Why the Gospel? Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose
By Matthew W. Bates (Eerdmans, 2023) 186 pp.
Matthew Bates has blessed us with two previous outstanding books Salvation by Allegiance Alone and Gospel Allegiance. His newest book joins them as being well written and well-conceived to help disciples not only understand the Gospel we confess but to provide motivation for living for King Jesus and for sharing the reign with the world. I received my copy of Why the Gospel? few days ago and read about half the book in one sitting. I could not put it down. My copy is heavily annotated.
Description of Book
Why the Gospel? Is divided up into seven chapters that briefly remind us of the content of the Gospel of God (Jesus is the Christ). Then briefly survey some popular formulations of the gospel that are not so much wrong as not quite the full story. In chapters 4-5, the core of the argument, Matthew shows how the Messiah is God’s way of rescuing, redeeming, restoring and glorifying humanity and creation itself. These chapters bear reading and rereading. They are not only exciting but encouraging and enriching. The Gospel of the Messiah Jesus really is “Good News.” In Chapters 6 and 7, Bates articulates how this full orbed Gospel of King Jesus actually enables disciples to offer a hopeful word to our increasingly non-religious (of any sort) world. And chapter seven is aimed squarely at us disciples, how can we cultivate a lifestyle to live (practice discipleship) this profoundly revolutionary Good News of God’s Son Incarnate as the King of Israel. Finally there is a short list of helpful and recommended sources for further study.
Assessment
Bates wrestles with the question of WHY? Why did/do we need the Gospel? We do not wrestle with this question enough and failure to do so may cause us to miss the radicalness of the Gospel of God in Christ Jesus.
The answer is: We need a King! The true biblical Gospel is directly connected to God's purpose in creation, particularly for human beings. In the Stone-Campbell tradition we have called this gospel of the king, The Golden Oracle. A phrase coined by Walter Scott. Jesus IS the Christ.
Bates shows the Gospel both restores God's creational purposes but also glorifies them through the King. King/Messiah is a TITLE not a name. Jesus IS the King/Messiah. Bates beautifully shows that the Incarnation is essential to Gospel as the Cross. This is a desperately needed correction in American Evangelical (and even Restorationist) Christianity. The meaning of cross and resurrection is tied to Incarnation (and it flows the other way too). But when the Incarnation of the Christ is sidelined, even unintentionally, we can have a skewed understanding of not only what the Gospel is but what the Gospel is doing to us (and all creation).
Bates shows how the the Gospel and the WHY of the Gospel can and does address the "Nones" (those affiliated with no religious affiliation).
Chapters 4 and 5 are the heart of Why the Gospel? They should be read and reread. There are places I would go further than Bates. I agree Incarnation is 100% essential to the Gospel. I think Bates is fundamentally right in how Jesus, as King, restores and brings “glory.” I believe it is 100% essential for Jesus to be King. But in the biblical Gospel, King is not some generic idea. It is precisely as ISRAEL'S King that Jesus is King and Lord of the Nations. Just as the word “Christ” is often muted by turning it into a “name” rather than title, the muting of the category of Messiahship of Israel has led (and does lead) to massive theological distortions through Christian history not to mention centuries of pogroms culminating in the Aryan Jesus of the Nazis (see Susannah Heschel’s epic, The Aryan Jesus: Christian Theologians and the Bible in Nazi Germany). It matters theologically (and ethically) that Jesus is (not was) a Jew. The particularity of the Jewish King honors the particularity of the nations and the goodness of creation itself. The Jewishness of Jesus, even as the "second Adam," (the King of Israel is like a “second Adam”) matters if the Incarnation is in fact reality. Jesus will forever be the Son of David, the Son of Mary, the Son of Abraham. I am not criticizing Bates here, for he almost certainly concurs on this but it is not as explicit as I would make it. It is way to easy for Evanglical disciples to disconnect the gospel from the Story of Israel, and it cannot be done biblically.
There of course a place here, or there, I might put a footnote and other places, I had to sit back and say "that was rich." Material worthy of just meditation for hours on end.
Buy It
I am personally encouraged by this book. I can and do recommend Why the Gospel? without reservation. Read it. Do more than that, share it. It is a message desperately needed in American Christianity. The Golden Oracle is Jesus is the Christ, that is Jesus is the King (of Israel) and as such inherits the nations and all creation that is glorified because God's purpose in creation has reached its goal in Jesus the King.
