John Goldingay
Author of Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 30: Daniel
About the Author
John Goldingay (PhD, University of Nottingham; DD, Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth) is professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary but lives in Oxford, England. His numerous books include the three-volume Old Testament Theology, the seventeen-volume Old Testament for Everyone show more series, and a translation of the Old Testament called The First Testament: A New Translation. show less
Series
Works by John Goldingay
Psalms, Vol. 1: Psalms 1-41 (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms) (2006) 322 copies
Psalms, vol. 2: Psalms 42-89 (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms) (2007) 296 copies
Do We Need the New Testament?: Letting the Old Testament Speak for Itself (2015) 86 copies, 1 review
The Lost Letters to the Twelve Prophets: Imagining the Minor Prophets' World (2022) 74 copies, 1 review
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs for Everyone (The Old Testament from Everyone) (2014) 63 copies
The Book of Lamentations (New International Commentary on the Old Testament (NICOT)) (2022) 56 copies
Isaiah 40-55 Vol 2: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary (International Critical Commentary) (2006) 30 copies
Isaiah 40-55 Vol 1: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary (International Critical Commentary) (2006) 30 copies, 1 review
Isaiah 56-66: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary (International Critical Commentary) (2014) 25 copies
Isaiah 40-55 (ICC) Set of Vol 1 & 2: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary (International Critical Commentary) (2007) 13 copies
"Isaiah I 1 and II 1." 1 copy
Expounding the New Testament 1 copy
Box Proféticos para Todos 1 copy
Associated Works
Five Views of Christ in the Old Testament: Genre, Authorial Intent, and the Nature of Scripture (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) (2022) — Contributor — 83 copies
Isaiah and Imperial Context: The Book of Isaiah in the Times of Empire (2013) — Contributor — 12 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Goldingay, John E.
- Other names
- Goldingay, John
高定基 - Birthdate
- 1942-06-20
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- Priests
Old Testament scholars
College teachers - Short biography
- John Goldingay is the David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament in the School of Theology at the Fuller Theological Seminary in the United States. Prior to this he was principal and a professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at St John’s Theological College in Nottingham. He is the author of many books, including Old Testament Theology Vol. 1, Walk On (2002), as well as commentaries on Daniel, Isaiah and Psalms. He holds membership in the Society of Biblical Literature and serves on the editorial board for the Library of Hebrew Bible/ Old Testament Studies.
Members
Reviews
Maybe there's not as much new in the NT as we think
Goldingay argues that the First Testament (OT) tells us pretty much all we need to know about God, and that the NT doesn't really add much in that regard. The God of the FT is embodied in Jesus, and it is that truth, along with what Jesus does, that is what's new in the NT. Hence, the assumption that we only learn of God's gracious and merciful nature in and through Jesus is simply false. The FT reveals this sufficiently. Jesus was more show more reminding people of what they already knew from the FT, and not revealing something new. Any idea that the FT can be unhitched from the NT lose plausibility in this perspective.
Goldingay's argument will certainly challenge common assumptions, but his careful reading of the FT text serves to support his claims. His exegetical insights provided in this volume will serve as a valuable resource for better understanding the NT and theology.
Styles wise, I found the book started off slow (although maybe it was just me). But the insights and implications of his argument became more engaging the further I progressed. show less
Goldingay argues that the First Testament (OT) tells us pretty much all we need to know about God, and that the NT doesn't really add much in that regard. The God of the FT is embodied in Jesus, and it is that truth, along with what Jesus does, that is what's new in the NT. Hence, the assumption that we only learn of God's gracious and merciful nature in and through Jesus is simply false. The FT reveals this sufficiently. Jesus was more show more reminding people of what they already knew from the FT, and not revealing something new. Any idea that the FT can be unhitched from the NT lose plausibility in this perspective.
Goldingay's argument will certainly challenge common assumptions, but his careful reading of the FT text serves to support his claims. His exegetical insights provided in this volume will serve as a valuable resource for better understanding the NT and theology.
Styles wise, I found the book started off slow (although maybe it was just me). But the insights and implications of his argument became more engaging the further I progressed. show less
The next installment in the Old Testament for Everyone series on Books III-V of the Psalms.
As throughout the series, Goldingay begins each section with his translation, followed by some type of illustration, then an analysis of the text in context, and generally some application, and all written with "average" people in mind who may not have much understanding of the Bible or of the Psalms. For one who has written an extensive and advanced commentary on Psalms this is no small feat.
Even show more though I have heard the more extensive commentary is based in literary-critical methodology there is not much hint of that in this exegesis of the Psalms. Goldingay generally stays away from questions of who wrote what and when and does well at just trying to make sense of what each particular psalm is about and why it is where it is in the Psalter. A lot of the illustrations this time around seem much more personal and seem to involve things going on during the author's life while writing, yet the connections to the Psalms still makes sense, testifying to the continued relevance of the Psalter to life.
In the midst of the translation, illustrations, and applications, Goldingay's explanations of the text are generally excellent and really do well to explain what each Psalm is attempting to accomplish or convey as a whole. To that end the commentary is quite useful for those who wish to understand the Psalms better or to teach the Psalms to others.
**--galley received as part of early review program show less
As throughout the series, Goldingay begins each section with his translation, followed by some type of illustration, then an analysis of the text in context, and generally some application, and all written with "average" people in mind who may not have much understanding of the Bible or of the Psalms. For one who has written an extensive and advanced commentary on Psalms this is no small feat.
Even show more though I have heard the more extensive commentary is based in literary-critical methodology there is not much hint of that in this exegesis of the Psalms. Goldingay generally stays away from questions of who wrote what and when and does well at just trying to make sense of what each particular psalm is about and why it is where it is in the Psalter. A lot of the illustrations this time around seem much more personal and seem to involve things going on during the author's life while writing, yet the connections to the Psalms still makes sense, testifying to the continued relevance of the Psalter to life.
In the midst of the translation, illustrations, and applications, Goldingay's explanations of the text are generally excellent and really do well to explain what each Psalm is attempting to accomplish or convey as a whole. To that end the commentary is quite useful for those who wish to understand the Psalms better or to teach the Psalms to others.
**--galley received as part of early review program show less
John Goldingay is one of our time’s leading Old Testament scholars. To oversimplify his method, Goldingay prefers to allow the text to dictate its own needs and concerns, rather than to read modern questions and worldviews back into scripture.
His style of Old Testament theology makes this book’s title a misnomer—although the content remains strong. The title and chapter list leads you to believe that Goldingay took a modern question and searched out just what the Old Testament had to show more say about it. That’s not the case. The chapters in this book are collected essays from Goldingay’s career, repackaged with interesting questions for titles.
Don’t get me wrong—this book is thoughtful, engaging, and important for modern Christianity. In a world where many Christians view the Old Testament as a take-it-or-leave-it prologue to their Bible, solid Old Testament exegesis is a breath of fresh air. Goldingay’s one of the most reliable guides we have. His breadth of knowledge on the Old Testament is simply astounding. I just think the reader should know what he or she is getting into before starting the book. (I suppose it could have been Baker Academic that chose the form of this book, not Goldingay himself.)
Some of the highlights include:
- “What Does it Mean to Be Human?” where Goldingay reflects on the image of God in the disabled, including a moving reflection of his own wife’s struggle with illness.
- “Is God in the City?” where Goldingay reflects on the dialectic between Garden and City, particularly in Genesis.
- “How Does Prayer Work?” where Goldingay quite bluntly lays out God’s plan of cooperation with his creatures through intercession.
Unfortunately, some of the most interesting chapter titles like, “Does God Care About Animals” (originally published as “Covenants and Nature”) and “Should I Tithe Net or Gross?” (originally published as “Jubilee Tithe”) didn’t fit the content therein. The article on animals in particular demonstrates Goldingay’s refusal to read modern issues into the ancient text. Here’s the first sentence of that chapter:
"The most interesting, creative, illuminating, dangerous, and misleading exercises in reading the First Testament happen when people study it in light of some new question or conviction that they bring to the text."
The book is well worth your time. At an average of 14 pages per chapter, it’s a great book to grab when you have a free hour to consider how the Old Testament should inform our lives today. show less
His style of Old Testament theology makes this book’s title a misnomer—although the content remains strong. The title and chapter list leads you to believe that Goldingay took a modern question and searched out just what the Old Testament had to show more say about it. That’s not the case. The chapters in this book are collected essays from Goldingay’s career, repackaged with interesting questions for titles.
Don’t get me wrong—this book is thoughtful, engaging, and important for modern Christianity. In a world where many Christians view the Old Testament as a take-it-or-leave-it prologue to their Bible, solid Old Testament exegesis is a breath of fresh air. Goldingay’s one of the most reliable guides we have. His breadth of knowledge on the Old Testament is simply astounding. I just think the reader should know what he or she is getting into before starting the book. (I suppose it could have been Baker Academic that chose the form of this book, not Goldingay himself.)
Some of the highlights include:
- “What Does it Mean to Be Human?” where Goldingay reflects on the image of God in the disabled, including a moving reflection of his own wife’s struggle with illness.
- “Is God in the City?” where Goldingay reflects on the dialectic between Garden and City, particularly in Genesis.
- “How Does Prayer Work?” where Goldingay quite bluntly lays out God’s plan of cooperation with his creatures through intercession.
Unfortunately, some of the most interesting chapter titles like, “Does God Care About Animals” (originally published as “Covenants and Nature”) and “Should I Tithe Net or Gross?” (originally published as “Jubilee Tithe”) didn’t fit the content therein. The article on animals in particular demonstrates Goldingay’s refusal to read modern issues into the ancient text. Here’s the first sentence of that chapter:
"The most interesting, creative, illuminating, dangerous, and misleading exercises in reading the First Testament happen when people study it in light of some new question or conviction that they bring to the text."
The book is well worth your time. At an average of 14 pages per chapter, it’s a great book to grab when you have a free hour to consider how the Old Testament should inform our lives today. show less
Old Testament Theology: Israel's Gospel (Old Testament Theology (Intervarsity Press)) by John Goldingay
Written with extraordinary erudition and delightful humorous, this rates as one of the finest pieces of theological writing of any sub-discipline that I have read.
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