Craig Evans is a well-known evangelical scholar and writer. Since 2016 he has been Distinguished Professor of Christian Origins at Houston Baptist University and before that taught at Acadia Divinity College from 2002-2015. This volume is a topical introduction to the Bible for lay people and those with little knowledge of biblical revelation. It covers key issues about the Bible from an apologetic viewpoint that seeks to explain what the Bible is and why it is important to listen to its message. Evans answers common objections to the Bible and presents the biblical worldview in an appealing manner. As a type of study guide each chapter closes with two or three points under the heading “Why Does This Matter to Me?” The emphasis is on practicality and challenges readers to search for truth.  There is a mild philosophical touch to the writing but without being offensive or overbearing.

The first two divisions of this 13 chapter volume explore “What Is the Bible?” (chapters 1-2) and “What Is the Bible About?” (chapters 3-9) and take up 170 pages.  Evans explains the Bible’s two testaments, the original languages of the Bible, the Apocrypha, and literary genres. Unfortunately, he asks whether the great Flood and the Tower of Babel are “historical narratives or parables” (p. 28), and conveys in note #18 on p. 248 that “truth is often conveyed in parables” when referencing Genesis 1-11 and refers readers to Peter Enns’ The Evolution of Adam (Brazos, 2012). I appreciated, however, Evans’ explanation of Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:28-30 that “Jesus evidently expected his own disciples, at a time known only to God, to form a new government, to sit on thrones judging (in the sense of administering, not in the sense of condemning) the twelve tribes. The reference to the ‘twelve tribes’ also implies that Jesus fully expected the restoration of Israel—all Israel” (p. 134). He also rebuffs the idea of “some interpreters, that Gentiles or Christians replace the Jewish people. Such an interpretation is anachronistic and inaccurate” (p. 134).

Craig A. Evans from CraigAEvans.com

Evans’ third and final section answers “Common Questions about the Bible” and numbers 60 pages. There are four chapters in Part Three. The first and longest of these chapters deals with how to interpret the Bible. Evans recommends the popular books by Fee and Stuart (How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth and How to Read the Bible Book by Book), as well as N. T. Wright’s the Bible for Everyone series published by Westminster John Knox. Chapter 11 ably deals with the question of violence and anger in the Bible including God’s commands for Israel to conquer the Land of Canaan and kill off its wicked inhabitants. Chapter 12 features brief explanations of 22 archaeological finds that support the Bible’s truthfulness or credibility in one way or another. They include the Rosetta Stone from Egypt and the “Pilate Stone” from Caesarea, the Caiaphas, James, and Yehohanan ossuaries, the “Jesus Boat” from the Sea of Galilee, the Gallio inscription from Delphi, and the Dead Sea Scrolls of Qumran just to name a few.

Those familiar with Craig Keener’s works will understand when I characterize his third volume on Acts as an encyclopedia of background, history, and solid exegesis all from a conservative evangelical stance. This mammoth tome runs from p. 2193-3348, with an additional 26 two column pages of the abbreviations used! This volume by the Asbury Theological Seminary professor covers Acts 15-23.

Keener argues that the Jerusalem Council met in 48 C.E. and should be paired with Gal 2:1-10. He thoroughly covers the Council’s meeting and its conclusions on the issues in just over 100 pages. Keener comments extensively on Jewish-Gentile marriage as seen in Timothy’s parents in Acts 16:1.

The Holy Spirit’s guidance in Acts 16:6 was primarily negative awaiting the vision of the Macedonian man in 16:9. Keener asserts that the Spirit forbade Paul’s movement into Asia to allow Paul to gain experience in Macedonia and Achaia against political and philosophic foes that would strengthen him for battle later on in Ephesus. He notes that the phrase “the Holy Spirit,” used only twice in the OT is now the standard nomenclature for God’s Spirit in 16:6 and that the next verse identifies the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Jesus” in the UBS Greek text. This title for the Holy Spirit is unique to the NT.

Luke’s use of the first person plural “we” in his factual narratives identifies Luke as an eye witness in a group setting while keeping the focus on Paul and Silas and their larger mission. Keener discusses this “first person” issue and numerous other historical examples of it from other ancient writers. Keener points out the propriety of Paul’s company accepting the hospitality of Lydia and has excursuses on hospitality and inns in the ancient world.

Keener gives many pages to explaining “Pythoness Spirit” and “Demons and Spirit Possession” (pp. 2422-2456). Paul’s expulsion of the slave girl’s false spirit (16:18) is the first miracle Luke records on Paul’s second journey. Acting in Jesus’ name ties Paul to Jesus’ ministry in Luke’s Gospel (Lk 10:17).

Various ancient views on suicide accompany Keener’s treatment of the Philippian jailor who almost took his own life. The salvation of the jailor and his family was purely by faith in Christ.

Keener carefully notes how Luke chronicles Paul’s movements, for example, escaping from Thessalonica at night. Keener sees this as courageous and at the behest of the new Christian leaders of that city. Though Paul was willing to die for Christ, to stay in Thessalonica may have caused his death for a charge of treason, and may have jeopardized the new church’s continuance. Instead, both prospered.

The Epicureans and the Stoics are covered with extensive excursuses as background for Paul’s visit to Athens. Paul’s speech on Mar’s Hill also receives attention for its rhetoric and use by Luke in reporting speeches.

It is rare to find a very readable and theologically sound volume that examines current missiological issues perceptively with historical backgrounds, biblical exegesis, and practical insight by a recognized giant in the field. David Hesselgrave covers ten key topics such as sovereignty and free will, whether one can be saved without hearing the gospel and trusting Christ, whether common ground is possible to find with other religions, holism and prioritism, the missionary models of Christ and Paul, spiritual warfare, the essence of a missionary “call,” contextualization, prophetic alerts, and the real purpose of missions. The volume has forewords by both Ralph Winter and Andreas Köstenberger.

Each chapter runs about 35 pages and is interesting, readable, informative, thought provoking, and practical. The issues are as the title suggests–key. Each deals with seminal truths. Hesselgrave believes and applies the inerrancy of the Scriptures. Twelve illustrations dot the book, including a chart demonstrating four ministries of the Holy Spirit in missions (p. 193). Each chapter includes a bibliography averaging about thirty important recent sources, including periodical articles. Hesselgrave is fully abreast of the thinking on each topic and explains why each is so vital to understanding and accomplishing the true task of the Great Commission. In citing the history of the modern missions movement, Hesselgrave is not afraid to critique friend and foe alike, but with a kind and gentle spirit. He chides the downward drift in the World Council of Churches’ missions programs and warns of similar slides in current movements. He discusses Kraft’s contextualization and the TNIV, concluding that both do damage to “the verbal-plenary understanding of revelation and inspiration.” Hesselgrave agrees with Alva McClain and Robert Culver on the meaning and purpose of church, kingdom, Scripture, and mission, and contrasts that with the mistaken views of George Ladd, James Engel and William Dyrness. The volume also contains a helpful nine page subject index and a three page Scripture index.

On the issue of common ground, Hesselgrave notes that most, if not all, of the similarities between Christianity and other religions are too flimsy and not true parallels. For example, “The Allah of the Qur’an is very unlike the Triune God of the Bible” (p. 99). The only real common ground is that all people in every culture are sinners. One of the bluntest statements Hesselgrave makes, after a search for common ground in other religions is, “Perry is right when he avers that the various religions represent ways in which humankind is being led away from God, not toward him” (p. 102). He adds, “Dissimilarities may in fact prove to be more useful than similarities in communicating Christ and the gospel. This often is the way that new knowledge and understanding are attained. After all, the Christian faith (in its revelation if not always in its practice) is absolutely unique. There is no other faith like it” (p. 105).

Regarding the common ground of sin, Hesselgrave points out that all of us are sinners before a holy God. “That is the common ground on which both Christian missionaries and their non-Christian hearers stand. We must not only admit it; we must insist upon it. If there is any one key that unlocks the door to common ground it is ‘missionary self-exposure.’ … So sin and sinnerhood can and must be explained. But how much easier to understand if they are permitted actually to see a sinner” (pp. 111-112).