G.K. Beale has been involved in several resources that trace the way that the New Testament makes use of echoes, allusions, quotations and parallels from the Old Testament.
Beale provides a brilliant introductory essay to this volume, writing: “When recognised, allusions pull the reader into the orbit of the Old Testament passage, inviting the reader to interpret the New Testament in the light of the immediate and broader context of the Old Testament. The readers subsequently interpret the Old Testament allusion with an eye to the New Testament.”
Such an approach is invaluable for readers and preachers of Scripture. It is a useful way to explore the way that the New Testament has a rich superstructure that is carefully built with reference to the Old Testament story.
What do we get in the CSB Connecting Scripture New Testament?
- We have the whole text of the New Testament in the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) Version. I was pleasantly surprised by how clear, fresh and readable this version is. (Grace Publications publish the Anglicised Version in the UK. en reviewed this favourably in the June 2025 issue.) It is printed on thin paper like a Bible, nicely bound with two handsome ribbons for marking where you are in the book. A downside is that the print is rather small, especially the footnotes, so it needs to be read in good light or with decent reading glasses.
- Allusions to Old Testament passages are printed in green. These allusions are all clearly cross-referenced.
- Direct quotations from the Old Testament are printed in blue. These quotations are linked to extensive interpretative footnotes. These footnotes are packed with excellent commentary that will inform readers and no doubt shape many sermons.
- An Old Testament Index showing connections with the New Testament, and a New Testament Index showing connections with the Old Testament.
- Fourteen articles ranging from topics like eschatology, the Kingdom of God and marriage, and 11 tables comparing Old and New Testaments.
This is a veritable treasure trove of good things. I have enjoyed reading it immensely. It is good to have the footnotes under the Biblical text; this makes it easier to keep the connections in mind. I am already finding this book stimulating and useful. It has helped me to see the subtle layers of allusion and quotations from several Old Testament sources that enrich Mary’s Magnificat.
I look forward to making use of it in the future for my reading and preaching.
Apart from the size of the print are there any downsides to a book like this?
It could produce a type of “smarter than you preacher,” who constantly tries to pull an Old Testament rabbit out of the New Testament hat. It is best to approach this resource as less of a box of tricks and more of an instruction manual that gives readers and preachers an instinct for making connections between Old and New Testament by having a daily conversation between them.
The other potential downside is to read or preach on the allusions and quotations in a superficial way by failing to read the fuller context of the Old Testament stories and passages that are being used by New Testament writers. We do not want to be like the mathematician who gets the right answer but has not got the workings.
Yet used carefully it will help readers to see the gospel story as it is intricately woven into the fabric of Moses, the prophets and the writings.
CSB CONNECTING SCRIPTURE
NEW TESTAMENT: A Study Bible of Biblical Allusions and Quotations
By Gregory K. Beale and Benjamin L. Gladd
B&H Publishing. 559 pages. £44.99
ISBN 979 8 384 526 254
