Joshua. A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Dec 2006 by Spender, Robert D

Areas of theological concern are consistently raised through the book. The Lord orchestrated the destruction of the Canaanites. Their ultimate rejection of God's gracious attempts to work with them led to their destruction out of which came Israel's inheritance of the land. In moving toward the NT and today Harstad leans upon Luther's position that it was a task for Israel in that period and not the church. In the NT era, the Lord is "setting aright all that has gone wrong" (p. 469). Granted the world needs the gospel, but how does one correctly bridge the gap to the postmodern world? It would appear the preaching of the gospel is the hermeneutic for understanding and applying the OT.

By way of final assessment, the exegetical notes are the most helpful part of the volume, especially for those with a basic understanding of Hebrew. Students of Joshua will find insight in the text notes. Harstad is also to be commended for his strong view of inspiration as well as his desire to emphasize the gospel and person of Jesus Christ. Yet, the commentary is weak on theological discussion, not so much because of its chosen Lutheran perspective, but because of its failure to engage other voices and to provide a helpful apologetic on Joshua. I was a bit disappointed by the author's failure to develop a clear hermeneutical method that would aid today's preachers and teachers in bridging the gap between the OT and the good news of Jesus Christ.

Robert D. Spender

Lancaster Bible College, Lancaster, PA