The wisdom of God is revealed in both Old and New Testaments, but it is impossible to appreciate that wisdom fully if the two are read in isolation. Sometimes the New Testament quotes the Old as authoritative. Sometimes it cancels things that the Old says. At other times it indicates that the Old was a type that illustrates New Testament doctrine. How are we to understand and apply its teaching? Is the New Testament being arbitrary when it tells us how to understand the Old, or do its careful interpretations show us how the Old was meant to be understood? Could it be that the New Testament's many different ways of using some of its passages provide us with guidance for reading, studying and applying the whole of the Old Testament? Drawing upon many years of biblical research and teaching, Professor Gooding addresses these issues by expounding key New Testament passages that use the Old Testament. First he examines the importance of the general relationship of the two testaments. He then considers five major thought categories of the New Testament's interpretation that encompass the many insights that it employs as tools for harvesting the wealth of the Old. Finally he formulates guidelines for interpreting Old Testament narrative and illustrates them from three familiar passages. Taken together these insights provide invaluable help for appreciating the richness of God's multifaceted wisdom, which has come down to us as the revenue of all the ages.

The Riches of Divine Wisdom

Religion & Spirituality

Gooding, David W.

Christian Books & Bibles

Myrtlefield House

The wisdom of God is revealed in both Old and New Testaments, but it is impossible to appreciate that wisdom fully if the two are read in isolation. Sometimes the New Testament quotes the Old as authoritative. Sometimes it cancels things that the Old says. At other times it indicates that the Old was a type that illustrates New Testament doctrine. How are we to understand and apply its teaching? Is the New Testament being arbitrary when it tells us how to understand the Old, or do its careful interpretations show us how the Old was meant to be understood? Could it be that the New Testament's many different ways of using some of its passages provide us with guidance for reading, studying and applying the whole of the Old Testament? Drawing upon many years of biblical research and teaching, Professor Gooding addresses these issues by expounding key New Testament passages that use the Old Testament. First he examines the importance of the general relationship of the two testaments. He then considers five major thought categories of the New Testament's interpretation that encompass the many insights that it employs as tools for harvesting the wealth of the Old. Finally he formulates guidelines for interpreting Old Testament narrative and illustrates them from three familiar passages. Taken together these insights provide invaluable help for appreciating the richness of God's multifaceted wisdom, which has come down to us as the revenue of all the ages. ______________________ The Riches of Divine Wisdom is a tour de force. Many Christians fail to take the Old Testament seriously. Others find the New Testament's use of the Old problematic. In this work Professor Gooding offers sane guidance to both groups with eloquence and clarity. He shows how the New Testament itself instructs us in interpreting the Old. Teachers, preachers and all serious Bible students will find it an invaluable resource. --Gordon J. Wenham, Tutor in Old Testament, Trinity College, Bristol; Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, University of Gloucester In this exceptionally informative book, Prof. David Gooding addresses with outstanding clarity the challenging task of explaining how New Testament writers draw on the Old Testament. As a highly-gifted, experienced Bible-teacher and academic scholar, he has produced a profoundly helpful, and yet remarkably accessible, guide to this complex topic. Fully focused on using Scripture to interpret Scripture, Prof. Gooding skilfully enables the diligent reader to see with greater clarity the 'riches of divine wisdom'. For anyone interested in understanding better the unity of the Bible, this book is essential reading. --T. Desmond Alexander, Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies, Union Theological College, Belfast I anticipate that this book will rapidly become an essential resource for those seeking to understand and enjoy the way in which the New Testament unfolds the meaning of the Old Testament. David Gooding's analysis of texts that are often found difficult is both penetrating and accessible. I have personally found the material contained here extraordinarily helpful. --John C Lennox, Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford; Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science, Green Templeton College I carefully read two earlier books in this series, on Luke and Acts, from start to finish. I am doing the same with this book for the same reasons: The opportunity to gain deep insights into biblical truth which only a master of the Scriptures could give, and to be devotionally enriched while doing so. This book is particularly important because it clearly and skilfully addresses a key area of biblical interpretation which all sincere students of the Word should develop skills in handling. I am refining some of my views on how I should approach the Old Testament as I read this book, and I am learning, learning, learning. . . --Ajith Fernando, Teaching Director, Youth for Christ; Author

The Riches of Divine Wisdom: The New Testament's Use of the Old Testament (Myrtlefield Expositions)

Gooding, David

Right from the start of his gospel, Luke makes it clear that the story of Jesus is neither ancient myth nor contemporary fable. It is straightforward history. To emphasize this he provides us with historical coordinates. He informs us, for example, that when John began publicly to introduce Christ to his nation it was in the fifteenth year of the Emperor Tiberius' reign, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. This is, then, an historical account. But what does Luke's history of Jesus mean? And how can we be certain that we have understood the message that he has presented in his account of Christ's life? David Gooding asks us to begin by recalling that Luke is an ancient and not a modern historian. A modern historian might compile a list of the things that Jesus did and taught, and then add his own explanations. But Luke has more in common with ancient historians such as Thucydides and writers of Old Testament books such as Judges and 1 and 2 Samuel. With minimal comment, he has grouped the material about Christ in a way that leads thoughtful readers to discover for themselves the point and purpose of each incident. Luke is, then, both historian and artist. It has often been lamented that Christ's public ministry on earth was so short-lived, and his death at the hands of his enemies a tragedy. But Luke will not have it so. Following Christ's own statements, he divides his Gospel into two parts: the coming of Christ from glory into our world, and his going back to glory. David Gooding shows that by arranging the events of each part into discreet stages and movements, Luke is proclaiming that Christ was carrying out a definite mission-his going, by way of his cross, resurrection and ascension was as deliberate as his coming. With a profound understanding of both the Scriptures and the classical world that influenced Luke, this exposition leads us through the artistry of Luke's presentation. However familiar the terrain of this Gospel, we will find that having an experienced guide makes a difference. By bringing out the significance of the narrative as a whole, David Gooding's analysis will help us to arrive at a confident understanding of Luke's message and open up insightful lines of application at each step along the way.

According to Luke

Gooding, Dr David

How can we be certain that we have understood the message that Luke has presented in his account of Christ's life? David Gooding asks us to begin by recalling that Luke is an ancient and not a modern historian. A modern historian might compile a list of the things that Jesus did and taught, and then add his own explanations. But Luke has more in common with ancient Greek historians and writers of the historical narratives of the Old Testament. With minimal comment, he has grouped the material about Christ in a way that leads thoughtful readers to discover for themselves the point and purpose of each incident. For Luke is both historian and artist. It has often been lamented that Christ’s public ministry on earth was so short-lived, and his death at the hands of his enemies a tragedy. But Luke will not have it so. Following Christ’s own statements, he divides his Gospel into two parts: the coming of Christ from glory into our world, and his going back to glory. David Gooding shows that by arranging the events of each part into discreet stages and movements, Luke is proclaiming that Christ was carrying out a definite mission—his going, by way of his cross, resurrection and ascension was as deliberate as his coming. With a profound understanding of both the Scriptures and the classical world that influenced Luke, this exposition leads us through the artistry of Luke's presentation. However familiar the terrain of this Gospel, we will find that having an experienced guide makes a difference. By bringing out the significance of the narrative as a whole, David Gooding’s analysis will help us to arrive at a confident understanding of Luke’s message and open up insightful lines of application at each step along the way. _____________ According to Luke is an exceptionally valuable resource for reading and preaching the Third Gospel. David Gooding’s rare sense for narrative flow helps students and teachers see the wider context for each passage and makes this one of the best commentaries available for understanding the meaning of Luke. —Dr Philip G. Ryken Insightful comments and warm and piercing pastoral application are the features of this writing. I try only to have three commentaries with me in any series and in both Luke and Acts, David Gooding’s commentaries are part of the trio. —David Cook Professor Gooding’s exposition is a lively work, free from technicalities, in which he explains and vigorously applies its message for the contemporary reader. At the same time he throws fresh light on the way in which Luke constructed his gospel. Such a commentary does not go out of date. —I Howard Marshall The pages of this book contain the freshest and most insightful understanding of Luke’s gospel that I have read. I couldn’t recommend this book more highly. —Rebecca Manley Pippert Dr Gooding's unique commentary on Luke is a masterpiece for modeling accurate biblical interpretation. I would love to put this commentary in the hands of every serious Bible student. It is a must-read book. —Alexander Strauch I have preached my way through Luke's Gospel in church, in radio broadcasts and in international conventions, and always David Gooding's commentary has been my first port of call when it comes to supportive resources. —The Rev Prebendary Richard Bewes, OBE When I ask the interpretative question ‘Why has Luke placed this text here, and how does it relate to the material around it?’ I always turn to Dr Gooding for help. —Justin Mote Commendation of the first edition: To this new exposition of the Gospel of Luke Dr Gooding brings a rare combination of gifts: spiritual insight, classical learning, and literary appreciation. The result is a fresh unfolding of Luke’s witness to Christ which the reader will find both heart-warming, informative and a pleasure to read. It gives me great pleasure to commend it unreservedly. —F F Bruce

