinist theology and as the book makes interpretive statements it speaks from the dogmatic background of the author. For example, the authors imply that the covenant with Israel is a conditional and will work “only if they do obey, choosing an active life of obedience under God's reign.” Such statements can be interpreted as arguments in favor of Replacement Theology and represent a weakness of this approach.
Second danger, treating the whole canon as narrative does not take into account the diversity of literary styles used throughout the Scriptures. As the readers develop an understanding of biblical theology they are in danger of being misled into eisegesis, i.e. reading the meaning into the Scriptures rather than extracting it from application of grammatical-historical hermeneutics. There are examples of building doctrines on historical narrative or poetry which are not intended for this and this approach sets the reader up for such a course of thought. Diversity in theological views among numerous denominations serves as both proof and warning.
The third danger: in an attempt to show the coherence of Scripture it is highly probable to present a simplistic view of the Bible and God’s plans and work. For example, the authors seem to represent God as “unsuccessful” with Israel in attempts to fix the relationships with a failed plan. He seems to take a step back to “figure out” his next step and then responds with Jesus’ incarnation. Authors fail to point out the messianic prophesies which begin even as early as Genesis 3.
The authors’ work is a meaningful accomplishment of the set goals. They effectively communicate the unity and coherence of the Scripture story to entry level university students and help them understand the creation, sin and redemption in the context of the biblical account. Authors help them find their own place and mission in the biblical meta-narrative. Reading the biblical account with such an approach gives a very helpful perspective and new insights to even advanced students of the Bible. On the other hand, this book is not a substitute for the reading of the Bible. Important to note is that the book should not be used as a theological text or as foundation for systematic theology. It does a good job showing the coherence of biblical narrative, but in doing so misses some important distinctions and is subjecting the reader to dangers described above. The reader needs to exercise caution as he may be unintentionally influenced by dogmatic insights from the authors. The books will benefit both a beginner and an advanced student of the Bible.
As there is a number of world-views that claim to be the meta-narrative this approach is very important as it helps the individual to find their place in the unity of the Biblical story. This is also very important in view of the present day rise of world-views that challenge the authority, unity, and coherence of the biblical account. Examples of such world-views are natural humanism which attempts to dismantle the authenticity of the biblical account or Islam that presents itself as a more superior and more coherent meta-narrative.
The authors suggest that the best way of approaching the understanding of the biblical story is entering it through the prism of two concepts - the covenant and kingdom. These two concepts, revealed in Old and New Testament respectively, allow the reader to see the biblical narrative “as one whole and vast structure.”
Keeping these concepts in focus, the authors open the biblical account with Act One, introducing God as an architect of the universe. God is the originator of the world which is presented as God’s very kingdom and humanity is described as the masterpiece of the divine artist enjoying a perfect relationship with the Creator. Act Two describes the breakdown of this relationship with God through rebellion which consequently leads to the relational crisis of humans with one another. In Act Three the story focuses on God initiating the process of redemption moving His focus from individuals to choosing a people group - the nation of Israel. The story unfolds the covenant relationship between God and the nation of Israel describing its establishment, calling, repeated failure in its mission, exile and return to the promised land.
After a short interlude where authors give a historic and political background set over four hundred years during which God is keeping silence. During this time the events in the world set the stage for Act Four in which God enters the history through Jesus Christ’s incarnation who teaches about the Kingdom of God as both already present and yet to come. The climax of this act is the death and resurrection of Jesus who makes the entry into the kingdom of God possible for the whole of humanity. Faith is set as the means by which salvation is appropriated because of what Jesus accomplished through resurrection. Act Five describes the birth, development, and story of the church as it spreads the Good News from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth pointing to the mission of the church as it should be enacted even at present time. Love is the mark of the community of believers and is set as the outward expression of faith. Finally Act Six introduces the hope and expectation of the restoration of God's kingdom including the whole of creation.
