In the Fullness of Time: An Introduction to the Biblical Theology of Acts and Paul

by Richard B. Gaffin Jr., Sinclair B. Ferguson (Foreword by)

Overview

Richard B. Gaffin Jr. gives readers an accessible, exegetically grounded framework to study Paul and the book of Acts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433563348
Publisher:	Crossway
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Richard B. Gaffin Jr. (ThD, Westminster Theological Seminary) is emeritus professor of biblical and systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, where he taught for over forty years until his retirement in 2010. He is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Sinclair B. Ferguson (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary and the former senior minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina. He is the author of several books, including By Grace Alone and Lessons from the Upper Room. Sinclair and his wife, Dorothy, have four grown children.

Table of Contents

Scripture Versions Cited 11

Foreword 15

Preface 19

Introduction 23

Interpretation and Proclamation 23

Helps for Interpretation 24

Interpretation Proper 26

Biblical Theology 28

New Testament Theology 40

Part 1 The Theology of Acts

1 Pentecost and the History of Redemption 51

The Purpose and Structure of Acts: Initial Considerations 51

2 The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus: An Overview 65

Eschatology and the New Testament 65

Eschatology and the Teaching of Jesus: The Coming of the Kingdom 67

Stages in the Coming of the Kingdom (The Realm and Rule of God) 70

Summary 77

3 The Holy Spirit and the Kingdom in Luke-Acts 81

The Spirit and the Kingdom in Luke's Gospel: An Initial Overview 81

Luke 24 and Acts 1 86

Luke 3:15-18 95

Luke 3:21-22 109

Luke 12:49-51 116

4 Pentecost (Part 1): Aspects of Its Fundamental Significance 119

The Redemptive-Historical Significance of Pentecost 119

The Ecclesiological Significance of Pentecost 152

The Trinitarian Significance of Pentecost 157

The Forensic Significance of Pentecost 166

5 Pentecost (Part 2): Two Related Issues 175

Acts 2 and John 20:22 175

The Historical Reliability of Acts 179

Part 2 The Theology of Paul

6 Preliminary Remarks 185

Fundamental Considerations 185

Acts Material 187

The Significance of Paul's Teaching 187

The Problematic History of Pauline Interpretation 189

7 Paul and His Interpreters 193

Before the Reformation 193

The Reformation 195

Since the Reformation 197

Historical-Critical Interpretation 202

The New Perspective 214

Historical-Critical Interpretation: Two Final Notes 223

Recent Reformed and Evangelical Interpretation 225

8 Paul as Pastor-Theologian 231

The First Christian Theologian 231

The Problem of Interpreting Paul's Theology 232

Conclusion 233

9 The Question of Entree and the Center of Paul's Theology 235

The Center of Paul's Theology 236

Jesus, Paul, and the Kingdom of God 238

Conclusion 244

10 Eschatological Structure 245

Paul's Use of the Two-Age Distinction: Background 245

Some Key Texts 247

Paul's Modification of the Two-Age Distinction: The Overlap of the Two Ages 280

Paul's Modified Use of the Two-Age Distinction: Summary and Conclusion 291

11 The Resurrection (Part 1): Christ and Christians 301

Initial Observations 301

The Unity between the Resurrection of Christ and the Resurrection of Christians 304

Conclusion 319

12 The Resurrection (Part 2): Christ and the Holy Spirit 321

1 Corinthians 15:45 321

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 341

Romans 1:3-4 343

Conclusion 361

13 The Resurrection and the Christian Life (Part 1): Indicative and Imperative 367

Colossians 3:1-4 368

The Relationship between Indicative and Imperative 373

Philippians 2:12-13 379

Romans 6:1-7:6: Some Observations 381

Systematic-Theological and Church-Historical Reflections 390

14 The Resurrection and the Christian Life (Part 2): Christian Suffering 399

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 400

Philippians 3:10-11 404

Christian Suffering and the Death of Christ 409

Christian Suffering and the Resurrection of Christ 413

Christian Suffering, Christ's Resurrection, and the Spirit 413

Resurrection, Suffering, and the Church Today 415

Conclusion 418

General Index 420

Scripture Index 436

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“I count myself blessed to be among generations of seminary students who have ‘basked’ in the glory of Christ as we sat under Richard Gaffin’s instruction, hearing him unfold the rich theology of Acts and the Pauline epistles. Gaffin models careful attention to, and insightful exposition of, specific New Testament texts as he places each passage within the context of the fulfillment of redemptive history in Christ’s person and work. I thank God that this rich lecture material is now offered in print form to the people of God.”
—Dennis E. Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology, Westminster Seminary California; author, Him We Proclaim; Walking with Jesus through His Word; and Journeys with Jesus

“Few living theologians have shaped my own understanding of the deep structures of New Testament theology more than Richard Gaffin. And now in one volume we have the core of his contribution to our generation. He connects the dots for us to see how the apostles understood us New Testament believers to be those ‘on whom the end of the ages has come’ (1 Cor. 10:11). It is especially in understanding the macrosignificance to Paul’s thinking of the resurrection—that of Christ’s, and thereby of those united to him—that Gaffin takes twenty-first-century students, pastors, and other readers back into the minds of the apostles with profound clarity. I bless God for giving us this magnificent volume through his faithful servant, Richard Gaffin.”
—Dane Ortlund, Senior Pastor, Naperville Presbyterian Church; author, Gentle and Lowly and Deeper

“Sadly, Richard Gaffin’s work is a well-kept secret. Well, not entirely. It is known in certain circles, particularly in a portion of the Reformed community, but because of the profundity of his considerations, these labors ought to be known throughout the Christian world and beyond. In the Fullness of Time represents the lifework of this seasoned scholar. Like a master craftsman, Gaffin carefully places stone upon stone, which yields a lovely, finished edifice. Comparing the book of Acts to the theology of the apostle Paul is not a project that is immediately evident. After reading this book, it will have become quite patent. The centrality of Pentecost to Paul’s understanding of the Holy Spirit—an emphasis that so characterizes all his work—herein becomes manifest. More than that, it becomes vital for the life of the church. Striking are both the depth and the originality of this analysis. This work is destined to be not only the standard but a pacesetter for decades to come.”
—William Edgar, Professor Emeritus of Apologetics, Westminster Theological Seminary

“This is the much-anticipated fruit from the author’s many decades as a professor of both New Testament and systematic theology. A noble successor of the work of Geerhardus Vos, Richard Gaffin has helped many of us to understand how the Bible should be read. Plus, this volume expounds on the climactic events of redemptive history. Read, mark, learn, and digest this work.”
—Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California

“Year after year in the classroom, Richard Gaffin radically influenced countless students and would-be pastors in their reading and preaching of Scripture. Those lectures, now happily in print for all to see, if read until absorbed, will change the reader’s understanding of Scripture in remarkable and likely surprising ways. No pastor or biblical scholar should neglect the slow digestion of this rich biblical diet. Its truths have been shown to be truly revolutionary.”
—K. Scott Oliphint, Dean of Faculty and Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary

“Some books provide less than their title promises. This one provides more. While it does serve as ‘an introduction,’ it is not an elementary survey. It rather deftly combines careful exegesis, interaction with scholarship, an integrated view of the whole of Scripture, and awareness of the church’s place and mission in the world today. The compelling result, often drawing on the underrated Geerhardus Vos and Herman Ridderbos, is a doctrinally rich exploration and synthesis of how Acts and Paul’s letters depict Christ’s saving work, in time and for all eternity.”
—Robert W. Yarbrough, Professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

“If in a Qumran-like cave the discovery were to be made of the risen Lord’s lecture notes for his forty-day session imparted to his apostles concerning the kingdom of God, they would greatly mirror the truths, themes, and organic union of the Old Testament and the New Testament gospel so perceptively articulated by Richard Gaffin found herein. In the Fullness of Time is indeed ‘an Introduction to the biblical theology of Acts and Paul,’ but it is far more. It is the magisterial crescendo of a lifetime of scholarly study, unpacking the realized eschatology of the historical-redemptive revelation of Jesus Christ and his epoch-making grant of the Holy Spirit to his church. This masterpiece of biblical theology will open the word, shape your mind, and bless your heart. No serious student of Holy Scripture should miss the joy of being led by Gaffin and his compelling exegesis into a deeper and fuller understanding of the believer’s union with the risen Christ.”
—Peter Lillback, President and Professor of Historical Theology and Church History, Westminster Theological Seminary

“The first thought that comes to my mind about Richard Gaffin is that he is a reliable interpreter of Scripture. In the Fullness of Time thoroughly demonstrates this point. It balances what Christ accomplished at his cross and resurrection in the first century and how that relates to believers now in their own Christian experience. In particular, Gaffin shows how important Christ’s death and resurrection are for the Christian’s suffering in the present. While many past commentators have focused on the importance of Christ’s death in Paul’s theology, Gaffin explains how important Christ’s resurrection is, especially for Christian living. Those who read Gaffin’s book are in for a ‘theological treat.’”
—G. K. Beale, Professor of New Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary