Journal: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
Volume: SBJT 22:3 (Fall 2018)
Article: Reflections on Preaching Christ from the Old Testament
Author: Sidney Greidanus

SBJT 22:3 (Fall 2018) p. 103

Reflections on Preaching Christ from the Old Testament

Sidney Greidanus

Sidney Greidanus taught for many years at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also taught at The King’s College. He earned his PhD from the Free University of Amsterdam. Since his retirement from full-time teaching in 2004, he has devoted his time to writing commentaries specifically for preachers. He is the author of many books, including The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text (Eerdmans, 1989); Preaching Christ from the Old Testament (Eerdmans, 1999); Sola Scriptura: Problems and Principles in Preaching Historical Texts (Wipf & Stock, 2001); Preaching Christ from the Psalms (Eerdmans, 2016); and From Chaos to Cosmos: Creation to New Creation (Crossway, 2018).

These three authors each approach the topic of “Preaching Christ, the Text, or Something Else?” in their own way, using Genesis 15:1–6 as a test case. I will comment briefly on each article, provide a definition of “Preaching Christ,” suggest seven legitimate ways to move from the Old Testament (OT) preaching text to Jesus Christ in the New Testament (NT), and analyze Genesis 15:1–6 for sermon preparation.

Comments on Each Article

I appreciated Daniel Block’s redemptive-historical perspective of Scripture. He writes, “The Bible (First and New Testaments) tells a single story of God’s gracious plan of redeeming the cosmos from sin and the effects of the rebellion of those created as his images and commissioned to govern the world on his behalf. That story climaxes in Jesus, whose work is accomplished in two identifiable phases: first, in the incarnation 2000

SBJT 22:3 (Fall 2018) p. 104

years ago, when through his death he dealt sin and all the forces of evil a mortal blow, and through the power of his resurrection was exalted as the Son of God. And now we wait for phase 2, when he will return and recreate the heavens and the earth in all their original and this time irrevocable perfection and glory. This is the story.” This statement should be framed and placed on every preacher’s desk. Block continues, “Not every text of Scripture points to Jesus Christ as Messiah, but every text presents a vital part of that story of Jesus, 'who is also called the Christ.' We may often grasp the Christological significance of a First Testament text only with hindsight” (p. 14). Hindsight is certainly true with the ways of redemptive-historical progression, promise-fulfillment, and typology which I explain below.

I also appreciated Block’s �...