Lesson 6: Using The Four Branches of Theology
Biblical Theology
0:00
0:00
Definition
Biblical theology is the first branch of the theological tree. Along with systematic theology, it enables us to bring the whole Bible to bear on a passage of Scripture as we interpret it.
bib·li·cal the·ol·o·gy noun
“Biblical theology studies how the whole Bible progresses, integrates, and climaxes in Christ.”¹
Biblical theology has a narrative focus. It takes a passage of Scripture and studies it in the light of the Bible’s storyline of redemption. That storyline is the plot of the entire Bible, which culminates in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Principle: Interpret the Bible through its storyline. Understand where a text lies in the story of redemption through Christ.
Biblical Example
15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. —Galatians 3:15–29
In Galatians 3:15–29, Paul asserts that the way to receive God’s blessing is by faith in his promises, not through obedience to his law. This is because the Mosaic covenant didn’t nullify God’s earlier promise in the Abrahamic covenant but temporarily guarded God’s people for that very promise. But now Christ has come to fulfill what God promised to Abraham. So circumcision, a requirement of the law, can’t be the way to receive God’s blessing: faith is.²
There are three ways in which Paul uses biblical theology in this passage:
1. Paul sees Christ as the heir of God’s promises (3:16).
The ultimate inheritor of the Abrahamic covenant was not Isaac and his literal descendants, but Christ and those who believe in him. Paul looked along the arc of redemptive history and saw Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. Biblical theology considers how the Bible’s patterns and promises culminate in Christ. (Lesson 7 returns to this interpretative principle.)
2. Paul sees the Abrahamic covenant as having priority over the Mosaic (3:17–22).
Paul is reading the Bible’s story carefully. Since the Abrahamic covenant was made first, the Mosaic covenant couldn’t have voided it. Rather, the law was only a temporary restraint until the recipient of God’s promise, Jesus Christ, came into the world (3:19). It was a guardian to watch over God’s people while they were minors. The Law was never meant to be permanent—but the promise was permanent. Biblical theology interprets Scripture according to its own storyline of redemption.
3. Paul places his readers in their proper place in redemptive history (3:23–29).
As a result of the preceding truths, Paul asserts that Gentile believers need not seek God’s blessing by following the Mosaic Law, since they lived in the post-law era, an era following Christ’s coming to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. Now they were fully-grown adults, not minors, and so didn’t need the guardianship of the law. They had received the promised blessing and had become heirs of God through their union with Jesus Christ.
In this biblical example, we see the importance of reading every passage of Scripture with an eye towards how the story culminates in Jesus Christ. Biblical theology also helps us see the importance of applying every passage by considering our own place in redemptive history.
How to Do Biblical Theology: Use the Bible’s Storyline
Chris Bruno illustrates the work of biblical theology:
Fitting the different parts of the Bible into the whole story is kind of like doing a puzzle. When I teach about the story of the Bible, I sometimes remind people that knowing this story is like having the puzzle box with the picture on it. As we look at the individual pieces, we can glance back at the big picture and get a sense of how it all comes together. —Chris Bruno, The Whole Message of the Bible in 16 Words, 115.
To start using biblical theology in your personal Bible study, locate where your passage occurs on the Bible’s larger storyline.
- Creation (Gen 1–2) – Scripture opens with a portrait that provides the foundation for a biblical worldview: God is Creator of everything. The earth displays his glory in its wondrous, intentional design. God uniquely created Adam and Eve in his image and called them to steward the rest of creation. God made mankind to enjoy communion with him.
- Fall (and aftermath) (Gen 3–11) – But Adam rebels and in him humanity falls into sin and darkness. Adam’s sin results in a human race steeped in personal rebellion and corporate guilt. As a result, God judges humanity by cursing creation with death (Gen 3:14–19; Rom 8:20). The consequences of sin are devastating, including global judgment and “re-creation” through the flood. The section ends with a scene in which humanity collectively rebels at Babel. But curse will not be the last word. In Genesis 3:15, God promised to overcome the darkness through a saving son.
- Redemption
- Abraham and Patriarchs (Gen 12–50) – Founded upon that first gospel promise, God invades Abraham’s life with another word of hope. Abraham responds in faith, and God begins fulfilling his promise to give him a land and a family. God intends to bless all the families of the earth through Abraham’s seed. That promise is passed to Abraham’s son, Isaac, and then to Isaac’s son, Jacob, in spite of their deep flaws. This reveals that God’s covenant promises are secure and not dependent on human virtue.
- Moses and Israel (Exod–Deut) – Genesis ends with Abraham’s descendants settling in Egypt with the promise that God would make them a nation. The security of Egypt does not last, and the people are eventually forced into slavery. Generations pass (400 years) with no hope of freedom until God raises up one who will deliver them out of Pharaoh’s hand: Moses. God miraculously rescues this family, now an entire nation, through the blood of Passover lambs. He proves himself faithful to his promises and calls them to a life centered on him. If they will obey him, God further promises to make them his “treasured possession… kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:5–6) that they might be a light to all nations. Thus God establishes a covenant with them. His Law and his holy presence is to define every aspect of their lives. But the Exodus generation ultimately refuses to trust God and follow him in obedience, and so they perish in the wilderness. Moses leads the next generation to the border of the land promised to Abraham and his family. Before they enter under Joshua’s leadership, Moses exhorts them and then dies outside the Promised Land.
- In the Land of Promise (Josh–Ruth) – The people enter the land with great hope and expectation. God gives them rest, and not one of his promises to them fails (Josh 21:43–45). Yet within one generation there is rampant idolatry and disobedience. Through successive generations (another span of 400 years), they reject God’s instruction and adopt the world’s values in a downward spiral until, by the end of Judges, they are hardly recognizable as the people of God.
- A King over Israel (1 Sam–2 Chron, Psalms & Wisdom books, early prophets) – After centuries of rejecting God as their king through idolatry and disobedience, the people of Israel demand that he provide a human king to lead them. God not only grants a king but ultimately overrules their rebellion with overwhelming grace: once again, he establishes great and precious promises, this time through a covenant with David. He declares David’s throne to be eternal and promises to establish peace over the earth through David’s son. Here is the promise of Messiah, God’s anointed one. But the account of David’s line turns out to be another story of a spiraling descent into wicked idolatry. Israel’s kings and its people utterly forsake God. God sends many prophets to remind the people of his promises, to call them to account for their sin, and ultimately to reassure them. Though they have been unfaithful, God remains absolutely committed to his covenant love.
- Exile and Return (Ezra–Esther & the later prophets) – Israel’s rebellion leads to God’s discipline. God casts out Israel from the Promised Land and from his presence. He sends powerful nations who decimate both people and land, destroying the temple, razing the city of Jerusalem, and dragging the people to Babylon. After 70 years, he graciously restores a remnant to the Promised Land. Throughout this period, prophets continue to preach and point the way forward: their only hope is in Messiah, who will establish a new covenant. Through Messiah’s person and work, God would fulfill all the promises he had previously established with Abraham, Moses, and David.
- Messiah & the New Covenant (Gospels) – The New Testament opens with four faithful accounts of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This is the gospel—the good news of what God has done in and through this man. God’s eternal Son takes on human flesh. Jesus is the promised Messiah (“Christ” in Greek). By his life of sinless perfection, he fulfills all righteousness. In his death, he absorbs God’s wrath against human sin. By his resurrection, he wins eternal life for his people.
- The Church & its Gospel Mission to the World (Acts–Jude) – Ascending to the right hand of the throne of God, the resurrected Christ pours out his Holy Spirit upon his people. Clothed in Christ and filled with his Spirit, the apostles, along with all who believe their message, move out into the world proclaiming Christ as Lord. The Lord adds all believing Jews and Gentiles to his church, for since Christ is the true Israel, all who believe are God’s people without distinction. On their hearts God writes his New Covenant, which is now the framework for living a God-pleasing life.
- Consummation (Revelation) – As the church waits for Jesus to return, they must persevere in faith as sin tempts, darkness deceives, and persecution comes. But God will fulfill all of his promises, and he will do so through Jesus. Christ alone is worthy of this task. Many will continue to rebel against God by rejecting Christ. But in the end, Christ and his people will triumph over all God’s enemies, including Satan, the nations, and even death itself. God will curse his enemies with eternal death, but he will bless Christ’s church with eternal life in an eternal city where Jesus reigns as King.
Once you locate your passage, consider the following questions:
- How should its place on the storyline guide interpretation? Here you should consider which covenant the passage belongs to, how earlier revelation provides context or precedent for the passage, and how later revelation fulfills or explains the passage.
- Are there any key themes, patterns, or symbols in this passage that connect to other points on the storyline? Some examples include the Temple, sacrifice, sonship, rest, Land, priesthood, etc. In Lesson 7, we will learn how whole-Bible themes culminate in Christ and come through Christ to the church.
Your Turn
Read Deuteronomy 6:4–9 carefully below, and then answer the following questions in order:
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. —Deuteronomy 6:4–9
Where does this passage take place on the Bible’s storyline?
Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.
Identify at least one key theme, pattern, or symbol in this passage that connects to the larger biblical storyline.
Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.
Resources
10 Things You Should Know about Biblical Theology, by Chris BrunoTen important facts to help you understand biblical theology
Biblical Theology: Jesus at the Center of Scripture's Story, by Capitol Hill Baptist ChurchThirteen lessons, designed as a course to be taught in an adult Sunday School class, including manuscripts of and handouts for each lesson
Below, you will find an extraordinary presentation of the storyline of Scripture, using only the words of Scripture and original artwork. Even watching just the first few minutes will help you see the big picture on the puzzle box.