The Story Retold: A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the New Testament

I first heard about this volume while listening to the "Theology on the Go" podcast (https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/the-story-retold-podcast). Dr. Gladd was interviewed on the program and I bought the book immediately after listening to the interview. I am so very glad I made this purchase.Drs. Gladd and Beale have made a significant contribution to the field of biblical theology by providing a NT introduction that is, LITERALLY, unlike any other NT introduction available. Chapter 1 gives the reader the basic storyline of the Bible (i.e., the story of redemptive history). Chapter 2 contains a very helpful overview of how to understand the NT's use of the OT. The rest of the book is a practical application of the principles outlined in chapter 2. Beginning with the gospels, Gladd and Beale take the reader book by book through the NT, illustrating how the NT writers interpreted the life of Christ and His church in light of the OT types, promises, and prophecies. This book can be used as a reference book for intense study in individual books of the NT, or it can be read from beginning to end as an overview of the NT in general.As a pastor with an interest in helping my congregation make the connections between the two Testaments, I have already found the book so very helpful. For example, I am currently preaching through Colossians in my church. The connection in Colossians 1:9 to the Exodus 31:1-11 became a foundation for helping us understand what it would mean for God to fill us with the knowledge of His will in wisdom and understanding. Exodus 31:3 records God's words regarding Bezaleel, whom He had filled "with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship" - the same basic language of Colossians 1:9. How helpful!! This allusion in Colossians to the OT text in Exodus gave my church (and me!) a point of reference for easy application of the Colossians text.This book is hardbound and very heavy - but that is because it is made of quality paper and binding. It's a sharp looking book.I heartily recommend this book to pastors and teachers of the NT as well as any person interested in the study of the NT in light of the OT text.

I love this book! Why? My disenchantment with nebulous Systematic Theology has led me deeper into a love affair with Biblical Theology. This book, "The Story Retold: A Biblical Theological Introduction to the New Testament", is a much-needed volume to connect the reader to the first-century cultures in which the Church was born and the New Testament books were written.I recently abandoned my "standard", Gundry's NT Survey, now in its 5th edition. My copy is a 70s edition studied in the 80s, unphased by Sanders, Dunn, Wright, et al and the New Perspective. I transitioned first to Wright's, "The New Testament in Its World" and Strauss' "Four Portraits, One Jesus", and then added "The Story Retold" as the much-needed Biblical Theology thread that is missing in the others. These three combined are massively redundant, yet intensely complimentary.Beale and Gladd write that "The books of the New Testament were not written in a vacuum. Israel's story is the church's story." The authors deliver the goods to fill the vacuum with the Bible's grand narratives where others emphasize academic criticism that can compel neither spiritual formation nor relationship with the fully God and fully man Jesus Christ.I have now become a fan of both Gladd and Beale. As I write this review I am reading Gladd's "From Adam and Israel to the Church" and Beale's "We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry". I put these two authors alongside my other favorites: Willard, N.T. Wright, and Christopher J. H. Wright.So, my recommendation: Get it, read it, teach it, now! Here's another recommendation: We very much need an OT Survey that leads into (and hopefully includes) a set-up of the messianic expectations and fervor developed in the intertestamental period; one that is seasoned by the scholarship of the New Perspective, and combines (as does The Story Retold for the NT) the threads of God's grand narrative, the threads of Biblical Theology woven throughout Scripture. I hope this post and others like it will compel authors and publishers to fill that need.

Dr. Beale and Dr. Gladd have written a beautiful book that has enhanced and deepened my love of scripture. I have used some other NT intro texts, but this one is truly one of a kind. Focusing on how the NT is retelling the story of OT brings every book to life, in a fresh way. The introductory chapters that outline the eschatological nature of the biblical worldview, and the use of the OT in the New, set the stage for a thorough book by book analysis.I have also enjoyed how visually attractive this book is. There are helpful summary quotes, maps, and diagrams throughout that really help you understand what the biblical author is communicating. The artwork also adds a lot to the experience of reading this book. The pages feel great and are easy to read.Lastly, this book has also enhanced my reading of the Old Testament. The connections this book highlights makes the entire Bible more clear and exciting. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a big picture understanding of the entire cannon of scripture.

This Introduction to the New Testament is thoroughly evangelical. Nobody will be led astray by it. As an aside, on every page there is at least one good photo to illustrate the book. The quality of paper is excellent, the biding is strong and safe.The first three chapters function as a kind of introduction to the book. Of these I found the first and the second extremely helpful. However, I fear that the authors’ straightforward way to formulate issues may deceive some, for their ability to summarize whole theological systems might appear simplistic. In fact, the fact that they can simplify complex hermeneutical issues only shows their theological caliber, because it is always easier to complicate an answer than to simplify it. For example, the evaluation of the New Perspective on Paul at the beginning of Galatians is just brilliant. One can hardly find such a succinct and lucid presentation of it as this one.Still, I had an expectation that the content of the book will be heavier and more substantial, but it proved to be “just” elementary (after all it is an “Introduction”). I also found that occasionally it is repetitious. For example, on page 50 we read about the topic of solidarity or representation (the one and the many) with illustrations from 2Samuel 21 and 1Chronicles 21, while the same arguments and texts are repeated again on page 190.At the beginning of each chapter, we read about some biblical-theological themes, which are mostly good, but quite selective and incomplete.For example, in the chapter about the Gospel of Matthew we read about the “already but not yet” aspect of the kingdom and about Jesus as the divine warrior. In Mark we read about the second exodus (and possibly about the messianic secret). In Luke, the wilderness temptation and the seventy-two disciples. Finally, in John we read about the Jewish festivals and about Jesus as the Son of Man. You can see from this that it is quite wanting: nothing is said about Jesus as the Son of God, etc.There are also some typos:1. On page 73: “The Messiah and the messianic secret” should be put in bold, not just in italic (I guess).2. On page 190: instead of 1Sam 21:1 should be 2Sam 21:1.So yes, this book is truly what it says it is: a selective biblical-theological introduction to the New Testament. Buy it and read it!Borzási Pál from Transylvania, Romania.

An excellent book that reviews the theology of the New Testament by looking at each book, as well as the whole, through the lens of the Old Testament. Gladd essentially takes Beale's academic work and re-writes it for the layperson.