The Beginning And End of Wisdom: Preaching Christ from the First and Last Chapters of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job is written by Douglas Sean O’Donnell author and Senior Pastor of New Covenant Church in Naperville Illinois. In this book, Pastor O’Donnell provides six model sermons from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job for Pastors, teachers, seminarians, and laymen to learn how Christ connects to wisdom literature.
While the book of Proverbs has a perennial place among many Christians, the book of Job and Ecclesiastes are often viewed as being difficult to understand, to interpret and to apply to one’s life. In this book, Mr. O’Donnell sets forth in this book to clear up misconceptions about Wisdom Literature by not only providing model Christ-centered sermons, but also teaching how the believer can be understood and preach the Wisdom Literature.
While all the sermons are excellent in that they provide solid exegesis and Christ-centered application; chapter seven was particularly helpful in my opinion, as it sets forth to explain what the Wisdom Literature teaches, and how to apply the Gospel to its teaching. In chapter seven, the author explains Gospel ethics, Gospel types, Gospel teaching, Gospel illustration and Gospel Awe.
The Beginning and End of Wisdom is a significant contribution to the field of Wisdom Literature, because it takes sound Christ-centered hermeneutics seriously and applies to preaching. The content taught in this book will help preachers, teachers and laymen to think and apply its teaching to their lives in a Christ-centered way. While the focus of this book is clearly for Pastors, ministry leaders and seminary students, I believe this book should be ready by any and every student of the Bible. I believe this because Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job have much to teach the believer about the character of God, suffering and many other things which touch on vital aspects of the Christian life. I recommend you pick up this book and learn how a Christ-centered approach to Scripture should affect how you understand the Wisdom Literature.
Author: Douglas Sean O’Donnell
Publisher: Crossway (2011)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Crossway as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dave Jenkins is happily married to Sarah Jenkins. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021) and The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