The authors set as their goal to communicate to the beginner students on university level the fact that the biblical story of redemption is a “unified, coherent narrative of God's ongoing work within his kingdom.” Their desire is two-fold. They are trying to show the true nature of Scripture as true story of God and His relationship to the world. The authors also purpose to “articulate a thoroughly biblical worldview by systematically developing the most comprehensive categories of the Bible's story line: creation, sin, and redemption.”
Overall the authors are successful in revealing the biblical story in the way intended. As the story unfolds, the authors are skillfully demonstrating the application of the events to humanity and introduce important insights by using geographical maps, explaining geo-political situations of the time, focusing on customs and cultural peculiarities as well as extra-biblical historical events. The authors are successful in drawing coherent connections and relationships between the Six Acts and in helping the readers to understand their place, role, and mission in this drama about the relationship between the Creator and His creation.
Even though the authors achieve their goals, there are a couple of dangers in using an approach to the Bible as a narrative that are important to consider. The first danger, as this book represents a survey of the Bible, is to retell the story based on dogmatic presuppositions that distort the intended meaning and fit the narrative to the theological framework of the authors. This is revealed in one of author’s on-line resume . It states that he has a background in Calvinist theology and as the book makes interpretive statements it speaks from the dogmatic background of the author. For example, the authors imply that the covenant with Israel is a conditional and will work “only if they do obey, choosing an active life of obedience under God's reign.” Such statements can be interpreted as arguments in favor of Replacement Theology and represent a weakness of this approach.
Second danger, treating the whole canon as narrative does not take into account the diversity of literary styles used throughout the Scriptures. As the readers develop an understanding of biblical theology they are in danger of being misled into eisegesis, i.e. reading the meaning into the Scriptures rather than extracting it from application of grammatical-historical hermeneutics. There are examples of building doctrines on historical narrative or poetry which are not intended for this and this approach sets the reader up for such a course of thought. Diversity in theological views among numerous denominations serves as both proof and warning.
The third danger: in an attempt to show the coherence of Scripture it is highly probable to present a simplistic view of the Bible and God’s plans and work. For example, the authors seem to represent God as “unsuccessful” with Israel in attempts to fix the relationships with a failed plan. He seems to take a step back to “figure out” his next step and then responds with Jesus’ incarnation. Authors fail to point out the messianic prophesies which begin even as early as Genesis 3.
The authors’ work is a meaningful accomplishment of the set goals. They effectively communicate the unity and coherence of the Scripture story to entry level university students and help them understand the creation, sin and redemption in the context of the biblical account. Authors help them find their own place and mission in the biblical meta-narrative. Reading the biblical account with such an approach gives a very helpful perspective and new insights to even advanced students of the Bible. On the other hand, this book is not a substitute for the reading of the Bible. Important to note is that the book should not be used as a theological text or as foundation for systematic theology. It does a good job showing the coherence of biblical narrative, but in doing so misses some important distinctions and is subjecting the reader to dangers described above. The reader needs to exercise caution as he may be unintentionally influenced by dogmatic insights from the authors. The books will benefit both a beginner and an advanced student of the Bible.
July 28, 2023
Very dense but so informational and fascinating!!!! I really enjoyed it & feel like it gave a lot of strength to my belief!
Maybe dense isn’t the right word…it felt like a fire hydrant of explanation that was all so awesome but required my brain to not zone out haha
Maybe dense isn’t the right word…it felt like a fire hydrant of explanation that was all so awesome but required my brain to not zone out haha
November 22, 2023
A fantastic book. Hits the sweet spot of being both intellectual and accessible. I grew a lot in my love for the Scriptures after reading this one. The authors do such a great job of reminding you that the Bible is a unified story about God and His love for humanity. A must-read.
June 1, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it’s comprehensive look at the metanarrative of God’s work in this world — past, present, and future. After reading “Surprised by Hope” (N.T. Wright) recently, I appreciated similar themes but a different approach throughout this book, and thought the authors did an excellent job of painting a picture of the Biblical story, faithfully working through each element: creation, fall, redemption, restoration. I personally feel like I needed the reminder of the “big picture” and would definitely recommend this to others... especially those who grew up in the western church and who, after being fed so many little Bible story snippets with moral lessons, may struggle to see the Bible as one cohesive story of which we are to be active participants!
