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Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well
How do I get more out of my Bible reading? What was going on during the gap between the Old and New Testaments? How do all the books of the Bible fit together as a whole? This book answers these questions and puts clear, readable Bible study aids at your fingertips. It contains thirteen essays from some of today’s best evangelical scholars including C. John Collins, Thomas Schreiner, Gordon Wenham, and Darrell Bock, and will help you In addition to essays on each genre of the Bible, the book addresses the general Greco-Roman world and specific Jewish groups at the time of the New Testament. To aid in putting Bible passages in context, it also includes timelines of the Old and New Testaments and intertestamental events. Useful as both a general overview of the Bible and as a tool for more specific reference and training, this book will help you grow in your understanding of Scripture and your ability to apply the Bible to life.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
24 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Wayne Grudem
123 books333 followersWayne Grudem (PhD, University of Cambridge; DD, Westminster Theological Seminary) is research professor of theology and biblical studies at Phoenix Seminary, having previously taught for 20 years at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Grudem earned his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, as well as an MDiv from Westminster Seminary. He is the former president of the Evangelical Theological Society, a cofounder and past president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, a member of the Translation Oversight Committee for the English Standard Version of the Bible, the general editor of the ESV Study Bible, and has published over 20 books, including Systematic Theology, Evangelical Feminism, Politics—According to the Bible, and Business for the Glory of God.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 23, 2012
“How do I get more out of my Bible reading? What was going on during the gap between the Old and New Testaments? How do all the books of the Bible fit together as a whole?”
It is the aim of Understanding the Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well to answer those questions and put “clear, readable Bible study aids at your fingertips.” (All quotes are from the back cover.)
The book begins with “An Overview of the Bible’s Storyline,” then continues with three parts, one for the Old Testament (subdivided into OT Theology, Pentateuch, Historical Books, Poetry/Wisdom Literature, and Prophets), one for New Testament background (intertestamental history and literature), and one for the New Testament (NT Theology, Gospels/Acts, Epistles, and Revelation). Each author gives a thorough yet concise overview of the section of the Bible he (all authors are male) treats. Each also discusses themes within a given section of the Bible and how they connect with the larger Biblical narrative.
What first stands out in Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible is that almost every author has a knack for simply explaining important concepts and terms. The summary overviews of sections of the Bible provide the reader with a firm foundation for better understanding the purpose and scope of that section. For example, Paul House’s excellent chapter on the prophetic books has an excursus on “pronouns in the prophets.” He begins: “As prepositions are to the letters of Paul, so pronouns are to the oracles of the prophets: crucial for meaning, but often puzzling” (72). In the five following pages he does much for the reader to make prophetic pronouns (and how they often shift person and gender) easier to understand. Other highlights are Gordon Wenham’s chapter on the Pentateuch and Dennis Johnson’s essay on Revelation.
Timelines and charts throughout are a great feature. In addition to timelines in the back of the book covering all of Biblical history (including intertestamental times), there are charts throughout the book that aid the reader. Thomas Schreiner lists all the Epistles, their authors, dates, place of writing, and recipients. Johnson uses nine separate figures to visually (and clearly) display the differences in how Christians interpret Revelation. And House has a table that lines up the prophets with the kings during whose time they prophesied. (A couple of similarly simple and clear maps could be a great addition to future editions of this book.)
And then there’s the middle section, part two of Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible. That section alone makes this book worth more than its purchase price. It contains the following:
“The Time between the Testaments,” by J. Julius Scott Jr.
“The Roman Empire and the Greco-Roman World at the Time of the New Testament,” by David Chapman
“Jewish Groups at the Time of the New Testament,” by John Delhousaye
Take just this short quotation from Chapman as an example: "Amid this history, Jesus Christ launched his ministry in a Galilee governed by a Roman client king, a Judea under Roman procurators, and a Judaism tinged with Hellenism. After his crucifixion by the Romans and his resurrection, his gospel was carried by the apostles directly into the heart of Greek culture and Roman power" (94).
Having this background in mind when approaching the New Testament will greatly advance the efforts of any Bible reader. Most Bible overview guides that I’ve seen go right from Old Testament to New Testament. But what about all that time in between? Understanding that time period is essential to NT understanding. This book really gets that, and covers that period well. Someone with no knowledge of NT background would find this section easy to follow, and even a budding scholar would appreciate the clarity of the historical overview.
