Journal: Southeastern Theological Review
Volume: STR 15:1 (Spring 2024)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous

STR 15:1 (Spring 2024) p. 87

Book Reviews

Rolf A. Jacobson and Michael J. Chan. Introducing the Old Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023. xxvii + 653 pp. Hardback. ISBN 978–0801049255. $38.49.

Rolf Jacobson and Michael Chan’s Introducing the Old Testament is the companion volume to Mark Allen Powell’s Introducing the New Testament. The authors state that they followed Powell’s pattern to help the reader have an “interesting, enjoyable, and intellectually rewarding experience” (p. xiii). It is certainly a versatile resource since it can be used for academic purposes and for study in other environments. It is also attractive—and suitable for personal reading by a broader audience. It is clearly written, and classic and modern artistic representations enrich the text.

The work is structured in five parts. The first focuses on contextualization as it analyzes the ancient context in which OT literature was generated. The remaining four comprise 39 chapters, introducing the traditional divisions of the OT in the Protestant tradition. These parts focus on each of the books, with some treated together, such as 1‒2 Samuel, 1‒2 Kings, 1‒2 Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah. The authors provide concise information here. However, their effective and attractive introductions (to each OT book) avoid compromising the academic demands that should characterize a work of this nature. The brief introductions are followed by contextual details (where composition and development history are generally given) and genre, then sections on literary, theological, and historical interpretation.

The page layout deviates helpfully from traditional convention: text cells in the margins contain additional information, explaining the meaning of relevant words and terms, while informational “boxes” contain both explanatory graphics and a more in-depth analysis of the topics addressed in specific sections or chapters. This noteworthy stylistic innovation enhances the book’s value.

A key strength of the work is its equitable treatment of various literary, theological, and historical approaches, each of which is treated meticulously. Also, while each section is introduced as an artificial unit, it is presented with singularity, clarity, and coherence. The graphics are impeccable and contribute significantly to understanding the content. Visual elements deserving special mention are charts offering a chronological

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comparison of the kings of Israel (p. 263), and the “anatomy of a psalm” (p. 349).

Most OT introductions treat Ezra-Nehemiah together but as separate works. In this volume the authors innovativ...