The book is a breeze to read. There are questions at the end of each chapter facilitating discussion and reflection. And while there are occasional footnotes this book is aimed at all God's People. If you can read the NIV with ease then this book will be readily accessible to you. I am grateful for it. Walter Scott would almost certainly say, "Amen!"
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From the Publisher
What People are Saying
Nijay Gupta, professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary
“Matthew Bates expertly uses Scripture to refurbish the gospel. But he doesn't park the gospel along a scholarly roadside, he insists: God intends restorative action—Let's drive! Bates invites readers on a journey of knowing the king who is the good news.”
Lisa Bowens, associate professor of New Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary
“In Why the Gospel?, Matthew Bates seeks to demonstrate that the kingship of Christ is central to the gospel and is the reason for the gospel... The underlying aim of the book is apropos for this historic moment in the church—it challenges the reader to think again about what the gospel is and why the gospel matters for our time. A provocative read.”
Michael F. Bird, academic dean and lecturer in New Testament, Ridley College
“Matthew Bates calls the church to recover the gospel of King Jesus, a gospel which is beautiful, bountiful, and transformative. Bates masterfully shows how the fully orbed gospel of the biblical witness is still good news for ‘nones’ and ‘dones,’ those without religion, and those who have walked away from it. An ideal book for Bible study groups who want to be reminded of why the gospel is indeed ‘good news.’”
Amy Peeler, associate professor of New Testament, Wheaton College
“A provocative book because the church needs this kind of provocation, Why the Gospel? draws from complex and cutting-edge research to present timeless truths with inviting clarity. Anyone who senses that the gospel they’ve received is a tepid and ineffective counterfeit to God’s revelation of grace and power will benefit from Bates’s bold reminder that Jesus is King.”
Bobby Harrington, pastor and CEO of discipleship.org and renew.org
“I recommend this book because it will challenge the reader to develop his or her own practical discipleship theology. To sustain disciple-making movements, we need biblical substance. Bates asks us to examine Scripture to discover why King Jesus is rescuing us. In learning why, we find ourselves able to better live and share the gospel purposefully today. Read and wrestle with this book; I am very glad that I did.”
Scot McKnight, Northern Seminary
(from the foreword)
“Matthew Bates’s Why the Gospel? will help you discover God’s fullest gospel purposes, so that you and others can more thoroughly embrace a lifestyle of loyal discipleship.”
Patrick Schreiner, associate professor of New Testament, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; author of The Ascension of Christ
“Bates reminds us that the core of the gospel concerns Jesus’s kingship. This helps reorient the why of gospel. Too often we narrow the message of Christianity and forget that the gospel is about all of life, not merely inward renewal. While we can describe the gospel in a variety of ways, this book rightly gives us the cosmic picture of what God is doing in this world.”
Skye Jethani, author and cohost of The Holy Post podcast
“Previous generations asked if there was evidence to support the claims of Christianity. Mountains of apologetic resources were created to address this question. But a new generation has emerged that isn’t focused on the gospel’s credibility, but rather its plausibility. Before asking whether it’s true they want to know why the gospel even matters. Matthew Bates has written the book our generation needs. He not only helps us rediscover the radical message of Jesus and his apostles, but he shows why this gospel is far larger than a narrow call to individual salvation. It’s the message the church, and the world, has been waiting for.”
Matthew W. Bates is professor of theology at Quincy University.
A Protestant who enjoys the challenge of teaching in a Catholic context, Bates holds an M.C.S. from Regent College and a PhD from University of Notre Dame. He is cofounder of the OnScript podcast.
About the author
What a Refreshing Read. Make this Your Next Read
Why the Gospel? Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose By Matthew W. Bates (Eerdmans, 2023) 186 pp. Matthew Bates has blessed us with two previous outstanding books Salvation by Allegiance Alone and Gospel Allegiance. His newest book joins them as being well written and well-conceived to help disciples not only understand the Gospel we confess but to provide motivation for living for King Jesus and for sharing the reign with the world. I received my copy of Why the Gospel? few days ago and read about half the book in one sitting. I could not put it down. My copy is heavily annotated. Description of Book Why the Gospel? Is divided up into seven chapters that briefly remind us of the content of the Gospel of God (Jesus is the Christ). Then briefly survey some popular formulations of the gospel that are not so much wrong as not quite the full story. In chapters 4-5, the core of the argument, Matthew shows how the Messiah is God’s way of rescuing, redeeming, restoring and glorifying humanity and creation itself. These chapters bear reading and rereading. They are not only exciting but encouraging and enriching. The Gospel of the Messiah Jesus really is “Good News.” In Chapters 6 and 7, Bates articulates how this full orbed Gospel of King Jesus actually enables disciples to offer a hopeful word to our increasingly non-religious (of any sort) world. And chapter seven is aimed squarely at us disciples, how can we cultivate a lifestyle to live (practice discipleship) this profoundly revolutionary Good News of God’s Son Incarnate as the King of Israel. Finally there is a short list of helpful and recommended sources for further study. Assessment Bates wrestles with the question of WHY? Why did/do we need the Gospel? We do not wrestle with this question enough and failure to do so may cause us to miss the radicalness of the Gospel of God in Christ Jesus. The answer is: We need a King! The true biblical Gospel is directly connected to God's purpose in creation, particularly for human beings. In the Stone-Campbell tradition we have called this gospel of the king, The Golden Oracle. A phrase coined by Walter Scott. Jesus IS the Christ. Bates shows the Gospel both restores God's creational purposes but also glorifies them through the King. King/Messiah is a TITLE not a name. Jesus IS the King/Messiah. Bates beautifully shows that the Incarnation is essential to Gospel as the Cross. This is a desperately needed correction in American Evangelical (and even Restorationist) Christianity. The meaning of cross and resurrection is tied to Incarnation (and it flows the other way too). But when the Incarnation of the Christ is sidelined, even unintentionally, we can have a skewed understanding of not only what the Gospel is but what the Gospel is doing to us (and all creation). Bates shows how the the Gospel and the WHY of the Gospel can and does address the "Nones" (those affiliated with no religious affiliation). Chapters 4 and 5 are the heart of Why the Gospel? They should be read and reread. There are places I would go further than Bates. I agree Incarnation is 100% essential to the Gospel. I think Bates is fundamentally right in how Jesus, as King, restores and brings “glory.” I believe it is 100% essential for Jesus to be King. But in the biblical Gospel, King is not some generic idea. It is precisely as ISRAEL'S King that Jesus is King and Lord of the Nations. Just as the word “Christ” is often muted by turning it into a “name” rather than title, the muting of the category of Messiahship of Israel has led (and does lead) to massive theological distortions through Christian history not to mention centuries of pogroms culminating in the Aryan Jesus of the Nazis (see Susannah Heschel’s epic, The Aryan Jesus: Christian Theologians and the Bible in Nazi Germany). It matters theologically (and ethically) that Jesus is (not was) a Jew. The particularity of the Jewish King honors the particularity of the nations and the goodness of creation itself. The Jewishness of Jesus, even as the "second Adam," (the King of Israel is like a “second Adam”) matters if the Incarnation is in fact reality. Jesus will forever be the Son of David, the Son of Mary, the Son of Abraham. I am not criticizing Bates here, for he almost certainly concurs on this but it is not as explicit as I would make it. It is way to easy for Evanglical disciples to disconnect the gospel from the Story of Israel, and it cannot be done biblically. There of course a place here, or there, I might put a footnote and other places, I had to sit back and say "that was rich." Material worthy of just meditation for hours on end. Buy It I am personally encouraged by this book. I can and do recommend Why the Gospel? without reservation. Read it. Do more than that, share it. It is a message desperately needed in American Christianity. The Golden Oracle is Jesus is the Christ, that is Jesus is the King (of Israel) and as such inherits the nations and all creation that is glorified because God's purpose in creation has reached its goal in Jesus the King. The book is a breeze to read. There are questions at the end of each chapter facilitating discussion and reflection. And while there are occasional footnotes this book is aimed at all God's People. If you can read the NIV with ease then this book will be readily accessible to you. I am grateful for it. Walter Scott would almost certainly say, "Amen!"
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2023
Why the Gospel? Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose
What a Refreshing Read. Make this Your Next Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2023
By Matthew W. Bates (Eerdmans, 2023) 186 pp.
Matthew Bates has blessed us with two previous outstanding books Salvation by Allegiance Alone and Gospel Allegiance. His newest book joins them as being well written and well-conceived to help disciples not only understand the Gospel we confess but to provide motivation for living for King Jesus and for sharing the reign with the world. I received my copy of Why the Gospel? few days ago and read about half the book in one sitting. I could not put it down. My copy is heavily annotated.
Description of Book
Why the Gospel? Is divided up into seven chapters that briefly remind us of the content of the Gospel of God (Jesus is the Christ). Then briefly survey some popular formulations of the gospel that are not so much wrong as not quite the full story. In chapters 4-5, the core of the argument, Matthew shows how the Messiah is God’s way of rescuing, redeeming, restoring and glorifying humanity and creation itself. These chapters bear reading and rereading. They are not only exciting but encouraging and enriching. The Gospel of the Messiah Jesus really is “Good News.” In Chapters 6 and 7, Bates articulates how this full orbed Gospel of King Jesus actually enables disciples to offer a hopeful word to our increasingly non-religious (of any sort) world. And chapter seven is aimed squarely at us disciples, how can we cultivate a lifestyle to live (practice discipleship) this profoundly revolutionary Good News of God’s Son Incarnate as the King of Israel. Finally there is a short list of helpful and recommended sources for further study.
Assessment
Bates wrestles with the question of WHY? Why did/do we need the Gospel? We do not wrestle with this question enough and failure to do so may cause us to miss the radicalness of the Gospel of God in Christ Jesus.
The answer is: We need a King! The true biblical Gospel is directly connected to God's purpose in creation, particularly for human beings. In the Stone-Campbell tradition we have called this gospel of the king, The Golden Oracle. A phrase coined by Walter Scott. Jesus IS the Christ.
Bates shows the Gospel both restores God's creational purposes but also glorifies them through the King. King/Messiah is a TITLE not a name. Jesus IS the King/Messiah. Bates beautifully shows that the Incarnation is essential to Gospel as the Cross. This is a desperately needed correction in American Evangelical (and even Restorationist) Christianity. The meaning of cross and resurrection is tied to Incarnation (and it flows the other way too). But when the Incarnation of the Christ is sidelined, even unintentionally, we can have a skewed understanding of not only what the Gospel is but what the Gospel is doing to us (and all creation).
Bates shows how the the Gospel and the WHY of the Gospel can and does address the "Nones" (those affiliated with no religious affiliation).
Chapters 4 and 5 are the heart of Why the Gospel? They should be read and reread. There are places I would go further than Bates. I agree Incarnation is 100% essential to the Gospel. I think Bates is fundamentally right in how Jesus, as King, restores and brings “glory.” I believe it is 100% essential for Jesus to be King. But in the biblical Gospel, King is not some generic idea. It is precisely as ISRAEL'S King that Jesus is King and Lord of the Nations. Just as the word “Christ” is often muted by turning it into a “name” rather than title, the muting of the category of Messiahship of Israel has led (and does lead) to massive theological distortions through Christian history not to mention centuries of pogroms culminating in the Aryan Jesus of the Nazis (see Susannah Heschel’s epic, The Aryan Jesus: Christian Theologians and the Bible in Nazi Germany). It matters theologically (and ethically) that Jesus is (not was) a Jew. The particularity of the Jewish King honors the particularity of the nations and the goodness of creation itself. The Jewishness of Jesus, even as the "second Adam," (the King of Israel is like a “second Adam”) matters if the Incarnation is in fact reality. Jesus will forever be the Son of David, the Son of Mary, the Son of Abraham. I am not criticizing Bates here, for he almost certainly concurs on this but it is not as explicit as I would make it. It is way to easy for Evanglical disciples to disconnect the gospel from the Story of Israel, and it cannot be done biblically.
There of course a place here, or there, I might put a footnote and other places, I had to sit back and say "that was rich." Material worthy of just meditation for hours on end.
Buy It
I am personally encouraged by this book. I can and do recommend Why the Gospel? without reservation. Read it. Do more than that, share it. It is a message desperately needed in American Christianity. The Golden Oracle is Jesus is the Christ, that is Jesus is the King (of Israel) and as such inherits the nations and all creation that is glorified because God's purpose in creation has reached its goal in Jesus the King.
The book is a breeze to read. There are questions at the end of each chapter facilitating discussion and reflection. And while there are occasional footnotes this book is aimed at all God's People. If you can read the NIV with ease then this book will be readily accessible to you. I am grateful for it. Walter Scott would almost certainly say, "Amen!"
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2024
We all need a king, we all need this book!!
- James PetticrewReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2023
Bates hits a home run on the Gospel
