Description:
Did Moses write about Jesus? Kevin Chen challenges the common view of the Pentateuch as focused primarily on the Mosaic Law, arguing instead that it sets forth a coherent, sweeping vision of the Messiah as the center of its theological message. Building on the work of John Sailhamer, Chen provides a fascinating study and an exegetical basis for a Christ-centered biblical theology.
Brief description:
Kevin S. Chen is professor of Old Testament Studies at Gateway Seminary in Ontario, CA. He previously taught at Christian Witness Theological Seminary in San Jose, CA, and Union University in Jackson, TN. He is the author of The Messianic Vision of the Pentateuch and is a contributor to the Worldview Study Bible.
Review Quotes:
"Evangelicals and other Christians often champion a 'Christ-centered' approach to the Old Testament, but there is no consensus on what this actually means. Building on the groundbreaking work of the late John Sailhamer, Kevin Chen offers a vision of the Pentateuch that grounds its messianic (Christ-centered) identity in the authorial intent of Moses and any subsequent (inspired) editors rather than in later interpretations and reinterpretations by New Testament authors or later Christian theologians. The result is a messianic vision of the Pentateuch that is text-driven and spiritually compelling, and makes a needed contribution to the discussion about how the Old Testament ought to be interpreted. Even scholars who opt for a different approach will benefit from deep, open-minded engagement with the methodological questions Chen raises in this helpful book."
Nathan A. Finn, provost and dean of the university faculty at North Greenville University