Study Guide: A New Testament Biblical Theology by G. K. Beale

Overview of the Book’s Thesis

Beale’s central thesis is that the New Testament authors understood every major concept of Christian theology as a facet of the inaugurated end-time new creation and kingdom. What the Old Testament expected to happen in one single, sudden event at the end of history has broken into the middle of history through Jesus Christ creating an “already, but not yet” eschatological reality.

Overview of Chapters 1-3

Chapters 1-3 lay the foundation for Part 1 of Beale’s volume. Beale begins by establishing his methodological framework for biblical theology and introducing his central thesis is that Christ has inaugurated the end-time new-creational kingdom (Chapter 1). He then traces the Old Testament’s overarching storyline from the failed Adam commission in Eden through its recapitulation in Israel to prophetic hope (Chapter 2), before demonstrating how the Old Testament canonical narrative consistently looks forward to a monolithic, single-stage end-time expectation in the “latter days” (Chapter 3).

Chapter 1: Introduction

Summary

In Chapter 1, Beale establishes the methodological framework and central proposal for the entire volume.

• Definition of Biblical Theology: Beale defines biblical theology as an interpretive approach that seeks to understand the canonical story of Scripture on its own terms. Rather than organizing theology by topic (like systematic theology), biblical theology traces the historical progression and organic unfolding of God’s redemptive plan through biblical history.
• Hermeneutical Presupposition: The New Testament (NT) authors did not use the Old Testament (OT) out of context or invent meaning arbitrarily. Instead, they read the OT contextually, seeing Jesus and the Church as the organic fulfillment of OT promises, types, and trajectories.
• The Organizing Central Theme: Beale proposes that the single overarching storyline connecting both testaments is: Jesus Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension have inaugurated the end-time new-creational kingdom.
• The “Already and Not Yet” Framework: The core tension of the NT is that the long-awaited end-time realities (resurrection, the kingdom, the new temple, the Spirit) have already arrived in Christ, but are not yet fully consummated until His second coming.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Methodology: How does Beale’s definition of Biblical Theology differ from Systematic Theology? Why is it important (or helpful) to read the New Testament as an unfolding story rather than a set of isolated doctrinal proof-texts?

2. Central Theme: Beale argues that “inaugurated new creation and kingdom” is the central lens for New Testament theology. How does framing Christianity around “new creation” alter the way we think about salvation compared to viewing salvation merely as “going to heaven when we die”?

3. The “Already Not Yet”: Where in your personal Christian walk or ministry do you feel the tension between the “already” blessings of the gospel and the “not yet” struggle against sin and suffering?

Chapter 2: The Redemptive-Historical Storyline of the Old Testament

Summary

Chapter 2 lays the foundational storyline of the Old Testament that the New Testament fulfills. Beale traces a continuous narrative thread from Genesis to the Prophets through the lens of God’s kingdom and sanctuary.

• Eden as the Prototype Sanctuary: Creation was meant to be God’s cosmic temple, and Eden was its inner holy place.
• The Creation Mandate (The “Adam Commission”): In Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:15, God creates Adam as His image-bearing priest-king. Adam’s commission was to be fruitful, multiply, subdue the earth, and expand the sacred boundaries of Eden until God’s glorious presence filled the entire world.
• The Fall and the Truncated Commission: Adam failed the test, surrendered his rule to the serpent, and brought divine curse and exile upon creation.
• The Pattern of Recapitulation (Sub-Adams): God does not abandon His original plan. He re-issues Adam’s commission to successive figures:
  • Noah (Gen 9:1)
  • The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen 12:1-3; 17:2; 28:13-14)
  • Israel as a Corporate Adam: Called to be God’s kingdom of priests in the Land of Canaan (a new Eden) to reflect God’s light to the surrounding nations.
  • David and the Kings: Expected to shepherd God’s people and build a permanent sanctuary for God’s presence.
• Exile and Prophetic Hope: Israel failed like Adam, resulting in covenantal curses and exile. However, OT prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel) prophesied a Second Exodus, a New Covenant, a Restored Temple, a Davidic Messiah, and an ultimate New Creation where God’s original Edenic purpose for humanity would finally be realized.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The Edenic Sanctuary: What evidence does Scripture give that Eden functioned as the first temple? How does seeing Eden as a temple change how we read Genesis 1-3?

2. The “Adam Commission”: Trace the command to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” through Noah, Abraham, and Israel. What was humanity originally supposed to achieve?

3. Israel as Corporate Adam: In what ways did Israel repeat the pattern of Adam’s fall in their own history? Why did Israel need more than just a return to their physical land to solve their exile?

Chapter 3: The Eschatological Storyline of the Old Testament: The Old Testament Focus on the Latter Days

Summary

In Chapter 3, Beale demonstrates that the Old Testament is inherently eschatological (end-time oriented) from the start.

• Redefining “Eschatology”: Popularly, eschatology refers only to end-time events (e.g., antichrist, rapture, final judgment). Beale shows that in OT Biblical Theology, eschatology refers to the entire future epoch when God intervenes to fulfill His creation covenant, destroy evil, and establish His everlasting rule.
• The Hebrew ConceptAcharit Hayyamim(“Latter Days”): Beale meticulously examines key Old Testament uses of the phrase “in the latter days / end of days” across the canon:
  • Genesis 49:1 (Jacob blessing his sons regarding the coming tribe of Judah).
  • Numbers 24:14 (Balaam’s prophecy of a royal star/scepter destroying Israel’s enemies).
  • Deuteronomy 4:30 & 31:29 (Israel’s future tribulation, idolatry, exile, and ultimate latter-day return/repentance).
  • Isaiah 2:2 (The mountain of the Lord’s house established in the latter days, drawing all nations).
  • Daniel 2, 8, & 10-12 (The four earthly kingdoms dismantled by the end-time kingdom of God and the Son of Man).
  • Hosea 3:5 (Israel seeking the Lord and David their king in the latter days).
• The Monolithic OT Expectation: The Old Testament created an expectation that when the “latter days” arrived, all end-time events would happen simultaneously in one single, dramatic climax:
  • Universal judgment on the wicked.
  • Bodily resurrection of the dead.
  • Final defeat of Satan/evil.
  • Restoration of Israel and gathering of the Gentiles.
  • Establishment of the Messianic King and New Creation.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Rethinking Eschatology: How does Beale’s definition of “latter days” differ from the typical way end-times prophecy is discussed in popular culture?

2. Daniel’s Vision: How does Daniel 2 (the image crushed by the stone) contribute to the Old Testament understanding of God’s incoming end-time kingdom?

3. The Single-Stage Expectation: Did OT saints and prophets expect all end-time events (judgment, resurrection, messianic kingdom) to happen at once? If so, why might that be?  Assuming they did, how does recognizing this help explain why many 1st-century Jews struggled to recognize Jesus as the Messiah?

Synthesis & Group Reflection

• Connecting Chapters 1-3: How does tracing the storyline from the Edenic Commission (Ch. 2) to the Prophetic Latter Days (Ch. 3) help us understand why Jesus opened His ministry by declaring, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15)?

Overview of Chapters 4-6

Chapters 4-6 form the completion of Part 1 of Beale’s volume. After establishing the Old Testament’s foundational storyline and its monolithic end-time expectation in Chapters 2 and 3, Beale turns to how Second Temple Judaism interpreted those promises (Chapter 4), how the New Testament radically redefines their timing through an “already, but not yet” framework (Chapter 5), and how this formulates a unified central storyline for the entire New Testament (Chapter 6).

Chapter 4: The Eschatological Storyline of the Old Testament in Relation to Judaism: The Jewish Focus on the Latter Days

Summary

Chapter 4 examines how non-canonical Jewish literature written between the Old and New Testaments (the Second Temple period, c. 200 BC – AD 100) interpreted the Old Testament’s prophecies regarding the “latter days.”

• Continuity with the Old Testament Expectation: Second Temple Jewish writings (e.g., 1 Enoch, 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch, the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, and the Psalms of Solomon) largely preserved the single-stage, monolithic view of the end times found in the OT.
• National and Political Deliverance: Intertestamental Judaism primarily anticipated that the arrival of the “latter days” would bring immediate political liberation from heathen oppression (specifically Rome), the physical restoration of national Israel, and the earthly destruction of God’s pagan enemies.
• Single-Stage Consummation: Jewish writers expected all end-time events to occur in one rapid sequence: the arrival of the Messiah/Son of Man, the defeat of foreign empires, the physical resurrection of the righteous, and the building of a glorious new Jerusalem temple.
• The Messianic Stumbling Block: Because 1st-century Jewish literature expected a triumphant, single-stage end-time event, the majority of Jews were unequipped to recognize a Messiah who died on a Roman cross, launched a spiritual kingdom, and deferred physical judgment to an unspecified future date.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Jewish End-Time Expectations: How did Jewish literature during the Second Temple period (e.g., the Dead Sea Scrolls or 4 Ezra) understand the “latter days”? In what ways did their expectations mirror the literal text of Old Testament prophecy?

2. The First-Century Misunderstanding: How does understanding the Second Temple Jewish worldview explain why Jesus’s disciples continually asked about restoring the political kingdom to Israel (e.g., Acts 1:6) and struggled to accept His coming death?

3. The Danger of Misinterpretation: Second Temple Jews missed the Messiah because He did not fit their expected timeline or political mold. How can modern Christians fall into a similar trap of over-literalizing or misinterpreting God’s redemptive plan today?

Chapter 5: The Eschatological Storyline of the Old Testament in Relation to the New Testament: The New Testament Focus on the Latter Days

Summary

Chapter 5 presents one of the most critical conceptual breakthroughs of Beale’s biblical theology: the New Testament’s structural transformation of Old Testament eschatology.

• The Overlapping of the Two Ages: The OT and Second Temple Judaism viewed history as two successive ages: This Present Evil Age ending abruptly when The Age to Come begins. The NT alters this schema into two overlapping ages. The Age to Come (the end times / latter days) broke into This Present Age through Jesus, meaning both ages temporarily operate simultaneously.
• Explicit New Testament Texts on Realized Eschatology: Beale demonstrates that the NT authors explicitly claim to be living in the OT “latter days” right now:
  • Hebrews 1:1-2: God has spoken to us “in these last days” through His Son.
  • Acts 2:16-17: Peter declares Pentecost to be the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy for “the last days.”
  • 1 Corinthians 10:11: Paul asserts that believers are those “on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”
  • 1 John 2:18 & 1 Peter 1:20: The apostles insist that the “last hour” and final age have already arrived in Christ.
• Inaugurated Fulfillment: All major OT end-time expectations: the resurrection, the new creation, the defeat of Satan, the new temple, and the kingdom have already been inaugurated in Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of the Spirit, but await their not yet final consummation at Christ’s return.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The Overlapping Ages Schema: How does the concept of two overlapping ages (“This Present Age” and “The Age to Come”) resolve the apparent mystery of why the end times have lasted over 2,000 years?

2. Scriptural Proofs of Realized Eschatology: Look closely at Acts 2:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 10:11. How do these passages change how we read Old Testament end-time prophecies compared to reading them as purely future events?

3. Living in the Tension: In what practical ways does believing that we are already living in the end times (the “latter days”) change our daily Christian priority, evangelism, and view of world history?

Chapter 6: Further Reflections on the Nature of the Eschatological New Testament Storyline

Summary

In Chapter 6, Beale synthesizes his findings into a definitive, unified storyline for the New Testament and reflects on how this overarching theme unifies the diverse NT writers.

• Beale’s Formulated New Testament Storyline: Beale provides his core summary statement for the entire New Testament:“Jesus Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension have inaugurated the end-time new-creational kingdom, in which believers participate, suffering through tribulation while spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth, until Christ returns to consummate the new creation and kingdom.”
  
• Harmony Among Diverse NT Authors: While individual NT writers emphasize different facets, they all share this same underlying storyline:
  • Synoptic Gospels: Focus on the inauguration of the Kingdom of God.
  • Pauline Epistles: Focus on the Resurrection and New Creation (e.g., 2 Cor 5:17).
  • Johannine Literature: Focus on Eternal Life as an end-time reality experienced today.
  • Hebrews & Revelation: Focus on the Eschatological Temple, High Priesthood, and Final Consummation.
• Typological Fulfillment: The NT authors do not reinterpret the OT arbitrarily. Rather, Jesus fulfills OT history typologically: He is the true Adam, the true Israel, the true Temple, and the true Davidic King who executes God’s global commission.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The Core NT Storyline: Read Beale’s formulated storyline for the New Testament. What essential components of the gospel narrative does this summary highlight that standard popular gospel presentations often omit?

2. Unity in Diversity: How do the Synoptics, Paul, and John express the same “already, but not yet” new creation reality using different terms (e.g., “Kingdom of God,” “New Creation,” “Eternal Life”)?

3. The Church’s Role in the Story: According to Beale, how does the Church fit into this inaugurated new-creational storyline between Christ’s first and second comings?

Synthesis & Group Reflection

• Connecting Chapters 4-6: How does contrasting Second Temple Jewish expectations (Ch. 4) with the New Testament’s “already, but not yet” fulfillment (Ch. 5-6) deepen your appreciation for why Jesus’ resurrection is not just a miracle proving His divinity, but the actual beginning of the end-time New Creation?

Overview of Chapters 7-11

Chapters 7 through 11 cover Parts 2 and 3 of Beale’s volume. Having shown that the Old Testament expects an end-time climax, Beale demonstrates how the two greatest pillars of end-time expectations are the Great Tribulation (Chapter 7) and the Resurrection/New Creation (Chapters 8-11) have both been inaugurated in Jesus Christ and continue in the experience of the Church.

Chapter 7: The Eschatological Great Tribulation Commencing in Jesus and the Church

Summary

In Chapter 7 (Part 2), Beale addresses the concept of the end-time “Great Tribulation” predicted in the Old Testament (especially Daniel 10-12) and intertestamental Jewish literature.

• Inaugurated Tribulation: Popular theology often places the Great Tribulation exclusively in a future period immediately preceding the end of history. Beale proves that, like the Kingdom and Resurrection, the end-time Tribulation has already been inaugurated in history.
• Jesus Absorbs the Tribulation: The end-time suffering expected for God’s covenant people fell first upon Jesus at the cross. On the cross, Jesus underwent the definitive trial and curse of the end times on behalf of His people.
• The Church’s Participation in Christ’s Suffering: Because believers are in union with Christ, they inevitably participate in His inaugurated end-time suffering. The persecution, trial, and distress experienced by the Church are not accidental setbacks; they are the ongoing manifestation of the inaugurated end-time tribulation (e.g., Col 1:24; Rev 1:9).
• Suffering Before Glory: In the inaugurated end-time storyline, suffering in the present evil age is the prerequisite pathway to reigning in the new-creational kingdom.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Rethinking the Great Tribulation: How does Beale’s proposal that the end-time Tribulation began with Jesus and continues in the Church alter popular views that view “tribulation” as strictly a future multi-year event?

2. Union with Christ in Suffering: Paul speaks of “filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Col 1:24) and John identifies himself as a partner in “the tribulation and kingdom” (Rev 1:9). How does viewing hardship through this lens change how Christians endure suffering and opposition today?

3. The Purpose of Persecution: Why is suffering presented in the New Testament as an essential mark of belonging to the inaugurated Kingdom rather than a sign of God’s absence or failure?

Chapter 8: The Old Testament Jewish View of Resurrection and Resurrection as Inaugurated End-Time New Creation and Kingdom in the Gospels and Acts

Summary

Chapter 8 begins Part 3 by examining how bodily resurrection was understood in the Old Testament and Judaism, and how the Synoptic Gospels and Acts present Jesus’ resurrection as the actual catalyst of the New Creation.

• Resurrection as New Creation: In the Old Testament (e.g., Isa 26:19; Ezek 37; Dan 12:2), bodily resurrection was never viewed as a standalone miracle. It was understood as the specific physical mechanism by which God would usher in the New Creation and His everlasting Kingdom.
• Jesus’ Resurrection as the Firstfruits: When Jesus rose from the dead, it was not merely a miracle proving His divine authority; it was the actual beginning of the end-time resurrection of humanity breaking into the middle of history.
• The Son of Man and Second Adam: In the Gospels, Jesus’ resurrection enthrones Him as the Last Adam and Son of Man, restoring human rule over creation that was forfeited in Eden.
• Acts and the Outpouring of the Spirit: In Acts, the resurrection of Jesus and the subsequent gift of the Spirit at Pentecost are portrayed as the inauguration of the end-time restored Israel and the dawn of the new creation.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Resurrection and New Creation: Why did Old Testament saints and ancient Jews associate resurrection with the total renewal of the physical world rather than just an individual’s afterlife destination?

2. The Nature of Jesus’ Resurrection: How does viewing Jesus’ resurrection as the start of the general end-time resurrection alter our understanding of Easter compared to seeing it merely as an isolated, singular miracle?

3. Pentecost and Resurrection Power: In Acts 2, how does Peter connect Jesus’ resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit to the arrival of the “latter days”?

Chapter 9: Resurrection as Inaugurated End-Time New Creation and Kingdom in Paul’s Writings

Summary

In Chapter 9, Beale demonstrates that Paul’s entire theological framework, including salvation, sanctification, and union with Christ is rooted in the “already, but not yet” resurrection.

• Two Dimensions of Resurrection: Paul teaches that the end-time resurrection occurs in two stages:
  1. Spiritual Resurrection (Already): Believers have already been raised spiritually from spiritual death into new life through union with Christ (e.g., Rom 6:4-5; Eph 2:5-6; Col 2:12-13; 3:1).
  2. Physical Resurrection (Not Yet): Believers await the future physical resurrection of their bodies at Christ’s return (1 Cor 15).
• Union with Christ: Because believers are joined to Christ by faith, His resurrection status is legally and spiritually credited to them now. Regeneration is nothing less than the power of the end-time resurrection operating inside the believer.
• The Inner and Outer Person: Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 4:16 (“though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day”) reflects this exact tension: the physical body remains in the present dying age, while the inner spirit belongs to the inaugurated new creation.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Spiritual Resurrection: Look at Ephesians 2:5-6 (“made us alive together with Christ… and raised us up with him”). How does Paul use resurrection language to describe what happens the moment a person comes to faith?

2. Union with Christ: If regeneration is actually an end-time resurrection event occurring inside us now, how should this truth shape our battle against personal sin (see Romans 6:1-11)?

3. The Inner/Outer Person Tension: How does Paul’s distinction between the decaying “outer person” and the renewed “inner person” (2 Cor 4:16) provide comfort when facing physical aging, sickness, or weakness?

Chapter 10: More-Explicit Pauline Expressions of Resurrection as Inaugurated End-Time New Creation and Kingdom

Summary

Chapter 10 examines key passages where Paul explicitly uses the terminology of “new creation” (kaine ktisis) and cosmic Genesis imagery to describe the resurrection life of believers and the Church.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Beale shows that “new creation” here refers not only to individual moral transformation, but to the believer’s entrance into the inaugurated cosmic new creation launched by Christ’s resurrection.
• Galatians 6:15: “For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” Paul elevates the reality of the new creation above all Old Covenant boundary markers and social divisions.
• The New Genesis Imagery (2 Cor 4:6): Paul compares conversion to Genesis 1:3 (“God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness'”). Just as God created the original universe by His word, He performs a new act of creation in the human heart through the gospel of Christ.
• The Groaning Cosmos (Romans 8:19-23): Paul links the final physical redemption of believers’ bodies to the liberation of the entire physical universe, showing that human resurrection and cosmic renewal are inextricably tied together.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Understanding “New Creation”: How does Beale’s interpretation of 2 Corinthians 5:17 expand the standard view of “new creation” beyond individual personal transformation to include participation in a whole new cosmic order?

2. Galatians 6:15 and Christian Identity: Why does Paul state that identity markers like circumcision mean nothing compared to “new creation”? What cultural or religious identity markers do modern Christians sometimes elevate over new-creational identity?

3. Cosmic Hope: Read Romans 8:19-23. How does Paul’s vision of the physical earth being liberated from decay challenge views that picture eternity as an immaterial, non-earthly existence in the clouds?

Chapter 11: Resurrection as Inaugurated End-Time New Creation and Kingdom in the General Epistles and Revelation

Summary

In Chapter 11, Beale completes his survey of Part 3 by demonstrating that the General Epistles (Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John) and Revelation operate within the exact same inaugurated resurrection and new-creation framework found in Paul and the Gospels.

• Hebrews: Jesus’s resurrection and ascension mean He has entered the true, non-earthly end-time sanctuary as High Priest. Believers are already part of the heavenly Mount Zion and have “tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come” (Heb 6:5; 12:22).
• 1 Peter & James: Conversion is described as “new birth” or being “born again” (1 Pet 1:3, 23) by God’s word, and believers are called a “kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (Jas 1:18) explicit new-creation concepts.
• Revelation: Jesus is titled “the firstborn of the dead” and “the beginning of God’s creation” (Rev 1:5; 3:14). His resurrection has already constituted the Church as a “kingdom and priests” reigning on earth (Rev 5:10) as they await the physical descent of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21-22).

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Hebrews and the “Powers of the Age to Come”: What does Hebrews 6:5 mean when it says believers have tasted “the powers of the age to come”? How do we experience those powers in the life of the Church today?

2. James and Firstfruits: James 1:18 calls Christians a “kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” How does this creation image help us understand our mission and identity in a world that is still suffering under sin?

3. Revelation’s View of the Kingdom: Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 state that Christ has already made us a kingdom and priests. How does seeing our priestly kingdom role as present (rather than purely future) influence how the Church engages the world?

Synthesis & Group Reflection

• Connecting Chapters 7-11: How does holding together the inaugurated Tribulation (Ch. 7) and the inaugurated Resurrection/New Creation (Ch. 8-11) explain why the Christian life is simultaneously marked by intense trial and suffering on the outside, alongside profound joy, hope, and power on the inside?

Overview of Chapters 12-16

Chapters 12 through 16 comprise Parts 4 and 5 of Beale’s volume. Having shown that the end-time resurrection and kingdom have been inaugurated in Christ, Beale examines how this framework transforms our understanding of Sin, Idolatry, and the Divine Image (Chapters 12-14) and Salvation as New Creation, focusing specifically on Justification and Reconciliation (Chapters 15-16).

Chapter 12: Sin as Idolatry: Resembling the Image That Is Revered Either for Ruin or for Restoration

Summary

In Chapter 12 (Part 4), Beale articulates the fundamental nature of sin as idolatry, demonstrating how humanity’s worship shapes its spiritual trajectory and moral character.

• The Core Axiom of Idolatry: Beale highlights a central biblical principle grounded in Psalm 115:8, Psalm 135:18, and Isaiah 6: You become what you worship. Those who revere idols become like them: spiritually deaf, blind, lifeless, and destined for destruction.
• Adam’s Fall as Temple Sacrilege: Adam’s failure in Eden was fundamentally an act of idolatry. Rather than ruling as God’s priest-king and guarding the garden sanctuary against the serpent, Adam submitted to a creature, bringing spiritual death and ruin upon humanity.
• Reverence for Ruin or Restoration: Humanity is never neutral. Worshiping created things leads to spiritual decay and ruin, while worshiping the true and living God transforms worshippers into His glorious image for restoration and life.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The “You Become What You Worship” Principle: How do Psalm 115:8 and Isaiah 6 illustrate the spiritual mechanism of idolatry? In what ways do you see people today taking on the characteristics of the subtle idols they revere?

2. Adam’s Sanctuary Failure: How does viewing Adam’s fall as a failure of priestly duty in a temple sanctuary deepen our understanding of original sin beyond mere rule-breaking?

3. Idolatry vs. True Worship: If worshiping God conforms us to His image, how can conscious, daily focus on God’s character help dismantle functional idols in a Christian’s life?

Chapter 13: The Inaugurated End-Time Restoration of God’s Image in Humanity: The Old Testament and the Synoptic Gospels

Summary

Chapter 13 traces God’s redemptive plan to restore His marred image in humanity, beginning with Old Testament expectations and culminating in the earthly ministry of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels.

• The Original Commission Restored: God’s original intention for humanity to bear His image and exercise righteous rule was never abandoned. The OT pointed forward to a faithful Last Adam / Son of Man who would fulfill Adam’s original mandate.
• Jesus as the Ideal Image-Bearer: In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus succeeds where Adam and corporate Israel failed. He overcomes Satan’s temptations in the wilderness, casts out demons, and exercises true authority over creation.
• Restoration Through Discipleship: Jesus’s miracles and teachings are not merely displays of power; they signify the beginning of the restoration of the divine image in humanity. Through union with Christ and discipleship, believers begin to reflect God’s character once again.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The Wilderness Contrast: Compare Adam in the fertile garden with Jesus in the desolate wilderness. How does Jesus’s response to Satan’s temptations demonstrate that He is the true and faithful image-bearer?

2. Dominion Redefined: How does Jesus’s exercise of authority (serving, healing, self-sacrifice) redefine what true human “dominion” looks like compared to worldly power?

3. Discipleship and Image Restoration: How does following Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels restore the spiritual vision and hearing that idolatry destroyed?

Chapter 14: The Inaugurated End-Time Restoration of God’s Image in Humanity: Paul, Hebrews, and Revelation

Summary

In Chapter 14, Beale demonstrates how the rest of the New Testament develops the doctrine of Christ as the supreme Image of God and believers as participants in His transformed humanity.

• Pauline Epistles: Paul explicitly labels Christ as “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15; 2 Cor 4:4). Conversion initiates an “already, but not yet” process where believers are progressively “transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor 3:18; Col 3:10; Rom 8:29).
• Hebrews: Jesus is described as the “radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Heb 1:3). He fulfills Psalm 8’s destiny for humanity by suffering, dying, and being crowned with glory to lead many sons and daughters to glory.
• Revelation: John contrasts those who bear the “image and mark of the beast” with the redeemed who bear the name and image of God and the Lamb on their foreheads (Rev 14:1; 22:4), reigning with Christ in the end-time new creation.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Beholding and Being Transformed: Look at 2 Corinthians 3:18. What is the practical difference between trying to change through legalistic effort versus being transformed by “beholding the glory of the Lord”?

2. Hebrews and Human Destiny: How does Hebrews 2:5-10 show that the authority over creation originally promised to humanity in Genesis is achieved in Jesus and extended to believers?

3. The Battle of Images in Revelation: How does Revelation’s contrast between bearing the “mark of the beast” and the “seal of God” highlight the ultimate divide in human allegiance and worship?

Chapter 15: The Story of Salvation as New Creation: Inaugurated Latter-Day Justification

Summary

Chapter 15 opens Part 5 by placing the doctrine of Justification inside the end-time “already, but not yet” new-creation framework.

• Justification as an End-Time Event: In Old Testament and Second Temple Jewish expectation, justification was strictly an end-time, eschatological event at the final public acquittal of God’s people at the last judgment.
• Inaugurated Acquittal in Christ: Paul reveals that because Christ died for sins and was raised for our justification (Rom 4:25; 1 Tim 3:16), God’s end-time verdict of acquittal has broken forward into present history. Believers in Christ receive the final favorable verdict now.
• Justification as New Creation: Justification is not merely a legal transaction; it is an act of new creation. Just as God spoke physical light into existence at creation, He speaks the creative judicial word declaring the ungodly righteous based on Christ’s resurrection vindication.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Eschatological Justification: How does understanding justification as an end-time verdict brought into the present change the way we think about our current security in Christ?

2. Resurrection and Vindication: Why does Paul link justification so directly to Jesus’s resurrection in Romans 4:25 and 1 Timothy 3:16?

3. Assurance of Faith: How does knowing that the final end-time judgment has already been passed upon you in Christ free you from spiritual anxiety and self-justification?

Chapter 16: The Story of Salvation as New Creation: Inaugurated Latter-Day Reconciliation as New Creation and Restoration from Exile

Summary

In Chapter 16, Beale demonstrates that Reconciliation is another primary facet of the end-time new creation, representing humanity’s return from spiritual exile.

• Restoration from Exile: In the OT prophets, reconciliation meant God ending Israel’s covenantal exile and restoring intimate fellowship with His people.
• Vertical and Horizontal Reconciliation: Through the cross and resurrection, Christ accomplishes vertical reconciliation between God and humanity. This vertically restored relationship immediately breaks down horizontal barriers, reconciling Jew and Gentile into “one new humanity” (Eph 2:11-22).
• The Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor 5:17-20): Paul explicitly ties reconciliation to new creation (“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation… God reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation”). Believers are sent into the world as ambassadors of the inaugurated new creation.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Reconciliation and Exile: How does viewing salvation as a “return from spiritual exile” enrich our understanding of what Christ achieved on the cross?

2. Horizontal Unity in the Church: Read Ephesians 2:14-18. How does Christ’s creation of “one new humanity” mandate active reconciliation across cultural, social, and racial divides within the Church today?

3. Ambassadors of the New Creation: What does it look like for a local church to fulfill its calling as a “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18-20) in a broken and divided world?

Synthesis & Group Reflection

• Connecting Chapters 12-16: How do the restoration of God’s Image (Ch. 12-14), Justification (Ch. 15), and Reconciliation (Ch. 16) mutually support each other as dimensions of the same “already, but not yet” new-creational work of Christ?

Overview of Chapters 17-22

Chapters 17 through 22 encompass Parts 6 and 7 of Beale’s volume. Here, Beale focuses on the Work of the Holy Spirit as the chief agent of the new creation and the builder of God’s end-time temple (Chapters 17-19), and the identity of The Church as the Transformed, Restored Israel inheriting the universalized land promises of the Old Testament (Chapters 20-22).

Chapter 17: The Spirit as the Transforming Agent of the Inaugurated Eschatological New Creation

Summary

In Chapter 17 (Part 6), Beale explores the pneumatological center of New Testament theology, showing that the Holy Spirit is the personal power and agent driving the inaugurated new creation.

• The Spirit in Creation and Re-Creation: In Genesis 1:2, the Spirit hovered over the waters at the original creation. The OT prophets (Isaiah 32:15; 44:3; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Joel 2:28-29) predicted that the end-time restoration would be catalyzed by an outpouring of that same life-giving Spirit.
• The Spirit as “Firstfruits” and “Down Payment”: Paul describes the Spirit as the arrabon (pledge/down payment) and aparche (firstfruits) of our redemption (2 Cor 1:22; Rom 8:23). Experiencing the Spirit now is a literal taste and guarantee of the final cosmic new creation.
• Resurrection Power in the Believer: The resurrection of Jesus was an act of the Spirit (Rom 8:11). The same Spirit now indwells believers, empowering them to experience spiritual resurrection now and guaranteeing their future physical resurrection.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The Spirit and New Creation: How does connecting the Holy Spirit’s work in Genesis 1:2 to the OT prophets (e.g., Ezekiel 36) alter our understanding of the Spirit’s primary role in the New Testament?

2. Firstfruits and Down Payment: Paul calls the Holy Spirit the “firstfruits” (aparche) and “guarantee” (arrabon) of new creation. How does this framework elevate the work of the Spirit beyond mere emotional experiences or individual spiritual gifts?

3. Resurrection Life Today: If the Spirit inside believers is the very agent of Jesus’ end-time resurrection, how should that truth influence our confidence in overcoming sin and living for God?

Chapter 18: The Commencement of the Spirit’s Building of Believers into the Transformed Temple of the End-Time New Creation

Summary

Chapter 18 shows how the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2) marks the historical inauguration of God’s long-promised end-time sanctuary.

• Pentecost as Temple Inauguration: At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended with wind and fire imagery directly parallel to God’s glory filling the Tabernacle (Exod 40) and Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 8).
• Believers as the Living Temple: Pentecost was not merely a miracle of tongues; it was the divine dedication of the Church as the new, transformed end-time temple. Believers collectively become the dwelling place of God’s Spirit on earth.
• Christ as the Foundation and Chief Cornerstone: In Acts and the Epistles, Jesus is identified as the foundational stone rejected by the builders but exalted by God, upon whom believers are built as “living stones” (1 Pet 2:4-8; Eph 2:20-22).

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Pentecost in Temple Context: What parallels exist between the Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost (Acts 2) and God’s glory filling the OT Tabernacle and Temple?

2. The Church as Living Sanctuary: How does seeing the local church community as the actual physical locus of God’s end-time temple change how Christians treat local church assembly and unity?

3. Living Stones: What does Peter’s image of believers being built as “living stones” into a spiritual house (1 Pet 2:5) imply about individualistic Christianity versus corporate fellowship?

Chapter 19: The Story of the Eden Sanctuary, Israel’s Temple, and Christ and the Church as the Ongoing Transformed Eschatological Temple of the Spirit in the New-Creational Kingdom

Summary

In Chapter 19, Beale synthesizes his landmark biblical-theological thesis on the Temple, tracing the temple trajectory from Genesis to Revelation.

• The Temple Trajectory: Eden was the prototype temple. God commanded Adam to expand Eden’s sanctuary worldwide. After Adam failed, the Tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple functioned as miniature models of Eden. Ezekiel 40-48 prophesied a colossal end-time temple filling the earth.
• Fulfillment in Christ and the Church: Jesus is the ultimate Temple (John 1:14; 2:19-21). In union with Him, the Church acts as the dynamic, expanding end-time temple whose mission is to spread God’s presence to the ends of the earth.
• Consummation in Revelation 21-22: The story ends in the New Jerusalem, where John notes there is “no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Rev 21:22). The entire renewed cosmos has become the holy of holies.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Tracing the Temple: How does tracing the line from Eden —> Tabernacle —> Solomon’s Temple —> Christ —> Church —> New Jerusalem demonstrate the unified narrative of Scripture?

2. The Expanding Sanctuary: If the Church’s mission is understood as expanding the sacred space of God’s temple into all the world, how does this reshape our view of global missions and evangelism?

3. No Temple in the New Jerusalem: Why is there no physical temple building in Revelation 21-22? What does this tell us about the ultimate destiny of creation?

Chapter 20: The Church as the Transformed and Restored Eschatological Israel

Summary

In Chapter 20 (Part 7), Beale addresses the identity of the Church in relation to Old Testament Israel, demonstrating that the Church is the true, transformed continuation and restoration of Israel in Christ.

• Reconstitution of Israel around Jesus: Jesus chose twelve apostles to signify that He was reconstituting corporate Israel around Himself. Jesus Himself acts as true Israel (the True Vine, the True Servant).
• OT Restoration Prophecies Fulfilled: Prophecies concerning Israel’s end-time gathering and restoration (e.g., Amos 9:11-12 quoted in Acts 15) are fulfilled in the inclusion of both Jewish and Gentile believers into the One New Humanity in Christ.
• Corporate Transfer of OT Titles: New Testament authors apply titles previously restricted to ethnic Israel (e.g., “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” in 1 Pet 2:9; Exod 19:6) directly to the multi-ethnic Church.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Jesus and the Twelve: Why was Jesus choosing specifically twelve apostles so significant to first-century Jewish onlookers regarding the restoration of Israel?

2. Acts 15 and Amos 9: How does James use Amos 9:11-12 at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:14-18) to prove that Gentile inclusion is part of the prophesied restoration of the “tent of David”?

3. Old Testament Titles for the Church: What are the spiritual implications of 1 Peter 2:9 calling the Church “a royal priesthood and a holy nation”?

Chapter 21: The Church as the Transformed and Restored Eschatological Israel (Continued)

Summary

Chapter 21 deepens the analysis of Gentile inclusion, demonstrating that Gentiles do not replace Israel, but are organically grafted into the true, Christ-centered Israel.

• The Grafting Metaphor (Romans 11): Paul presents Israel as an olive tree. Unbelieving Jewish branches were broken off, while Gentile wild olive shoots were grafted into the single ongoing covenant tree rooted in the patriarchs.
• Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3): Paul establishes that “if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Gal 3:29). Identity as a true child of Abraham is determined by faith in Christ, not physical lineage.
• True Circumcision: Paul defines true circumcision as spiritual rather than physical (“we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God,” Phil 3:3; Rom 2:28-29). The “Israel of God” (Gal 6:16) consists of all who walk by the rule of the new creation.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The Olive Tree Imagery: How does Paul’s olive tree metaphor in Romans 11 prevent both Gentile Christian arrogance and the misconception that God created two separate, permanent redemptive peoples?

2. Galatians 3 and Abraham’s Seed: According to Paul in Galatians 3:16 and 3:29, how does one become an heir to Abraham’s covenant promises?

3. Rethinking Circumcision and Identity: How does Paul’s definition of “true circumcision” in Romans 2:28-29 and Philippians 3:3 dismantle ethnic or cultural elitism in the Church?

Chapter 22: The Relationship of Israel’s Land Promises to the Fulfillment of Israel’s Restoration and New Creation Prophecies in Christ and the Church

Summary

In Chapter 22, Beale addresses the Old Testament land promises made to Abraham and Israel, demonstrating how they find their escalated fulfillment in the New Creation.

• Land Promises Universalized: The Old Testament land promise of Canaan was never intended to be the ultimate endpoint, but a down payment or archetype of the whole earth. Paul states in Romans 4:13 that Abraham was promised to be heir of the cosmos (world), not just Palestine.
• Type to Antitype Escalation: Just as Old Testament animal sacrifices pointed to the greater reality of Christ’s sacrifice, the physical land of Canaan pointed to the greater reality of the New Heavens and New Earth.
• Inheritance in the New Creation: Believers do not look forward to a localized earthly territory in the Middle East, but to inheriting the entire renewed planet in the resurrected new creation (Matt 5:5; Rev 21-22).

Study & Discussion Questions

1. From Canaan to the Cosmos: Look at Romans 4:13. How does Paul expand the Old Testament land promise to Abraham from a specific geographical region to the entire world (cosmos)?

2. Typology of Land: What does it mean to say that the land of Canaan acted as a “type” or archetype of the ultimate New Creation?

3. Eschatological Hope: How does understanding our inheritance as the whole renewed Earth (New Creation) impact how we care for the physical world and view our ultimate future compared to seeing “heaven” as a disembodied realm?

Synthesis & Group Reflection

• Connecting Chapters 17-22: How does combining the work of the Holy Spirit as Temple Builder (Ch. 17-19) with the identity of the Church as Restored Israel inheriting the New Creation Cosmos (Ch. 20-22) shape the mission, worship, and hope of the local church today?

Overview of Chapters 23-28

Chapters 23 through 28 comprise Parts 8, 9, and 10, bringing Beale’s volume to its conclusion. Having established the Church’s identity as end-time Israel in the inaugurated new creation, Beale examines how the Church’s Distinguishing Marks & Sacraments (Chapters 23-24) and Practical Christian Ethics & Living (Chapters 25-26) are transformed by the “already, but not yet” framework, before concluding with reflections on Old Testament Saints (Chapter 27) and the Ultimate Goal of God’s Redemptive Story (Chapter 28).

Chapter 23: The Church’s New-Creational Transformation of Israel’s Distinguishing Marks: The Sunday Sabbath Observance of the Church as an “Already and Not Yet” New-Creational End-Time Reality

Summary

In Chapter 23 (Part 8), Beale explores how Old Testament covenant signs are transformed under the New Covenant, focusing specifically on the Sabbath.

• Sabbath in Creation and Redemption: The Sabbath was instituted in Genesis 2 as God’s rest after completing creation, and re-issued in the Decalogue as a memorial of creation (Exod 20) and redemption from Egypt (Deut 5).
• Jesus’ Resurrection as New-Creation Rest: Christ completed His redemptive work on the cross and rose on the first day of the week, ushering in the new creation. Consequently, the Lord’s Day (Sunday) becomes the Christian transformation and fulfillment of the Seventh-day Sabbath.
• The “Already, Not Yet” Rest: Believers have “already” entered God’s eschatological rest spiritually through faith in Christ (Hebrews 4:1-11), while awaiting the “not yet” final Sabbath rest in the fully consummated New Creation.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Creation and Resurrection Rest: How does viewing Sunday as a celebration of Christ’s resurrected New Creation transform Lord’s Day observance from a legalistic obligation into an eschatological celebration?

2. Hebrews 4 and Spiritual Rest: What does Hebrews 4 mean when it speaks of believers entering God’s Sabbath rest today? How does this spiritual rest sustain us through weekly labor and trials?

3. Seventh Day to First Day: Why was it fitting for the early Church to shift its primary day of worship from the seventh day (Old Creation rest) to the first day of the week (New Creation rest)?

Chapter 24: The Church’s New-Creational Transformation of Israel’s Distinguishing Marks: Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the Church Office, and New Testament Canon

Summary

Chapter 24 examines how the sacraments, church leadership, and Scripture function as transformed New-Creational marks of God’s covenant people.

• Baptism as Redemptive Water Passage: Baptism transforms OT water judgment types (Noah’s flood, the Red Sea crossing) and physical circumcision into the inaugurating sign of passing through judgment and death into Christ’s resurrection life.
• The Lord’s Supper as End-Time Passover and Feast: The Eucharist transforms Israel’s Passover and wilderness manna into an “already” spiritual feeding on Christ’s death and a foretaste of the “not yet” Messianic Banquet.
• Church Leadership and Canon: Elders/deacons and the New Testament Scriptures are covenantal instruments provided by the Spirit to shepherd and govern the end-time temple community until Christ returns.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Baptism and Redemptive History: How do Old Testament water crossings (Noah’s ark, the Red Sea) serve as historical types fulfilled in Christian baptism?

2. The Lord’s Supper as Messianic Banquet: How does partaking of the Lord’s Supper connect our present worship to both Christ’s past sacrifice and the future feast in the New Jerusalem?

3. Covenant Continuity: How do New Testament sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s Supper) replace and fulfill Old Covenant marks like physical circumcision and the Passover meal?

Chapter 25: Christian Living as the Beginning of Transformed New-Creational Life: The End-Time Indicative-Imperative Pattern and Ongoing Return from Exile

Summary

In Chapter 25 (Part 9), Beale turns to Christian ethics, demonstrating that practical Christian living flows directly out of our eschatological identity in Christ.

• The Indicative-Imperative Structure: New Testament morality operates on a strict sequence: God’s redemptive truth (Indicative: “You are a new creation in Christ”) forms the foundation for moral command (Imperative: “Therefore, live like it”).
• Ongoing Return from Exile: The Christian life is framed as a spiritual “Second Exodus.” Believers are being continually delivered from bondage to sin and the present evil age as they journey toward their heavenly homeland.
• Ethical Power from Union with Christ: Holiness in the NT is not self-directed legalism or moralism, but the natural outward fruit of the Spirit’s new-creational resurrection power active within the believer.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Indicative vs. Imperative: Why is it vital to ground all Christian commands (imperatives) in gospel truths (indicatives)? What happens to Christian living when the indicative is forgotten?

2. The Second Exodus Paradigm: How does understanding your salvation as an “ongoing return from spiritual exile” give context to your daily struggle with temptation and worldly culture?

3. Union with Christ: How does knowing that you already share in Christ’s resurrection status motivate holy living in a broken world?

Chapter 26: Christian Living as the Beginning of Transformed New-Creational Life: The Role of the Law and Marriage

Summary

Chapter 26 examines two specific areas of transformed Christian living: the role of the Old Testament Law and the sacred institution of Marriage.

• Fulfillment of the Law: The Mosaic Law was a temporary guardian until Christ. In Christ, the law is fulfilled and transformed into the “law of Christ” (Gal 6:2), written on human hearts by the Holy Spirit (Jer 31:31-34; 2 Cor 3).
• Marriage as a Cosmic Blueprint: Human marriage was established in Genesis as a reflection of God’s covenantal relationship with His people. Paul in Ephesians 5 reveals that marriage is an end-time mystery pointing directly to Christ’s relationship with His bride, the Church.
• Eschatological Relativization of Marriage: While marriage is a sacred new-creational signpost in this age, Jesus teaches that in the final resurrection age, believers will neither marry nor be given in marriage (Matt 22:30), because the earthly shadow gives way to eternal union with God.

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The Law Written on the Heart: How does the Holy Spirit writing God’s law on our hearts differ from obeying outward legal codes on tablets of stone?

2. Marriage as an End-Time Mystery: Read Ephesians 5:31-32. How does viewing earthly marriage as a temporary picture of Christ and the Church elevate its sacredness while defining its ultimate purpose?

3. Single and Married in the Kingdom: How does the eschatological horizon of the New Creation honor both marriage and singleness as valid callings in the Church today?

Chapter 27: The Relationship of Inaugurated and Consummated Eschatological Realities to the Parallel Realities Experienced by Old Testament Saints

Summary

In Chapter 27 (Part 10), Beale addresses the relationship between the experience of Old Testament saints and New Testament believers.

• Continuity and Discontinuity: Old Testament believers truly experienced salvation, faith, and the Spirit, but their experience was prospective, shadowy, and mediated through types and sacrifices.
• Subtle vs. Historical Inauguration: OT saints experienced preliminary “tastes” of new creation through God’s miraculous interventions, but NT believers experience the historical inauguration of the new creation rooted in the completed death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.
• Perfection Together: Old Testament saints could not be brought to ultimate spiritual completion (teleiosis) apart from the arrival of Christ and the NT Church (Hebrews 11:39-40).

Study & Discussion Questions

1. Old Testament Saints and the Spirit: In what ways did Old Testament saints experience the Spirit’s work, and how does the New Covenant experience of the Spirit surpass it?

2. Hebrews 11:39-40: What does Hebrews mean when it states that Old Testament believers “were not made perfect apart from us”?

3. Shadows to Substance: How does contrasting the prospective faith of Old Testament saints with our retrospective faith in the accomplished resurrection build our gratitude and assurance?

Chapter 28: The Purpose of the Redemptive-Historical Story and Implications for Christian Living in the ‘Already and Not Yet’ Eschatological Age of the New Creation

Summary

In the final chapter, Beale synthesizes the ultimate purpose of the entire biblical storyline and articulates its overarching implications for the Church.

• The Ultimate Goal – God’s Glory: The ultimate purpose of all biblical history is the magnification of God’s glory through the expansion of His kingdom and new-creational temple across the entire cosmos.
• The Church’s Mission in the “Already-Not Yet”: Believers live as an advance colony of the New Creation, radiating God’s presence, proclaiming the gospel, and embodying kingdom ethics amid an evil age.
• Consummated Hope: The biblical story concludes not with an escape from creation, but with the descent of the New Jerusalem to a renewed Earth, where God’s glory covers the world as the waters cover the sea (Hab 2:14; Rev 21-22).

Study & Discussion Questions

1. The Ultimate Purpose of History: How does Beale summarize the supreme goal of God’s redemptive storyline? How does this contrast with human-centered approaches to theology?

2. An Advance Colony of New Creation: What does it mean practically for a local church community to function as a “window into the New Creation” for a watching world?

3. The Ultimate Horizon: How does the final vision of Revelation 21-22 (God dwelling with humanity on a renewed earth) shape your daily hope, work, and endurance?

Synthesis & Group Reflection

• Connecting Chapters 23-28: How does connecting the distinguishing marks of the Church (Ch. 23-24) and new-creational Christian ethics (Ch. 25-26) with the ultimate goal of God’s glory in the New Creation (Ch. 27-28) summarize the message of G. K. Beale’s entire Biblical Theology?