You asked:

“Does Goldsworthy write much about how to overcome the NT problem he highlights?”

I’m about half way through the book, and he hasn’t dealt with this in any substantial manner. And I’m with you; I see keen insights in some of his statements, but I’m curious as to what he proposes the solution to be. I will also say that he has written heavily on this subject in other books, and he has repeatedly pointed the reader there in an effort not to repeat himself.

You asked:
“I still think it is essential to preach verse by verse through the Epistles, how else can you cover the depth of teaching?”

I agree with you as well. But I don’t think Goldsworthy is advocating that we abandon this verse by verse method. Rather, he emphasizes again and again that we must treat each passage in its context, specifically within its ‘biblical theology’ context, if you know what I mean. In fact, he sounds a lot like John Owen in the book ‘Biblical Theology’ that I reviewed awhile back here.

Nevertheless, I’m intrigued by this work, and will try to post some relevant quotes here again as I make my way through it. I’m certainly curious as to how my Reformed Baptist brothers (1689 of course) think about this work.

Thanks for the comment.

That’s a good quotation. I have been thinking so much about this subject for about a year now and am presently reading Clowney’s “Preaching Christ in all of Scripture”. You kindly linked to White Horse Inn on my blog yesterday…I listened to the latest instalment this morning and it was on this very same theme and very helpful.

Does Goldsworthy write much about how to overcome the NT problem he highlights? I still think it is essential to preach verse by verse through the Epistles, how else can you cover the depth of teaching? I think similar to the OT, the preacher must consciously avoid moralistic sermonising by always referring to the grand context of the letter…Christ alone, not just for justification, but also sanctification, and glorification.