Knowing God the Father Through the Old Testament

Christopher Wright's exploration of divine fatherhood emerges from his conviction that Christians have too often bypassed the Hebrew Scriptures in their understanding of God as Father. Writing as both biblical scholar and missiologist, Wright addresses the tendency to view the Old Testament God as harsh and distant while reserving fatherly intimacy for the New Testament revelation. His work seeks to demonstrate that the fatherhood of God, far from being a merely Christian innovation, has deep roots in Israel's scriptures and experience.

Wright traces the metaphor of divine fatherhood through multiple streams of Old Testament witness. He examines God's relationship with Israel as his firstborn son, exploring how the Exodus narrative establishes a foundational pattern of divine rescue, provision, and discipline that mirrors human fatherhood at its best. The book analyzes the Davidic covenant's father-son language, showing how God's commitment to David and his dynasty reveals both tender care and unwavering faithfulness. Wright also investigates the prophetic literature's use of fatherly imagery, particularly in contexts of judgment and restoration, demonstrating how divine anger serves paternal love rather than contradicting it. Throughout, he argues that understanding God's fatherhood requires grappling with the full range of paternal responsibilities, including correction and protection, not merely affection.

This work has provided pastors and teachers with biblical grounding for preaching and teaching about God's fatherhood while addressing contemporary questions about patriarchal imagery in scripture. Wright's careful exegesis offers resources for those seeking to understand divine fatherhood in cultures where earthly fathers are absent or abusive. Who should read this: pastors wanting to preach confidently about God as Father from Old Testament texts, and Christians troubled by harsh images of God in the Hebrew Scriptures who need to see the continuity between testaments. Those looking for systematic theology rather than biblical theology should look elsewhere.