Table Of ContentNEW STUDIES IN BIBLICAL THEOLOGY 42
Preaching in the
New Testament
NEW STUDIES IN BIBLICAL THEOLOGY 42
Series editor: D. A. Carson
Preaching in the
New Testament
AN EXEGETICAL AND
BIBLICAL-THEOLOGICAL STUDY
Jonathan I. Griffiths
Apollos
InterVarsity Press
DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS 60515
APOLLOS (an imprint of Inter-Varsity Press, England) InterVarsity Press, USA
36 Causton Street P.O. Box 1400
London SW1P 4ST, England Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA
Website: www.ivpbooks.com Website: www.ivpress.com
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
© Jonathan I. Griffiths 2017
Jonathan I. Griffiths has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be
identified as Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from
InterVarsity Press. InterVarsity Press®, USA, is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian
Fellowship/USA® and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Website:
www.intervarsity.org.
Inter-Varsity Press, England, originated within the Inter-Varsity Fellowship, now the Universities and
Colleges Christian Fellowship, a student movement connecting Christian Unions in universities and colleges
throughout Great Britain, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.
That historic association is maintained, and all senior IVP staff and committee members subscribe to the
UCCF Basis of Faith. Website: www.uccf.org.uk.
Unless stated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version,
copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked niv are from the Holy Bible, New International Version (Anglicized edition).
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica (formerly International Bible Society). Used by permission
of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘niv’ is a registered
trademark of Biblica (formerly International Bible Society). UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture quotations marked nets are taken from A New English Translation of the Septuagint, © 2007 by
the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, Inc. Used by permission of Oxford
University Press. All rights reserved.
First published 2017
Set in Monotype Times New Roman
Typeset in Great Britain by CRB Associates, Potterhanworth, Lincolnshire
USA ISBN 978-0-8308-8972-3 (digital)
USA ISBN 978-0-8308-2643-8 (print)
UK ISBN 978-1-78359-492-4 (digital)
UK ISBN 978-1-78359-491-7 (print)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Griffiths, Jonathan (Preaching instructor), author.
Title: Preaching in the New Testament : an exegetical and
biblical-theological study / Jonathan Griffiths.
Description: Downers Grove : InterVarsity Press, 2017. | Series: New studies
in biblical theology ; 42 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016046950 (print) | LCCN 2016051875 (ebook) | ISBN
9780830826438 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780830889723 (eBook)
Subjects: LCSH: Preaching--Biblical teaching. | Bible. New
Testament--Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Classification: LCC BS2545.P68 G75 2017 (print) | LCC BS2545.P68 (ebook) |
DDC 251.009/015--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016046950
For my grandfather Gerald B. Griffiths
on the occasion of his ninety-fifth birthday
Contents
Series preface xi
Author’s preface xiii
Abbreviations xv
Introduction 1
Why another book on preaching? 1
Why these questions matter 4
The shape and scope of this study 4
part i: foundational matters
1. The word of God in biblical theology 9
God speaks through his word 9
God acts through his word 10
God is encountered in his word 13
2. The language of ‘preaching’ in the New Testament 17
Euangelizomai 20
Katangellō 25
Kēryssō 27
Summary, conclusions and further reflections 33
Excursus 1: The identity of the preachers in Philippians 1:14–18 41
3. The word ministries of all believers 45
part ii: exegetical studies
4. 2 Timothy 3 – 4: The preacher’s charge 53
Paul’s charge to Timothy establishes a bridge between
apostolic and post-apostolic preaching 53
Timothy is to make an authoritative proclamation
vii
PREACHING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
of God’s word 55
Timothy’s preaching is to address the believers in Ephesus 57
Timothy is a commissioned and authoritative speaker
of God’s word 58
Summary 60
Excursus 2: Biblical-theological connections between
New Testament preaching and Old Testament prophecy 61
5. Romans 10: The preacher’s commission 67
Preaching reflects the nature of the gospel as something
given and received 67
Christian preaching stands in a line of continuity with
Old Testament prophetic proclamation 69
Preaching rests upon and involves the action of Christ 71
Preaching requires a commission, but is not restricted
to the apostles 72
Summary 73
6. 1 Corinthians: The power of the gospel in authentic
Christian preaching 75
Preaching is the central function of Paul’s ministry
in Corinth 76
Preaching is distinct from other forms of oratory
in its style and source of ‘power’ 76
Preachers have a specific identity and role within
the church, carrying particular rights and obligations 78
Christian preaching is the delivery of the received
gospel of Christ 80
Preaching requires a believing response and leads
to salvation 81
Summary 81
7. 2 Corinthians 2 – 6: Beholding the glory of God in preaching 83
Paul is reflecting on the nature of new-covenant ministry 83
The ministry he has in view is a shared ministry 84
The particular ministry he has in view is a ministry
of public proclamation 85
The ministry of proclamation is grounded in Scripture 87
God the Trinity is at work in the ministry of proclamation 88
viii
The glory of God is revealed in the ministry of
proclamation 90
The people of God are transformed through the ministry
of proclamation 92
New-covenant preaching ministry has affinities to
old-covenant prophetic ministry 93
Summary 94
8. 1 Thessalonians 1 – 2: Preaching the very words of God 97
The ministry Paul recalls is a ministry of authoritative
public proclamation 98
This ministry was a shared ministry 99
The proclamation is made by ‘approved’ agents 99
God stands behind this proclamation as the primary actor 101
The proclaimed word effects change in the hearers 102
Summary 103
9. Hebrews: Preaching to the gathered people of God 105
Hebrews is a sermon intended to be read aloud in the
Christian assembly 105
Hebrews provides a model for us of the shape of
Christian preaching 106
‘Speaking the word’ through preaching is a characteristic
function of the post-apostolic leaders of the church 107
The writer believes that in his sermon he is speaking
God’s word 109
The preaching act carries judicial implications and
offers the opportunity to access the place of divine rest 111
The writer expects the congregation to encounter Christ
as he preaches the word 113
Summary 118
part iii: summary and conclusions
10. Summary and conclusions 121
Summary of exegetical findings 121
Biblical-theological conclusions 122
Final reflections 134
Bibliography 135
ix
