The Messianic Theology of the New Testament

One of the earliest Christian confessions—that Jesus is Messiah and Lord—has long been recognized throughout the New Testament. Joshua Jipp shows that the New Testament is in fact built upon this foundational messianic claim, and each of its primary compositions is a unique creative expansion of this common thread. Having made the same argument about the Pauline epistles in his previous book Christ Is King: Paul's Royal Ideology, Jipp works methodically through the New Testament to show how the authors proclaim Jesus as the incarnate, crucified, and enthroned messiah of God. In the second section of this book, Jipp moves beyond exegesis toward larger theological questions, such as those of Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology, revealing the practical value of reading the Bible with an eye to its messianic vision. The Messianic Theology of the New Testament functions as an excellent introductory text, honoring the vigorous pluralism of the New Testament books while still addressing the obvious question: what makes these twenty-seven different compositions one unified testament?

About the Author :
Joshua W. Jipp is associate professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. His previous books include Christ Is King: Paul's Royal Ideology and Saved by Faith and Hospitality, which won the Academy of Parish Clergy's Book of the Year award in 2018.

Review :
Religious Studies Review "The book is geared to scholarly and graduate audiences and would be a great resource for courses in NT Theology, Eschatology, and the Gospels. Highly Recommended." "Fantastically productive. 'Jesus is the Christ' is the core gospel confession. Yet how should it shape our theology and behavior? By a thematic reading of the New Testament that is creative yet faithful, Joshua Jipp shows that Jesus's messianic identity is theologically generative and integrative in surprising ways. An important scholarly synthesis that feeds the mind, stirs the theological imagination, and encourages transformation into the king's pattern of life." -- Matthew W. Bates Quincy University "I was initially skeptical about the value of a new New Testament theology, but Jipp makes a convincing argument that asking about the unity of these twenty-seven pieces of literature remains a vital question. While respecting the diverse voices of the twenty-seven books, he builds upon a growing consensus in scholarship to discover that unity in the radical claim that Jesus is the singular messianic king. With thorough exegesis, theological synthesis, and demanding ethics, Jipp provides an invaluable resource for serious study and application of the entire New Testament." -- Amy Peeler Wheaton College "It is striking and indeed curious that, for all the other things about which they differ widely, almost all the texts comprising the New Testament agree in calling Jesus the Christ or Messiah. In this fine book, Joshua Jipp carefully explores what writers as different as Paul and Matthew, or books as different as Revelation and the Gospel of Luke, mean by acclaiming Jesus as the Christ. What is more, along the way Jipp manages to breathe new life into the venerable but nowadays rather shabby discipline of New Testament theology." -- Matthew V. Novenson University of Edinburgh "The Messianic Theology of the New Testament is a triumph of thoughtful scholarship and engaged theology. Whether readers are interested in how the Messiah can be traced through the New Testament or the impact of messianic theology on the New Testament, they will be thrilled with Jipp's accessible writing and meaningful depth. Pastors, students, and scholars alike will find this book a joy to read and a source for messianic theology for years to come!" -- Beth M. Stovell Ambrose University "While one may not agree with all that Joshua Jipp contends for in this book, there is much good material for thought, which has been well-established in scholarship. Throughout this book Jipp highlights the key theme unifying the documents of the New Testament: the messiahship of Jesus. 'Christ' is not a meaningless name; rather, the name expresses Jesus's messianic identity. Jipp stresses the importance of union with the Messiah, especially with respect to the Messiah's people participating in his rule. The resulting book gives a good overview of how the idea of Jesus's messiahship is woven throughout the New Testament and how it forms part of the skeletal structure of New Testament theology." -- G. K. Beale Westminster Theological Seminary