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Short Studies in Systematic Theology
The Doctrine of Scripture: An Introduction
A Clear and Concise Exploration of the Christian Doctrine of Scripture The Bible is the written word of the living God. He speaks through this word, working in and through human agents as he reveals himself to his people. His word is trustworthy, yet many Christians struggle to articulate why they believe that to be true. Centered in the words of Scripture and especially the teaching of Jesus himself, this volume unpacks the doctrine of Scripture as taught by the church through the ages, helping to strengthen readers’ confidence in God’s word. Despite the challenges that are often leveled against the Bible, Thompson clearly articulates what Jesus taught about the Scriptures, how God speaks to his people through the written word, the crucial work of the Holy Spirit to apply the word, and the vital attributes of Scripture―its clarity, truthfulness, sufficiency, and efficacy. Readers will find encouragement to walk according to the word and to delight in the God who speaks.
208 pages, Paperback
Published April 26, 2022
29 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Mark D. Thompson
17 books5 followersMark D. Thompson (DPhil, University of Oxford) is the principal of Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia, and head of the department of theology, philosophy, and ethics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 2, 2023
I very nearly awarded this my coveted 5-star rating. It really is an outstanding example of concise, accessible theology. This one hits almost every mark: it’s thorough, historically conversant, and brings forward a wealth of biblical texts and insights. At the same time, it’s briskly paced, and artfully written. I especially enjoyed Thompson’ Christ-centered (literally) defense of biblical authority, and the way he doesn’t wring his hands over the “proper” epistemological method for ascribing authority to Scripture. If you want a book that concisely summarizes Jesus and the apostle’s views of Scripture and the apostolic witness, I honestly don’t know how you’d do better than this. Recommended for all.
February 26, 2025
I often find myself lost when reading theology. But I felt very comfortable having this book as a guide to the question: What is God’s word? It grounds itself firmly in the Scriptures, pushes the reader into deeper theological thought and reasoning, and most importantly, points us to praise the God who has spoken. Nice one Tomo
March 26, 2025
What Jesus said about the Bible is what those who follow him should say about it too. This book surveys essentially everything Jesus says about scripture, helping the Christian to fix their eyes on their Lord to teach them how to read the book that points to him.
Five stars so as to not risk expulsion.
Five stars so as to not risk expulsion.
May 10, 2025
Really good. The best ‘introduction’ to the doctrine of Scripture I have read. It is meaty though. It is not an introduction in the truest sense of the word.
My only qualm is that Thompson repeated himself at times. I don’t know if this was an attempt at purposeful repetition, or if it was careless/needless redundancy.
The quotes in this book were absolutely brilliant. From Luther, Calvin, Cranmer, Quenstedt and an abundance of John Webster.
My only qualm is that Thompson repeated himself at times. I don’t know if this was an attempt at purposeful repetition, or if it was careless/needless redundancy.
The quotes in this book were absolutely brilliant. From Luther, Calvin, Cranmer, Quenstedt and an abundance of John Webster.
June 1, 2023
I’m bias to the editor 😮💨
September 15, 2023
Loved this short (186pp) book. I’m willing to say this was the most helpful book on the doctrine of scripture that I’ve read. Brought in some elements I was unfamiliar with. Overall, really clear and encouraging. I’ll be checking out more from this series— and this will be the Scripture book that I recommend to others in the church.
Andddd he’s a great writer. It’s almost like you don’t even notice your reading. Now THAT’S good writing.
Andddd he’s a great writer. It’s almost like you don’t even notice your reading. Now THAT’S good writing.
April 1, 2023
I read this to prep for a class I will be teaching on the Bible and how to read it. It was thorough and informative. It is a good book and one that made me think. I enjoyed the study of the attributes of scripture.
June 10, 2025
Good little book. My only critique, really, is that it felt like 60% of his citations were of Webster. Maybe I should just have read Webster.
July 23, 2023
A short, readable book clearly outlining what Jesus and the bible say about itself.
