R. B. Jamieson and Tyler R. Wittman, Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022), pp. xxvi + 289. $29.99

Abstract

A book titled Biblical Reasoning piques one ’ s interest about its contents. Will it describe forms of rhetoric or techniques of persuasion? The subtitle suggests something different: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis . Ah, this may be a contribution to the theological interpretation of Scripture, focusing perhaps on how much of Jesus and the Spirit we should look for in the Old Testament. The introduction does not at first disabuse one of either notion but suggests something much broader: the goal is ‘ to assemble a toolkit … to enable better exegesis ’ , with the ultimate end of seeing God (p. xvii). The co-authors have their doctorates in New Testament from Cambridge (Jamieson) and systematic theology from St. Andrews (Wittman). Jamieson is associate pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, while Wittman is assistant professor of theology at New Orleans Baptist Seminary in Louisiana. Wittman is the primary author of chapters 1 – 6; Jamieson, of the introduction and chapters 7 – 10. Not surprisingly, they hope to bridge the divide that often separates their disciplines, convincing each ‘ side ’ that they need more of the other. What the book actually provides is quite different from an exegetical toolkit. The two main foci of the volume boil down to the need for seeing God as the end goal of Scripture study and for recognising that God as the Christian Trinity. The authors neither affirm nor deny they are practicing the theological interpretation of Scripture, claiming that the label has no relevance for them. Throughout the book, they present seven principles that yield ten rules for exegetical practice that are elaborated and/or defended in nine chapters, with a tenth chapter ‘ putting the rule-kit to work ’ in ‘ reading John 5:17 – 30 ’ (p. 213). The principles involve affirming the inspiration of Scripture as part of God ’ s wise pedagogy