Systematic theology. To most people the words stir emotions associated with words like dentist's drill, hemorrhoid, or lobotomy. Reading systematic theology can be a dry, dusty exercise akin to eating a bucket of sand. Thankfully, Mark Driscoll has written a book of systematic theology that is not so difficult to swallow. In fact, I think many people will read Vintage Jesus without realizing that the book really is an exercise in systematic theology (Christology to be precise).
Driscoll has a way with words. His writing is clear, concise, humorous and even fittingly irreverent in its course. More to the point, Driscoll's writing is persistently faithful to Scripture. In an age where Christian scholars and popular authors or abandoning Scripture, Driscoll clings tenaciously to the Word of God. That is not to say that all Christians will agree with all of Driscoll's conclusions. Obviously, those who take the integrity of Scripture seriously can still disagree on certain issues. But overall, Driscoll presents a picture of Jesus that is unquestionably Biblical.
The only weakness in this book is an apologetic one. This book really is written for nominal Christians of the less than deeply intellectual variety. Because Driscoll adheres to such a high view of Scripture, he presents the Bible as truth without really defending that assumption. I don't think that is wrong. We need more: "Thus saith the Lord" preaching. The problem is that we live in a generation where many will find that intellectually less than satisfying. To be a true apologetic work, the questions and concerns of postmodernism would need to be more deeply addressed than they are here.
Still, this is a minor quibble. Vintage Jesus is a book that could be given to someone exploring the faith. It could also be read by a veteran Christian with great benefit. It is a Christology text that I will use again and again as I look to share with Christian and non-Christian alike who Jesus is.
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