With good subheadings and readable chunks.
With good subheadings and readable chunks.
April 19, 2024
I'll be honest, I was not paying a lot of attention when I got this book cheaply for my Kindle. I was thinking more about how we came about the canon than I was a broader doctrine of scripture, and that was what I got.
How do we view the bible? How does the bible view itself? Most importantly, how does Jesus view the bible and how do we make sense of it all. Mark Thompson's desire is to give us confidence in the means by which God has chosen to reveal himself, his nature and character, and also how he has revealed his Son to people throughout the world and throughout history.
A helpful book for anyone wanting to have a deeper understanding in God's word.
How do we view the bible? How does the bible view itself? Most importantly, how does Jesus view the bible and how do we make sense of it all. Mark Thompson's desire is to give us confidence in the means by which God has chosen to reveal himself, his nature and character, and also how he has revealed his Son to people throughout the world and throughout history.
A helpful book for anyone wanting to have a deeper understanding in God's word.
August 30, 2024
This book gets a full five stars for being one of the best introductions on the doctrine of Scripture out there. It was incredible helpful to me in an introductory manner to explain what the doctrine of Scripture is as well as what it is not. The first chapter was helpful to be reminded that the center of all of God’s revelation is: the glory of Jesus Christ. Having this center was helpful as we approached the character of the Scriptures because it kept the main thing the main thing.
The way this book was written with many references to church history and how they approached the doctrine of Scripture was also helpful. It helped me see that we are not doing something new as we approach Scripture, rather, we are doing the same things the church has done since its conception. We approach God through his revealed word accepting it as the rule that rules all rules. Sola Scriptura.
The way this book was written with many references to church history and how they approached the doctrine of Scripture was also helpful. It helped me see that we are not doing something new as we approach Scripture, rather, we are doing the same things the church has done since its conception. We approach God through his revealed word accepting it as the rule that rules all rules. Sola Scriptura.
April 12, 2022
A well done little book. It covers the bases of this topic well without treading the same old ground. An excellent emphasis on what it means for God to speak, which helpfully comes before discussion of the traits of Scripture itself. Especially useful look at clarity, which isn't surprising because the author wrote an academic book on the subject in D. A. Carson's biblical theology series.
The author might spend less time on inerrancy than some might like. Thompson doesn't get hung up on the term. He defines and accepts it without feeling like he needs to defend every controversial passage that some use to disparage the concept. In so doing the author keeps this book balanced in its various sections, which is appreciated. A good entry in this already excellent series.
The author might spend less time on inerrancy than some might like. Thompson doesn't get hung up on the term. He defines and accepts it without feeling like he needs to defend every controversial passage that some use to disparage the concept. In so doing the author keeps this book balanced in its various sections, which is appreciated. A good entry in this already excellent series.
May 30, 2022
I have a keen interest in the doctrine of Scripture—convinced as Schaeffer was that it is a watershed which will determine where Christian’s land on any number of issues (see his The Great Evangelical Disaster). Right understanding of Scripture, of its truthfulness, authority, and sufficiency as the very words of God our Father is as needed today as it has been at any point the history of the Church. Thus, I am always delighted to discover another resource to commend that articulates and upholds the profound nature of the Holy Scriptures as God reveals in them. Mark Thompson’s recent contribution to Crossways “Short Studies in Systematic Theology” does this admirably. Mark shows us from God’s own words why we should believe the standard Evangelical teachings concerning the verbal plenary inspiration of Scripture and its various attributes (he delineates them as, clarity and truthfulness, sufficiency and efficacy). In The Doctrine of Scripture: An Introduction, Thompson sets out to give “a theological account of Scripture, one that at each point relates it to the person and character of the God who has given it” (15). He writes (thankfully) not as a dispassionate academic but “an unapologetic enthusiast for the Bible” (15).
