Discovering the Message of the Bible

Discovering the Message of the Bible brings together two important works by two leading evangelical scholars of the twentieth century—H.L. Ellison and F.F. Bruce. Ellison provides a primer to the understanding of the Old Testament; Bruce presents "the central message of New Testament . . . in a creative and invigorating way," said Christianity Today. Both men saw the unity of the two sections of the Bible.

"The Old Testament is incomplete without the New," explains Ellison, "for in all its portions it is looking forward to its fulfilment, but the New is also incomplete without the Old." The central message of the New Testament, says Bruce, is "Jesus Christ is Lord." And in Him the Old Testament "prophecies are fulfilled."

H.L. Ellison, a biblical scholar, professor, Anglican missionary to Jews in Europe in the early 20th century, and author, wrote most of The Message of the Old Testament as a series of articles for The Witness, a respected British Brethren monthly magazine. He opens the Old Testament and provides a primer to the understanding of it as a whole.

Upon the successful publication of Ellison's book in 1969 by Paternoster Press, Bruce wrote The Message of the New Testament as a companion volume, based in part on talks he had given at the North Midlands Young People's Holiday Conference. It was published in 1972. "He writes in language simple enough to be understood by beginning Bible students, yet rich enough to stimulate and challenge those who have been studying the Scriptures for years," said Christianity Today. This modern classic has been called "refreshingly sane and sober."