January 13, 2022
3.5. I know it seems like a bad review. It's not. The book is not heretical. Nothing horrible was being taught. But it's basically just a recap of what happens in scripture. No analysis, no further explanation (or very little and very surface level) and no digging deeper. And then at the end there was a quick "application" about how all of us are part of God's story even if we aren't working in ministry. It just didn't add much to my life. It did, however, inspire me to read through the Bibke beginning to end this year, which I've not done in my own personal time with the Lord.
So I would have loved more depth.
I would really only recommend this to someone just starting out in theological study.
So I would have loved more depth.
I would really only recommend this to someone just starting out in theological study.
November 21, 2024
Excellent use of narrative to summarize the story of God’s work in the world — past, present, and future — found in the Bible. The authors successfully explain why Christians should not read Scripture “as if they were a religious flea market, with a basket of history and old doctrines here, a shelf full of pious stories there, promises and commands scattered from one end to the other,” (I’m guilty of this thinking). Instead, we are encouraged to see ourselves as actors in the time between Jesus’ resurrection and his return, inspired to live according to the trajectory set out before us.
I only wish I had taken more time to read this so that I could have properly taken it to heart.
I only wish I had taken more time to read this so that I could have properly taken it to heart.
May 31, 2023
This is a fantastic Genesis to Revelation overview book. Tracing the arc of scripture and seeing it in light of the whole story, not just themes or events, is vital! It’s a short book, though it is a bit dense. I imagine it’d be a great accompanying guide to someone reading the Bible in a year. Or for anyone just seeking to see scripture as a story and rightly understand where we fall within this story.
December 28, 2020
This book is an excellent treatment of the Biblical storyline. The only thing keeping it from a 5-star rating is how the chapters are spaced out.
The chapter on the intertestamental period was one of the most helpful treatments of the subject that I've encountered. It felt like a condensed summary of F.F. Bruce's "New Testament History" on that topic.
The chapter on the intertestamental period was one of the most helpful treatments of the subject that I've encountered. It felt like a condensed summary of F.F. Bruce's "New Testament History" on that topic.
February 12, 2015
The Drama of Scripture is a book that any follower of Christ needs to read. Bartholomew and Goheen seek to open a whole new door for people that read the Bible and they do a great job at it. They understand that seeking to read the Bible without a comprehensive understanding of the the overall narrative of Scripture leaves one confused and bewildered. With this being the case, they set out to lay out God's story in six acts. These include:
Act 1 God Establishes His Kingdom: Creation
Act 2 Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall
Act 3 The King Chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated
Interlude A kingdom Story Waiting for an Ending: The Intertestamental Period
Act 4 The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished
Act 5 Spreading the News of the King: The mission of the Church
Act 6 The Return of the King: Redemption Completed
Bartholemew and Goheen opened my eyes to the beauty of God's sovereign hand in all of history. They also revealed the significance of the book of Acts ending in the way it did because it reveals that all of those that are in Christ Jesus are in Act 5 of the narrative of Scripture. We are to live accordingly to that. That means that in view of Acts 1,2,3, and 4 we are to learn from, and that we should also strive to fulfill Act 6. Striving to usher in Act 6 means living as a people that have been reconciled to God through the redemption of Christ in view of His second coming.
They also opened up a whole new world for me when it comes to looking at the Kingdom of God all throughout Scripture. I cannot elaborate on that because it was the main point of the book so go and buy it!
Act 1 God Establishes His Kingdom: Creation
Act 2 Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall
Act 3 The King Chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated
Interlude A kingdom Story Waiting for an Ending: The Intertestamental Period
Act 4 The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished
Act 5 Spreading the News of the King: The mission of the Church
Act 6 The Return of the King: Redemption Completed
Bartholemew and Goheen opened my eyes to the beauty of God's sovereign hand in all of history. They also revealed the significance of the book of Acts ending in the way it did because it reveals that all of those that are in Christ Jesus are in Act 5 of the narrative of Scripture. We are to live accordingly to that. That means that in view of Acts 1,2,3, and 4 we are to learn from, and that we should also strive to fulfill Act 6. Striving to usher in Act 6 means living as a people that have been reconciled to God through the redemption of Christ in view of His second coming.
They also opened up a whole new world for me when it comes to looking at the Kingdom of God all throughout Scripture. I cannot elaborate on that because it was the main point of the book so go and buy it!
Read
August 14, 2014This is a really helpful book. Best of its kind, I think, in helping the reader to understand the entire sweep of the biblical story towards the end of finding one's place in the story. Most Christians read the bible only devotionally, if at all. That's important to be sure but it also pretty much guarantees that one comes away with only bits and pieces and not the whole story. That is a loss of great magnitude. This book serves the church well in overcoming the loss of story that makes following Christ today problematic for so many. This is the 2nd edition of a book published and read about 10 years ago. There are slight changes in various places but these are really minimal in light of the whole book. New font and cover. The authors have written two other books together. All are worth the time and effort.
February 1, 2018
A solid introduction to the grand narrative of Scripture. This would be an excellent resource to educate lay people in churches. While most of the material was not new to me at this point in my reading and education, the authors synthesized a lot of good scholarship and delivered it in an engaging manner.
Finally, Bartholomew and Goheen take some time at the end of the book to look at the implications of understanding the story of the Bible. Where does this leave us today? They show that read the Bible in this way is not merely an academic exercise but has barring on what we do with our lives today.
Finally, Bartholomew and Goheen take some time at the end of the book to look at the implications of understanding the story of the Bible. Where does this leave us today? They show that read the Bible in this way is not merely an academic exercise but has barring on what we do with our lives today.
January 11, 2010
This is an expansion of N.T. Wright's 5-point model of the Biblical drama. Bartholomew adds to it a Sixth Act: The Return of the King.
This is a popularizing of Wright's 5-point model to be used in a classroom setting or Bible study. Bartholomew has also provided many helpful resources for getting the most out of the book.
http://www.biblicaltheology.ca/about/...
If you are unfamiliar with N.T. Wright, or are looking for an introduction to Biblical Theology with some excellent resources, this book will be helpful.
This is a popularizing of Wright's 5-point model to be used in a classroom setting or Bible study. Bartholomew has also provided many helpful resources for getting the most out of the book.
http://www.biblicaltheology.ca/about/...
If you are unfamiliar with N.T. Wright, or are looking for an introduction to Biblical Theology with some excellent resources, this book will be helpful.
November 7, 2011
This is a solid book that covers the story of Scripture. The authors do an admirable job, structuring their telling around a Kingdom motif. On the whole, this is a good book that digs below the surface of the biblical story - a good place to go to understand the flow of Scripture with some depth. My only concern is their lack of of emphasis on the anticipation of the Messiah in their Old Testament material. Jesus saw himself as central to the message of the Law, Prophets, and Writings (Luke 24). I think this could have been better reflected in Bartholomew and Goheen's summary.
January 10, 2023
This was assigned reading on a spiritual formation programme I was doing, and I confess I kind of diligently plodded my way through much of it. I was schooled in this kind of grand narrative approach to the Bible, spending my teenage years in Christian schools where we were taught the history of the two kingdoms of Israel, and such, as a daily educational activity. I don't resent that - it's provided me with a pretty useful and maybe irreplaceable knowledge-base - but perhaps over-familiarity detracted from the reading experience.
I accept that over-familiarity might be a flaw in my reading approach, and that a basic thirst for novelty might also be a pitfall, but I hankered for discussion of the many cultural, historical and literary subtexts, or scholarly points of contention, that complicate the main (ie selected) narrative and theme, and have been bypassed by this book in favour of the main narrative.