While it’s hard to discern what is the work of the editors (this book has three: Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, and Schreiner) and what is the work of the writers, this book could have benefitted from a little more careful editorial oversight. There are a few little typos scattered throughout the book (tehillah instead of tefillah for Hebrew prayer, e.g.). I found the use of the gender-inaccurate “man” to refer to all of humanity–even when not quoting the ESV–distracting (although this may not bother other readers).
But there is a bigger editorial oversight. While the book excellently helps the reader to better understand the “big picture” of the Bible, it never directly answers the question it seeks to answer of “How do I get more out of my Bible reading?” The authors present all the necessary information to better understand the background (context) and foreground (content) of the Bible, yes. But understanding context and content is only necessary and not sufficient for “reading the Bible well.” I wish the editors would have made sure the book gave more attention to how one can read the Bible, for example, devotionally… or for transformation rather than just the receiving of information. In other words, I wanted this book, based on its title, to answer: How can I grow closer to God as I read the Bible? How can I allow the Bible to convict me of my sin? What about the importance of reading Scripture in community and corporate worship? David Reimer’s essay gets closest to this when he says, “[T]he art and craft of the Bible’s poems offers an invitation to read slowly, to have one’s vision broadened, once’s perception deepened… to see literary reflection in the service of worship and godly living” (54). I wanted to hear more about this. The key question for me is: Is overview knowledge of the Bible’s context and content sufficient to read the Bible well? Necessary, yes. Sufficient, no.
However, even if the book doesn’t execute its aim listed in the subtitle, it is still a valuable work to have in hand while reading through the Bible. Its unique contribution to works of this kind is in the middle section. I’d imagine this book sitting well on someone’s shelf next to his/her Bible and notebook. (It has on mine these last few weeks!) It would benefit a serious Bible reader to read, say, Darrell Bock’s essay on the Gospels and Acts before reading those Biblical books through.
Thank you to Crossway who provided me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. This review is from abramkj.wordpress.com.
It is the aim of Understanding the Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well to answer those questions and put “clear, readable Bible study aids at your fingertips.” (All quotes are from the back cover.)
The book begins with “An Overview of the Bible’s Storyline,” then continues with three parts, one for the Old Testament (subdivided into OT Theology, Pentateuch, Historical Books, Poetry/Wisdom Literature, and Prophets), one for New Testament background (intertestamental history and literature), and one for the New Testament (NT Theology, Gospels/Acts, Epistles, and Revelation). Each author gives a thorough yet concise overview of the section of the Bible he (all authors are male) treats. Each also discusses themes within a given section of the Bible and how they connect with the larger Biblical narrative.
What first stands out in Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible is that almost every author has a knack for simply explaining important concepts and terms. The summary overviews of sections of the Bible provide the reader with a firm foundation for better understanding the purpose and scope of that section. For example, Paul House’s excellent chapter on the prophetic books has an excursus on “pronouns in the prophets.” He begins: “As prepositions are to the letters of Paul, so pronouns are to the oracles of the prophets: crucial for meaning, but often puzzling” (72). In the five following pages he does much for the reader to make prophetic pronouns (and how they often shift person and gender) easier to understand. Other highlights are Gordon Wenham’s chapter on the Pentateuch and Dennis Johnson’s essay on Revelation.
Timelines and charts throughout are a great feature. In addition to timelines in the back of the book covering all of Biblical history (including intertestamental times), there are charts throughout the book that aid the reader. Thomas Schreiner lists all the Epistles, their authors, dates, place of writing, and recipients. Johnson uses nine separate figures to visually (and clearly) display the differences in how Christians interpret Revelation. And House has a table that lines up the prophets with the kings during whose time they prophesied. (A couple of similarly simple and clear maps could be a great addition to future editions of this book.)
And then there’s the middle section, part two of Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible. That section alone makes this book worth more than its purchase price. It contains the following:
“The Time between the Testaments,” by J. Julius Scott Jr.
“The Roman Empire and the Greco-Roman World at the Time of the New Testament,” by David Chapman
“Jewish Groups at the Time of the New Testament,” by John Delhousaye
Take just this short quotation from Chapman as an example: "Amid this history, Jesus Christ launched his ministry in a Galilee governed by a Roman client king, a Judea under Roman procurators, and a Judaism tinged with Hellenism. After his crucifixion by the Romans and his resurrection, his gospel was carried by the apostles directly into the heart of Greek culture and Roman power" (94).
Having this background in mind when approaching the New Testament will greatly advance the efforts of any Bible reader. Most Bible overview guides that I’ve seen go right from Old Testament to New Testament. But what about all that time in between? Understanding that time period is essential to NT understanding. This book really gets that, and covers that period well. Someone with no knowledge of NT background would find this section easy to follow, and even a budding scholar would appreciate the clarity of the historical overview.
While it’s hard to discern what is the work of the editors (this book has three: Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, and Schreiner) and what is the work of the writers, this book could have benefitted from a little more careful editorial oversight. There are a few little typos scattered throughout the book (tehillah instead of tefillah for Hebrew prayer, e.g.). I found the use of the gender-inaccurate “man” to refer to all of humanity–even when not quoting the ESV–distracting (although this may not bother other readers).
But there is a bigger editorial oversight. While the book excellently helps the reader to better understand the “big picture” of the Bible, it never directly answers the question it seeks to answer of “How do I get more out of my Bible reading?” The authors present all the necessary information to better understand the background (context) and foreground (content) of the Bible, yes. But understanding context and content is only necessary and not sufficient for “reading the Bible well.” I wish the editors would have made sure the book gave more attention to how one can read the Bible, for example, devotionally… or for transformation rather than just the receiving of information. In other words, I wanted this book, based on its title, to answer: How can I grow closer to God as I read the Bible? How can I allow the Bible to convict me of my sin? What about the importance of reading Scripture in community and corporate worship? David Reimer’s essay gets closest to this when he says, “[T]he art and craft of the Bible’s poems offers an invitation to read slowly, to have one’s vision broadened, once’s perception deepened… to see literary reflection in the service of worship and godly living” (54). I wanted to hear more about this. The key question for me is: Is overview knowledge of the Bible’s context and content sufficient to read the Bible well? Necessary, yes. Sufficient, no.
However, even if the book doesn’t execute its aim listed in the subtitle, it is still a valuable work to have in hand while reading through the Bible. Its unique contribution to works of this kind is in the middle section. I’d imagine this book sitting well on someone’s shelf next to his/her Bible and notebook. (It has on mine these last few weeks!) It would benefit a serious Bible reader to read, say, Darrell Bock’s essay on the Gospels and Acts before reading those Biblical books through.
Thank you to Crossway who provided me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. This review is from abramkj.wordpress.com.
June 14, 2022
This book is an excellent resource as a brief introduction to the biblical storyline as well as some of the historical background in which it was produced. For a very short treatment of such a broad topic, I thought the authors did well at insightfully covering the basics. The section on the historical background of the NT is a great inclusion. There are also several handy dandy timelines in the back that could prove helpful. The biggest downside is that with its brevity and conciseness, at times it sacrifices clarity and readability, especially in the chapters covering historical backgrounds.
I will definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a short introduction to help them better grasp the big picture of the Bible.
I will definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a short introduction to help them better grasp the big picture of the Bible.
May 18, 2013
Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible by Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, and Thomas R. Schreiner, was an excellent book a good solid Biblical studies foundation. There are so many different ways to study the bible (Hamartiology), so many ways to interpret the bible (Apologetics), so many schools of thought (Reformation Theology), that it's difficult anymore to find a book that doesn't seem to be biased or leaning in any particular direction other than basic Christian principles. I think this book does a great job of doing that. It's not too long, so you're not overwhelmed, although there is a lot of information for so short a book, you don't get bogged down by it.
The book starts with the Old Testament and looks at the theology of it, introducing you to the Pentateuch. It gives basic insight into the Historical and Prophetic books, and shows you just enough Poetic literature to have a good appreciation of the prose. In the New Testament we see again the basic theology, and an excellent overview of the Scripture. What I also really like about this book is that there are multiple authors, but not in the way you'd think. Usually you get a various number of views with several people writing, but their overall view was very cohesive and linear, almost as if they were checking each others work to make sure it followed the same standards. They worked very well together and it flowed easily.
I love the references to the influence the Greek and Roman world had on the bible, particularly in conjunction with the Hellenistic Period and the rule of Alexander the Great. Making mention of this important history, reminds us of how the world lived and operated during this time, and what this might signify in the writings pertaining to the gospel. This little book covers everything from the Dead Sea Scrolls to the Apocalypse, and even the different schools of interpretation concerning the end times and Revelation.
Overall, this book was a great introduction to looking at the global concepts of the Bible. It gave good conceptual historical points that demonstrated a solid general overview of the book. And although it couldn't be called "riveting", I feel it's a great addition to my ever-growing theology collection.
ClassicsDefined.com
The book starts with the Old Testament and looks at the theology of it, introducing you to the Pentateuch. It gives basic insight into the Historical and Prophetic books, and shows you just enough Poetic literature to have a good appreciation of the prose. In the New Testament we see again the basic theology, and an excellent overview of the Scripture. What I also really like about this book is that there are multiple authors, but not in the way you'd think. Usually you get a various number of views with several people writing, but their overall view was very cohesive and linear, almost as if they were checking each others work to make sure it followed the same standards. They worked very well together and it flowed easily.
I love the references to the influence the Greek and Roman world had on the bible, particularly in conjunction with the Hellenistic Period and the rule of Alexander the Great. Making mention of this important history, reminds us of how the world lived and operated during this time, and what this might signify in the writings pertaining to the gospel. This little book covers everything from the Dead Sea Scrolls to the Apocalypse, and even the different schools of interpretation concerning the end times and Revelation.
Overall, this book was a great introduction to looking at the global concepts of the Bible. It gave good conceptual historical points that demonstrated a solid general overview of the book. And although it couldn't be called "riveting", I feel it's a great addition to my ever-growing theology collection.
ClassicsDefined.com
June 7, 2013
If you're looking for a concise, readable overview of the Bible (genre based) including the intertestamental period, this book is for you. Grudem, Collins and Schreiner do a fine job of pulling together a collection of chapters by various authors. They are helpful in detail yet broad in scope.
A good book for new believers interested in Bible content. A helpful book for preachers in reminding them of the various features of the genres of Scripture.
A good book for new believers interested in Bible content. A helpful book for preachers in reminding them of the various features of the genres of Scripture.
January 10, 2015
I received this book for free when I worked at the Desiring God conference last fall in Minnesota with my sister Regan. Matt recently chose it for us to read in our 2 man book club. At first I thought it was a little ordinary but by the time I got to the chapters on the intertestamental and new testament history I started to enjoy it much more. The end of the book has some really great time lines. A quick read and great little resource.
February 28, 2014
Good book overall. I am confused though at the audience they attempt to reach. The OT and NT sections are written on a very basic level, but the "in between the testaments" section is much more academic.
The OT section is all encompassing and covers a variety of topics well. The NT section does not match this standard.
The OT section is all encompassing and covers a variety of topics well. The NT section does not match this standard.
March 12, 2022
The content of this book was fine, but the structure - 12 intellectual essays from 12 different authors - left me feeling like I had to get to know each writer’s structure and style with every new paragraph. I would have preferred a book that had been edited in a way that kept the chapter structure (and even things like the use of numbering and italics) consistent so I could focus on the content instead.
February 1, 2018
Wow! Easy to understand and very informative!
I had to read this textbook for my college class, but Wow! It was so easy to read and understand, yet packed with great information that will have a great impact on my walk with Christ and understanding the Bible as a whole!!
I had to read this textbook for my college class, but Wow! It was so easy to read and understand, yet packed with great information that will have a great impact on my walk with Christ and understanding the Bible as a whole!!
July 12, 2025
Breaks down different sections of the Bible. It gets very nitty gritty with timelines and context of the different books in the Bible.
Lots of information in this small book. The title speaks for itself.
Lots of information in this small book. The title speaks for itself.
June 23, 2018
I bought this book for one of my classes. It was a good book for Religion classes.
June 7, 2020
Brilliant for a short overview. The timelines at the end of the book are particularly helpful. I can see myself using this book for reference time and time again.
August 30, 2024
Good summary, helpful
September 26, 2016
It is useful for getting an overview of the Bible especially now that I'm reading currently reading through.
October 27, 2012
This is a great middle ground book in terms of accessibility and conciseness. Although it is a compilation of articles written by some of the most highly regarded teachers and theologians, it's not filled with insider language and over your head analysis of scripture. It's a book written for the express purpose of understanding what the bible is all about.
For a lot of Christians, the bible is a huge, sweeping work of history, theology, and poetry. What Wayne Grudem and his team have done is painted a simple picture of the bible by breaking it down into unifying themes. They use a "how-to" approach for reading the bible and understanding common threads throughout each section.
For example, my favorite chapter, "The Time between the Testaments," does a great job of parsing the political, social, and religious structures surrounding the world of Middle Judaism. After reading this chapter, you can study the N.T. with a deeper appreciation of what the writers were living through during the first century. You can feel more clearly the weight of the religious, political, and social tensions of the time as Jesus is teaching His parables or when Paul confronts the outsiders infiltrating the Galatian church. There is a wonderful mixture of history and and practical theology in every chapter of this book.
I appreciate the fact that this book focuses on teaching the reader to get the most out of their bible study. It is a great study aid and includes some very helpful timelines and summary guides.
{I received this book for free from Crossway for this review.}
For a lot of Christians, the bible is a huge, sweeping work of history, theology, and poetry. What Wayne Grudem and his team have done is painted a simple picture of the bible by breaking it down into unifying themes. They use a "how-to" approach for reading the bible and understanding common threads throughout each section.
For example, my favorite chapter, "The Time between the Testaments," does a great job of parsing the political, social, and religious structures surrounding the world of Middle Judaism. After reading this chapter, you can study the N.T. with a deeper appreciation of what the writers were living through during the first century. You can feel more clearly the weight of the religious, political, and social tensions of the time as Jesus is teaching His parables or when Paul confronts the outsiders infiltrating the Galatian church. There is a wonderful mixture of history and and practical theology in every chapter of this book.
I appreciate the fact that this book focuses on teaching the reader to get the most out of their bible study. It is a great study aid and includes some very helpful timelines and summary guides.
{I received this book for free from Crossway for this review.}
July 3, 2012
A great, simple book to orient the reader on Biblical theology. I kept it from four stars simply due to its brevity. While the book aims to be an introduction, 150 pages is a still a very introductory introduction. If each gospel would have gotten some additional time it would have probably pushed me to the four star mark. With that said, the length also makes the book very recommendable. It possess such an easy, progressive flow, (Intro, OT, Inter-Testamental and Greko-Roman history, NT) that even a new Christian can follow and track the development of themes.
The authors did a great job providing a framework for which to view biblical theology as well as giving various opinions and views on the subject matter. I found the inter-testamental and apocalyptic chapters to be very insightful and foundational. A great introduction which leaves you wanting more.
The authors did a great job providing a framework for which to view biblical theology as well as giving various opinions and views on the subject matter. I found the inter-testamental and apocalyptic chapters to be very insightful and foundational. A great introduction which leaves you wanting more.
October 1, 2012
Taking into account that this book aims to be an easy to read guide, then I think they have hit the mark quite well.
Good to have an up-to-date book that you can easily recommend to people who don't know much about the back ground of the Bible.
I thought the inter-testamental period was covered quite well and is an important background for the New Testament.
Good to have an up-to-date book that you can easily recommend to people who don't know much about the back ground of the Bible.
I thought the inter-testamental period was covered quite well and is an important background for the New Testament.
October 12, 2014
A concise, yet broad and informative summary of the Bible. Includes the major themes of each book/section, descriptions of different literary styles, and time lines of historical events. A must-read for anyone new to the Bible or trying to get a big-picture outlook of this massive tome. Highly recommended if you have ever been overwhelmed by the massive scope of the story, like me.
November 29, 2015
This is a good little over-view of the bible. It places the books in historical context which seems like a very valuable point of view to have when reading, particularly when reading the prophets and understanding the inter-testamentary period. The authors seemed to be Reformed and have a Christ-centered hermeneutic which I think also adds value to the book.
September 28, 2015
As stated in the front matter, this material is adapted from the ESV Study Bible. While the size of this book is much more manageable, the genius of the ESVSB is that it has these articles and others in the context of the text of the ESV and helpful notes on the text. When those other elements are removed the value of these articles is diminished though by no means obliterated.
May 10, 2017
The book is easy to read and very basic. This makes it a good introductory book. The chapters covering the inter-testamental periods were useful, as was the charts and overviews of the end time views.
November 26, 2012
Really handy resource for getting into the Bible. I can see using this as a good Bible introduction for new believers.
February 16, 2014
Nice, simple and clear. A good balance of scholarship combined with explanation and thematic continuity. Short sections make this a great intro book.
January 20, 2017
A nice primer to the big story of the Bible. The OT, inter-testamental period, and NT are all covered.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews