Readers of the Old Testament often notice similarities between two texts, but are they intentional or imagined connections? Because the Old Testament does not usually signal its use of Scripture as explicitly as the New Testament (e.g., "It is written"), the task calls for unique instincts. After explaining why and how the Old Testament uses other Old Testament texts, this book equips readers with a three-part method to move beyond hunches to interpreting the Old Testament's beautiful interconnections. Rather than offering rigid steps, the proposed method trains readers with the instincts needed to identify, verify, and enjoy Old Testament allusions.
About the Author :
Matthew Swale (PhD, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is assistant professor of Bible and Church Ministry at Warner University in Lake Wales, FL
Review :
"God's Word often recalls itself within the flow of progressive revelation. This magnificent handbook clarifies the what, how, and why of Old Testament allusions and does so with compelling prose, pedagogical clarity, helpful examples, and faithful interpretation. Swale has created a masterful student manual for interpreting the Old Testament's use of the Old Testament."
--Jason S. DeRouchie (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary), research professor of Old Testament and biblical theology and Rich and Judy Hastings Endowed Chair of Old Testament Studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
"At many points, the Old Testament alludes to other Old Testament texts. With wisdom, insight, and well-chosen examples, Matthew Swale shows us not only how to recognize and evaluate these, but also why they matter. This is a key resource that introduces and explains an important field for reading the Old Testament well while also showing how this is important for how we communicate it in our setting."
--David G. Firth (PhD, University of Pretoria), Old Testament tutor at Trinity College Bristol and honorary research associate at the University of the Free State
"Matt Swale offers a fantastic gift to his readers: a book equally learned, accessible, and enriching. Scripture's Use of Scripture in the Old Testament gives Marcion a good kick in the knee, and God be praised! Operating with synchronic sensibilities, though alert to diachronic pitfalls, Swale charts a course for identifying allusions in the Old Testament's compositional history. Rich in examples and counterfactual illustrations, Swale's book takes readers on a deep dive into the depths of Scripture's self-awareness and internal conversation. The end result is an Old Testament thick and textured, resplendent in its canonical achievement and life-giving in its revelatory role. If you love Holy Scripture, Swale has left the porch light on and the front door open!"
--Mark S. Gignilliat (PhD, University of St. Andrews), professor of divinity (Old Testament) and director of the PhD program at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University
"What an exceptional book! I've waited a long time for a robustly evangelical project on the Old Testament's use of the Old Testament--one that remains accessible yet sophisticated. While there is no shortage of books on the New Testament's use of the Old Testament, resources on the Old Testament's use of the Old Testament are scant. I suspect that professors will require Matthew Swale's volume for their classes, pastors will put it to use for their sermons, and laypeople will learn to use their cross-references. In the end, we will all marvel at the beauty of inner-biblical connections contained therein."
--Benjamin L. Gladd (PhD, Wheaton College), executive director of the Carson Center for Theological Renewal at the Gospel Coalition
"Our understanding of how the Old Testament uses the Old Testament has grown considerably in recent years, but scholarship on the topic has remained largely inaccessible to the nonspecialist--that is, until now. Enter Matthew Swale, a reliable and winsome guide on the quest to find allusions within the Old Testament. His Scripture's Use of Scripture in the Old Testament offers us key hermeneutical instincts for recognizing, interpreting, and teaching Old Testament allusions, with plenty of helpful examples provided along the way. This practical book is sure to be welcomed by students, teachers, and pastors."
--Benjamin J. Noonan (PhD, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion), professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Columbia International University
"The study of the Bible's use of the Bible finds itself mired in technical language and specialized arguments reserved for academics. Swale masterfully engages with current academic discussions while writing in a friendly voice, engaging both scholars and novices alike. His book offers a helpful introduction to a challenging topic, useful in the classroom and the church."
--Bryan Murawski (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary), associate professor for the School of Divinity at Cairn University
"A dynamic on-ramp! Among the mountains of studies on the Bible's use of the Bible, on-ramps are rare and fun is nonexistent. Matt Swale combines these virtues in Scripture's Use of Scripture in the Old Testament. Swale offers practical guidance to help identify, evaluate, and preach scriptural allusions to earlier Scripture. Students and ministers of the Word will benefit from this book's wit and insight."
--Gary Edward Schnittjer (PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary), distinguished professor of Old Testament for the School of Divinity at Cairn University
