Book Review by Mike Higgins–yes, I do read books 
Book: The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text by Sidney Greidanus
Description of the Reading
When I first started reading this book, I figured it would be difficult and extremely technical as compared to the other books that I had read on the subject of sermon prep and preaching. I was initially bogged down in the early chapters on historical-critical method and the various types of criticisms that can be used to help preachers prepare to preach a text and I just knew this book would be a tough read. I tend to get frustrated when I have to constantly stop and look up technical terms or re-read sentences to understand what they are saying. However as I got out of the “hedgerows” and into chapter four, things got better. And as it turns out, that this book has greatly informed my sermon preparation. The detailed descriptions of the different types of literature in the Bible and how to interpret this literature, helps me see the scriptures more clearly. I am a “systems” type of person and I appreciate it when something helps me see how parts of the system fit into the whole. I am thankful for Greidanus’ guidelines for interpretation as they have reinforced the fact that the Scriptures may all be inspired by God, but they are not all the same and must always be preached as dictated by their appropriate genre (history, wisdom, epistle, poetry, etc.)
Central Concerns of the Author
The bottomline up front is that the author wants the reader to understand that the bible is about God; God’s love, redemption, judgment, plans, etc. He wants the reader to understand that all of the characters in the bible are accessories to grace, mercy or judgment, but that God Himself is what the Scriptures are about. Next, I believe the author is concerned that preachers prepare sermons that say what the original authors intended. I believe the author wants the reader to understand that doing the proper exegesis of a text and understanding the literal, historical, and theological interpretation of the text in view will serve to provide a sermon that is true to the original audience but also relevant to the contemporary congregation. The author stresses that we should always pick a complete unit to use as our preaching text and that text should be treated with various litmus tests to bring out what is really before us. The author wants us to understand that preachers are given the task of bringing people the word of God and that this task is worth doing well. He seems burdened to get us (preachers) to “slow down” and put time into doing justice to the work of “rightly diving the word of truth.” The author presents his feelings of disappointment when preachers isolate a set of scriptures outside of their proper context and then tries to use them to support a personal agenda, for example using Malachi 3:8-10 just to get people to pay their tithes without considering the surrounding scriptures to tell the whole story. The author challenges us to treat the genres of Old Testament prophecies, histories, poetry and narratives and New Testament gospel narratives and epistles in accordance with their genres so as to get the maximum understanding out of the writings.
How the Book may affect my preaching
This book has already caused me to slow down and dig beeper into the historical, literary, and theological meanings of the ‘preaching unit” (see, already I am adapting the language of the book). I am presently preaching through The Gospel of Mark and have discovered that, according to Greidanus, I employ the “inductive” form of preaching. This was refreshing as I personally did not know what my style was called. I just pick a text and pray over it, stay with it, live and sleep with it until I feel I understand it and then preach it. I have never stopped to classify my form of sermon prep, I just employ what gets me where I am going. I have always thought that the sermon was a trip to a conclusion that I, as a preacher, help the congregation to arrive at using transitions or helpful road signs along the way. I especially love preaching New Testament narratives, and Greidanus’ book has deeply influenced how I look at this wonderful genre. Of course, I will consult Greidanus’ guidelines when I am preaching from any of the other types of literature in the scriptures. The important thing to me is that this book provides guidelines that will make my sermon prep not only simpler, but better–more impacting. As an army guy, I am always looking for something that will enhance ‘mission accomplishment.” I am always looking for the “regulation” that covers what I am trying to do—maybe that’s what I love about the reformed faith—it has a theology for almost everything!
Greidanus has done the preacher a great service and I wish I had read this book sooner as I see a lot of my own mistakes highlighted in its pages. I am seriously concerned with preaching that keeps Christ as the central character and does not focus too much on the other characters of a narrative. It is so easy to give too much attention to the faith and circumstances of the Syro-Phenician Woman in Mark Chapter Seven and forget about Jesus’ call to persevering faith, His compassion, and His sovereignty over demons. I hope to remember how the author calls us to remember that the Bible is “God’s words about God.” I am also reminded by the book that I tend to moralize things especially in the conclusion of my sermons and I have started watching that tendency very closely as not to nullify God’s grace. Good book.