According to Luke: The Third Gospel’s Ordered Historical Narrative (Myrtlefield Expositions)

The Acts of the Apostles is about more than the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. By the time the ascended Christ had sent the Holy Spirit to guide his disciples, they had no doubt what the basics of the gospel message were: that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day and would one day come again. But, according to Luke's account, difficult questions and challenges arose for the apostles as they began to spread this message. These questions, when once settled by the apostles, would further define the gospel with answers that are definitive for us today. By carefully tracing Luke's presentation of the historical material, David Gooding shows us that Luke has arranged his historical material into six sections, each containing a set of issues and a dominant question that confronted the church: - Was the gospel to be under the authority of the Jewish Sanhedrin, even when they called into question the deity and messiahship of Jesus? - Would the temple and its entire system of worship become obsolete because of Christ's sacrifice at Calvary, as Stephen claimed? - What would God do when the observance of his own food laws became a barrier to preaching the gospel to Gentiles such as Cornelius? - How would the apostles decide about the rite of circumcision and its relationship to salvation? - How would the gospel distinguish itself from the spiritism, idolatry, religions and philosophies of the pagan world and state positively its own answer to questions of the origin of the universe and life's ultimate goal? - And how would Paul defend the gospel at the highest levels of society, against every kind of misrepresentation, when he found himself under the power of Roman law and order? The conclusions that the apostles and the early churches reached under the guidance of the Holy Spirit are profoundly relevant. Their defence against each new challenge confirmed the truth of the gospel for every generation of Christ's disciples. David Gooding's exposition echoes Acts' powerful, unspoken exhortation to examine ourselves honestly to see whether the Christianity that we represent and the gospel that we preach and defend are uncompromisingly the same as those established by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

True to the Faith

The Acts of the Apostles is about more than the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. By the time the ascended Christ had sent the Holy Spirit to guide his disciples, they had no doubt what the basics of the gospel message were: that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day and would one day come again. But, according to Luke’s account, difficult questions and challenges arose for the apostles as they began to spread this message. These questions, when once settled by the apostles, would further define the gospel with answers that are definitive for us today. By carefully tracing Luke’s presentation of the historical material, David Gooding shows us that Luke has arranged his historical material into six sections, each containing a set of issues and a dominant question that confronted the church: - Was the gospel to be under the authority of the Jewish Sanhedrin, even when they called into question the deity and messiahship of Jesus? - Would the temple and its entire system of worship become obsolete because of Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, as Stephen claimed? - What would God do when the observance of his own food laws became a barrier to preaching the gospel to Gentiles such as Cornelius? - How would the apostles decide about the rite of circumcision and its relationship to salvation? - How would the gospel distinguish itself from the spiritism, idolatry, religions and philosophies of the pagan world and state positively its own answer to questions of the origin of the universe and life’s ultimate goal? - And how would Paul defend the gospel at the highest levels of society, against every kind of misrepresentation, when he found himself under the power of Roman law and order? The conclusions that the apostles and the early churches reached under the guidance of the Holy Spirit are profoundly relevant. Their defence against each new challenge confirmed the truth of the gospel for every generation of Christ’s disciples. David Gooding’s exposition echoes Acts’ powerful, unspoken exhortation to examine ourselves honestly to see whether the Christianity that we represent and the gospel that we preach and defend are uncompromisingly the same as those established by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

True to the Faith: The Acts of the Apostles: Defining and Defending the Gospel (Myrtlefield Expositions)