This narrowed focus is understandable in constructing a text (and the introductory educational brief that this book is seeking to fill), but it leaves the impression that this grand narrative with this particular theme is the only one (or the truest one) without allowing for other possibilities and approaches. There are fleeting hints and brief moments: for example the authors' treatment of the plagues of Egypt, which fascinatingly brings in different points of view and offers a taste of potential. Maybe that kind of wider exploration comes later in the reader's on-going journey of discovery, as it has for me since those earlier educational days.
Meanwhile, the summary of the plot of the Bible that is given is a pretty flat retelling that doesn't really creatively bring the story to life, or even convey the drama, quirks and character of the original texts.
Those critiques aside, I'm sure the book's proven to be a useful resource in certain contexts, and probably serves pretty well in certain settings. This was one of two similar books I was assigned to read that take a grand narrative approach. The other was The Epic of Eden by Sandra Richter. I enjoyed that more. While it can be critiqued in a similar way, it contained some fascinating cultural / historical material by way of context.
All that said, despite everything, you can't really hold the compelling parts of the deeper story down (the story that throbs beneath all our attempts to tell it) - and so the heartbeat is there, little inklings... and those might just suddenly expand into something quite life-changing.
I accept that over-familiarity might be a flaw in my reading approach, and that a basic thirst for novelty might also be a pitfall, but I hankered for discussion of the many cultural, historical and literary subtexts, or scholarly points of contention, that complicate the main (ie selected) narrative and theme, and have been bypassed by this book in favour of the main narrative.
This narrowed focus is understandable in constructing a text (and the introductory educational brief that this book is seeking to fill), but it leaves the impression that this grand narrative with this particular theme is the only one (or the truest one) without allowing for other possibilities and approaches. There are fleeting hints and brief moments: for example the authors' treatment of the plagues of Egypt, which fascinatingly brings in different points of view and offers a taste of potential. Maybe that kind of wider exploration comes later in the reader's on-going journey of discovery, as it has for me since those earlier educational days.
Meanwhile, the summary of the plot of the Bible that is given is a pretty flat retelling that doesn't really creatively bring the story to life, or even convey the drama, quirks and character of the original texts.
Those critiques aside, I'm sure the book's proven to be a useful resource in certain contexts, and probably serves pretty well in certain settings. This was one of two similar books I was assigned to read that take a grand narrative approach. The other was The Epic of Eden by Sandra Richter. I enjoyed that more. While it can be critiqued in a similar way, it contained some fascinating cultural / historical material by way of context.
All that said, despite everything, you can't really hold the compelling parts of the deeper story down (the story that throbs beneath all our attempts to tell it) - and so the heartbeat is there, little inklings... and those might just suddenly expand into something quite life-changing.
November 30, 2012
The Drama of Scripture is a book thats main idea is to tie together the diverse stories, teachings, themes, and people of the Bible to present it as a complete picture of God's working with His creation. The book separates the Bible into 6 acts. They are as follows: 1) God Establishes His kingdom, 2) Rebellion in the Kingdom, 3) The King Chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated, (Interlude: A kingdom Story Waiting for an Ending: The Intertestamental Period), 4) The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished, 5) Spreading the News of the King: The Mission of the Church, and 6) The Return of the King: Redemption Completed.
The book is very neatly divided into these sections, primarily by Old and New Testaments. The authors bring about many interesting facts throughout their writing that I never really knew. I found these little tidbits of information to be enlightening to some of the stories of the Bible that I was familiar with. The interesting facts they brought about shed new light and understanding on passages of Scripture somewhat familiar to me. Things such as: Lamech being the first poet and then using if for evil (49), and Noah being the first winemaker and then using that for evil as well (51). Towards the beginning of the book I thought the entire thing was going to be very dry and repetitive, basically a book repeating what the Bible already says in a different and quicker way. But as the reading went on I started to enjoy it much more.
