Book Critic: Joshua McQuirk
Introduction Unlocking the Bible: A Unique Overview of the Whole Bible is a full and wholesome book viewing the bible as a whole and not verse by verse. As Pawson said: “It is the Epic story of God’s relationship with His people… and its implications for our lives.” Have you found the Bible to be boring? Or contradictory at times? Perhaps you would just want to understand the bible in a deeper way. Then this is the book for you! Don’t let the size of this book intimidate you, it is literally thicker than some Bibles, once you start reading it your desire for more understanding will take you through it all.
Summary of Its Contents Unlocking the Bible: A Unique Overview of the Whole Bible is a collection of David Pawson’s greatest lifetime insights, with regards to the meaning of significant events in the Bible as well as its teachings. Pawson goes to great lengths to expand upon the intricacies of each book in the bible by taking note of the cultural and historical context as well as the significance of these events and how it applies to our present day and age. Pawson does all this while keeping the “Big Picture” (the story of the Bible as a whole) in mind. He has divided it all into two main parts, the Old- and New Testament, and eight segments. The eight segments are as follows: The Maker’s Instructions, A Land and a Kingdom, Poems of Worship and Wisdom, Decline and Fall of an Empire, The Struggle to Survive, The Hinge of History, The Thirteenth Apostle, and Through Suffering to Glory. Critical Evaluation Pawson has made every effort to make theological concepts easy to understand. He believes that his work should be understood by a 12-year-old, if not, then he believes that he has failed. His writing is simple and easy to understand. The layout of the text, headings, and paragraphs have been done well … better than most books.
He has also included maps which aid to the understanding of the geographical context. In addition to that he has also added one or two diagrams to aid in explaining complex theological concepts. Overall, I think he could have had more graphics to aid the understanding of the reader. Pawson was not trying to persuade the reader or win an argument, rather, this book concentrates on the explanation of facts, it is like a commentary, yet Pawson does not focus on specific verses. Conclusion Apart from the fact that you could probably use four of these books to make a bullet proof vest, if it was a hardcover book, it is full of surprising insights into the bible as a whole. Unlocking the Bible: A Unique Overview of the Whole Bible is a wonderful opportunity to get to grips with the depth of the bible. Pawson went to great lengths to ensure that his writing would be easy to understand, and you can clearly see that in his work. Many a people have said that this book has renewed their hunger for the word of God and I believe that can be the same for you. If you want the Bible to become more real in your life, then get stuck into this book.
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