Old Testament Ethics for the People of God

The power of Old Testament Ethics for the People of God lies in its ability to make clear not only why Old Testament ethics are relevant in modernity, but how. The why is predicated on the authority of the whole cannon of Scripture, so that the whole interprets the part, and there results a balanced consideration of both the Old and New Testaments. The how is depicted in its practical, everyday application to the theological, political, economic, moral, civil, and social realms. Wright doesn’t do anything “new” by constructing any radical and innovative theories about the Old Testament simply to satisfy modern sensibilities. Rather, he meticulously shines a light on the principles and foundational ethics that have been staring us in the face all along. What the reader walks away with is a fresh, new understanding of the Old Testament that will persuade you to look back to the Law in order to look forward to Christ and grow your faith.The basic motivation that Wright uses to analyze OT ethics is to reveal the underlying principle that animates the moral code. These principles are then extrapolated to reveal how they applied in the tribal, agrarian, ancient Israelite society, and how the same principles apply to modernity. By implication, this debunks the myth that the OT was a mere historical era that has no cotemporary relevance; it also steers us away from segregating the law into distinct categories and then choosing which ones are pertinent. Ultimately, the book leads us out of the darkness of confusion and into an embracing light of understanding that is unafraid to ask deep, probing, and critical questions. Even more, this approach clarifies how OT ethics informs our understanding of environmental stewardship, economics, “chosen-ness”, Zionism, secular law, family life and social interactions as a whole. It also successfully addresses difficult topics such as war, the death penalty for certain offenses, and slavery. In my personal opinion, the chapter on Justice and Righteousness (8) is brilliant and will forever change the way one thinks about secular law and the legal system.Old Testament Ethics for the People of God was recommended to me by a well-respected and very well-read seminary professor, and I am tremendously grateful for the wisdom and insight provided in this marvelous book. It is my opinion that any Christian serious about Bible study or who demands a rigorous, considerate analysis of Old Testament ethics must read this book. This is a soaring beacon of theological light so important that your understanding of the Bible will be incomplete without it. Highest possible recommendation and for the works of Christopher J.H. Wright in general.

I was first tuned into Chris Wright by his The Mission of God, (c. 2006) and I've not been disappointed since. He's likely the most accessible OT scholar alive today. That's a claim by a 'lay-theologian.' I'm certainly not up on the longer list of names which are seeking to keep abreast of current theology/philosophy in the OT genres, just perusing the accessible writings on a basic OT theology. He seems aware of this greater collection of writings but his style is articulate, seems comprehensive, and certainly brings back to life a significant section of Scripture which, for the bulk of the 20th century had been--by "evangelical scholarship" relegated to heavy spiritualizing and/or Messianic prophecies--at least from an American perspective. I have found that as an Evangelical, some of my best theology mentors have come from the other side of the Atlantic, especially from the U.K., thinking of Chris, but also N.T. Wright.This is a foundational document--as is The Mission of God--in tying the primary themes of the O.T., their relation to ethics for the people of God in any age, and to the mission of the people of God, especially in this age. Thank you, Chris, for your hard work on this another volume which brings glory to God, as any good scholarship should.

This is a book that helps you understand the interrelationship between the Old Testament and New Testament ethics.

Great book and covers many different subjects like the importance of human life, economics, land, government, caring for your neighbor etc.

Excellent dissertation on the Old Testament and Ethics. While it is definitely on a scholarly level, it's wihtout a doubt an easy read.

This is a very broad and difficult topic, yet the author deals with it with such clarity. Not an easy read, but rewarding.

This is a goldmine!!! Absolutely must read it!

I purchased for a class

Studium Theologie. Sehr gut zu lesen (englisch), gute Erklärungen

C. J. H. Wright's `OT Ethics for the People of God' offers a wonderfully readable and engaging explanation of the ethics of "The Law". I bought this to compare and contrast (as they say) with  Stassen and Gushee's `Kingdom Ethics'  because Stassen and Gushee focus their ethical exposition specifically on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. I'm a much more of an OT orientated fella' so was keen to see how Wright's volume measured up.`OT Ethics' is a `fully revised, updated and integrated edition of [Wright's earlier works] `Living as the People of God' and `Walking in the Ways of the Lord'.' As such is represents a very polished and thorough presentation of OT ethics while retaining the essential readability that some theological books lack. Wright divides his work into three large parts of fourteen chapters:Part One: A Structure for OT Ethics1. The theological angle2. The social angel3. The economic anglePart Two: Themes in OT Ethics4. Ecology and the earth5. Economics and the poor6. The land and Christian ethics7. Politics and the nations8. Justice and righteousness9. Law and the legal system10. Culture and family11. The way of the individualPart Three: Studying OT ethics12. A survey of historical approaches13. Contemporary scholarship: a bibliographical essay14. Hermeneutics and authority in OT ethicsAppendix, bibliography and indexes followIn comparing Wright with Stassen and Gushee, the most significant difference is that the later focus on the practicalities of how to apply Jesus' ethical advice from the Sermon on the Mount to our daily lives. Wright's aim seems more focused on explaining and expounding OT ethics as they were applied to the ancient Israelites. That's not to suggest that Wright neglects expounding how OT ethics should be applied to twenty-first century Christian values (far from it!), but Wright's work reads much more like a commentary than Stassen and Gushee's, which reads more like a (sometimes, specifically North American) self-help book. Wright's `OT Ethics' seeks to thoroughly unpack OT ethical understanding and clarify and correct the misconception of a miserable, vengeful OT God v. a cuddly, fluffy NT God. And he succeeds wonderfully!Wright's `OT Ethics' is an easy to read, deeply penetrative investigation of OT ethical systems, well and logically laid out with bold main headings and bold italicised sub-headings with indented text or bullet points where necessary. Wright is hugely successful in changing the erroneous perception of two different Gods (OT v. NT), and two different legal/ethical understandings in the testaments. In the end, I found Wright's work more satisfying (and better laid out) than Stassen and Gushee's, but the later is more effective if you want to know precisely how to apply their ethical understandings to your life. Both titles are excellent and offer a hugely useful comparison, but if you only get this one, you'll not be disappointed: you've just got to admire anyone who can make the likes of Leviticus interesting AND relevant! Stassen and Gushee's `Kingdom Ethics'

Wright has produced a really useful and interesting work on OT ethics. Brilliantly explaining his theory of Wright's Paradigm

A very good book with sound biblical teaching, which gives help and understanding about how we approach 'Old Testament' Ethics.

Great service and a great book