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Why Did Jesus Live a Perfect Life?: The Necessity of Christ's Obedience for Our Salvation
How does Christ's obedience relate to our salvation? Speaking into current conversations about the nature of salvation, respected New Testament scholar Brandon Crowe argues that we are saved by Christ's perfect obedience, which has implications for understanding the gospel message, Christian hope, and discipleship. Jesus is not only the quintessential model of faithfulness in a fallen world, but his unique work frees us from the burden of perfect obedience.
- GenresTheology
224 pages, Paperback
Published October 26, 2021
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50 people want to read
About the author
Brandon D. Crowe
15 books15 followersBrandon D. Crowe (B.A., Samford University; M.Div., Reformed Theological Seminary; Ph.D. University of Edinburgh) is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary and Book Review Editor for the Westminster Theological Journal.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 9, 2022
Pure nard.
November 7, 2023
“So thankful for the active obedience of Christ. No hope without it”
- J. Gresham Machen
- J. Gresham Machen
January 17, 2022
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy in order to interview the author on Confessing Our Hope: The Podcast of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
This short volume is dense with good material, but easy to read. Written with laymen in mind, it will satisfy readers with biblical and theological training at the Seminary or Bible College level without leaving non-specialists in the dust. Crowe defends the thesis that perfect obedience to God's law is absolutely necessary to inherit eternal life. Only Christ has perfectly obeyed God's law, and so His merit alone is sufficient to satisfy the demands of God for all those who would enter into eternal life. While this book is not solely a response to the New Perspective on Paul and other recent theological innovations on the meaning and function of justification, the exegetical spadework that Crowe executes is invaluable in addressing aberrant theologies like NPP, Federal Vision, etc. I highly recommend this well organized, demanding, and accessible book.
This short volume is dense with good material, but easy to read. Written with laymen in mind, it will satisfy readers with biblical and theological training at the Seminary or Bible College level without leaving non-specialists in the dust. Crowe defends the thesis that perfect obedience to God's law is absolutely necessary to inherit eternal life. Only Christ has perfectly obeyed God's law, and so His merit alone is sufficient to satisfy the demands of God for all those who would enter into eternal life. While this book is not solely a response to the New Perspective on Paul and other recent theological innovations on the meaning and function of justification, the exegetical spadework that Crowe executes is invaluable in addressing aberrant theologies like NPP, Federal Vision, etc. I highly recommend this well organized, demanding, and accessible book.
October 14, 2022
I really wanted to like this book. I share basically all of Crowe's presuppositions and theological background! I subscribe to the same understanding of salvation! I agree that Jesus had to, and did, live a perfect life! And yet Crowe does a very poor job of defending his thesis. Large parts of the book are little more than an exercise in question-begging. Why does this or that passage prove his point? Because Crowe says it does. He begins with his conclusions. The exegesis is shoddy again and again.
The best portion of the book is the discussion of Hebrews. He probably could have written an entire title on how Hebrews teaches that Jesus had to live a perfect life and left it at there. It would have been stronger, by subtraction, than this.
The one other element I appreciated was his nuance on the question of whether there is a works-principle in the Mosaic Law. This is a question I have struggled with for years and years. Crowe cuts that baby right in half by arguing both yes and no. And it didn't read like a cop-out. No, it was not given to Israel as a republication of the covenant of works. But yes the moral law shows the need of perfect obedience for salvation. But no that doesn't mean Israel was supposed to, or could have attempted to, do so.
Nonetheless, a disappointing effort from an author I actually respect a lot.
The best portion of the book is the discussion of Hebrews. He probably could have written an entire title on how Hebrews teaches that Jesus had to live a perfect life and left it at there. It would have been stronger, by subtraction, than this.
The one other element I appreciated was his nuance on the question of whether there is a works-principle in the Mosaic Law. This is a question I have struggled with for years and years. Crowe cuts that baby right in half by arguing both yes and no. And it didn't read like a cop-out. No, it was not given to Israel as a republication of the covenant of works. But yes the moral law shows the need of perfect obedience for salvation. But no that doesn't mean Israel was supposed to, or could have attempted to, do so.
Nonetheless, a disappointing effort from an author I actually respect a lot.
January 25, 2022
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO LIVE A PERFECT LIFE? ABOUT?
Crowe seeks to focus on this question:
Obviously, he says it is necessary—noting that we'll underplay and miss all of what Christ did on our behalf and that we'd end up putting too much importance on our own works.
After Crowe establishes the question and ensures that the reader understands the definitions he's using for the key terms, he turns to the Biblical text for some exegetical looks at key texts. This is, as it should be, the bulk of the book. In the third part of the book, he moves on to practical application—given what's been said about the necessity of Christ's perfect obedience, what's the place of/need of the obedience and good works of the believer?
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO LIVE A PERFECT LIFE?
I appreciated Crowe's approach to the topic of Christ's obedience—and, as usual, found his study of the texts to be helpful and challenging. The place of works in the Christian life too often is pitted against the obedience of Christ, or tied to it in an unbiblical fashion--Crowe's discussion was more than helpful and I wish I saw more works like it.
A couple of highlights from the book for me were that third part about obedience and the last chapter in the exegetical part. In that chapter, Crowe examines the connection between Jesus's obedience and the resurrection. That discussion tied in nicely to his 2020 book, The Hope of Israel: The Resurrection of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles (one of those books I still think about).
This is a careful overview of the topic, and will reward a similarly careful read. By design, he doesn't posit anything revolutionary or new—it's a restatement and reminder of what Reformation churches have been teaching for centuries. Even so, it's something we need to be reminded of.
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WHAT'S WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO LIVE A PERFECT LIFE? ABOUT?
Crowe seeks to focus on this question:
Is perfect obediencce necessary for enternal life?
The question could be rephrased a number of ways; Is perfect obedience necessary for justification? Is perfect obedience necessary for salvation? Did Jesus have to be perfectly obedient in order to save us? And if so, why?
Obviously, he says it is necessary—noting that we'll underplay and miss all of what Christ did on our behalf and that we'd end up putting too much importance on our own works.
After Crowe establishes the question and ensures that the reader understands the definitions he's using for the key terms, he turns to the Biblical text for some exegetical looks at key texts. This is, as it should be, the bulk of the book. In the third part of the book, he moves on to practical application—given what's been said about the necessity of Christ's perfect obedience, what's the place of/need of the obedience and good works of the believer?
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO LIVE A PERFECT LIFE?
I appreciated Crowe's approach to the topic of Christ's obedience—and, as usual, found his study of the texts to be helpful and challenging. The place of works in the Christian life too often is pitted against the obedience of Christ, or tied to it in an unbiblical fashion--Crowe's discussion was more than helpful and I wish I saw more works like it.
A couple of highlights from the book for me were that third part about obedience and the last chapter in the exegetical part. In that chapter, Crowe examines the connection between Jesus's obedience and the resurrection. That discussion tied in nicely to his 2020 book, The Hope of Israel: The Resurrection of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles (one of those books I still think about).
This is a careful overview of the topic, and will reward a similarly careful read. By design, he doesn't posit anything revolutionary or new—it's a restatement and reminder of what Reformation churches have been teaching for centuries. Even so, it's something we need to be reminded of.
January 7, 2022
Really strong confessionally Reformed book on the active obedience of Christ. Spends a lot of time in the text of Scripture, conversant with the confessions and important Reformed theologians.
Perhaps a little thin on the devotional side, but that's something that a reader or teacher could fill in for themselves.
Would make a good Sunday School series.
Perhaps a little thin on the devotional side, but that's something that a reader or teacher could fill in for themselves.
Would make a good Sunday School series.
July 21, 2022
A well written treatise explaining the necessity of Jesus' obedience for our justification. It is very deep and there is some repetition.
October 3, 2023
4.5–5 stars
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews