A. B. Simpson's Christ in the Bible Commentary emerged from his pastoral conviction that every scripture points ultimately to Christ and his work of salvation and sanctification. Writing during his tenure as founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Simpson produced this multi-volume commentary between 1888 and 1915 as both biblical exposition and devotional guide. The work grew out of his preaching ministry and his commitment to what he called the "Fourfold Gospel" — Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.
Simpson's commentary is less concerned with critical scholarship than with practical spirituality and Christological interpretation. He reads each biblical book through the lens of Christ's redemptive work, emphasizing themes of divine healing, the deeper Christian life, and missionary obligation. His approach combines careful attention to biblical text with mystical insight and practical application. The commentary reflects Simpson's distinctive theology of sanctification as a definite second work of grace, his belief in divine healing as normative for the church age, and his premillennial eschatology. Throughout, he maintains that scripture's primary purpose is not merely historical or doctrinal instruction but spiritual transformation through encounter with the living Christ.
The commentary became influential within Pentecostal and charismatic circles for its Christ-centered hermeneutic and its integration of biblical exposition with themes of spiritual power and missionary urgency. Simpson's emphasis on divine healing and the availability of supernatural gifts helped shape early Pentecostal biblical interpretation, while his devotional approach made complex theological concepts accessible to lay readers seeking spiritual growth.
Who should read this: Pastors and lay readers in Pentecostal and charismatic traditions will find Simpson's Christological focus and emphasis on spiritual gifts congenial, as will those interested in the historical development of healing theology. Readers seeking critical biblical scholarship or detailed exegetical analysis should look elsewhere.
Christ in the Bible
by A. B. Simpson
A. B. Simpson's Christ in the Bible Commentary emerged from his pastoral conviction that every scripture points ultimately to Christ and his work of salvation and sanctification. Writing during his tenure as founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Simpson produced this multi-volume commentary between 1888 and 1915 as both biblical exposition and devotional guide. The work grew out of his preaching ministry and his commitment to what he called the "Fourfold Gospel" — Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.
Simpson's commentary is less concerned with critical scholarship than with practical spirituality and Christological interpretation. He reads each biblical book through the lens of Christ's redemptive work, emphasizing themes of divine healing, the deeper Christian life, and missionary obligation. His approach combines careful attention to biblical text with mystical insight and practical application. The commentary reflects Simpson's distinctive theology of sanctification as a definite second work of grace, his belief in divine healing as normative for the church age, and his premillennial eschatology. Throughout, he maintains that scripture's primary purpose is not merely historical or doctrinal instruction but spiritual transformation through encounter with the living Christ.
The commentary became influential within Pentecostal and charismatic circles for its Christ-centered hermeneutic and its integration of biblical exposition with themes of spiritual power and missionary urgency. Simpson's emphasis on divine healing and the availability of supernatural gifts helped shape early Pentecostal biblical interpretation, while his devotional approach made complex theological concepts accessible to lay readers seeking spiritual growth.
Who should read this: Pastors and lay readers in Pentecostal and charismatic traditions will find Simpson's Christological focus and emphasis on spiritual gifts congenial, as will those interested in the historical development of healing theology. Readers seeking critical biblical scholarship or detailed exegetical analysis should look elsewhere.
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