Timothy Keller is well-known in Christian circles. He founded Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and for years served as its senior pastor. He is a member of the Gospel Coalition and has authored a number of books including, The Reason for God and The Prodigal God. This current volume, The Prodigal Prophet, focuses on the experiences of the prophet Jonah as found in the biblical book that bears his name.

The text of this book consists of an introduction, 12 chapters, and an epilogue. In them, the author leads the reader through the book of Jonah and helps him or her better understand why Jonah ran from the Lord’s call for him to go to Nineveh. He also identifies some of the prophet’s personal issues that contributed to his behavior. Keller has given much thought to the book of Jonah. In the acknowledgements section, at the end of the book, he mentions that he preached through the book of Jonah in 1981, 1991, and 2001.

Keller provides some rich insights into the story of Jonah. For example, he points out that the Assyrians that Jonah was sent to preach to were notoriously violent. They were known for administering brutal torture and providing their victims with very cruel deaths, their methods included both dismemberment and decapitation (pages 9-10). Keller also points out that Jonah’s ministry to the people of Nineveh was somewhat unique. He says that up until that time, other Old Testament prophets, though they had messages for foreign nations, never had to go to those nations to deliver the message (page 10). Jonah, however, was told to go to the bloodthirsty city of Nineveh in Assyria. Keller writes “Yet it was this nation that was the object of God’s missionary outreach” (page 11). As challenging as this was, there were other uncomfortable elements of this ministry as well, he was going to the city alone and with an unpopular message. The story of Jonah shows us that God has, at times, sent His people into harm’s way to engage in missionary outreach.

Keller points out that Jonah had a theological problem: he had a difficult time reconciling God’s love and His justice (pages 99-101). The two seemed to be at odds with each other. How could God pardon a people who were so violent and vile and be just? So Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. The prophet could not see any good reason for the mission, and since he could not see it, he did not think one existed (page 15).

One of the major themes in The Prodigal Prophet is grace. Readers of the book of Jonah know that God granted grace to the people of Nineveh. When they repented, the Lord did not bring on them the disaster that Jonah had announced. Keller points out that Jonah needed to see how much he needed the mercy of God. Since he lacked this knowledge he could not properly understand how God could be merciful to evil people and be just (page 21). The book of Jonah shows us God’s dealings with the prophet in order to bring him to this place (page 21).

The Prodigal Prophet is not an academic book so it is accessible to all and Keller is a great communicator. Be forewarned: as one reads this book there may be some places in which the reader will feel convicted. All of us are, at least at times, like the prophet Jonah in his bad attitudes, both toward God and with reference to other people, especially those we do not like. There are some aspects of this book that seem quite political. The issues that the book raises are some of the problems that we are currently facing in the United States. That being said, no matter what your political views are, you will learn some valuable lessons from this book; it is truly thought provoking.

Reviewed by John Lathrop

Author’s page: www.timothykeller.com/books/the-prodigal-prophet

The Prodigal God is based on the passage of Scripture we typically call the Parable of the Prodigal Son that is found in chapter 15 of Luke’s gospel; this book is largely an exposition of that scriptural passage. The book’s title may at first sound strange because we usually view the younger son in the story as the prodigal because he is wayward. Keller, citing Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, says that the word “prodigal” means “recklessly spendthrift,” which he says means to “spend until you have nothing left.” That is what the father in the story did for his two sons (and the father symbolizes God). He gave of his wealth and reputation as he reached out to his two sons. Thus, God is prodigal, sparing no expense. Keller’s exposition of this parable is both insightful and inspiring. Anyone interested in gaining, or growing, in an understanding of grace will benefit from reading this book.

The author suggests that this parable might more accurately be called the parable of The Two Lost Sons. One of the lost sons left his father’s home and the other one stayed there. However, both of the sons, in their own ways, were estranged from their father. Keller examines the life of each son and their particular issues. He says that the sons represent two different kinds of people and how they relate to God. Those, who are like the younger son, are very obviously in rebellion against God, their lifestyle makes it very clear as they live in obvious sin. Others, like the older brother, look moral and upright, but are inwardly at odds with God (in the parable this eventually comes out). The second group symbolizes self-righteous religious persons. Though the sons related differently to their father they were both alienated from him. Keller says that they both resented their father’s authority, they both wanted to tell him what to do, and they both served or related to their father for selfish reasons, for what was in it for them. The point is that both sin and moral goodness can keep a person from God. Keller says that the gospel message is in essence, “everyone is wrong, everyone is loved, and everyone is called to recognize this and change.” In addition to writing about how the sons each related to their father the author also writes some about the relationship between the two sons. In particular, how the older son related or perhaps better said, did not relate to the younger son. Keller also points out that the story did not end the same for both of the sons. As the parable closes, the younger, worldly son is reconciled to his father and the older, moral son is not. The author points out that in context that is exactly Jesus’ point. At the beginning of Luke chapter fifteen there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law who were grumbling that Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them (Luke 15:2). The Pharisee’s represented the older brother and the tax collectors and sinners represented the younger brother.