Preaching and Biblical Theology: Proclaiming God’s Word from the Whole Bible (Biblical-Theological Preaching)

The relationship between preaching and biblical theology is one of the most vital areas for the life of the church. Preaching is not simply about conveying ideas, but about communicating God’s revelation as it unfolds across the whole Bible. Biblical theology provides the framework for this task, tracing the progressive revelation of God’s purposes and centering them on Jesus Christ. The preacher, therefore, cannot avoid biblical theology; every sermon will either model good or bad biblical theology.

This article explores the relationship of preaching and biblical theology under several themes, showing why preaching needs biblical theology, how Jesus and the apostles modeled this approach, and how it provides coherence, variety, and apologetic strength for the church.

1. The Imperative of Preaching in Biblical Theology

The Bible does not permit its readers to remain silent. True biblical theology demands proclamation. From the opening pages of Scripture, God’s word is revealed to be not only spoken but also commanded to be taught, explained, and passed on to others. Preaching becomes the natural outflow of biblical theology because the God who has spoken calls his people to speak his truth as well.

A biblical theology of preaching can be summarized in three declarations: God has spoken. It is written. Preach the word. God’s revelation comes in words, preserved in Scripture, and entrusted to his people to proclaim. This task is not optional for theologians or preachers; it is the necessary result of encountering God’s word.

2. God Has Spoken Through His Word

The foundation of biblical preaching rests on the conviction that God has spoken. The words of Scripture are not human inventions but divine revelation. God has accommodated himself to us by speaking in human language so that we might know him, trust his Son, and live in obedience to his will.

This conviction is seen throughout the Bible. Hebrews begins by declaring, “In the past God spoke… but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1–2). John calls Jesus the Word (John 1:1), and Paul describes him as one who “preached peace” (Ephesians 2:17). Preaching, therefore, is never merely human speech. It is the means by which God’s word is communicated to his people.

3. God’s Word Preserved in Scripture

When God spoke, he also ensured his words were recorded for future generations. Moses wrote down God’s commands so that Israel and later generations might know the covenant (Deuteronomy 31:9–13). The rediscovery of these writings in Josiah’s day brought revival (2 Kings 22). In the New Testament, the teachings of Jesus and his apostles were written down so that the church throughout the ages would receive God’s truth (1 Corinthians 10:11).

This inscripturated word now forms the complete revelation of God’s saving acts and their meaning. Preaching must always flow from this written word, for it is in Scripture that God continues to speak today.

4. The Call to Preach the Word

The command to preach reverberates throughout the Bible. Prophets, priests, and wise teachers were all called to communicate God’s word. In the New Testament, apostles, pastors, and teachers are entrusted with proclaiming the kingdom of God and the gospel of Christ. Paul exhorted Timothy with clarity: “Preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Preaching is not confined to pastors alone. Ordinary believers are also called to encourage one another with God’s word (Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 3:13). Biblical theology reminds us that proclamation is the responsibility of the whole people of God.

5. The Mutual Dependence of Theology and Preaching

Theologian Gerhard Ebeling famously wrote, “Theology without proclamation is empty; proclamation without theology is blind.” Theology that remains in the academy without proclamation is sterile, and preaching that lacks theological reflection is shallow or even destructive.

This interdependence means that preachers must ground their sermons in biblical theology rather than cultural commentary or personal insight. Biblical theology ensures that preaching communicates God’s revelation faithfully, not human speculation.

6. The Inescapable Practice of Biblical Theology in Preaching

Unlike scholars who can sometimes ignore biblical theology, preachers cannot avoid it. Every sermon presupposes some form of biblical theology. The question is whether it is faithful or misguided.

For example, preaching the command “Do not commit adultery” without grounding it in the gospel risks implying salvation by moral perfection. Preaching Old Testament promises of land without connecting them to Christ risks political distortion. Every sermon must situate its text in the context of God’s unfolding plan of salvation.

This means that preachers need to read each passage in its literary, historical, and theological context. Only then can they communicate the Bible as God intended.

7. Jesus and the Apostles as Preachers of Biblical Theology

Jesus himself modeled biblical theology in preaching. He rebuked the Pharisees with the words, “Have you not read?” (Matthew 19:4), reminding them of the true meaning of Scripture. On the road to Emmaus, he opened the Scriptures to show that the Law, Prophets, and Psalms all pointed to him (Luke 24:25–27, 44–47).

Paul followed the same pattern. In Acts 28, he proclaimed the kingdom of God and sought to persuade his hearers about Jesus from the Law and the Prophets. His ministry summary to the Ephesian elders highlights repentance, faith in Christ, preaching the kingdom, and declaring the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:21–27).

Preachers today are called to the same task: to proclaim Christ from all of Scripture.

8. The Benefits of Biblical Theology for Preaching

Preaching shaped by biblical theology produces significant benefits for the church:

• Coherence: It helps congregations see the unity of the Bible, tracing God’s plan from promise to fulfillment in Christ.

• Variety and humanity: It draws on every genre of Scripture and respects the humanity of the biblical authors while affirming divine inspiration.

• Apologetic strength: It equips believers with a biblical worldview that counters secularism, postmodernism, and false teaching by rooting them in the grand narrative of God’s redemptive plan.

By using biblical theology, preaching turns people from the shallow question “What does this text mean to me?” toward the foundational question “What does this text mean?”

9. The Aim of Letting the Text Speak

Both preaching and biblical theology share the same aim: to let the text speak. Von Rad urged preachers to remember that “every text wants to speak for itself.” The preacher’s role is not to overshadow the text with abstract theology or cultural opinion, but to release the meaning and power of the text as it stands in the progressive revelation of Scripture.

In this way, biblical theology ensures that preaching communicates not just timeless truths but God’s living word, spoken in Christ, for the church in every generation.