I cut my theological teeth on F. F. Bruce. I can still remember warm sleepy afternoon classes on the upper floor of my Bible College discussing Bruce’s Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free.

New Testament Development of Old Testament Themes is an expansion of the Payton Lectures Bruce delivered at Fuller Theological Seminary in 1968. Unsurprisingly, given the title, these lectures explore how some of the grand Old Testament themes such as the rule of God, the salvation of God, and the servant Messiah are developed in light of Christ.

Bruce’s knowledge of the culture surrounding the development of the Old Testament inform these lectures at every step. For example, it’s inspiring to hear Bruce talk about Yahweh’s victory over the ancient powers of chaos which come to light in the Rahab creature of Job 26:12.

These are the sort of lectures that help you grasp the grand contours of the Biblical canon. You’ll come away from this book with a bigger appreciation for God’s sovereign plan.

—F. F. Bruce, New Testament Development of Old Testament Themes (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1985).