Journal: Southeastern Theological Review
Volume: STR 11:2 (Fall 2020)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous

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Book Reviews

Mark S. Gignilliat. Reading Scripture Canonically. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2019. xvi + 125 pp. Paperback. ISBN 978–1540962065. $21.99.

Reading Scripture Canonically is a brief and thought-provoking discussion of how to read and interpret the Old Testament as Christian Scripture. Mark Gignilliat’s goal is to shape his readers’ interpretive instincts by discussing the material form of the OT and by examining its main subject―the Trinity (p. xiii). The book is written for students with a background in biblical studies (p. xii) and emerges from the author’s personal struggle to move beyond merely describing the Bible, to preaching it (pp. xi–xii). Overall, the book is a helpful introduction to the canonical approach, but students should be aware of at least one issue, discussed below.

Gignilliat begins with a short introduction (pp. ix-xiv). Here, he states that he aims to “equip readers with a theological grammar and a set of interpretive instincts to aid in their reading of Scripture as an enduring canonical witness” (p. xiii). The book is divided into two parts. In the first, the author discusses the material character of the Old Testament. The subject matter of the OT, the Trinity, is relayed in the second (p. xiii).

The author begins by discussing the topic of canon. This includes chapter 1’s important discussion of terminology. Chapter 2 treats Scripture’s final form. Here, we learn that the canonical approach prioritizes the final form of Scripture since the final form is the witness to divine revelation, not the sources used to compose it (p. 33). The relationship between canon and intentionality is discussed next (chapter 3). To end the first part of the book, chapter 4 investigates the discipline of textual criticism (p. 59).

After discussing the Old Testament’s material form, Gignilliat explores the Old Testament’s subject material, the Trinity (chapters 5 and 6). In these chapters, he relays in some detail the implications that derive from God being Scripture’s author (p. 84).

The book has several strengths. First, Gignilliat is concise. In only 117 pages, he captures key issues of the OT canon and the implications of the Trinity being the OT’s author. For example, he surveys the two main theories about the state of the OT text in the Second Temple period in five pages (pp. 59–64). Anyone familiar with this field understands the breadth

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of literature on this topic. Gignilliat is to be applauded for his concision.

Second, the book offers helpful insight into the role of God as the author of Scripture. Gignilliat’s main idea here is that inte...