Jesus On Every Page by: David Murray

John 1:1 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 

(KJV)

 

 

I received a free copy of "Jesus On Every Page" by David Murray from Booksneeze.com in return for this unbiased review of said book.  I received no other remuneration for this review from Booksneeze.com and the thoughts and opinions expressed in it are my own as they coincide with scripture.

 

"Jesus On Every Page, 10 Simple Ways to Seek and Find Christ in the Old Testament" is authored by David Murray, a former pastor and Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.  His contention that Jesus is intrinsic in every page of scripture is spoken directly to by scripture itself.  John 1:14 leaves no doubt, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (KJV).  Murray takes an Apologetic stance almost immediately to counter the notion that the Old Testament is somehow superseded or deleted by the New Testament.  Jesus, Himself in scripture, spoke to this heresy in Matthew 5:17 when He said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (KJV). 

 

Aside from Calvinistic doctrinal differences, this book is a valuable road map to guide one through the Old Testament into the New Testament tracing the thread of Messiah throughout.  Calvinism purports the thought of Predestination.  Predestination states that God only intended for certain persons to be saved.  Murray echoes this belief on page 95 of "Jesus On Every Page," Though not intended to save every sinner in the world, Jesus' death did have as one of its ultimate aims the restoration of order and life to a disordered and dying world."  I Timothy 2:3-6 states, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (KJV).  God is omniscient, meaning all-wise.  He obviously knew before creation who would come to the saving Grace of Christ and who would be lost; albeit, this is not to say that this is His will, scripture counters that entirely.  

 

Murray's use of Jesus' name in reference to the Old Testament is distracting, although he does forewarn the reader of this device.  He begins on the road to Emmaus, which I found to be a very strong device, but does not carry this throughout the book.  If he had referred back to Emmaus throughout, it would have carried continuity.  Murray's explanation and use of exegesis is very valuable, as this term rarely makes it out of the classroom.  Exegesis views scripture through the mindset and customs of the people living when it was written.  Viewing scripture through our modern Western mindset skews the truth of the Word.  Leaders and lay people need to dig into the original meaning of scripture, to the people it was originally written to. 

 

The Word is multifaceted and alive.  Jesus surely is the direct representation of the Word.  This contention is valid and life-giving.  This book is thought provoking and challenging to the lukewarm Theology that is so often offered superficially.  From Alpha to Omega surely every jot and tittle will be fulfilled in Christ.

 

Rev. Patti Harrison