God's glory in salvation through judgment in the Gospel of Mark

If you read this blog with any regularity you will know that I like to "blog through books". The many benefits of this practice includes the review of a particular book as you blog through it. Many readers become frustrated with the realization that they forget much of what they read. Taking books and interacting with them in some way (such as teaching from them, reviewing them, or summarizing them) is a sure way of retaining more information from them. And "blogging through a book" is an practical and enjoyable practice that I pursue in order to get the most out of my reading.


I have been working my way through Dr. Jim Hamilton's biblical theology God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment and with this post I pass from his chapters on the Old Testament to those on the New Testament. Here is a list of my blogging through this book with links to the posts that came from Dr. Hamilton's writing on the Old Testament:

• Salvation and Glory
• God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment
• No one who's guilty wants judgment
• It's about God first, and Pharaoh second
• A Pure and Unsullied Creation
• His Justice Exacting, His Mercy Surprising
• Just Call Me Rahab
• Substitution and Sacrifices
• God creates evil. God is good. No problem?
• What's the deal with genealogies?
• Jim Hamilton on God's glory, salvation, and judgment

Moving into the New Testament section of this terrific biblical theology, Hamilton discusses the themes of glory, salvation, and judgment in the Gospel of Mark.

Jesus has shown the world its bankruptcy so that the world might feel its need for the bailout he provides. He has condemned the world in order to save it. His teaching with authority exposes and condemns the failures of human tradition. His healing the sick and raising the dead judges and triumphs over the effects of sin and the outworkings of the curse in the world. Casting out demons, he reveals that he has entered the home of the strong man, bound him, weighed him in the scales, and found him wanting, and he is now plundering his possessions. Jesus brings salvation through judgment, and in response his fame spreads, the people marvel, and everyone glorifies God. Mark does not use the formulation, but it is clear that the centerpiece of the theology of his Gospel is that Jesus is bringing in the kingdom by conquering all the other kingdoms. He is glorifying God in salvation achieved through judgment. (386)