Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; Second Edition

“Reading the Old Testament” is the classic introduction to the Old Testament written for Christians by the late Lawrence Boadt, CSP, a highly regarded Scripture scholar who published works on Ezekiel and the Wisdom books, among other subjects. This 2012 second edition was revised and updated by Richard Clifford, S.J. and the (now deceased) Daniel Harrington, S.J., both highly esteemed biblical scholars by their own rights.One probably cannot find a better, more concise introduction to the Old Testament. It incorporates the latest archeological, sociological, cultural, literary, and theological scholarship. The text was written for classroom use, with helpful study questions at the end of each chapter, but may serve splendidly for individual study as well. I found that chapter two, on the history and geography of the Middle East, presupposes a little more knowledge of the ancient world than perhaps the average reader would have, but the purpose of the chapter is generally to physically situate the texts and peoples of the Bible and so one ought not get too thrown off by the plethora of place names and peoples. Again, the study questions help point to what’s really salient. Ideally, the student, formal or informal, will have taken the time to read the brief suggested scripture passages at the head of each chapter. I admit that I often failed to do so, to my detriment. One ought not study the Old Testament without actually reading it.In this survey, Boadt offers the student a remarkably comprehensive guide to the authorship, socio-political context, literary forms, cultural borrowings, prominent ideas, themes, and theologies of each of the books of the Old Testament as well as groupings within the canon. One of the many revelations in “Reading the Old Testament” is the extent to which the Israelites borrowed from their neighbors, including aspects of temple worship and, late in the development of pre-Christian Judaism, the concept of the resurrection of the dead. Another is that, even though one can trace the evolution of ideas in the Old Testament, the consistent theme is the “person of God. The implied questions—‘Who is God?’ ‘What does God do?’ ‘Why does God do it?’—fill every page and every level of tradition in the Bible” (p. 474).Boadt makes the apt point in chapter 25 that Christians ought not to look at the Old Testament as having been supplanted by the New Testament. Boadt writes, “Christians, faithful to their beliefs, must proclaim that Christ is the center and fulfillment of the Old Testament message and the highest expression of God’s self-revelation for those who have the faith to see it. But they must not believe that God has rejected what he had earlier revealed, or has withdrawn his covenant with Israel” (p. 471). This is a good reminder that those of us who proclaim ourselves to be Christian must reverence the special relationship that exists between God and God’s chosen people, and that, moreover, we must be open to receiving “the wealth of truth about God” in the “great treasure chest” that is the Old Testament (p. 471).The final chapter of the book provides an excellent treatment of the overall theme of the Old Testament taken as a whole, and ten major themes that emerge from the very many ideas of the 46 (in the Catholic counting) seemingly disparate works that make up the Old Testament. I highly recommend reading this chapter first as a framework for studying the Old Testament.

Wish I had found this book before I started reading the 1st 5 books of OT last yr b/c it would of really helped put certain things in perspective. I'm thoroughly surprised how well it's written, it's not complicated & bogged down w/ too much info, very easy to understand, not like the 1st time I started reading the OT. It took me ~ 3mths to get into reading OT b/c the whole environment & culture is very hard to relate to b/c we don't live in Ancient times or write in poetic stances. I would get headaches sometimes or fall asleep right away every time I started to read the OT b/c it was very hard to relate to. It's not like any history book I've ever read. Now, after a year, my brain has adjusted to the Ancient times, cities & names and this book has made it easier to envision what's going on in OT. It's a wonderful reference to have, esp. if you've never read the Bible before.

This book is an easy to read and understand examination of the Old Testament. Although it is thorough and enjoyable, it also offers an historically accurate interpretation without specifically religious overtones. It examines the culture and history of both the authors and audiences of each book and even chapters within the books. I especially appreciate that the author includes some of the apocryphal books. As a religious studies major I have found this work invaluable in completing and complimenting many of my courses. I have used it as a source book for several papers including a rather complicated easy on the prophets. It was extremely helpful in organizing the prophets and examining their historical timeline as well as summarizing their messages.Overall, the reader may find the work somewhat simplified, depending on one's current understanding and knowledge of the Old Testament but even experienced students of Biblical studies will find new insights and detailed analysis of this complex work.

After reading the entire book the reader will acquire a completely different perspective about the books belonging to the Old Testament. I have been a christian for many years and I always look to the books as sacred, with everything meticulously arranged and and everything in sync. Well, simple questions such as “who wrote this book with all this events so detailed?”, are clarified during the reading, with details with dates, places, even questions and alternate writers.If you want to become more serious in your faith and dive deep in theology, you can surely start with this book.For sure I will return to it in the future as a reference and refresher on the Old Testament.

Great book I enjoyed reading it.

This book is a work of love and a Christian classic all in one. Its author, the late biblical scholar Lawrence Boadt, CSP, tells the story of God's saving work with stunning simplicity, explaining clearly and accessibly the amazing story of God's presence in Jewish history. It was Saint John Paul II who led the Christian church to a new understanding of the Old Testament as the account of God's saving work in and for the ancient Hebrew people. As John Paul told the world, the Old Testament did not exist only as a sign of the coming of Jesus, a misguided view held by Christians for centuries. Not surprisingly, Father Boadt's book dramatiizes this new understanding that now unites Christian and Jewish scholars. Father Boadt wrote his introduction in 1984, but after his death in 2010, two of America's leading theologians, Richard Clifford, SJ, and Daniel Harringgton, SJ., revised and updated the book.