Thielman, Frank. The New Creation and the Storyline of Scripture. Short Studies in Biblical Theology 12. Wheaton: Crossway, 2021. 120pp excluding end matter.
Summary and Critique
This book is a short and solid summary of the storyline of Scripture. Thielman focuses on the restoration of creation through the work of Jesus, skipping over other key elements of salvation history such as the covenants (treated in other SSBT monographs). As such, Thielman fulfilled his purpose.
For those with a seminary education, there is nothing new or revelatory in this book. However, for those with little or no knowledge of salvation history or how the Bible fits together, this would be a great introductory book. I would also recommend it to a new believer who has read the entire Bible and is keen to understand the Bible.
Summary of Each Chapter
Chapter 1: A Good World Goes Awry
Thielman begins with Genesis 1–2 showing that all of God’s creation is good and that God provides for all of the needs of humans. However, Adam and Eve fail to trust in God’s goodness and allow the beast (snake) to have dominion over man—a reversal of what it should be (Gen 3). The result is “the beginning both of human mortality and of the spiritual death that accompanies banishment from the presence of God” (29).
Chapter 2: Hints at a Salvation
After a brief discussion of Genesis 12–Deuteronomy showing hints at a solution to mankind’s dilemma and the fall of creation, Thielman focuses primarily on the book of Isaiah (40–55). Isaiah envisions a worldwide restoration of all creation and people after punishment has been meted out. This restoration is led by a Davidic King.
Chapter 3: The Great King and Humble Servant Comes
Chapter 3 focuses on the Gospel of Matthew, which demonstrates that the Davidic King who will restore God’s creation is Jesus. As the promised Davidic king, Jesus begins gathering Israel as seen in his gathering of the 12 apostles. He also begins restoring creation as seen in his many miracles and atoning death. The Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus’ commissioning his disciples to gather the nations to Jesus (Matt 28:18–19), fulfilling a key prophecy in Isaiah.
Chapter 4: The New Creation
The book of Acts shows how the Holy Spirit “transforms the earliest followers of Jesus into the restored people of God, the beginnings of God’s new creation” (80). However, it is only the beginnings; Israel’s and creation’s restoration has not fully arrived (84). The restoration of Israel and new creation quickly expands to the Gentiles through Paul and others. “The apostles consider this new people [of Jews and Gentiles] to be the beginning of a re-created human society” (100).
Chapter 5: Living as God’s New Humanity Now and in the Future
This chapter focuses on the books of Ephesians and Revelation. Christ has made those who believe in him part of a new society where they can live as the new creation now (104–05). “As the ‘body of Christ’ . . . the church is growing into the kind of human being that Christ was and still is, and Christ is the sort of human being that God created all people to be” (106). As such, believers should live as these new creatures now.
In the book of Revelation, “John points beyond the present to the new creation of the future and vividly describes the world of peace in the presence of God that those who follow Jesus will one day inhabit” (110). Mankind will dwell again with God like they did in the garden of Eden.