The Doctrine of Scripture is relatively short, divided into 6 chapters with a preface and introduction. In the introduction, Mark outlines the approach he will take in the book. He starts with Jesus as the centre of Scripture but does not limit his account to Jesus’ teaching alone: he starts with the centre but then moves out to the entire testimony of Scripture. As he does throughout the book, Mark has an eye to the various contemporary approaches to Scripture that seek to undermine its authority in one way or another. Chapter 1 begins with the approach Jesus takes to Scripture. Chapter 2 then analyses what it means for God to speak and how he has done so in the past. In Chapter 3, Mark then moves from God speaking to the written word. He upholds the power and authority of the written word—not seeing at is anyway a deficient account of spoken communication—and explains God’s purpose to leave an authority standard for his people across the ages. Here, he affirms verbal, plenary inspiration (the whole Bible is inspired down to its very words, not just its “meaning” or certain parts of it) and gives an account of God’s preservation of Scripture across the ages. Chapter 4 & 5 take up the question of Scriptures attributes, which Mark identifies as truthfulness and clarity (Ch. 4) and Sufficiency and Efficacy (Ch. 5). Scripture is entirely truthful in what it says, understood according to the purpose of the text (i.e. it is not as precise as a science textbook nor does it always have the same purposes that we would have it give (e.g. the use of phenomenological language)). Mark doesn’t let the accommodation of Scripture undermine its truthfulness or make Scripture a wax nose bending under what pressure contemporary culture exerts; God has spoken in such a way that we can receive it, but this communication is true, not just for matters of life and doctrine but everything upon which it touches. Scripture is also clear, though not necessarily simple; it is clear enough that people of all ages and all walks of life can engage with it, hear from God, and engage with one another from it. Sufficiency describes the adequacy of Scripture for all that God gave it for, “to make known to us the saving purpose of God in Christ, to warrant faith, and to direct the Christian life” (163). Efficacy refers to guarantee that Scripture will accomplish its purpose; united with the work of the Spirit, it has the power to accomplish all for which God gave it.
Mark is a clear writer and widely read across all ages of the Church. The reader will benefit from his rich understanding of Scripture and millennia of God’s people reflecting upon these same Scriptures. My only quibbles with the book are quite minor. As I have argued elsewhere, the text from Deuteronomy 30:10-14 does not support the clarity of Scripture; in Hebrew, it looks to a day when God will empower his people through the Spirit to obey the Law that was at that time too difficult (cf. 30:6, Jer 31:31-34, Isa 54:13; cf. Rom 10:5-13). Page 151 appears to support the myth that the church opposed Copernicus and Galileo in the 16th and 17th centuries, which is a much more complicated story. However, on a positive concluding point, Mark is able to affirm all the above attributes of Scripture without committing himself to a specific account of textual meaning, a problem many have identified in the Chicago Statement of Inerrancy and in the more recent book by Feinberg (Light in a Dark Place). I heartily commend The Doctrine of Scripture to the reader.
The Doctrine of Scripture is relatively short, divided into 6 chapters with a preface and introduction. In the introduction, Mark outlines the approach he will take in the book. He starts with Jesus as the centre of Scripture but does not limit his account to Jesus’ teaching alone: he starts with the centre but then moves out to the entire testimony of Scripture. As he does throughout the book, Mark has an eye to the various contemporary approaches to Scripture that seek to undermine its authority in one way or another. Chapter 1 begins with the approach Jesus takes to Scripture. Chapter 2 then analyses what it means for God to speak and how he has done so in the past. In Chapter 3, Mark then moves from God speaking to the written word. He upholds the power and authority of the written word—not seeing at is anyway a deficient account of spoken communication—and explains God’s purpose to leave an authority standard for his people across the ages. Here, he affirms verbal, plenary inspiration (the whole Bible is inspired down to its very words, not just its “meaning” or certain parts of it) and gives an account of God’s preservation of Scripture across the ages. Chapter 4 & 5 take up the question of Scriptures attributes, which Mark identifies as truthfulness and clarity (Ch. 4) and Sufficiency and Efficacy (Ch. 5). Scripture is entirely truthful in what it says, understood according to the purpose of the text (i.e. it is not as precise as a science textbook nor does it always have the same purposes that we would have it give (e.g. the use of phenomenological language)). Mark doesn’t let the accommodation of Scripture undermine its truthfulness or make Scripture a wax nose bending under what pressure contemporary culture exerts; God has spoken in such a way that we can receive it, but this communication is true, not just for matters of life and doctrine but everything upon which it touches. Scripture is also clear, though not necessarily simple; it is clear enough that people of all ages and all walks of life can engage with it, hear from God, and engage with one another from it. Sufficiency describes the adequacy of Scripture for all that God gave it for, “to make known to us the saving purpose of God in Christ, to warrant faith, and to direct the Christian life” (163). Efficacy refers to guarantee that Scripture will accomplish its purpose; united with the work of the Spirit, it has the power to accomplish all for which God gave it.
