Scandalous is an excellent blend of “devotional” thoughts and scholarly commentary. I highly recommend this book! Scandalousis a summary of a series of lectures that D.A. Carson gave at Mars Hill Church Seattle. Carson is a world class scholar who has contributed much to the church and the advance of the Gospel. Scandalous is not just for scholars though, it is appropriate for anyone and everyone. We all need to be reminded of the Gospel on a continual basis, and Scandalous does just that. God uses books like this to remind us of what Jesus went though, and why we should love him with dare-say scandalous passion. I especially appreciated the first chapter on the Ironies of the cross. There, Carson points out some of the literary devices used in the Gospel to help us understand some significant aspects of calvary. Ultimately, this book is important to me because it increases affections for my savior, and that is a worthy reason to read any book.
Here is a little sampling from each of the chapters:
“The Ironies of the Cross”
on Matthew 27:27-51a
Some Irony is vicious, of course; some is hilariously funny. But we all know that irony has the potential, especially in narrative, for bringing a situation into sharp focus. Very often it is the irony in the narrative that enables hearers and readers to see what is really going on. Irony provides a dimension of depth and color that would otherwise be missing.
“The Center of the Whole Bible”
on Romans 3:21-26
So if you have just read Romans 3:21-26 again and still feel that you have not grasped its flow, hang in there. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to see how what God here says through the apostle Paul hangs together. Perhaps you will also see why Martin Luther called this passage “the chief point and the very central place of the epistle to the Romans and of the whole Bible.”
“The Strange Triumph of a Slaughtered Lamb”
on Revelation 12
They overcame Satan simply because they were willing to die. Christians used to write books on how to die well. Their great prayer was that in their declining hours when their minds were going and they were no longer in control. . . They would not say anything that would bring shame on the cross. Do you ever hear Christians pray like that today?
“A Miracle Full of Surprises”
on John 11:1-53
God is sovereign. He is wise. He is unqualifiedly good. Part of Christian maturation is understanding that even his delays are not foolish or stupid or mistakes or exercises in whimsy. He is to be trusted, and even the delays are to be improved upon by the way we respond to them.
“Doubting the Resurrection of Jesus”
on John 20:24-31
The context shows that Thomas’s doubt is the skepticism of one who has gone through stupendous religious disappointment, such that he does not want to be blindsided again.
You can find the original lectures HERE.
You can buy the book HERE.
For more info on the format of these book reviews check HERE.
No trackbacks yet.