New Testament and Mission: Historical and Hermeneutical was written by Associate Professor of New Testament Exegesis at the Department of Biblical Studies, University of Aarhus, Denmark, Johannes Nissen.
Nissen believes that the New Testament’s theology of mission is multidimensional, each author and genre emphasis a different perspective, which should be viewed in harmony rather then homogenized together.
To show this Nisssen parses the New Testament canon up into different sections and addresses them individually, rather then presenting an overall theology and proof texting the scripture that agrees with him.
Chapter one helps set the trajectory of the book, you can break the remaining chapters up into the following sections:
- The ways in which the Gospels and Acts present mission (ch. 2-5)
- Matthew looks at discipleship and has articulates his theology in the great commission
- Mark presents a inclusive theology of mission
- Luke has a theology of mission that includes sharing as a core value, which flows out of God sharing his life with us through the Holy Spirit
- John emphasises the sending element of mission, which is shown most powerfully through the incarnation.
- The way Paul presents mission (ch. 6-7) has a strong focus on grace, faith, and justice, and how these things are worked out in the real church in Collossians and Ephesians.
- The way mission is presented in other NT material (Ch 8) particularly in 1 Peter, Revelation has a strong emphasis on hope and
The final chapter focuses on how mission continues to work into the present. Christianity has made is home in many cultures, but the mission has a gravity that is outside of any particular culture. The church has a pilgrim character that is at work wherever the mission finds its métier.
I find all of these themes to be incredibly important, and am glad they are presented in the book in such a way that it allows the thoughts and values of different Biblical authors to be presented rather then simply making a list. For me it gives a context to the material with is much more useful, and helps me read the scriptures, and my own context with a better lens. This book raises more questions in my mind then it answers, but offers some valuable paradigms that I think will help anyone working out a theology of mission immensely.
One thing that I wish had more discussion was the issue of sacraments. I recently spoke with a Lutheran minister in Michigan who argued that any biblical mission must have a sacramental life. in his words, Christians must, “go to the place where Jesus IS; the place where He speaks to us His Holy Word and fills us with His Holy Body and Blood.”
I’d like to know how essential the Johannes Nissen finds the sacraments.
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