Mark is a clear writer and widely read across all ages of the Church. The reader will benefit from his rich understanding of Scripture and millennia of God’s people reflecting upon these same Scriptures. My only quibbles with the book are quite minor. As I have argued elsewhere, the text from Deuteronomy 30:10-14 does not support the clarity of Scripture; in Hebrew, it looks to a day when God will empower his people through the Spirit to obey the Law that was at that time too difficult (cf. 30:6, Jer 31:31-34, Isa 54:13; cf. Rom 10:5-13). Page 151 appears to support the myth that the church opposed Copernicus and Galileo in the 16th and 17th centuries, which is a much more complicated story. However, on a positive concluding point, Mark is able to affirm all the above attributes of Scripture without committing himself to a specific account of textual meaning, a problem many have identified in the Chicago Statement of Inerrancy and in the more recent book by Feinberg (Light in a Dark Place). I heartily commend The Doctrine of Scripture to the reader.
May 24, 2022
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S THE DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURE ABOUT?
This seventh volume in the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series addresses (as the title states), the doctrine of Scripture.
Thompson grounds his discussion in Christ's view of Scripture—how he uses it, refers to it, and points people to that. If that's his view, then those who follow him ought to share it. From there, he discusses God's speaking to his people as depicted throughout Scripture—as He is a communicative God, we ought to rightly esteem and study that communication—starting with the spoken word and then the record of it—as well as the rest of the written revelation given to us. He then explains the attributes—or character—of Scripture: clarity, truthfulness, sufficiency, and efficacy. The book then closes with some guidance and encouragement for how the believer ought to use scripture—how we are to be discipled by it.
HIGHLIGHTS
I typically like to address highlights in a book like this—sadly, I don't think I can really point to any. I can't point to a chapter or two, or line of argumentation, or anything that I thought was more valuable, made a bigger impact on me, or anything else. It's a strange feeling, really. Each chapter was equally strong—it's not often you find a book like that.
I guess the strongest part of the book was Thompson's approach—he kept it centered on Christ. Nothing against other books on the Doctrine of Scripture or Sola Scriptura, etc.—but few of them focus on Christ this way.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURE?
This is one of the better entries in the series—it covers all the basics in clear, comprehensible terms, and then goes a little further, prompting the reader to further reflection and study.
A book this good deserves more than that sentence as an evaluation, but there's not much more to be said. If you're looking for a capable, accessible, and useful introduction to the Doctrine of Scripture—or a refresher on the essentials on this vital topic, you will be well served to give this a read.
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The Christian doctrine of Scripture is an integrated account of the word of the living God given to us in written form through the conscious, creative, yet faithful agency of human servants especially prepared for this work, and attended at every point by the Holy Spirit. As a doctrine, it does not arise from isolated and unusual “proof texts.” Instead, it emerges from a broad and deep biblical theology and is ultimately anchored in the being and character of the triune God. At its center is Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, who himself appealed to the written word, both endorsing and fulfilling the Old Testament and, through the commission he gave to his apostles and the promise of his Spirit, authorizing the New Testament.
