This tome is an extensive defense of the deity of Jesus Christ as presented in the Scriptures. The authors previously collaborated in 2007 to write Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ (Grand Rapids: Kregel). This volume was originally planned as a second edition of that work but became an entirely new volume three times as long once they decided what they wanted to address. One of the basic organizing features of the original book that continues in this volume is the five-point outline for characteristics of deity using the HANDS acronym: Honors, Attributes, Names, Deeds, and Seat. This volume is succinctly described as “a cross-disciplinary study of biblical Christology, comparative religion, and historical Jesus studies” (18).
The distinguishing feature of this volume compared to others on the deity of Christ is its engagement of seven alternate perspectives on Christology and pointed arguments against them. These perspectives are nonreligious skepticism, Islam, theologically progressive Christianity, Unitarianism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s
Witnesses, and Oneness Pentecostals. The authors take the arguments of these alternate perspectives seriously and then seek to refute them on the basis of the Scriptures. There is, therefore, a definite apologetic tone to their writing.
Their work is, broadly speaking, very thorough and conservative in engaging biblical texts, relevant secondary literature, and the positions of these alternate perspectives on Christology. There is much to commend here. There are some places where this volume falls a bit short, of which I will name only two. First, there is sometimes an effort to make the biblical witness fit their categories. For example, in spite of their familiarity with my Angelomorphic Christology (Leiden: Brill, 1998), they make this statement: “the New Testament never uses the term ‘angel’ for Jesus Christ in any context” (375). They argue against my exegesis of Galatians 4:14, agree with my understanding that Michael in Revelation 12 is not Christ, but never engage my argument that the “angel/messenger” of Revelation 10 is certainly a depiction of
Christ, much less engage the possibility that some of the other “angels/messengers” depicted in Revelation are also portraits of Christ (Rev 7:2, 8:3–5, 20:1–3). Fear of Arianism continues to inhibit recognition that this title is used of Christ in the Book of Revelation. Second, their chapter on the “Name Above All Names” focuses on the personal name Jesus instead of the divine name, which is a common error. In their chapter on the title “Lord,” they do argue that Jesus has the divine name YHWH. It would also have been helpful if they simply pointed out that “Jehovah” is a faulty transliteration instead of using it on occasion as an alternate transliteration of the divine name.
If one is looking for an extensive volume on Christology that is informed about the alternate perspectives mentioned above and argues pointedly against them, this work will serve you well.
Charles A. Gieschen
Professor of Exegetical Theology
Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana