ASSEMBLIES OF GOD
Putting Jesus in His Place
The Case for the Deity of Christ
by Tim Lord
ROBERT M. BOWMAN, JR. AND J. ED KOMOSZEWSKI (Kregel, 392 pp., paperback)
In recent years, opponents of Christianity have attacked Jesus’ divine status by claiming that Christians never worshiped Jesus as God until the time of Constantine. Bowman and Komoszewski’s book, Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ, shows that the divinity of Christ was not an afterthought of the fourth-century church, but was the firm belief of the first-century biblical writers.
The authors use the acronym HANDS to communicate the Bible’s teaching about Christ’s deity: Jesus shares the honors, attributes, names, and deeds of God; and occupies the seat of God’s throne. Rather than relying on a handful of proof texts, the authors show that throughout the New Testament, the writers reveal Jesus as divine while upholding the Old Testament commitment to monotheism. Putting Jesus in His Place also includes 74 pages of extensive content notes, a convenient review table of the main points, and a helpful Scripture index, making it a valuable reference.
The book’s strengths lie in its readable style and detailed examination. Its chief weakness is that the authors framed most of the arguments to answer Jehovah’s Witnesses, rather than secular opponents. More space devoted to explaining the relevance of this debate for everyday Christian living would be welcome. Notwithstanding these minor drawbacks, the book makes a useful reference for pastors, a valuable study tool for those desiring a better grasp of Christology, and a profitable text for small-group discussions.
Reviewed by Tim Lord, M.Div. student, Global University, Springfield, Missouri