Preaching Christ in All of Scripture

Edmund P. Clowney

Reviewed by: Eric Watkins

Preaching Christ in All of Scripture, by Edmund P. Clowney. Published by Crossway Books, 2003. Paperback, 189 pages, list price $11.19. Reviewed by OP pastor Eric Watkins.

Edmund Clowney has once again penned a helpful work on preaching that any minister of the gospel would do well to read. Preaching Christ in All of Scripture begins with two chapters (one suggesting a hermeneutical approach to seeing Christ in all of Scripture; the second suggesting ways of preaching Christ from the text) that would be instructive to any student of preaching. Following this are thirteen of Clowney's own edifying sermons, in which he models his approach to Christocentric preaching.

Clowney demonstrates that Christ-centered preaching is not at odds with application-centered preaching, "for now we present Jesus both in what he says and does to reveal himself, and in what he says and does to direct us" (p. 49).

My criticisms of this book are minor. Many of the references are dated, and some are a bit technical. While the book seems to be aimed at students of preaching (which includes preachers!), it is less of a "how to" book than one might expect. Even the instruction on how to prepare a Christ-centered sermon contains more exegesis than mechanical suggestions. This, however, may not really be a fault, for Clowney seeks to demonstrate that preaching Christ in all of Scripture is nothing more than to "preach Christ as the text presents him" (p. 11).

Reformed pastors are once again indebted to Clowney's work, and may they repay that debt week after week as they faithfully proclaim the Lord of the Word from the Word of the Lord.