WHAT'S THE DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURE ABOUT?
This seventh volume in the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series addresses (as the title states), the doctrine of Scripture.
Thompson grounds his discussion in Christ's view of Scripture—how he uses it, refers to it, and points people to that. If that's his view, then those who follow him ought to share it. From there, he discusses God's speaking to his people as depicted throughout Scripture—as He is a communicative God, we ought to rightly esteem and study that communication—starting with the spoken word and then the record of it—as well as the rest of the written revelation given to us. He then explains the attributes—or character—of Scripture: clarity, truthfulness, sufficiency, and efficacy. The book then closes with some guidance and encouragement for how the believer ought to use scripture—how we are to be discipled by it.
HIGHLIGHTS
I typically like to address highlights in a book like this—sadly, I don't think I can really point to any. I can't point to a chapter or two, or line of argumentation, or anything that I thought was more valuable, made a bigger impact on me, or anything else. It's a strange feeling, really. Each chapter was equally strong—it's not often you find a book like that.
I guess the strongest part of the book was Thompson's approach—he kept it centered on Christ. Nothing against other books on the Doctrine of Scripture or Sola Scriptura, etc.—but few of them focus on Christ this way.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURE?
How a person responds to the word of God, spoken by Jesus or written in the Scriptures, has serious consequences. The most articulate confession of the nature of Scripture and the strongest affirmations of its authority mean nothing if a person is not willing to live under that authority with repentance and faith. In contrast Jesus once exclaimed, “Blessed . . . are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28).
This is one of the better entries in the series—it covers all the basics in clear, comprehensible terms, and then goes a little further, prompting the reader to further reflection and study.
A book this good deserves more than that sentence as an evaluation, but there's not much more to be said. If you're looking for a capable, accessible, and useful introduction to the Doctrine of Scripture—or a refresher on the essentials on this vital topic, you will be well served to give this a read.
December 30, 2024
Are you looking for a summary book on the Bible’s own doctrine of the Word of God that is around two hundred pages? This is a book I recommend. It is a volume from the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series published by Crossway and it’s the third volume I read from this series. Previously I read the book on the Holy Spirit and the Trinity in this series and those works impressed me so I was eager to see how the work on the Scripture would turn out. While the work on the Trinity and Spirit were excellent this one wasn’t the same as the other two but it was still helpful.
After the series preface, book preface and introduction there are six chapters. The opening chapter looks at Jesus’ view of the Scripture and the author thought since we follow Jesus as Christians we best begin there with our Lord’s understanding of revelation and the Bible. Chapter two is on the speaking God since the kind of God is, is the basis of the God who has revealed Himself. Chapter three is on the speech of God to the Word of God being written and then the next two chapters are on the characters of Scripture which the author focuses on the Scripture’s clarity, truthfulness, sufficiency and efficacy. The final chapter is on reading the Bible as a follower of Jesus.
For those who are well taught on the Bible’s view of the Bible most of the materials here are nothing new; though it is important and helpful what’s being expounded by Mark Thompson. One thing though that I thought was unique was the author’s discussion on the clarity of the Scriptures and there’s nuances that I haven’t seen as talked about as commonly elsewhere. The clarity of the Scripture is often misunderstood; it doesn’t mean everything in the Bible is easy! The author note that clarity is not the same as simplicity (page 131), that it is not the same as illumination (133), nor does it mean clarity does not make teaching and teachers or studying superfluous (137). More importantly I thought Thompson notes how “Clarity does not ensure everything is understood at once” in which he explained “The Clarity of Scripture does not mean that everything being said in any biblical text is immediately and fully known upon a first reading. There is always room for growth in our understanding” (136). The author have written more about the clarity of Scripture in a previous book titled A Clear and Present Word which as a result of reading this book I now want to find that book and read it in more details since this has implications for the subject of apologetics, doctrine of Scripture and biblical theology, subjects I am fascinated with.
