Jesus Christ Our Lord

A serious book for serious readers, written by a theological giant within conservative evangelicalism, Walvoord's Christology classic is thick with research, referencing relevant outside sources, but more imortantly, scripture citations galore, which plead strongly that a Bible be handy as this book is studied. Some books choose to focus on one aspect of the person of Jesus, such as his life and death as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, but this book looks at the totality of Christ--pre-Creation existence, "theophany" appearances in Old Testament, OT types in addition to prophecies that point to Him, incarnation, life, death, resurrection, present work, and future coming as King. He also offers a helpful critique of contemporary scholarship in the field. As an academic book, it concludes with Bibliography, Subject Index, and a 14-PAGE Selective Scripture Index! It is a study, not a quick read, and not a simple or intro book as other reviewers suggested, except in the sense that it simply sticks to biblical interpretations rather than revisionist speculative ones by such liberal "scholars" as the Jesus Seminar. For readers not up for such an overwhelming book, I recommend FOUNDATIONS OF THE FAITH, VOL I by Renald Showers, which is doctrinal but more accessible, though without the wealth of detail.

This book was required reading in my Systematic Theology class in college for Christology. Overall it is a great introduction to Christology. Walvoord does a good job covering many topics such as: the Hypostatic Union, the Kenosis, the Impeccability vs. Peccability of Christ, the different views of the Resurrection of Christ, and the present work of Christ. One of the main qualms that I had with the book, though, is that he included the millennial work of Christ (which would have been included in the present work of Christ for me). However, since I am not a premillenarian, I didn't agree with his viewpoints. This is why I do not rate the book five stars. His discussion of the other main principles of Christology were good, which is why I rate it four stars. I enjoyed his discussion of the Hypostatic Union. The Hypostatic Union was defined at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. It states that Christ is undiminished humanity and divinity for all eternity. Basically, that he has two natures (Hypostasis is the Greek word for substance). He also discusses the major Christological heresies (i.e. Nestorianism, Monethelite, Monophysite, etc.)I also enjoyed his discussion of the Kenosis. The doctrine of the Kenosis asks: of what did Christ empty Himself of (from the Greek Kenoo, meaning I empty). The liberal doctrine would be that Christ emptied Himself of Deity, but the orthodox view is that Christ emptied Himself of his pre-incarnate status.This isn't an incredibly advanced book, but if you want a good introduction to Christology, then this is the book to get.

A great basic book on the issue of the Nature and Person and Character of the God-Man. Very good documentation, and just an interesting read.

I have read this book as a part of my theological study on the subject of Christology. I have found it to be of great help in digging into the eternal truths about Jesus. He is continually showing the traditional view of the church contrasted with the contemporary views in modern theology. I have personaly found that a great help. The first part of the book deals with Christ in eternity past, an area that has been neglected a lot, according to his oppinion. It shows very clearly that the Old Testament prooves the deity of Christ, in his Theophanys and Prophesy. Like Isa 9,6 Almigthy God, eternal Father. To me that was something I hadn't thought about.

John Walvoord presents one of the most thorough and passionate studies of Christology. He covers all components of the eternal existence of Christ, life of Christ, atoning work of Christ, and future work of Christ, as well as other topics. John Walvoord's approach is dispensational and premelliennial and he offers cogent defenses of his views. This work is both scholarly, reverent, and at times devotional. A must for any serious Bible student who desires to rightly divide the word of God.