Other aspects I found interesting were that the book was a good refresher on subjects of the Bible that I have quickly forgotten about in my study. Things such as the Israelite feasts, their significance, and their meaning (73-74); Moses having a first and second sermon in Deuteronomy (77); a good refresher on God's justification for genecide (78); the reasoning behind Israel's failure during the judges period (85-86); and a synapsis of First and Second Kings, as well as first and second Chronicles (easy to forget their purposes) (92). The section on the intertestamental period was also very interesting and brought much significance to me. I have never had the privilege yet of studying the subject, and even though the discussion was brief I did learn some new things that will help with my New and Old Testament interpretation of Scripture. There were many things in this book that brought a lot of enlightenment to me, and that is one of the main reasons I enjoyed it.
As the book continued the authors theological positions became more and more apparent. The taking of many things symbolically and allegorically, not just prophecy (87, Samuels being a Nazarite having symbolic meaning) . The authors continually referred to the kingdom of God as an "already, not yet" concept. They did this in context to Jesus day, as well as bringing that into our day. They explained that the Jews had a misconception from Old Testament prophecy that the kingdom of God and the Messiah would come cataclysmically. In their section on the gospels they summarized four misconceptions that the Jews had about the kingdom of God and why they were wrong. They were: 1) The kingdom does not come all at once, 2) The present kingdom does not come with irresistible power, 3) The final judgement of the kingdom is reserved for the future, 4) the full revelation of the kingdom is postponed, to allow many to ender it during the present age. Although this concept was interesting (because I do not to often get to read from those from a different theological perspective), I had a hard time agreeing with it. I will say that the authors did a great job at unifying Scripture, but they do fail in some aspects to recognize some of the specifics of the text in regards ecclesiology and eschatology. The reference to the kingdom being "already, not yet" is something I have always recognized to be a progressive dispensationalist idea, but I do not know if the authors specifically adhere to this view. There were some aspects that sounded amillennial, and they did not refer to Bock and Blaisings work on the subject of progressive dispensationalism either (from what I saw in the notes).
The authors also did an awesome job of showing the significance of the cross in regards to the ancient context of crucifixion and the humility of it. Even to the point of presenting an ancient child's cartoon drawing of a donkey on a cross and a man worshipping it. The idea that God was crucified was laughable to the ancient world, and the authors really brought out the idea wonderfully. I will say this though, that the authors did not present the gospel in a very straightforward manner, and camped much more upon the idea of the kingdom of God, and kingdom living rather than salvation by grace through faith. I do not know much about the authors beyond that they adhere to a different theological school of thought that I do, but the gospel was not very apparent.
I did like the book. Overall, what I gathered and appreciated from the book was the tying together of Scripture as a whole, the extra bits of information that I never knew, the reading from a different theological perspective, and the reminder of the crucifixion. As regards my ministry in the future, I feel that this book helped me to see the Bible through a different lens than I normally would. The book showing the Bible as very unified helped me see the grand theme of salvation that God has for people. Normally I look at the Bible as either application to my own life, or for theological purposes. I think the book, although it was not its purpose, will help me to appreciate those peoples opinions about Scripture that are not exactly the same as my own. I have recognized before that other forms of theology that see salvation as the unifying theme of the Bible find it easier to revel in the cross. That was the case in this book. I believe the book will also serve as a great tool to walk a new convert who does not know that much about the BIble through it. I very much appreciated the book, and am looking forward to using its contents in the future.
The book is very neatly divided into these sections, primarily by Old and New Testaments. The authors bring about many interesting facts throughout their writing that I never really knew. I found these little tidbits of information to be enlightening to some of the stories of the Bible that I was familiar with. The interesting facts they brought about shed new light and understanding on passages of Scripture somewhat familiar to me. Things such as: Lamech being the first poet and then using if for evil (49), and Noah being the first winemaker and then using that for evil as well (51). Towards the beginning of the book I thought the entire thing was going to be very dry and repetitive, basically a book repeating what the Bible already says in a different and quicker way. But as the reading went on I started to enjoy it much more.
Other aspects I found interesting were that the book was a good refresher on subjects of the Bible that I have quickly forgotten about in my study. Things such as the Israelite feasts, their significance, and their meaning (73-74); Moses having a first and second sermon in Deuteronomy (77); a good refresher on God's justification for genecide (78); the reasoning behind Israel's failure during the judges period (85-86); and a synapsis of First and Second Kings, as well as first and second Chronicles (easy to forget their purposes) (92). The section on the intertestamental period was also very interesting and brought much significance to me. I have never had the privilege yet of studying the subject, and even though the discussion was brief I did learn some new things that will help with my New and Old Testament interpretation of Scripture. There were many things in this book that brought a lot of enlightenment to me, and that is one of the main reasons I enjoyed it.
As the book continued the authors theological positions became more and more apparent. The taking of many things symbolically and allegorically, not just prophecy (87, Samuels being a Nazarite having symbolic meaning) . The authors continually referred to the kingdom of God as an "already, not yet" concept. They did this in context to Jesus day, as well as bringing that into our day. They explained that the Jews had a misconception from Old Testament prophecy that the kingdom of God and the Messiah would come cataclysmically. In their section on the gospels they summarized four misconceptions that the Jews had about the kingdom of God and why they were wrong. They were: 1) The kingdom does not come all at once, 2) The present kingdom does not come with irresistible power, 3) The final judgement of the kingdom is reserved for the future, 4) the full revelation of the kingdom is postponed, to allow many to ender it during the present age. Although this concept was interesting (because I do not to often get to read from those from a different theological perspective), I had a hard time agreeing with it. I will say that the authors did a great job at unifying Scripture, but they do fail in some aspects to recognize some of the specifics of the text in regards ecclesiology and eschatology. The reference to the kingdom being "already, not yet" is something I have always recognized to be a progressive dispensationalist idea, but I do not know if the authors specifically adhere to this view. There were some aspects that sounded amillennial, and they did not refer to Bock and Blaisings work on the subject of progressive dispensationalism either (from what I saw in the notes).
The authors also did an awesome job of showing the significance of the cross in regards to the ancient context of crucifixion and the humility of it. Even to the point of presenting an ancient child's cartoon drawing of a donkey on a cross and a man worshipping it. The idea that God was crucified was laughable to the ancient world, and the authors really brought out the idea wonderfully. I will say this though, that the authors did not present the gospel in a very straightforward manner, and camped much more upon the idea of the kingdom of God, and kingdom living rather than salvation by grace through faith. I do not know much about the authors beyond that they adhere to a different theological school of thought that I do, but the gospel was not very apparent.
I did like the book. Overall, what I gathered and appreciated from the book was the tying together of Scripture as a whole, the extra bits of information that I never knew, the reading from a different theological perspective, and the reminder of the crucifixion. As regards my ministry in the future, I feel that this book helped me to see the Bible through a different lens than I normally would. The book showing the Bible as very unified helped me see the grand theme of salvation that God has for people. Normally I look at the Bible as either application to my own life, or for theological purposes. I think the book, although it was not its purpose, will help me to appreciate those peoples opinions about Scripture that are not exactly the same as my own. I have recognized before that other forms of theology that see salvation as the unifying theme of the Bible find it easier to revel in the cross. That was the case in this book. I believe the book will also serve as a great tool to walk a new convert who does not know that much about the BIble through it. I very much appreciated the book, and am looking forward to using its contents in the future.
May 15, 2025
I read The Drama of Scripture for Dr. Drake’s Story of Scripture Class at Indianapolis Theological Seminary. This book gives a high level biblical theology of the entirety of scripture. The Author’s divide the story of scripture into 5 acts: Creation, Fall, Redemption, The Church, and Consummation. Each act sequentially walking through the who, what, when, where, and why of how God is working. I found this book helpful as it has given me a clear grasp of what is going on in any part of scripture. There is also an emphasis on covenantal theology, its implications, and as they are worked out throughout the Bible. I liked this because it addresses the status of covenants not just in their fulfillment but as their being fulfilled such as the Abrahamic Covenant at the end of the OT. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to get a better understanding of the big picture of the Bible!
April 21, 2025
Seeing the Bible as an overarching narrative with God at the center, where every book contributes to the grander tale of his glory and the world's redemption, rather than seeing the Bible as a self-help book or just moral teachings, is noble.
This book was somewhat helpful in that aim, but it also just kinda felt like a glorified Bible commentary, going book by book and just summarizing what happened.
Also, it bothered me that most quotes weren't attributed, and you had to go to the notes in the back to see who said each one. Ain't nobody got time for that.
Still a good resource though.
This book was somewhat helpful in that aim, but it also just kinda felt like a glorified Bible commentary, going book by book and just summarizing what happened.
Also, it bothered me that most quotes weren't attributed, and you had to go to the notes in the back to see who said each one. Ain't nobody got time for that.
Still a good resource though.
May 25, 2020
I read this with a discussion group at a Christian study center. It's very much an overview of the biblical narrative. Well-based in Scripture as authoritative. Lays out the 'acts' of the drama well showing that Christians today are part of the same tale. It's written by scholars, not story-tellers, but I think for the aim of their book, that is okay. I think it deserves a more compelling cover. (:
August 30, 2020
I wish this had been assigned in undergrad. "Act 3" of the book was particularly helpful in gaining a deeper understanding of the story of Israel (with regards to cultural context, the covenant, the land, and their expectations for the Messiah). I would recommend to anyone (like myself) who has enough knowledge of the Bible to communicate the metanarrative but when they sit down to read often think "what the heck is going on here?"
December 11, 2023
This was assigned to me way back in my Intro to Bible class in 2010. I admit that I did not read it at the time, and I am very sorry that I did not do so. I was still a new Christian when I sat through my Bible courses in college, and this book would have greatly expanded my understanding of scripture and God’s redemptive plan for the world. It is a fantastic book, and I cannot recommend it enough. I only wish I read it sooner!
October 13, 2020
This book was very helpful to me. The authors soar over the biblical story, expertly highlighting and tracing the story of redemption throughout scripture. This book helped me understand how scripture functions better, and gave me renewed vision for resurrection life and it's implications. Recommended read.
April 12, 2024
An interesting read, and helpful into the minds of Christians and the Bible. But it just raises into question how poisonous religion is, how it can be taken as a grain of salt and exploited by people to gain personal growth and power. The backbone to religion and the following of god and Jesus is inherently good. But in today's day and age, religion has destroyed humanity.
July 24, 2019
Read this as a companion to a sermon series I preached on the "Big Picture" of the Bible. I wanted to see how other gifted communicators selectively summarized and presented parts of the Bible. Their six-act framework is very helpful in understanding different biblical epochs. They also do an excellent job of showing the Bible's own expectation that its readers respond to it and invites them to join the "drama" as a worshipper of God in Christ.
Would be a very helpful book to read through with college students or dedicated adult learners to give them a sense of the grand sweep of the Bible.
Would be a very helpful book to read through with college students or dedicated adult learners to give them a sense of the grand sweep of the Bible.
January 26, 2023
Good: chronological ordering of Scripture that helps our 21st century, American brains understand the story of the Bible better as we tend to think of things more chronologically than thematically
Bad: sucks all the life and ‘drama’ out of Scripture, doing the opposite of what it intended to do
Bad: sucks all the life and ‘drama’ out of Scripture, doing the opposite of what it intended to do
December 1, 2018
This book does amazing job helping its readers see the flow of scripture as one cohesive story of God redeeming creation back to himself and where we fall in that story.
March 4, 2020
Perhaps the best book on the grand story of Scripture?!!
August 30, 2024
If you are familiar with the Biblical story or grew up going to church, you’ll likely know many of the details in this book. BUT, please still read it! The authors weave together each well-known element of the Bible into a terrific summary of God’s redemptive plan. Well worth the time
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