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Unbreakable: What the Son of God Said About the Word of God
The book you are looking at is unique.
It stands out because unlike most other books on the Bible, it doesn’t start with a bunch of objections that people have to the scriptures. Nor does it begin with information about the Bible’s authors or the historical contexts they were writing into. Instead, this book uses Jesus as the starting point! As Andrew explains, ‘Ultimately… our trust in the Bible stems from our trust in Jesus Christ…’ If you are a follower of Jesus, then you’ll be keen to believe what the Bible says– because, as you’ll see in this book, that’s what Jesus did!
Andrew, in his clear and often amusing way, shows us clearly that the Son of God loved and trusted the Word of God – and if anyone sets out that the Bible is trustworthy, authoritative, good, helpful and powerful… then it’s Jesus Himself!
It stands out because unlike most other books on the Bible, it doesn’t start with a bunch of objections that people have to the scriptures. Nor does it begin with information about the Bible’s authors or the historical contexts they were writing into. Instead, this book uses Jesus as the starting point! As Andrew explains, ‘Ultimately… our trust in the Bible stems from our trust in Jesus Christ…’ If you are a follower of Jesus, then you’ll be keen to believe what the Bible says– because, as you’ll see in this book, that’s what Jesus did!
Andrew, in his clear and often amusing way, shows us clearly that the Son of God loved and trusted the Word of God – and if anyone sets out that the Bible is trustworthy, authoritative, good, helpful and powerful… then it’s Jesus Himself!
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2014
32 people are currently reading
570 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Wilson
14 books145 followersAndrew is Teaching Pastor at King's Church London, and has theology degrees from Cambridge (MA), London School of Theology (MTh), and King's College London (PhD). He is a columnist for Christianity Today, and has written several books, including Echoes of Exodus (Crossway, 2018) and Spirit and Sacrament: An Invitation to Eucharismatic Worship (Zondervan, 2018).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
June 1, 2024
A wonderful, brief explanation of the reliability and sufficiency of scripture through the perspective of how Jesus treated scripture. It is clear, enjoyable, and concise—just the kind of book to give to or go through with anyone you are discipling or evangelizing.
December 14, 2014
This review was first found on http://mydigitalseminary.com/unbreaka...
I’m sure it is difficult to write a short book, seeing as it’s certainly difficult to write a short book review! I am attempting a short review of a short, but engaging, book by Andrew Wilson called Unbreakable: What the Son of God Said About the Word of God.
Unbreakable
In Unbreakable, Wilson lets Jesus be our guide to the Bible: “I trust the Bible because I trust in Jesus” (p10). So what does Jesus believe about the Bible? He trusted its authority (Matt 4:1-11), its inspiration (Matt 22:41-46), its unbreakability (John 10:22-39), and its coherence (Mark 12:18-27); and that’s all in the first four chapters. All chapters handle different aspects of Jesus’ relationship with God’s Word. The writing is quirky, winsome and clever – but never too clever. In fact, the chapter And it Happened was so poetically written that it was like reading a (little-‘o’) orthodox Rob Bell; much like a musician who employs silence, the page had so much white space!
My complaints are so miniscule in comparison to my enjoyment, but complain I must. Aside from a take on Psalm 82 that I consider faulty (human kings rather than spiritual beings), I’m unsure why the poetic survey mentioned above, subtitled The Storyline of Scripture, ended with the resurrection. Even a full-preterist would complain that he didn’t get so far as AD70! Perhaps Wilson was simply tracing creation to the beginning of new creation? But still, The Lord of the Rings doesn’t end with the appearance of Gandalf the White to Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, and neither does our story.
But back to the positives. In addition to Wilson’s excellent approach, writing, and message, I took delight in his subversive “skewering” of the New Marcionism. Since Wilson has tangled with them before, he shrewdly (and intentionally?) used their own “Jesus-lens” (or “tea-strainer“) approach against them by showing Jesus’ absolute commitment to even the “difficult texts” in the Old Testament (Luke 17:26-29), while creating some of His own in the process (Matt 19:4-6)!
And did I mention that Unbreakable is small? 78 pages with notes, 65 pages without. Chapters average 4 pages. This results in punchy, bite-sized chapters that each leave the reader something to consider. Wilson covers a surprising amount of ground, even discussing canon and interpretation issues.
While Unbreakable would be excellent for newer believers, it should not be overlooked for this reason. I enjoyed Unbreakable like a fresh and satisfying afternoon snack (this is not me bagging the book, it’s just not intended to be a feast). In fact, its small size only adds to its worth. Of all the books I have read this year, I can see myself recommending Unbreakable most widely.
This book was generously provided from 10Publishing as a review copy, but that did not affect my review.
I’m sure it is difficult to write a short book, seeing as it’s certainly difficult to write a short book review! I am attempting a short review of a short, but engaging, book by Andrew Wilson called Unbreakable: What the Son of God Said About the Word of God.
Unbreakable
In Unbreakable, Wilson lets Jesus be our guide to the Bible: “I trust the Bible because I trust in Jesus” (p10). So what does Jesus believe about the Bible? He trusted its authority (Matt 4:1-11), its inspiration (Matt 22:41-46), its unbreakability (John 10:22-39), and its coherence (Mark 12:18-27); and that’s all in the first four chapters. All chapters handle different aspects of Jesus’ relationship with God’s Word. The writing is quirky, winsome and clever – but never too clever. In fact, the chapter And it Happened was so poetically written that it was like reading a (little-‘o’) orthodox Rob Bell; much like a musician who employs silence, the page had so much white space!
My complaints are so miniscule in comparison to my enjoyment, but complain I must. Aside from a take on Psalm 82 that I consider faulty (human kings rather than spiritual beings), I’m unsure why the poetic survey mentioned above, subtitled The Storyline of Scripture, ended with the resurrection. Even a full-preterist would complain that he didn’t get so far as AD70! Perhaps Wilson was simply tracing creation to the beginning of new creation? But still, The Lord of the Rings doesn’t end with the appearance of Gandalf the White to Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, and neither does our story.
But back to the positives. In addition to Wilson’s excellent approach, writing, and message, I took delight in his subversive “skewering” of the New Marcionism. Since Wilson has tangled with them before, he shrewdly (and intentionally?) used their own “Jesus-lens” (or “tea-strainer“) approach against them by showing Jesus’ absolute commitment to even the “difficult texts” in the Old Testament (Luke 17:26-29), while creating some of His own in the process (Matt 19:4-6)!
And did I mention that Unbreakable is small? 78 pages with notes, 65 pages without. Chapters average 4 pages. This results in punchy, bite-sized chapters that each leave the reader something to consider. Wilson covers a surprising amount of ground, even discussing canon and interpretation issues.
While Unbreakable would be excellent for newer believers, it should not be overlooked for this reason. I enjoyed Unbreakable like a fresh and satisfying afternoon snack (this is not me bagging the book, it’s just not intended to be a feast). In fact, its small size only adds to its worth. Of all the books I have read this year, I can see myself recommending Unbreakable most widely.
This book was generously provided from 10Publishing as a review copy, but that did not affect my review.
January 7, 2025
My new favorite quote about the inspiration of Scripture. “Consider a jazz musician who can play all sorts of different instruments. Nobody, listening to Louis Armstrong, would ask whether the music was being made by Louis or his trumpet; everybody knows that the breath and the tune come from Louis, but the instrument through which the breath passes, in order to become audible, is the trumpet. The Bible writers, if you like, are the instruments of revelation - a trumpet here, an oboe there, a saxophone here - and they all make different sounds. But the musician, the skilled artist who fills them all with his breath and ensures the tune is played correctly, is the Holy Spirit. That's kind of how inspiration works.”
September 8, 2021
Amazing and interesting little book on the theology of Scripture from the perspective of Jesus.
September 14, 2018
I read this excerpt from this book that I thought was good so I bought the book not knowing that it's more of a booklet. It's really short and very introductory.
The author chooses to paraphrase most of the verses included which always makes me wary. He does this in the excerpt I initially read too, but it seemed like he was summarizing an entire story, not individual verses. I just think that A) most English translations are easily understood enough to not require a paraphrase and B) you'd have to be really confident of your Bible knowledge and theology to use your own paraphrase and I don't really think most people are competent enough for that (which is why pretty much all translations are accomplished through a team of experts). I get that he's trying to keep things chatty, but it sort of undermines his whole emphasis on the importance of Scripture to paraphrase all the verses.
He also claims that we need know Jesus as the starting point, not the Bible. He writes that the Bible isn't the only source of information about Jesus, but it seems kind of weird to pretend that almost everyone's understanding of Jesus doesn't come through the Bible. If you're going to start with Jesus, you pretty much have to start with the Bible.
I appreciated the author's emphasis on Christ and his demonstration that Christ shows us the priority of Scripture. This is most of what I got out of the original excerpt I read - that Christ fights temptation and resistance with scripture every time. If you follow Jesus and his teaching, you have to value the Bible. Each of the brief chapters try to show different positive attribute of Scripture.
Another thing I appreciated was the chapter on not making the Bible an idol, as important as it is. The author made the point that we can replace the Spirit with the Bible and end up with "a functional Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Bible." As someone who leans toward the intellectual side of things vs. the relational side of things, those brief couple of pages where a good challenge.
I didn't care for the casual style and the underdeveloped theology. The author takes his position for granted and doesn't explain enough of what he talks about, in my opinion. I just don't think this treatment does the incredibly important topic justice and I'm not really sure who his intended audience is. It almost feels like it's written to unbelievers.
Though it has some helpful points and some may appreciate the "breezy" writing (as the recommendation on the back cover calls it), it was just too loose and cursory for me.
The author chooses to paraphrase most of the verses included which always makes me wary. He does this in the excerpt I initially read too, but it seemed like he was summarizing an entire story, not individual verses. I just think that A) most English translations are easily understood enough to not require a paraphrase and B) you'd have to be really confident of your Bible knowledge and theology to use your own paraphrase and I don't really think most people are competent enough for that (which is why pretty much all translations are accomplished through a team of experts). I get that he's trying to keep things chatty, but it sort of undermines his whole emphasis on the importance of Scripture to paraphrase all the verses.
He also claims that we need know Jesus as the starting point, not the Bible. He writes that the Bible isn't the only source of information about Jesus, but it seems kind of weird to pretend that almost everyone's understanding of Jesus doesn't come through the Bible. If you're going to start with Jesus, you pretty much have to start with the Bible.
I appreciated the author's emphasis on Christ and his demonstration that Christ shows us the priority of Scripture. This is most of what I got out of the original excerpt I read - that Christ fights temptation and resistance with scripture every time. If you follow Jesus and his teaching, you have to value the Bible. Each of the brief chapters try to show different positive attribute of Scripture.
Another thing I appreciated was the chapter on not making the Bible an idol, as important as it is. The author made the point that we can replace the Spirit with the Bible and end up with "a functional Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Bible." As someone who leans toward the intellectual side of things vs. the relational side of things, those brief couple of pages where a good challenge.
I didn't care for the casual style and the underdeveloped theology. The author takes his position for granted and doesn't explain enough of what he talks about, in my opinion. I just don't think this treatment does the incredibly important topic justice and I'm not really sure who his intended audience is. It almost feels like it's written to unbelievers.
Though it has some helpful points and some may appreciate the "breezy" writing (as the recommendation on the back cover calls it), it was just too loose and cursory for me.
January 22, 2022
fantastic, impressively concise
August 27, 2025
One of the most easy-reading and sound books on the doctrine of Scripture that can be read in one sitting. Worth giving away to others!
February 27, 2015
Well, Andrew Wilson does it again. Although this book is an incredibly brief 73 pages, it is packed with loads of truth about scripture and the One to whom the Bible ultimately points, Jesus. I've read a number of hermeneutics and Biblical theology books, and what Wilson does in these short pages is something none of the others I've read have been able to do: give a clear, layman-level explanation of crucial doctrinal points regarding the Bible. He hits on inspiration, inerrancy, authority, coherence, Christocentrism, application - all in a way that is easy to understand and leaves you wanting to not only study more, but read the Bible more.
So who should read this? Anyone who has read too many theology books and wants their heart stirred with affection for the simple beauty and sufficiency of the Word. Anyone who doesn't understand why the Bible is a big deal or why Christians are so hung up on it. Anyone struggling to love Scripture who wants to value it more. All Christians everywhere should read this. I'm planning on going through it with the girls I mentor next and am wanting to use it as an introduction to a high-school level hermeneutics class I'm developing.
Andrew Wilson is a gift to the body and he uses his gifts well for our edification. Get this book, be encouraged, and then get in the Word.
So who should read this? Anyone who has read too many theology books and wants their heart stirred with affection for the simple beauty and sufficiency of the Word. Anyone who doesn't understand why the Bible is a big deal or why Christians are so hung up on it. Anyone struggling to love Scripture who wants to value it more. All Christians everywhere should read this. I'm planning on going through it with the girls I mentor next and am wanting to use it as an introduction to a high-school level hermeneutics class I'm developing.
Andrew Wilson is a gift to the body and he uses his gifts well for our edification. Get this book, be encouraged, and then get in the Word.
December 23, 2022
10/10 - this is the best, most concise (and very short) statement of the Christian doctrine of the authority and role of Scripture I’ve ever read. This would be a very helpful starting place for either a new Christian or a skeptic wanting to know more about how Christians use the Bible. There is a list of helpful resources towards the back for people to continue studying and reading after they finish this primer. Would highly recommend!
December 2, 2024
Our latest staff book!
This book was deceptively short, I mean the chapters were literally 2 pages long. It was awesome.
It talked a lot about how if we believe in Christ wholeheartedly then we have to believe in the Bible wholeheartedly. We can’t have one without the other, we can’t claim to believe Christ if we don’t believe the word of God, and not just pick and choose what we like about what the Bible says, but truly believe 100% that the Bible is good and true.
This book was deceptively short, I mean the chapters were literally 2 pages long. It was awesome.
It talked a lot about how if we believe in Christ wholeheartedly then we have to believe in the Bible wholeheartedly. We can’t have one without the other, we can’t claim to believe Christ if we don’t believe the word of God, and not just pick and choose what we like about what the Bible says, but truly believe 100% that the Bible is good and true.
February 24, 2017
It is well worth reading this short book. There are close to 100 references to the Bible and other Christian books.
It supports 2 Tim 3:16-17...All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
It supports 2 Tim 3:16-17...All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
December 19, 2019
This short little book is outstanding, how Andrew manages to say so much in so few pages I don't know. It has the best 3.5 page summary of the Bible I've read, his take on fulfilment was very helpful. It covers authority, clarity, sufficiency of scripture as well as some other topics, a great introduction to the Bible.
February 10, 2018
Brief but brilliant
This books power is found in its brevity. A quick, rich take on the unbreakability of the Bible. More than a primer but a good entry into seeing Scripture for what it is, a declaration of Christ.
This books power is found in its brevity. A quick, rich take on the unbreakability of the Bible. More than a primer but a good entry into seeing Scripture for what it is, a declaration of Christ.
October 27, 2022
A short must read for any disciple of Christ! Read this book about a month ago and still can’t get it out of my head. This was timely to root my hope and security in Christ. The Son of God and the word of God- always hand in hand, the perfect pair.
March 7, 2025
This author writes how I think hahaha. A little book with simplistic arguments. Great reminders and truth. Simple take away: we don’t love Jesus because we love the scriptures. We love the scriptures because we love Jesus and HE loved the scriptures.
February 6, 2020
I found this book to be so clear and helpful. I feel like I could write a review longer then the book. It was 78 pages with endnotes.
December 28, 2023
amazing book. very concise and insightful
January 16, 2024
Great little book that sparks you to think well about the Bible!
September 27, 2024
Such a good, concise, helpful intro to how we ought to understand and approach Scripture!
July 15, 2025
A quick wonderful book about the most wonderful book!
September 17, 2024
Short book on what Jesus said about His Word. Very easy to digest and read in half an hour. I particularly liked Andrew's writing style. My favourite part was seeing how Jesus is the new Eve, Abel, Noah, Jacob, Enoch and so on because of how their stories all point to Him. Seeing the story of Jesus, the Word, in all of Scripture is breathtaking and comforting. A lovely little read.
September 4, 2019
A great entry level, basic introduction to the doctrine of scripture. I loved the way the whole book comes from a Christ-centred understanding of scripture and the doctrine of scripture.
October 9, 2023
Short and snappy book. Interesting headings and decent introduction to them.
Liked this quote - “When you’re walking along a dark and narrow track, you can’t always trust your judgement. But you can always trust the light.” (Pg48)
Liked this quote - “When you’re walking along a dark and narrow track, you can’t always trust your judgement. But you can always trust the light.” (Pg48)
August 24, 2020
Short, fun, highly readable, and at times profound this introduction to the authority of Scripture is often excellent. As is often the case with short, introductory works the brevity is a strength and a weakness. I was immensely pleased with how he prioritized Jesus over Scripture and Jesus as the source of our faith. This was done succinctly but with clarity and conviction. His brief treatment of problematic passages was less helpful as he seemed to lump all biblical violence under the doctrine of judgment and suggested that if you accepted God's right to judge and take life this issue was solved. However, that is far from the case. The means of judgment and the nature of the biblical violence in many contexts is troubling and Wilson does not mention this at all. An introduction to the nuances of the problem would have been more helpful, as his current treatment feels a little dismissive. I strongly disagree with part of his section on the clarity of Scripture as he seems to say that all misunderstandings of biblical doctrine are due to moral failure. This makes little sense. We all know someone who misunderstood a Bible doctrine because they don't understand the KJV translation they were reading, because they were taught something wrong by someone else, because they were a child without the mental faculties to understand, or because they simply had or have a low IQ. None of these reasons are moral failure. All that said, this is a book I would recommend with a few caveats. It is short. It is introductory. It lacks some needed nuance. It is often excellent.
February 19, 2021
'Whenever Scripture challenges some of our deeply held beliefs, we have a choice.'
Another book lent to me by a Christian friend, Unbreakable is a thankfully short book arguing for the absolute totality of the Bible, as guided by the view of Jesus Christ, who in his time frequently referred to Scripture when challenged. Wilson provides quotes of Jesus discussing Scripture with people throughout his lifetime, and their lack of understanding about it. His narrative voice often comes across smug and condescending, for an 80-page book. Andrew Wilson argues The Bible is coherent, unbreakable and clear. As an Agnostic, I found his arguments to be particularly weak and only convincing if you are already a Christian. He provides mental gymnastics to justify why Christians abide by some of the laws written in The Bible, but not others. The purpose of the book is baffling, as he attempts to tackle such a large topic with such a short book and basic arguments. There are some references to further reading, but I struggle to understand why exactly Wilson took such a baseline approach to such a complex topic. Nevertheless it was an easy read, although utterly unconvincing to me, and did nothing to shift the needle of my own faith.
March 17, 2016
This is an excellent little book ...it packs a big punch. Short snappy chapters that build to a confident and well founded trust in scripture. The style is engaging and like most good books asks as many questions as it answers. Read this and it will bless you ...you don't need a Theology degree to follow the lively teaching in "Unbreakable".
September 29, 2016
Really loved Wilson's approach: reconstructing what Jesus believed about scripture from the clues in the gospels. An excellent, punchy read!
September 19, 2020
A robust introduction to the reading of the scriptures.
Though I’ve been a Christian for a number of years, this book has helped me to trust the scriptures once again. One of my favourite lines in the book was: “We can challenge the Bible, or we can let the Bible challenge us”. Wilson reminds readers of the importance of trust; when things don’t make sense, this does not give us the excuse to redefine scripture according to what does. Instead, we should let scripture redefine us. It is this transformative process that I find exciting!
There are questions which it leaves unanswered (Wilson gives several book recommendations after the epilogue). Nevertheless, book is certainly worth a read.
Though I’ve been a Christian for a number of years, this book has helped me to trust the scriptures once again. One of my favourite lines in the book was: “We can challenge the Bible, or we can let the Bible challenge us”. Wilson reminds readers of the importance of trust; when things don’t make sense, this does not give us the excuse to redefine scripture according to what does. Instead, we should let scripture redefine us. It is this transformative process that I find exciting!
There are questions which it leaves unanswered (Wilson gives several book recommendations after the epilogue). Nevertheless, book is certainly worth a read.
June 4, 2019
Fantastic! A short and concise read on the Christocentric reliability of the Bible. Jesus told us that His words would never pass away, that His word was truth, and that in Him all the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled. If we trust Christ, we must trust Christ's Word. I would have liked to see some expanded points and a heavier reliance on the text itself, but it is perfect for a handout, something to get the average layperson thinking. This book is well worth the read and well worth sharing with a friend!
February 12, 2020
Phenomenal! Absolutely astounding... so much to get out of such a small book but it is one that I will definitely be coming back to more than once.
I wish I could give a copy of this book to everyone I know. At times witty, other times uncomfortable in it's truth and honesty, it is an absolutely necessary read for anyone who wants to gain a little insight and plenty of knowledge about the Bible.
It's basically a 10 hour class surmised in a tidy, 80-page report.
This is my favorite book of the year so far.
Read. It.
I wish I could give a copy of this book to everyone I know. At times witty, other times uncomfortable in it's truth and honesty, it is an absolutely necessary read for anyone who wants to gain a little insight and plenty of knowledge about the Bible.
It's basically a 10 hour class surmised in a tidy, 80-page report.
This is my favorite book of the year so far.
Read. It.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews