Chapter One Summary: Approaches to Old Testament Theology

The Old Testament does not always make for the easiest waters to navigate
through. Preparing yourself before you embark on the journey is essential.
Routledge bring a thematic approach to this preparation that is easy to read
and also insightful in understanding some of the most basic, yet essential,
aspects of the Old Testament. He beginning at the simplest level of marking
out what exactly the Old Testament is to Christians. Yes, it is Hebrew
Scripture, but he argues that the proper heirs of this text are Christians
today. He moves from there to outlines some of the difficulties of the Old
Testament today. He focuses on the churches tendency today to use the Old
Testament as a hat-peg for sermons on the New Testament. There is a
tendency to see the Old Testament as simple a list of illustrations on which
the New Testament is more illuminated. From here Routledge leads us to an
understanding of Biblical Theology that encompasses exegetical theology
and systematic theology to give us a panorama view of Scripture. Two of the
most prominent thinkers of Biblical Theology are Walter Eichrodt and Gerhard
von Rad. Both of these theologians longed to bring a Biblical Theology that
would enrich the church, but held conflicting views. Eichrodt offers a
systematic approach to the Old Testament and von Rad offers a more
dynamic view of Israels faith. Von Rad saw a difference between actual
history and redemptive history, while Eichrodt attempted to hold them
together. This is still the major stalemate in Biblical Theology.
The next major issue addressed by Routledge is Typology. He makes the
important (but unfortunate) relationship and distinction typology has with
allegory. The early church fathers are renowned for their use of allegory with
the scripture. However, the New Testament leads by example and Routledge
shows how Paul used the OT, but never changes the original meaning or
significance, but rather draws a parallel to show connection. Typology is
concerned with the cyclical nature of history and its correspondence, not
with details. Moreover, typology is not a prophetic announcement, it is only
understood looking backwards. Routledge then moves to show a handful of
newer approaches to Scripture including: structuralism, narrative, and
canonical. For him, the canonical approach offers great aid when paired with
the narrative approach. That is not to ignore the historical-critical approach,
but it should be seen as an aid. Routledges view is eclectic, while
acknowledging that each methodology has shortcoming that we must be
aware of. Finally, Routledge shows us how exegesis, biblical theology,
systematic theology and homiletically theology ought to work together and
their order. They work together to give us a full view of Scripture and God.

There is much to do with the Old Testament, but we must be careful in how
we approach it. It is all too easy to derive our own beliefs from the text if we
do not take careful considerations.