I’m looking forward to this 976-page volume by one of the best New Testament scholars of our day (who also happens to be a wonderful teacher with a warm, pastoral heart). Building on extensive work on Paul’s letters and law/gospel matters, Schreiner develops two themes that emerge from a detailed reading of the New Testament as a whole:
1. The already and not-yet reality of the kingdom of God. Schreiner argues that the New Testament apostles fully embraced the Old Testament’s vision of God’s reign, and wholeheartedly affirmed that the coming of Jesus Christ represented its arrival. Nevertheless, we still wait for the final consummation of God’s rule–in human history, our individual lives, and as a community of saints.
2. The ultimate goal of the kingdom of God is the glory of God. Regarding this theme, Schreiner was recently critiqued by Ben Witherington, and then defended by John Piper.
In this forthcoming work, I anticipate that Schreiner will again display a winsome blend of theological mastery (understanding the big picture) and exegetical precision (attention to detail). When I took Galatians with Schreiner, I always appreciated the way he would carefully nuance his perspective, taking the time to be precise while seeking to accurately understand and communicate his detractors’ positions, and the strength of their arguments.