The Gospel according to Moses: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Book of Deuteronomy

by Daniel I. Block

To many people the law stands in opposition to the gospel. While it may be possible to read Paul's epistles this way, the book of Deuteronomy will not allow this reading. Like the book of Romans in the New Testament, Deuteronomy provides the most systematic and sustained presentation of theology in the Old Testament. And like the Gospel of John, it represents mature theological reflection on God's great acts of salvation, in this case associated with the exodus of Israel from Egypt. The gospel according to Moses begins and ends with the gracious work of God for undeserving subjects. In a book that consists largely of Moses' farewell sermons to his congregation, Israel's first pastor seeks to inspire his congregation to a life of faith and godliness in response to God's great mercy. Unfortunately, for many Christians, Deuteronomy is a dead book, because we have lost sight of the gospel. The essays in this collection arise from a larger project driven by a passion to recover for Christians the life-giving message of the Old Testament in general and the gospel according to Moses in particular. The "meditations" in this volume cover a wide range of topics, from explorations into the origins of Deuteronomy to considerations of the ethical and homiletical relevance of the book for Christians today.

"Dan Block is one of the finest Old Testament exegetes of this generation. This collection of his thoughtful articles on Deuteronomy will be invaluable to anyone studying the book. His labors and analyses are a gift to both the academy and the Church."
--John H. Walton
Professor of Old Testament
Wheaton College and Graduate School

"With the seasoned skill of a mature scholar and the passion of a preacher, Dan Block offers us another fine volume on Deuteronomy. This theological manifesto of ancient Israel continues to speak across the centuries, and there can be no better guide than Block to help the people of God today hear the abiding voice of the one true God in its pages."
--M. Daniel Carroll R.
Distinguished Professor of Old Testament
Denver Seminary

Daniel I. Block is the Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL. He is the author of The Book of Ezekiel Chapters 1-24 (1997), The Book of Ezekiel Chapters 25-48 (1998); Judges and Ruth (1999); and Deuteronomy (NIVAC), forthcoming).

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Old Testament

Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2012

About the author

Daniel I. Block (DPhil, University of Liverpool) is Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the author of several books and numerous essays and has written commentaries on Deuteronomy, Judges-Ruth, and Ezekiel. He has also been involved in the production of the New Living Translation of the Bible and lectures and preaches around the world.

Reviews

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gospel according to Moses will help shed light on the Book of Deuteronomy. It is not a commentary though. Do not get this book if you are looking for a simple verses by verse commentary. A better summary would be that it examines the major themes. The biggest theme being that the Gospel is present in the Book of Deuteronomy. It is a collection of essays surrounding the Book as a whole not particular passages. It is a great resource for scholars and pastors alike.

[Pam Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains previously published essays concerning the theology of Deuteronomy. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that it contains some Hebrew and Greek, which can make it harder to read without knowing those languages, but the book was worth plowing through. Dr. Block has given me a new paradigm for thinking about the book of Deuteronomy. Contrary to the usual Protestant interpretation of the book as a set of laws impossible to keep, Dr. Block shows how Deuteronomy presents a gospel of grace. Deuteronomy should be read as a series of sermons from pastor Moses. The word Torah in Deuteronomy should be translated as teaching or instruction, not law, which entirely changes the perspective of the book.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am biased against this book since I was forced to read it for school. If you are looking for interesting reflections on major themes in Deuteronomy, this is a great book. I will say, however, that since each chapter was originally a stand-alone essay, this book is neither topically exhaustive nor thematically cohesive. I would also suggest prospective readers to have more knowledge of the Hebrew language than I did going into it (virtually none), but I still genuinely enjoyed about half of the book and found most of it interesting and some parts applicable. It presents a really important message about the continuity between Old and New Testaments.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well written, but more scholarly than practical for my purposes, thus only 4 stars.

[Logan Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this because I love the book of Deuteronomy and wanted to learn more about it. This book is simply the best for that.

[Jesse Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only read a few of the articles that are collected in this work. I always appreciate Block’s insight and perspective.

[Michaela Weller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evangelical look at Deuteronomy to relate it to today, not as only fulfilled in Jesus but as an instructional and important book, in it's own right, for the Christian's life.