Book Report: Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon

Marty Solomon sat at our Dining Room table and swore us to secrecy. We took the solemn vows. We signed the FriendDA. We made our irrevocable oaths together. This thing that he would tell us, not a soul would hear about it from us.

Marty was writing a book, already signed by a publisher.

He would extricate me from all of those oaths and vows and secrets once I signed up for his Launch Team. Then it became a matter of fealty to make as much noise as possible about the book. Like treason, it seems, divulgation is just a matter of dates.

Here’s the part where I have to be honest. Immediately upon hearing of the upcoming publication, I thought to myself, “what could Marty possibly have to write about that he hasn’t already developed on the BEMA Podcast?!” But on the outside, I was a master of facial management. I’m sure I gave him all manner of encouragement and feigned excitement.

In fairness, he was affectionately cynical about my book, too. And I’m not betraying him by saying so. To the extent that he was laudatory in his endorsement printed on the book itself, he compensated for all that in his remarks on Goodreads. Turnabout is fair-play, Marty. My how the turn tables…

In truth, this book has already taken its place in my top ten recommendations, perhaps top five, maybe even top three. Don’t press me. I’m not great with favorite-favorites. But I can tell you with ease and confident joy how worthy of your time is this book.

The topography of Christian writing is oftentimes a wasteland of minefields strewn with the fatalities of earnest seekers suffering at the whims of countless pedagogues who only wanted them to know how wrong they were. In contrast, Marty doesn’t proclaim nearly as much as he invites. While he makes no small amount of historical and theological pronouncements, all of them steeped in historicity and hermeneutics, what he asks for more than anything else is kindness and humility in our companionable pursuit of truth. Then he demonstrates how accessible is that very posture in his writing. It turns out that one can indeed be a theologian without assuming a heavy hand or contriving a sanctimonious tone.

Whether it goes by the designation of Paul within Judaism, New Paul Perspective, Hebrew Roots, Messianic Judaism… the result is largely the same. A new Reformation is taking place in our own day. Archaeology in the land of Israel combined with ongoing translations of recently discovered extra-Biblical texts, these relatively recent phenomena are revitalizing the Ancient Scriptures and rejuvenating God’s people across the multifarious expanse of denominations and wisdom traditions. Asking Better Questions of the Bible by Marty Solomon is a clarion note in this new movement of God’s symphony. And we are so privileged to witness this performance even as we join the composition in the time of our own singing.

Good work, Marty. Our Dining Room table still awaits your return. Maybe I won’t hide my thoughts from you next time…