Towards an Exegetical Theology by Walter Kaiser

Dr. Kaiser’s goal in Toward an Exegetical Theology is to fill in a gaping hole in the academic preparation for ministry “between the study of the biblical text...and the actual delivery of messages to God's people,” by teaching the student “how one moves from analyzing the text over to constructing a sermon that accurately reflects that same analysis and is directly dependent on it” (8).

He seeks to accomplish this though what he calls the syntactical-theological method, which does not replace, but instead adds to the grammatico-historical method, seeing the twin ideas of syntactical (ch. 4, 8) and theological studies (ch. 6) as the bridge across the gap.

After introducing the book by summarizing modern catastrophes in exegetical studies, he shows what exegesis is and is not by surveying the history of exegesis (ch. 1-2).

He defines exegesis as the diligent “practice of and the set of procedures for discovering the author’s intended meaning” (47), with the homiletical goal of proclaiming God's Word “in such a way that it can be heard with all its poignancy and relevancy to the modern situation without dismissing one iota of its original normativeness” (48).

The major section of the book is devoted to explaining his method of interpretation (ch. 3-8), after which he applies the method to three specific biblical genres (ch. 9-11).

He is keenly aware that his very detailed book may have just made the process of going from exegesis to exposition overwhelming, so he concludes with a big picture reminder to preachers of the need for the Spirit’s ministry and power though His Word in their lives and ministries.

Sadly, I have owned this excellent book for well over five years, but only read it when I was assigned to do so in seminary. I say "sadly" because this book is immensely helpful and formative for what is becoming the exegetical method I will follow as I embark on the journey of preparing sermons for the rest of my life (Lord willing).