The Letter to the Hebrews contains some of the New Testament's best-loved passages as well as some of its most difficult. It has stirred the hearts of generations of Christians with its visions of the exalted Christ, his deity, humanity and sufferings, and his fulfilment of the Old Covenant by becoming a superior sacrifice and a High Priest of the New Covenant. Its examples of the faithful obedience of men and women like Abraham and Sarah who were 'looking for a city whose builder and maker is God' continue to spur on multitudes to greater devotion in their own journey of faith. Yet this same letter, with its solemn warnings, has also brought distress to many and caused some to question their own faith, if not their very salvation. In a clear and concise manner informed by pastoral concern, David Gooding explains the meaning of Hebrews' warnings as he expounds the letter as a whole. He carefully examines the position and temptations of its original readers in the first century. Many were undergoing such severe persecution that they might easily have wondered why, if Jesus really were the Messiah, they had to experience such pain and loss. He expounds its major themes in order to show that its unified message is that hope and enduring faith in Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, will never be put to shame. As he guides us step by step, he reaches outside the limits of the letter itself in order to explore rich fields of Old Testament history, prophecy, ritual and poetry from which the letter has drawn so many of its insights. This practical and readable exposition elucidates Hebrews' searching questions about the progress we are making in our own pilgrimage of faith. It is an invaluable help for understanding that both its beauties and its difficulties are intended to strengthen that faith. For, as the letter's original readers discovered, faith finds its only secure resting place in the true and coming King whose kingdom will stand even when everything else is shaken to pieces.

An Unshakeable Kingdom

The Letter to the Hebrews contains some of the New Testament’s best-loved passages as well as some of its most difficult. It has stirred the hearts of generations of Christians with its visions of the exalted Christ, his deity, humanity and sufferings, and his fulfilment of the Old Covenant by becoming a superior sacrifice and a High Priest of the New Covenant. Its examples of the faithful obedience of men and women like Abraham and Sarah who were ‘looking for a city whose builder and maker is God’ continue to spur on multitudes to greater devotion in their own journey of faith. Yet this same letter, with its solemn warnings, has also brought distress to many and caused some to question their own faith, if not their very salvation. In a clear and concise manner informed by pastoral concern, David Gooding explains the meaning of Hebrews’ warnings as he expounds the letter as a whole. He carefully examines the position and temptations of its original readers in the first century. Many were undergoing such severe persecution that they might easily have wondered why, if Jesus really were the Messiah, they had to experience such pain and loss. He expounds its major themes in order to show that its unified message is that hope and enduring faith in Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, will never be put to shame. As he guides us step by step, he reaches outside the limits of the letter itself in order to explore rich fields of Old Testament history, prophecy, ritual and poetry from which the letter has drawn so many of its insights. This practical and readable exposition elucidates Hebrews’ searching questions about the progress we are making in our own pilgrimage of faith. It is an invaluable help for understanding that both its beauties and its difficulties are intended to strengthen that faith. For, as the letter’s original readers discovered, faith finds its only secure resting place in the true and coming King whose kingdom will stand even when everything else is shaken to pieces.

An Unshakeable Kingdom: The Letter to the Hebrews for Today (Myrtlefield Expositions)

Just before his execution, Jesus Christ invited his disciples to join him at a borrowed house in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. As he faced betrayal, arrest and crucifixion, he taught them about the very heart of the Christian faith, namely, holiness. When the time came to leave the house, he continued his teaching. As they made their way through darkened streets that were filled with hostility to him, he spoke of how he would empower them to be his witnesses in a world that would often hate them too. Jesus was the teacher; the disciples were his pupils. It was the school of Christ. David Gooding's exposition reveals the significance of the lessons Jesus taught inside the upper room (chs. 13-14), their connection to the lessons taught outside in the streets (chs. 15-16) and how both parts of this course on holiness relate to the Teacher's prayer to his Father (ch. 17). With a scholar's care for the text of Scripture, he expounds both the devotional richness and the practical nature of the lessons. He shows that to understand Christ's teaching on holiness is to know his power to change lives.

In the School of Christ

Just before his execution, Jesus Christ invited his disciples to join him at a borrowed house in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. As he faced betrayal, arrest and crucifixion, he taught them about the very heart of the Christian faith, namely, holiness. When the time came to leave the house, he continued his teaching. As they made their way through darkened streets that were filled with hostility to him, he spoke of how he would empower them to be his witnesses in a world that would often hate them too. Jesus was the teacher; the disciples were his pupils. It was the school of Christ. David Gooding’s exposition reveals the significance of the lessons Jesus taught inside the upper room (chs. 13-14), their connection to the lessons taught outside in the streets (chs. 15-16) and how both parts of this course on holiness relate to the Teacher’s prayer to his Father (ch. 17). With a scholar’s care for the text of Scripture, he expounds both the devotional richness and the practical nature of the lessons. He shows that to understand Christ’s teaching on holiness is to know his power to change lives.

In the School of Christ: Lessons on Holiness in John 13-17

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