Book Reviews

Book Review: God’s Word (John Kleinig)

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When I was in seminary, I had Jim Hamilton for my Hermeneutics professor. One day he told us that the Bible was like eating. There are some major meals that we remember—Thanksgiving, Christmas. Often they are major family and celebratory meals. Aside from that, we don’t remember most of the meals we’ve eaten in our life. Yet each of those meals has given us nutrition and has kept us going. The Bible is the same way. Many times we don’t remember the texts we’ve read, since we can’t remember anything. Yet the daily (or so) intake of God’s word nourishes our spirit and our relationship with the God who daily speaks to us through his word.

John Kleinig is a retired lecturer at Australian Lutheran College and an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church of Australia. He has written commentaries on Leviticus and Hebrews, as well as a Protestant theology of the body. He has written the fifth volume in the Christian Essentials series. Instead of looking at the theoretical aspects of the Bible (important in it’s own right), listing all of the systematic theological categories—revelation, inspiration, inerrancy, canonicity, illumination, and interpretation—Kleinig portrays the Bible as a banquet.
Instead of “trying to prove the value of good food,” Kleinig is going to let you taste and see “how nourishing and satisfying” this food is by allowing you to eat it (1). It isn’t just any food. It is “supernatural food” (2). In this book “the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—speaks with one voice to deliver heavenly gifts to people on earth,” and this is done through “authoritative speech that is powerful and performative” (4). The same God who spoke to our ancestors, first through his prophets and then through his Son, speaks to us today. We are “members of the same community when we gather in worship” (10). 
“God shapes his people by speaking with them,” and Israel succeeded through whether they listened to God’s word or not (13). Kleinig observes how words shape the course of history. We see this through human words: words of life and freedom (Lincoln’s Gettysburg address) and words of death (Hitler and Stalin). But God’s words are only good. Kleinig shows us a number of examples from Mark’s Gospel where Jesus’ words accomplish what he says. Jesus’ words are living and active, so we should understand that the Bible we read is equally living and active.
While I am a Baptist, I enjoy reading books by Lutherans (Kleinig, Seifrid, Senkbeil) for the imagery they use of God, his word, and his salvation to us through Jesus. Kleinig rightly emphasizes our assurance of salvation through “Christ and his saving word” (60). He goes on to note three things Paul tells us about the gospel in Romans. It is the power of God, it has the power to accomplish salvation, and it offers and conveys the salvation Jesus gained for all people to every believer (61–62). God’s word saves. It heals. It reveals. It ministers to us. It does what it says it will do.

Recommended?

Kleinig has offered us an enjoyable book on God’s life-giving Word. He enforces the effectiveness of the written word with examples of the Father and the Son’s own words that created life, gave eternal, judged, and saved. This is another successful volume in a very good series, and I highly recommend this book. If someone asked me why they should read and trust the Bible, this is one of the first (if not the first), I would give them.

Kleinig has offered us an enjoyable book on God’s life-giving Word. He enforces the effectiveness of the written word with examples of the Father and the Son’s own words. If someone asked me why they should read and trust the Bible, this is the first I would give them.

More reviews from this series:

Lagniappe

  • Series: Christian Essentials
  • Author: John W. Kleinig
  • Paperback: 169 pages
  • Publisher: Lexham Press (February 1, 2023)

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Disclosure: I received this book free from Lexham Press. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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