I recommend this book. I read this trying to see what would be a good text book for students I teach to have. It seems that this can be translated without much cultural baggage (for the consideration of teaching this internationally). Overall its straight forward and biblical.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Crossway without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
After the series preface, book preface and introduction there are six chapters. The opening chapter looks at Jesus’ view of the Scripture and the author thought since we follow Jesus as Christians we best begin there with our Lord’s understanding of revelation and the Bible. Chapter two is on the speaking God since the kind of God is, is the basis of the God who has revealed Himself. Chapter three is on the speech of God to the Word of God being written and then the next two chapters are on the characters of Scripture which the author focuses on the Scripture’s clarity, truthfulness, sufficiency and efficacy. The final chapter is on reading the Bible as a follower of Jesus.
For those who are well taught on the Bible’s view of the Bible most of the materials here are nothing new; though it is important and helpful what’s being expounded by Mark Thompson. One thing though that I thought was unique was the author’s discussion on the clarity of the Scriptures and there’s nuances that I haven’t seen as talked about as commonly elsewhere. The clarity of the Scripture is often misunderstood; it doesn’t mean everything in the Bible is easy! The author note that clarity is not the same as simplicity (page 131), that it is not the same as illumination (133), nor does it mean clarity does not make teaching and teachers or studying superfluous (137). More importantly I thought Thompson notes how “Clarity does not ensure everything is understood at once” in which he explained “The Clarity of Scripture does not mean that everything being said in any biblical text is immediately and fully known upon a first reading. There is always room for growth in our understanding” (136). The author have written more about the clarity of Scripture in a previous book titled A Clear and Present Word which as a result of reading this book I now want to find that book and read it in more details since this has implications for the subject of apologetics, doctrine of Scripture and biblical theology, subjects I am fascinated with.
I recommend this book. I read this trying to see what would be a good text book for students I teach to have. It seems that this can be translated without much cultural baggage (for the consideration of teaching this internationally). Overall its straight forward and biblical.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Crossway without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
June 7, 2024
"The character of the written word of God, affirmed or assumed by Jesus, attested throughout the Old Testament and the New, is inextricably tied to the character of God. The gospel of Jesus Christ always turns our attention ultimately to the person and purposes of the triune God. The God who has given us this word, through the genuine human agency of the prophets and apostles, is an effective communicator. He is utterly and always truthful. He is never ignorant or misled, and he cannot lie. He provides abundantly for his human creatures, the objects of his love. And his word always accomplishes the purpose for which it was given."
Drawing from Webster, Vanhoozer, Ward, Calvin, Luther, Warfield, Turretin, and many others, Thompson provides a great introduction to the doctrine of Scripture. Thompson focuses on the texts of Scripture themselves and the character of the Triune God to argue for the attributes of Scripture. The strongest portions, in my opinion, are his appeals to the statements and questions of Jesus relating to the authority, clarity, and sufficiency of Scripture. Thompson simply presents the texts of Scripture, connected with the theology that they teach, and trusts that they can defend themselves. I also loved Thompson's use of Vanhoozer's speech-act theory to argue for inseparable operations of the Trinity in communing with creation, as well as showing how speech-act theory relates to the efficacy of Scripture. This book was a breath of fresh air and made me want to read more Scripture to enjoy communing with the Triune God.
Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see Thompson draw from Petrus van Mastricht and Richard Muller. Baller.
Drawing from Webster, Vanhoozer, Ward, Calvin, Luther, Warfield, Turretin, and many others, Thompson provides a great introduction to the doctrine of Scripture. Thompson focuses on the texts of Scripture themselves and the character of the Triune God to argue for the attributes of Scripture. The strongest portions, in my opinion, are his appeals to the statements and questions of Jesus relating to the authority, clarity, and sufficiency of Scripture. Thompson simply presents the texts of Scripture, connected with the theology that they teach, and trusts that they can defend themselves. I also loved Thompson's use of Vanhoozer's speech-act theory to argue for inseparable operations of the Trinity in communing with creation, as well as showing how speech-act theory relates to the efficacy of Scripture. This book was a breath of fresh air and made me want to read more Scripture to enjoy communing with the Triune God.
Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see Thompson draw from Petrus van Mastricht and Richard Muller. Baller.
July 30, 2023
A decent intro to the doctrine of scripture discussing How Jesus treated scripture, the question of "what" scripture essentially is, and 4 attributes of scripture: Clarity, Truthfulness, Sufficiency and Efficacy.
This is a broad and fairly accessible introduction, though it loses points for unnecessary repetition.
Other notes:
- The first couple of chapters appear to advocate presuppositional apologetics, considering the substance of the book no discussion of apologetics was needed
- There's some interesting comments about Jesus's eternal role within the trinity making him fitting to be central to all revelation, this seemed a bit confusing, and I'm unsure exactly what was being said here
- Very little is said about how to actually study the bible - there are brief comments in the last couple of pages but stronger applications could have been made here
This is a broad and fairly accessible introduction, though it loses points for unnecessary repetition.
Other notes:
- The first couple of chapters appear to advocate presuppositional apologetics, considering the substance of the book no discussion of apologetics was needed
- There's some interesting comments about Jesus's eternal role within the trinity making him fitting to be central to all revelation, this seemed a bit confusing, and I'm unsure exactly what was being said here
- Very little is said about how to actually study the bible - there are brief comments in the last couple of pages but stronger applications could have been made here
September 5, 2023
What I appreciated about this book is how Mr. Thompson grounds the various attributes of the Bible to Jesus. He demonstrates what Jesus thought about Scripture in every chapter. It is contemporary yet it does not bend away from the classical Reformed perspective. He makes good use of contemporary voices like Wolterstorff, Vanhoozer and Webster.
December 26, 2023
Amazing book with an amazing editor (shoutout Oren!!). What I loved about it, was how Thompson framed the Doctrine of Scripture in light of how Jesus views Scripture and its clarity, truthfulness, sufficiency, and efficacy.
As Jesus views the Bible as an understandable, real, all-encompassing guidebook that has the power to change lives, so can we!
As Jesus views the Bible as an understandable, real, all-encompassing guidebook that has the power to change lives, so can we!
April 1, 2025
Such a good read. Speaking on how the doctrine of scripture is not purely intellectual as many say and think it is, but that it is spiritual and necessary for the growth of our faith and relationship with God.
“The Bible is not is not a burden, not a rule book that binds us, not a dark unfriendly word… it is a source of deep, rich, full throated joy”
“The Bible is not is not a burden, not a rule book that binds us, not a dark unfriendly word… it is a source of deep, rich, full throated joy”
September 6, 2022
A great little introduction to the doctrine of Scripture. As any good introduction does, it gives a small dip into the issues that relate to scripture as well as some of the qualities of scripture itself.
September 5, 2025
Read this for a class. Basically the Bible really is true, we can understand it, it’s powerful, and it’s like really good. So yeah. That’s it. You don’t need to read the book anymore if you belief in the Bible and don’t question whether it’s really true.
December 13, 2022
Very helpful and refreshingly Christocentric.
September 26, 2023
Really thorough and well written.
October 20, 2023
Theologically ok, but super dry and boring. Only pulled a few things from it.
June 26, 2024
Very good.
July 20, 2024
4.3, solid and helpful. Some times very nicely written, occasionally some clunky sentences. Shout out to the church library
April 27, 2025
A clear, succinct and accessible introduction to the doctrine of Scripture relying on the person of Christ and Scripture as its source material.
July 17, 2025
Eminently sound and accessible approach to the doctrine of Scripture. I especially appreciated the discussion of Scripture's efficacy, not merely its sufficiency. Highly recommended.
September 7, 2025
Great book! Short, clear, and yet full of truth and depth.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews