THE MISSION OF GOD

Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative

Christopher J. H. Wright

An imprint of InterVarsity Press

Downers Grove, Illinois

InterVarsity Press

P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426

ivpress.com

email@ivpress.com

©2006 by Christopher J. H. Wright

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.

InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, visit intervarsity.org.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

The hymn “Facing a Task Unfinished” on page 142 is ©OMF International and used by permission.

Design: Cindy Kiple

Images: © Tova Teitelbaum/iStockphoto

ISBN 978-0-8308-5213-0 (paperback)

ISBN 978-0-8308-2571-4 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-8308-6496-6 (digital)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wright, Christopher J. H., 1947-

The mission of God: unlocking the Bible’s grand narrative / Christopher J. H. Wright.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN-13: 978-0-8308-2571-4 (cloth: alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 0-8308-2571-1 (cloth: alk. paper)

1. Missions—Theory. 2. God—Will. 3. Mission of the church. I. Title.

BV2063.W74 2006

266.001—dc22

2006020882

for Tim and Bianca

Contents

Outline of the Book

Preface

Introduction

Part I: The Bible and Mission

1 Searching for a Missional Hermeneutic

2 Shaping a Missional Hermeneutic

Part II: The God of Mission

3 The Living God Makes Himself Known in Israel

4 The Living God Makes Himself Known in Jesus Christ

5 The Living God Confronts Idolatry

Part III: The People of Mission

6 God’s Elect People: Chosen for Blessing

7 God’s Particular People Chosen for All.

8 God’s Model of Redemption: The Exodus

9 God’s Model of Restoration: The jubilee

10 The Span of God’s Missional Covenant

11 The Life of God’s Missional People

Part IV: The Arena of Mission

12 Mission and God’s Earth

13 Mission and God’s Image

14 God and the Nations in Old Testament Vision

15 God and the Nations in New Testament Mission

Epilogue

Bibliography

Name Index

Subject Index

Scripture Index

Outline of the Book

Preface

Introduction

PART I: THE BIBLE AND MISSION

1 Searching For a Missional Hermeneutic

Beyond “Biblical Foundations for Mission”

Biblical Apologetic for Mission

The Danger of Inadequate Proof-texting

Beyond Multicultural Hermeneutical Perspectives

Global Church, Global Hermeneutics

Mission as a Focus of Hermeneutical Coherence

Beyond Contextual Theologies and Advocacy Readings

Contexts ...

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About The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative

Most Christians would agree that the Bible provides a basis for mission. But Christopher Wright boldly maintains that there is a missional basis for the Bible! The entire Bible is generated by and all about God’s mission.

In order to understand the Bible, we need a missional hermeneutic, an interpretive perspective in tune with this great missional theme. We need to see how the familiar bits and pieces fit into the grand narrative of Scripture.

Beginning with the Old Testament and its groundwork for understanding who God is, what he has called his people to be and do, and how the nations fit into God’s mission, Wright gives us a new hermeneutical perspective on Scripture. This perspective provides a solid and expansive basis for holistic mission. God’s mission is to reclaim the world—including the created order—and God’s people have a designated role to play.

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