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Short Studies in Biblical Theology
INVERSÕES REDENTORAS E A REVIRAVOLTA IRÔNICA DA SABEDORIA HUMANA - SÉRIE TEOLOGIA BÍBLICA
Neste livro, Beale explora o padrão da ironia divina de Deus, tanto no julgamento quanto na salvação, encontrando sua maior expressão no triunfo de Jesus sobre a morte por meio da morte em uma cruz. Ao revelar esse padrão ao longo da história redentora, Beale nos mostra como Deus muitas vezes usa o que é aparentemente fraco e tolo para enfatizar sua própria força e poder na vida de seu povo hoje.
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Published January 1, 2022
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About the author
Gregory K. Beale
43 books200 followersG. K. Beale (PhD, University of Cambridge) is professor of New Testament and biblical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the coeditor of the Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament and the author of numerous books, including A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 9, 2022
Decent enough book. Beale is obviously a capable and respectable theologian but his writing is pretty dry and I think that’s a particular handicap with a work like this because the subject really should elicit magnificent affections towards God.
December 10, 2024
Detailed overview of the plentiful occurrences of "irony" throughout God's Word and the way He acts within the universe. Broadly speaking, those outside of Christ will ultimately experience "retributive irony" (e.g. they will face judgment for their sins) and those in Christ will ultimately enjoy "restorative irony" (e.g. a life of self sacrifice results in glory in Gods presence). The numerous examples that Beale points out fall within those two categories over all.
Eye opening, and a book that I will return to in the future as a reference no doubt. Humbling to reflect on the wisdom and unsearchable ways of God.
Eye opening, and a book that I will return to in the future as a reference no doubt. Humbling to reflect on the wisdom and unsearchable ways of God.
April 17, 2020
Do you appreciate irony? I love ironies and if there’s one literature that really got me interested in this literary device it was the Bible. In this book New Testament scholar G. K. Beale look at the various irony found throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. This is an excellent work on Biblical Theology and certainly I want to read more of Beale’s books.
I thought it was helpful that in the introduction the book defined what is irony. Irony is one of those things in life that you know it when you see it but it can be hard to put into words. Here Beale defined irony as saying something or doing something that implies its opposite. Beale also noted there are two kinds of irony: Retributive in which God punishes people using the very means of their own sins and there’s also redemptive irony where those who believed might appeared to be curse but are really blessed. This is no abstract literary criticism of the Bible; believers need to know about the ironies in the Bible in order that we be not discouraged during difficult times. In fact the author did a good job of drawing out a lot of practical applications throughout the book and applied it to the readers’ lives. It was spiritually edifying for the soul and not just for the Christian intellect!
Besides an introduction and a conclusion the book consists of six chapters. Chapter one looks at the irony of how God judges people by their own sin. Chapter two ten looks at how people resemble the idols they worship. This is followed by a chapter on the irony of salvation and then a chapter on ironies in the Christian life. Chapter five looks at Hebrews 11 of faith in unseen realities in contrast to trusting in superficial appearances. The last chapter looks at ironies in the topic of eschatology. While the chapter is arranged in a manner that resemble systematic theology nevertheless the meat of the chapter is more biblical theology of going from Old Testament to New Testament.
This is the seventh book I read from the “Short Studies in Biblical Theology” series published by Crossway. I have immensely enjoyed the other six volumes that I read from this series and this work is no different. It was though one of the longer books in this series, coming in at over two hundred pages.
Compared to the some of the other titles I felt this particular title I learn a lot more new knowledge than the other books in series. I took a lot of notes over four months. I read it at a much slower pace than most of my reading since it was that rich with insight. The discussion of hardening hearts in its Egyptian context and also the discussion about becoming like what we worship whether for good or bad was some of the gold in this book.
There are though constructive criticism I would have for the book. In chapter one Beale writes “I hope that no Christian is reading this and thinking that he or she is exmpt from God’s ironic forms of judgment. Although Christians will not suffer eternal judgment, they are not exempt from other temporal kinds of punishments.” It is important to make a distinction between punishment and discipline and while believers are disciplined by God I do think God has taken our punishment already on the Cross. Later in the same paragraph Beale does write that “The Lord may use such sin as the very thing that disciplines the sinner” showing he uses discipline language but to avoid confusion I think its helpful Beale rephrase it as “discipline” instead of punishment in the earlier sentence. I also thought the chapter on eschatology wasn’t as strong as the other chapters in the book but I admit that might be because of different eschatological disagreements I have with the author.
Overall a wonderful book that I highly recommend.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Crossway and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
I thought it was helpful that in the introduction the book defined what is irony. Irony is one of those things in life that you know it when you see it but it can be hard to put into words. Here Beale defined irony as saying something or doing something that implies its opposite. Beale also noted there are two kinds of irony: Retributive in which God punishes people using the very means of their own sins and there’s also redemptive irony where those who believed might appeared to be curse but are really blessed. This is no abstract literary criticism of the Bible; believers need to know about the ironies in the Bible in order that we be not discouraged during difficult times. In fact the author did a good job of drawing out a lot of practical applications throughout the book and applied it to the readers’ lives. It was spiritually edifying for the soul and not just for the Christian intellect!
Besides an introduction and a conclusion the book consists of six chapters. Chapter one looks at the irony of how God judges people by their own sin. Chapter two ten looks at how people resemble the idols they worship. This is followed by a chapter on the irony of salvation and then a chapter on ironies in the Christian life. Chapter five looks at Hebrews 11 of faith in unseen realities in contrast to trusting in superficial appearances. The last chapter looks at ironies in the topic of eschatology. While the chapter is arranged in a manner that resemble systematic theology nevertheless the meat of the chapter is more biblical theology of going from Old Testament to New Testament.
This is the seventh book I read from the “Short Studies in Biblical Theology” series published by Crossway. I have immensely enjoyed the other six volumes that I read from this series and this work is no different. It was though one of the longer books in this series, coming in at over two hundred pages.
Compared to the some of the other titles I felt this particular title I learn a lot more new knowledge than the other books in series. I took a lot of notes over four months. I read it at a much slower pace than most of my reading since it was that rich with insight. The discussion of hardening hearts in its Egyptian context and also the discussion about becoming like what we worship whether for good or bad was some of the gold in this book.
There are though constructive criticism I would have for the book. In chapter one Beale writes “I hope that no Christian is reading this and thinking that he or she is exmpt from God’s ironic forms of judgment. Although Christians will not suffer eternal judgment, they are not exempt from other temporal kinds of punishments.” It is important to make a distinction between punishment and discipline and while believers are disciplined by God I do think God has taken our punishment already on the Cross. Later in the same paragraph Beale does write that “The Lord may use such sin as the very thing that disciplines the sinner” showing he uses discipline language but to avoid confusion I think its helpful Beale rephrase it as “discipline” instead of punishment in the earlier sentence. I also thought the chapter on eschatology wasn’t as strong as the other chapters in the book but I admit that might be because of different eschatological disagreements I have with the author.
Overall a wonderful book that I highly recommend.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Crossway and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
July 17, 2022
Great content and a quick read makes this a surprisingly rich overview of both the theme of irony in biblical redemptive history and the writings of G. K. Beale. The richness is surprising simply because the book is so brief. Though the style is a bit stilted at points, the reading experience is not terribly slow or laborious.
The big idea of the book is that the Bible’s grand narrative of God’s just judgment and gracious redemption teaches “that everyone experiences either retributive irony or restorative irony” because “they are identified ultimately with either the devil or Christ” (183). Beale makes a compelling case, drawing especially from prophetic material, but also from the Gospels, Pauline epistles, and the Torah. He makes very light reference to the so-called wisdom books for primarily illustrative purposes. The book would have benefitted from a more sustained (even just one short chapter) treatment of how the theme of ironic reversals fits into the sapiential literature of the OT (i.e., Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes). I was left wondering, “how does this theme fit in with the commonsense counsel and warnings of Proverbs, seeing that the theme is so definitively presented as at the center of redemptive history and the life of God’s covenant people?” This is not a great weakness of the book, and an acknowledgment that this is a live question outside the scope of the book’s purpose would have been a fine way to refer the matter to another production.
Occasionally, Beale’s illustrations are awkward or a bit out of place (e.g., Don Quixote as illustrative of what the world thinks of Christians; the emperor who had no clothes being related in some way to Christ denuded of any outward nobility on the cross), but other times they work well (e.g., the setting of a Tale of Two cities being analogous to that of first century Palestine; the Prince and the Pauper being similar to the life of Christ). At times, I think that Beale (and his editors) lost sight of the intended audience. In at least one place, Beale directly addresses grade-school students, but both the style (as expressed in the illustrations and examples of real-life application) and substance (as seen in footnotes and engagement with scholarship or apocryphal writings) of the book demand greater maturity of life experience (to say nothing of familiarity with relevant academic materials) than that of a typical middle or high school student. Nonetheless, I can think of no better introduction to the scholarly work of G. K. Beale, and I would heartily recommend this little book to anyone interested (either casually or seriously) in Beale’s impressive output in the field of biblical theology.
The big idea of the book is that the Bible’s grand narrative of God’s just judgment and gracious redemption teaches “that everyone experiences either retributive irony or restorative irony” because “they are identified ultimately with either the devil or Christ” (183). Beale makes a compelling case, drawing especially from prophetic material, but also from the Gospels, Pauline epistles, and the Torah. He makes very light reference to the so-called wisdom books for primarily illustrative purposes. The book would have benefitted from a more sustained (even just one short chapter) treatment of how the theme of ironic reversals fits into the sapiential literature of the OT (i.e., Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes). I was left wondering, “how does this theme fit in with the commonsense counsel and warnings of Proverbs, seeing that the theme is so definitively presented as at the center of redemptive history and the life of God’s covenant people?” This is not a great weakness of the book, and an acknowledgment that this is a live question outside the scope of the book’s purpose would have been a fine way to refer the matter to another production.
Occasionally, Beale’s illustrations are awkward or a bit out of place (e.g., Don Quixote as illustrative of what the world thinks of Christians; the emperor who had no clothes being related in some way to Christ denuded of any outward nobility on the cross), but other times they work well (e.g., the setting of a Tale of Two cities being analogous to that of first century Palestine; the Prince and the Pauper being similar to the life of Christ). At times, I think that Beale (and his editors) lost sight of the intended audience. In at least one place, Beale directly addresses grade-school students, but both the style (as expressed in the illustrations and examples of real-life application) and substance (as seen in footnotes and engagement with scholarship or apocryphal writings) of the book demand greater maturity of life experience (to say nothing of familiarity with relevant academic materials) than that of a typical middle or high school student. Nonetheless, I can think of no better introduction to the scholarly work of G. K. Beale, and I would heartily recommend this little book to anyone interested (either casually or seriously) in Beale’s impressive output in the field of biblical theology.
May 12, 2023
Good biblical theology. Helpful and encouraging to see how God uses irony in His redemptive purposes. First time reading Beale. I think that his end-time stuff in this book was great and his illustrations were insightful but honestly the foreword written by his doctor friend was incredible and highly recommended!
October 2, 2022
I picked this book because our small group is doing Timothy Keller's book "Hope In Times Of Fear" and G K Beale's book had a number of footnotes in two of his chapters. I was glad I did since I now have a better understanding of the important premise of Keller's book. "The Ironic overturning of human wisdom" clarifies the unique ways that our mighty God definitely is involved in our lives. Beale is a theologian who shows the irony through out the Bible in story after Biblical story that particular truth clearly. Thank you Dr Beale!
January 14, 2025
This was a GREAT read for one of my favorite themes of Scripture! A lot of it was over my head because I’m no theologian, but still incredible!!
January 14, 2023
An intriguing book exploring the ironies of Scripture. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on suffering and how God uses what is bad to bring about good.
December 12, 2019
Authored by G. K. Beale, this was my first introduction to the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series edited by Dane C. Ortlund and Miles V. Van Pelt. The aim of the series is to connect the resurgence of biblical theology at the academic level with everyday believers.
In all honesty, Andrew A. White’s forward to this book, “A Most Unlikely Revival,” is a story worth a stand-alone reading. He witnessed a Khmer Rouge revival in a refugee camp at the Thailand/Cambodia border in 1980. He tells a true-life tale of how God uses weakness to produce strength.
The introduction to the book defines irony as “the saying of something or the doing of something that implies its opposite.” This book is all about how God deals with humans primarily ironic ways. We are introduced to the concepts of retributive irony (where God punishes people by the very means of their own sin) and redemptive irony (where the faithful appear to be cursed but are really in the midst of being blessed). He also shows us the literary types of irony, including verbal irony, dramatic irony, and character irony.
Human Wisdom
Chapter 1 shows us how God Judges People by Their Own Sin. Using the story of Esther as a case study, we are shown how Mordecai and Haman are prime examples of ironic reversal. The great King David is not left untouched, and Beale, with care, shows us the tragic ironies in David’s life including Uriah, Amnon, Absalom, and Bathsheba, and Nathan.
Beale keeps things practical by showing us how Christians who choose to emphasize external realities when choosing a spouse, are doing the very thing that curses them later. In an enlightening aside, we are shown how pagan practices of the Egyptian Pharoah’s served as a type of “hardening of the heart.” It is too awesome to not see it as fitting the divine irony of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. We are also shown how the Psalms and Proverbs support this theory.
More ironies are introduced, as Beale tells how churches that are meant to be where God’s Word is heard are actually where God is silenced. And when we are caught in the ironic web of subtle sin, Beale offers us hope by trusting in the irony of salvation. Read the word, apply it by faith, come to God in prayer daily confessing and repenting.
Chapter 2 teaches us that People Resemble the Idols They Worship. He takes us to Genesis 1 and 2 to show us that human beings have an intrinsic tendency to reflect the images around them because that is how God made us to be. We are to reflect the image of our Creator. Isaiah 6 is the thesis-supporting text that shows us God’s glorious holiness, man’s guilty sinfulness, and the irony of idols. But Beale does not stay in the Old Testament. He brings us to the apostle Paul who tells us that covetousness and greed are idolatry. He takes us to John who tells us at the end of 1 John to keep ourselves from idols – anything that is a false view of Christ and a substitute for the true Christ. He attacks our love for media and mindlessness, something I felt stung as I admit I spend much time in the online world.
Beale is pointed to say that the Israelites living at Jesus’ time would be judged because they idolized tradition. He goes after the youth, asking if we try to relate to some group or friends more than how they relate to Christ. For instance, pressures to participate in illegal activity or sexual immorality are addressed. I highly recommend reading Beale’s book We Become What We Worship for further education on this thesis.
Ironic Overturning
Ch. 3 shows how restorative irony begins at the start of the Christian life. Stories of unlikely conversions are shared. Interestingly, we are told that one of the main Biblical words for “conversion” is “repentance.” And even though God commands his people “to return,” he is the one who can reverse our depraved minds to himself. Adam and Eve, Satan, and the fall of man are prime examples. The roles of reversal between the first and last Adam is assessed. Most persuasive is Jesus’ love for the title Son of Man to show the ironic character of his ministry. In regards to lifting up of the serpent, Beale makes this astute interpretation: “We trust in Christ’s curse of death to obtain eternal life in that Christ suffered as a substitute on the cross for sinful man by undergoing the eternal penalty of spiritual death that man deserved.”
Chapter 4 is The Christian Life: Power is Perfected in the Powerless. Beale recounts the story of Joseph and shares the fact that foolishness to the world is actually God’s wisdom. Paul’s thorn in the flesh is illustrated to show how God produces physical or emotional weakness in order that spiritual strength will be produced. Beale offers us “Practical Suggestions for Better Understanding and Responding to Suffering,” which I found very helpful as direct points of application in my life.
Chapter 5 shows us how “Faith in Unseen Realities Contradicts Trust in Superficial Appearances.” The ideas of Inverted realities and ironic phenomena are introduced. The stories of Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, and his friends in the fiery furnace, culminate at Hebrews 11. Another practical section titled “Principles for Faithfulness in the Midst of a Faithless World” is extremely helpful. And Beale ends this chapter by championing the ordinary yet the helpful spiritual practice of reading the Bible.
Chapter 6 is about The Irony of Eschatology. Beale shows us how the setting of Christmas was the best of times and the worst of times because the Jews were being oppressed but God was entering the world to overthrow Satan. He carefully connects Psalm 2 and Revelation 2 with the image of a shepherd with an iron staff.
The conclusion asks us to question what ironies are being played out in our own lives. Interestingly, Beale shows us how 666 indicates incompleteness. Each chapter has a generous amount of endnotes to show the academic rigor and thoroughness of the thesis. A general index and Scripture index are included to make this an excellent reference tool.
Redemptive Reversals
After reading this book, I am impressed with the many Biblical examples of redemptive reversals. I am looking for it more often in my life and in the lives of others to see how God is carefully orchestrating everything for his glory. And I am strengthened to see how God caused the ultimate irony in my life - that a rebellious sinner like me would be saved by His grace.
I was provided a free copy of Redemptive Reversals and the Ironic Overturning of Human Wisdom but was not required to write a positive review.
In all honesty, Andrew A. White’s forward to this book, “A Most Unlikely Revival,” is a story worth a stand-alone reading. He witnessed a Khmer Rouge revival in a refugee camp at the Thailand/Cambodia border in 1980. He tells a true-life tale of how God uses weakness to produce strength.
The introduction to the book defines irony as “the saying of something or the doing of something that implies its opposite.” This book is all about how God deals with humans primarily ironic ways. We are introduced to the concepts of retributive irony (where God punishes people by the very means of their own sin) and redemptive irony (where the faithful appear to be cursed but are really in the midst of being blessed). He also shows us the literary types of irony, including verbal irony, dramatic irony, and character irony.
Human Wisdom
Chapter 1 shows us how God Judges People by Their Own Sin. Using the story of Esther as a case study, we are shown how Mordecai and Haman are prime examples of ironic reversal. The great King David is not left untouched, and Beale, with care, shows us the tragic ironies in David’s life including Uriah, Amnon, Absalom, and Bathsheba, and Nathan.
Beale keeps things practical by showing us how Christians who choose to emphasize external realities when choosing a spouse, are doing the very thing that curses them later. In an enlightening aside, we are shown how pagan practices of the Egyptian Pharoah’s served as a type of “hardening of the heart.” It is too awesome to not see it as fitting the divine irony of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. We are also shown how the Psalms and Proverbs support this theory.
More ironies are introduced, as Beale tells how churches that are meant to be where God’s Word is heard are actually where God is silenced. And when we are caught in the ironic web of subtle sin, Beale offers us hope by trusting in the irony of salvation. Read the word, apply it by faith, come to God in prayer daily confessing and repenting.
Chapter 2 teaches us that People Resemble the Idols They Worship. He takes us to Genesis 1 and 2 to show us that human beings have an intrinsic tendency to reflect the images around them because that is how God made us to be. We are to reflect the image of our Creator. Isaiah 6 is the thesis-supporting text that shows us God’s glorious holiness, man’s guilty sinfulness, and the irony of idols. But Beale does not stay in the Old Testament. He brings us to the apostle Paul who tells us that covetousness and greed are idolatry. He takes us to John who tells us at the end of 1 John to keep ourselves from idols – anything that is a false view of Christ and a substitute for the true Christ. He attacks our love for media and mindlessness, something I felt stung as I admit I spend much time in the online world.
Beale is pointed to say that the Israelites living at Jesus’ time would be judged because they idolized tradition. He goes after the youth, asking if we try to relate to some group or friends more than how they relate to Christ. For instance, pressures to participate in illegal activity or sexual immorality are addressed. I highly recommend reading Beale’s book We Become What We Worship for further education on this thesis.
Ironic Overturning
Ch. 3 shows how restorative irony begins at the start of the Christian life. Stories of unlikely conversions are shared. Interestingly, we are told that one of the main Biblical words for “conversion” is “repentance.” And even though God commands his people “to return,” he is the one who can reverse our depraved minds to himself. Adam and Eve, Satan, and the fall of man are prime examples. The roles of reversal between the first and last Adam is assessed. Most persuasive is Jesus’ love for the title Son of Man to show the ironic character of his ministry. In regards to lifting up of the serpent, Beale makes this astute interpretation: “We trust in Christ’s curse of death to obtain eternal life in that Christ suffered as a substitute on the cross for sinful man by undergoing the eternal penalty of spiritual death that man deserved.”
Chapter 4 is The Christian Life: Power is Perfected in the Powerless. Beale recounts the story of Joseph and shares the fact that foolishness to the world is actually God’s wisdom. Paul’s thorn in the flesh is illustrated to show how God produces physical or emotional weakness in order that spiritual strength will be produced. Beale offers us “Practical Suggestions for Better Understanding and Responding to Suffering,” which I found very helpful as direct points of application in my life.
Chapter 5 shows us how “Faith in Unseen Realities Contradicts Trust in Superficial Appearances.” The ideas of Inverted realities and ironic phenomena are introduced. The stories of Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, and his friends in the fiery furnace, culminate at Hebrews 11. Another practical section titled “Principles for Faithfulness in the Midst of a Faithless World” is extremely helpful. And Beale ends this chapter by championing the ordinary yet the helpful spiritual practice of reading the Bible.
Chapter 6 is about The Irony of Eschatology. Beale shows us how the setting of Christmas was the best of times and the worst of times because the Jews were being oppressed but God was entering the world to overthrow Satan. He carefully connects Psalm 2 and Revelation 2 with the image of a shepherd with an iron staff.
The conclusion asks us to question what ironies are being played out in our own lives. Interestingly, Beale shows us how 666 indicates incompleteness. Each chapter has a generous amount of endnotes to show the academic rigor and thoroughness of the thesis. A general index and Scripture index are included to make this an excellent reference tool.
Redemptive Reversals
After reading this book, I am impressed with the many Biblical examples of redemptive reversals. I am looking for it more often in my life and in the lives of others to see how God is carefully orchestrating everything for his glory. And I am strengthened to see how God caused the ultimate irony in my life - that a rebellious sinner like me would be saved by His grace.
I was provided a free copy of Redemptive Reversals and the Ironic Overturning of Human Wisdom but was not required to write a positive review.
October 25, 2019
Like most of the books in the series, this entry had great potential but only so-so execution. The bulk of the work is devoted to 3 meaty chapters discussing how God judges and punishes people by means of their own sin (think Haman), how salvation nearly always takes the unexpected, underdog route (think life through death), and how sanctification requires our work but is not based in our own power (think "when I am weak, then I am strong").
The other three chapters feel like weird attachments; they are all clearly sourced in other work and probably added here just to make the book long enough--a very idiosyncratic and overly specific (to the overall thesis) look at the second half of Isaiah 6, a discussion of various figures of Hebrews 11 that is only very loosely tied to the rest of the book, and a glance at the eschatology at Revelation vis a vis Daniel that was interesting at points but again didn't mesh.
Beale is a very good biblical theologian, and a fine exegete as well (his Revelation commentary is not to be missed). He does a fine job in three chapters handling the way in which God chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, but that material merely left me hungering for a better book overall.
The other three chapters feel like weird attachments; they are all clearly sourced in other work and probably added here just to make the book long enough--a very idiosyncratic and overly specific (to the overall thesis) look at the second half of Isaiah 6, a discussion of various figures of Hebrews 11 that is only very loosely tied to the rest of the book, and a glance at the eschatology at Revelation vis a vis Daniel that was interesting at points but again didn't mesh.
Beale is a very good biblical theologian, and a fine exegete as well (his Revelation commentary is not to be missed). He does a fine job in three chapters handling the way in which God chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, but that material merely left me hungering for a better book overall.
September 10, 2019
Like the other volumes in this series, this book takes an issue in biblical theology and seeks to create a volume that is helpful for a lay readership. Having read many of Beale’s other books, I can say that this is far and away his most trade-friendly. While it is shorter, and more fit for trade, there is still typical flashes of Beale’s brilliance in exposition of the text. This is a very good book.
December 7, 2019
Very unlike the others in this series. Probably due to the fact that this was a prior manuscript shoehorned in.
That said, the book is worth buying for the final chapter. The best explanation of Christians reigning with Christ I’ve come across.
There’s also some really good application sections sprinkled throughout. Surprisingly pastoral.
That said, the book is worth buying for the final chapter. The best explanation of Christians reigning with Christ I’ve come across.
There’s also some really good application sections sprinkled throughout. Surprisingly pastoral.
October 31, 2019
What irony is being played out in your life? Regardless of who we are, whether believers in Christ or unbelievers, an irony is being played out in our life. If we are unbelievers, then in one way or another and at some point in our life, we will suffer retributive irony; that is, we will be punished by means of our own sin. On the other hand, if we are Christians, in one way or another, and at some point in our lives, we will experience restorative irony.
Being a reader of novels and in God's word, irony appeals to me. It helps clarify a point, a character, a plot and discover something about myself. This study is loaded of the different ironies played out in God's word to bring Himself to his creation. Seeing the ironies of the word and God's redemptive plan, makes the word relevant to each of us. However, the irony is not for God's word to be relevant to us but for us to be relevant to God's word. See what I did there.
The Six chapters of irony begin with God judges people by their own sin, which leads to People resembled the idols they worship, which leads to the hope seeing the irony of salvation. With salvation: The Christian Life- Power is perfected in the powerless. And as our faith grows, Chapter 5: Faith in the Unseen Realities contradicts trust in superficial appearances which leads to the irony of the end times.
With irony you can see much more and begin for yourself to the ironies of the Christian life today. Who God uses to the circumstances he brings each of us too. It is all to grow our faith and seeing the irony in that helps our faith grow that we may not stumble and not grow weary but stand and be heaven minded that all things will pass away. Highly Recommend.
A Special Thank you to Crossway Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Being a reader of novels and in God's word, irony appeals to me. It helps clarify a point, a character, a plot and discover something about myself. This study is loaded of the different ironies played out in God's word to bring Himself to his creation. Seeing the ironies of the word and God's redemptive plan, makes the word relevant to each of us. However, the irony is not for God's word to be relevant to us but for us to be relevant to God's word. See what I did there.
The Six chapters of irony begin with God judges people by their own sin, which leads to People resembled the idols they worship, which leads to the hope seeing the irony of salvation. With salvation: The Christian Life- Power is perfected in the powerless. And as our faith grows, Chapter 5: Faith in the Unseen Realities contradicts trust in superficial appearances which leads to the irony of the end times.
With irony you can see much more and begin for yourself to the ironies of the Christian life today. Who God uses to the circumstances he brings each of us too. It is all to grow our faith and seeing the irony in that helps our faith grow that we may not stumble and not grow weary but stand and be heaven minded that all things will pass away. Highly Recommend.
A Special Thank you to Crossway Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
October 24, 2019
Redemptive Reversals and the Ironic Overturning of Human Wisdom by G.K. Beale is the latest installment in the Crossway series, Short Studies in Biblical Theology. Thus far, the books in this series stand on their own merits and make a unique contribution to the field of biblical theology. Dr. Beale’s book is no exception.
Redemptive Reversals marvels at the ironic overturning of human wisdom in seven short chapters that touch on sin, idolatry, salvation, the Christian life, faith, and eschatology.
For me personally, the chapter addressing idolatry was the most significant. Beale says, “What you revere, you resemble, either for restoration or ruin.” Hence, the idol worshipper finds ultimate misery in what felt like pleasure in the short term. Conversely, the one who worships God finds fulfillment and satisfies the reason for his creation.
Redemptive Reversals caught me by surprise as it takes a bit of a different approach to biblical theology. In the end, this volume is both useful and encouraging. I encourage readers to interact critically and thoughtfully with this excellent material and add it to the growing list of solid resources that bolster the discipline of biblical theology.
Redemptive Reversals marvels at the ironic overturning of human wisdom in seven short chapters that touch on sin, idolatry, salvation, the Christian life, faith, and eschatology.
For me personally, the chapter addressing idolatry was the most significant. Beale says, “What you revere, you resemble, either for restoration or ruin.” Hence, the idol worshipper finds ultimate misery in what felt like pleasure in the short term. Conversely, the one who worships God finds fulfillment and satisfies the reason for his creation.
Redemptive Reversals caught me by surprise as it takes a bit of a different approach to biblical theology. In the end, this volume is both useful and encouraging. I encourage readers to interact critically and thoughtfully with this excellent material and add it to the growing list of solid resources that bolster the discipline of biblical theology.
December 24, 2019
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader as part of a quick takes post to catch up--emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.
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I'm not really certain what it was that I expected this book to be, but I didn't get it. What Beale gave us are looks at various topics in Scripture, showing how the way God has/is working is both counter to the ways of the world as well as human intuition.
It was a pretty approachable book, almost deceptive in its simplicity—most of what he says is worth more thought and meditation than your initial impressions might lead you to think. There's also a lot of rich application for both thought and life—I didn't expect a book about irony to give me things to do.
I'm not convinced that I walked away from this having learned anything, but Beale did make me think of things that I knew in a different way, with ideas on how to approach similar Scriptural topics/themes in a similar fashion in my own study.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader as part of a quick takes post to catch up--emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.
---
I'm not really certain what it was that I expected this book to be, but I didn't get it. What Beale gave us are looks at various topics in Scripture, showing how the way God has/is working is both counter to the ways of the world as well as human intuition.
It was a pretty approachable book, almost deceptive in its simplicity—most of what he says is worth more thought and meditation than your initial impressions might lead you to think. There's also a lot of rich application for both thought and life—I didn't expect a book about irony to give me things to do.
I'm not convinced that I walked away from this having learned anything, but Beale did make me think of things that I knew in a different way, with ideas on how to approach similar Scriptural topics/themes in a similar fashion in my own study.
February 15, 2020
Fascinating. Deeply convicting at times (first few chapters). Eye-opening. A delight to read, which is really hard to accomplish in a book that is so theological.
After the first few chapters I was thinking this was a definite '5-star' and perhaps one of my favorite reads in awhile. But the last few chapters were really drawn out and were not put together well. Excellent material, but it turned into nothing more than a series of exegetical studies (it lost the unifying theme of the first part of the book) with a great amount of tedious detail, which will turn off those who aren't already familiar with Beale's other work/theology.
Another complaint I have is that when he turns to make application, he almost exclusively emphasizes private spiritual disciplines. I don't think he ever once spoke about the public means of grace --the clear imbalance here was surprising given the topic at hand.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It really opened my mind to the ironies in scripture and the ways in which God makes foolish the wisdom of this world.
I marked this one as 'must read again one day.' It's good!
After the first few chapters I was thinking this was a definite '5-star' and perhaps one of my favorite reads in awhile. But the last few chapters were really drawn out and were not put together well. Excellent material, but it turned into nothing more than a series of exegetical studies (it lost the unifying theme of the first part of the book) with a great amount of tedious detail, which will turn off those who aren't already familiar with Beale's other work/theology.
Another complaint I have is that when he turns to make application, he almost exclusively emphasizes private spiritual disciplines. I don't think he ever once spoke about the public means of grace --the clear imbalance here was surprising given the topic at hand.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It really opened my mind to the ironies in scripture and the ways in which God makes foolish the wisdom of this world.
I marked this one as 'must read again one day.' It's good!
February 4, 2020
Beale makes his points well, references the Bible constantly, and often defines difficult vocabulary. He skillfully brings deep theological concepts to an understandable level and often uses illustrations to explain. The chapters are clearly labeled and organized, averaging about 28 pages each. The book concisely explains an important biblical theme.
Although this book is deep, theological, and challenging, it is not dull. In his book, Beale challenges both the intellect and the heart by bringing the Word of God to his readers.
Many books today are “dumbed down” for readers. This book, however, is far from basic. There are lessons for theologians and new Christians alike. Let’s rise to the challenge and step up to something greater than “spiritual baby food”. Are you ready for a feast?
Note: I am a part of the Crossway book reviewing program. I was given a copy of the book for my review. However, this review is my honest opinion.
Although this book is deep, theological, and challenging, it is not dull. In his book, Beale challenges both the intellect and the heart by bringing the Word of God to his readers.
Many books today are “dumbed down” for readers. This book, however, is far from basic. There are lessons for theologians and new Christians alike. Let’s rise to the challenge and step up to something greater than “spiritual baby food”. Are you ready for a feast?
Note: I am a part of the Crossway book reviewing program. I was given a copy of the book for my review. However, this review is my honest opinion.
March 23, 2020
Bealed is thoroughly Reformed and must be understood as such by those who read him. He advocates the Calvinistic doctrines of Total Depravity, Original Sin, Imputed Righteousness, and Once-Saved-Always-Saved. These issues do not come up a lot, but they do surface. The part I disliked the most was Beale's negative view of the Old Law in Galatians (this is discussed toward the end of chapter 3- a chapter that had several challenges as a whole).
On the positive side, Beale is a master of tying the big picture of the Bible together and excells in eschatology. Chapter 2 is a brief abridgement of his book We Become What We Worship. His last chapter The Irony of Eschatology is a great primer on eschatology and is worth the price of the book. Chapters 1, 2, 5, and especially 6 carry the day.
On the positive side, Beale is a master of tying the big picture of the Bible together and excells in eschatology. Chapter 2 is a brief abridgement of his book We Become What We Worship. His last chapter The Irony of Eschatology is a great primer on eschatology and is worth the price of the book. Chapters 1, 2, 5, and especially 6 carry the day.
November 24, 2019
In the past few years this author has become one of my favorite Christian commentators. This Short Study In Biblical Theology is superb, and confirms my opinion. The intent of the book is to shows us how God's 'ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts' and how that plays out in the revelation of God's will in Scripture and in our lives.
This series of studies is intentionally written with the laymen in mind and although Mr. Beale does not bog you down in jargon and linguistic technicalities he does give you a wonderful understanding of the ironies of God's redemptive plan for His creation. I will make it a point to read more in this series in the future Lord willing.
This series of studies is intentionally written with the laymen in mind and although Mr. Beale does not bog you down in jargon and linguistic technicalities he does give you a wonderful understanding of the ironies of God's redemptive plan for His creation. I will make it a point to read more in this series in the future Lord willing.
January 14, 2020
Slightly different from the three others I've read in this awesome series. Beale's excellence is easily discernible. The way he brings obscure (yet relevant) passages to light is great. The biggest surprise for me was: 1) how pastoral it was – it honestly felt like a devotional at times, I was wonderfully encouraged and uplifted; 2) how disjointed it felt - each chapter seemed to be independent and so it felt like a mix and match. Having read parts of his "NT Biblical Theology" I guess I was expecting more coherence and organization (note: this is a minor, minor critique and probably says more about me than the author/publisher – more just an FYI than anything).
Longer review forthcoming.
Longer review forthcoming.
September 20, 2021
Beale writes in an approachable and comprehensive manner in this tour-de-force on the Biblical doctrine of redemptive reversals. He traces the power of the cross for believers and the reigning of the Lord Jesus Christ, though unseen, from Genesis through Revelation. My summary of this book is that it’s a practical and inspiring treatise on what it looks like to the one who wants to save his own life but loses it in contrast to the one who loses his life for the sake of Jesus but finds it and finds it abundantly.
July 3, 2024
Beale shows how God twists the world’s expectations of success on its head. The powerful get rich while suffering spiritually, the spiritual suffer while their treasures are stored up in heaven. He doesn’t go through the Bible systematically but shows how this idea of irony pervades the Bible by giving us snapshots of how it works throughout the Bible.
If you’ve read just about anything from Beale, then you’ve read most of what he says here (esp if you’ve read his book on the temple or his massive NT theology). He takes that and simplifies it for the layperson.
If you’ve read just about anything from Beale, then you’ve read most of what he says here (esp if you’ve read his book on the temple or his massive NT theology). He takes that and simplifies it for the layperson.
October 17, 2022
There are few people as insightful as Beale. He makes connections that are evident in Scripture, if you just know how to look, and it makes for an incredibly rich summary of an important idea in Scripture: irony.
Beale shows how in sin, salvation, the church, and even the end times, God works in unexpected or ironic ways to bring about his purposes, whether for the salvation of His people, or judgement of His enemies. This is excellent!
Beale shows how in sin, salvation, the church, and even the end times, God works in unexpected or ironic ways to bring about his purposes, whether for the salvation of His people, or judgement of His enemies. This is excellent!
July 19, 2024
I was hoping for more. There are some good examples of irony in the first section, but then the book feels like it take a left turn somewhat. It is very basic in that it assumes very little Bible knowledge on the part of the reader. And Beale gets pretty "preachy" in it. Those two things are not necessarily bad, just not what I am looking for. For many, this information could have been reduced to a handout.
December 6, 2019
Redemptive Reversals marvels at the ironic overturning of human wisdom in seven short chapters that touch on sin, idolatry, salvation, the Christian life, faith, and eschatology. This book is very a very deep read, teaching that Gods ways are not our ways! I recommend this book to anyone looking to dig deeper in theology.
March 20, 2022
This book is fantastic.
This is a deeply rich 200 pages. I cannot express how much was packed in by Beale.
Irony is all over the Bible, that's the nature of the "upside-down" kingdom I suppose.
Beale is all over the shop from Genesis to Revelation showing how there is irony not only throughout the Bible, but throughout the lives of every human being.
I cannot recommend this book enough.
This is a deeply rich 200 pages. I cannot express how much was packed in by Beale.
Irony is all over the Bible, that's the nature of the "upside-down" kingdom I suppose.
Beale is all over the shop from Genesis to Revelation showing how there is irony not only throughout the Bible, but throughout the lives of every human being.
I cannot recommend this book enough.
December 15, 2019
This series is pure gold. Beale is always great. For as brilliant and scholarly as he is, he always finds a way to be incredibly practical and simple. He’s a scholar for the church, which makes everything he writes worth recommending to any believer.
October 11, 2021
Beale consistently blows my mind. This book practically provides an excellent study of irony in scripture. His arguments are hard to refute with such great emphasis and backing through scripture. This was an excellent read!
February 24, 2025
Great content, and obviously brilliant author, but as others have mentioned, this is just not as readable as some of the others in the series due to the writing style being very academic and a little dry. I learned a lot but struggled to finish the book.
February 28, 2025
I appreciated the overall thesis but thought the application could've had a little bit more depth. I also find Beale's views on eschatology odd. We're similar but I don't understand a lot of our differences. I do appreciate his writing.
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