Michael F. Bird, lecturer in Theology at Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia provides the reader a study of how each of the four evangelists present Jesus as the Messiah of early Israel’s expectation. This is the first study that this reviewer has seen to do a comparative study among the gospels as to Jesus’ messiahship. The author begins with Mark and then proceeds to Matthew, Luke (including Acts), and John, and ending with a discussions of common elements as well as what is distinctive to each gospel account.

Embedded within this study is the contention that the declaration of Jesus as Messiah was from the beginning of the gospel message and not a later ascription by the early church looking at the person of Jesus. This is probably the reason Bird begins with Mark which is considered to be the earliest of the gospel messages. Bird, however, goes back to the Old Testament’s understanding of messiahship and shows how Jesus fits within Israel’s expectation of a coming servant-shepherd king that would deliver them from their exile and which deliverance would draw all other nations to worship the one true God. Mark’s gospel, supposedly the earliest of the four gospels, is addressed to a gentile world. Bird takes the pains of careful biblical study to show how the messiah of Israel’s expectations is also the anointed deliverer (Christos = Messia) of all peoples. He does this without making note of the fact that of the four gospels, Mark is the only one who translates from the Aramaic/Syriac language of the Near East for the benefit of his gentile readers.

Though very detailed, Bird’s study is very readable. Aiding this readability is his use of end-notes rather than foot-notes at the bottom of each page. It is a study for the general reader as well as for the more academic reader interested in a comparative study.

After dealing with Mark’s testimony to Jesus as Messiah (Christ), Bird proceeds to a study of Matthew’s testimony which he maintains was directed to a Jewish audience as is evident by his references to Abraham and to David the king. Bird understands Jesus’ ministry as the fulfillment of the ancient prophetic expectation if a promised Davidic descendant who would deliver Israel from exile as a shepherd-king. Bird recalls both Ezekiel’s and Micah’s prophecies of the shepherd who gathers his scattered flock. He also sees a connection between Balaam’s fourth prophecy recorded in Numbers 24:17; “A Star shall come out of Jacob” and the visit of the Magi who followed a star (Matt. 2:1-12) to Bethlehem and gave gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the child Jesus. The Magi represented the goyim (gentiles, Latin) coming to worship the Messiah (Christ) of Israel. Bird went on to substantiate the inter-relatedness between Balaam’s prophecy and the coming of the Magi by indicating the references to a messianic star found in the Jewish extra-biblical targums Levi 1813 and Judah 24:1.

Michael F. Bird, Are You the One Who Is to Come?: The Historical Jesus and the Messianic Question (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 208 pages, ISBN 9780801036385 .

Michael Bird’s ever expanding catalog now includes a volume on messianic expectations in the time of Jesus, and how the historical Jesus fits within that field of expectations. It is no coincidence that the book follows quickly after another such study by Joseph Fitzmyer—Bird’s book takes specific issue with Fitzmyer’s dismissal of the idea of Jesus’ messianic self-awareness, and with his unduly narrow conception of the Messiah. (In a long footnote on pp. 28-29, Bird presents a long list of other scholars who argue that Jesus claimed messianic status for himself.) Bird argues that Fitzmyer’s treatment hardly does justice to the NT evidence.

Like all discussions of the messianic idea, Bird’s study includes an overview of messianic conceptions found at Qumran, in pseudepigraphic writings, and early rabbinic writings. He devotes little space to competing concepts, like the idea of a priestly messiah, probably because he sees little impress of such ideas in the New Testament.

There are other NT scholars who are capable of writing books as quickly (yet as complete) as Bird, but I know of no other scholar that mastered the craft so early in their career. Some of those known for writing books quickly, unfortunately, do not have much of interest to say—they have well-padded CVs but have not really contributed to the field of NT studies. So far, this has not been the case with Bird.

Reviewed by John C. Poirier

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Michael F. Bird, Introducing Paul: The Man, His Mission and His Message (Dowers Grove: IVP Academic, 2008), 192 pages, ISBN 9780830828975.

Periodically, Biblical scholars emerge on the Christian scene who can communicate profound truths to the busy pastor in a way that he can understand. One of a new generation of such is the Michael Bird, an Australian Baptist who teaches at New Testament in a conservative theological school in the north of Scotland.

Bird’s genius lies in his natural combining of humour, contemporary cultural awareness and incisive scholarship. He is already the author of a number of books, and in this recent production offers an overview of Paul’s writings and theology. There is nothing stodgy about Bird’s work. Bird is fluent and engaging in his prose, which is no mean achievement given some of the writers he makes mention of. His scholarship is orthodox, conservative and thoroughly up to date. His intermediary position, for instance, in the debate between John Piper and Tom Wright has proven helpful and incisive for the present reviewer.

For anyone who would like to get ‘up to date’ on issues of Pauline scholarship, in a way that will help student, teacher or preacher, this book is thoroughly recommended.

Reviewed by James Purves

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