Review: Tremper Longman, Introducing the Old Testament

Tremper Longman

Introducing the Old Testament: A Short Guide to its History and Message
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
Available at Amazon.com

Review by Graham Scott (Crossway College)

Introducing the Old Testament is an accessible quick reference to the Old Testament. The design and Longman’s clarity of writing makes it highly readable. Theological students will relish the summaries of each book’s content, as well as insights into genre and more scholarly issues like authorship and date. Pastors and laypeople will also find this work a help in negotiating what to the uninitiated seems to be the quagmire of Old Testament scholarship. Longmann’s book may be particularly useful for those leading group Bible studies as it provides valuable background information in a brief format. It may also be useful for those following individual Bible reading plans in their personal devotions.

For example, I recently found the the six page outline of Daniel quite helpful in refining and reflecting on the focus and theme of a teaching series on Daniel.

Furthermore, a careful reading of Longman’s overview of the genre of Psalms will empower a congregation or individual reader to read the great hymnal of the church with far greater depth and sensitivity. This section alone justifies the purchase of this book.

This little book is an abridgement or condensation of An Introduction to the Old Testament, and it certainly manages to pack a lot of material into its 192 pages. The book follows a straightforward outline for each book of the Old Testament, and seeks to provide an overview or comprehensive introduction to each book. Each mini-chapter includes:  Content, Authorship and date, Genre, Connections (anticipating the gospel), Recommended resources, and Questions for discussion and reflection.

Theological students are typically daunted by the size and density of the average Old Testament overviews or introductions that are common to first year theological studies. Whilst this little book cannot replace the thoroughness or depth of detail of such tomes, there is still a remarkable amount of detail and condensation of information and ‘big’ ideas. Indeed Introduction to the Old Testament provides a good initial source for student research and will be invaluable in examination preparation.

Such a little book on such a big topic is a brave venture. Understandably, at times the discussion of some of the more technical aspects of authorshp, date and genre have to assume more background than the intended audience might have. The quality of some of the bibliographies is a little uneven. For example, this 2012 edition does not reflect the recent publication of outstanding commentaries for Isaiah or Deuteronomy, which means that these key Old Testament books are left with rather thin bibliographies. However, these issues are not large detractions from such a helpful little guide.

A reader grappling with what a particular Old Testament book is about, why it was written, and how we might relate to it in light of Christ, will find that this book prepares the way for a deeper and more engaged reading of the Old Testament text.