"This book is based on the premise and principle of the beating of the fool in Proverbs being applied to the punishment that was inflicted on Christ on the cross. ... This was a very interesting book to study. I do recommend it and will take even more time studying this book to attempt fully grasp the truths that lie within its pages through the interpretation of the Word of God." (Resolved for Christ, resolvedfc.blogspot.com, 2017)
1. Introduction.- 2. The Context of Beating the Fool.- 3. The Wisdom of Beating the Fool.- 4. The Messianism of Beating the Fool.- 5. The covenant of Beating the Fool.- 6. The Anticipation of Beating the Fool.- 7. The Act of Beating the Fool.- 8. The Theology of Beating the Fool.
David H. Wenkel received his PhD from the University of Aberdeen and currently lives in Chicago. He has been adjunct faculty at Moody Bible Institute, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Indian Bible College. He is the author of Shining Like the Sun: A Biblical Theology of Meeting God Face to Face.
This study takes a Christian perspective on the entire Bible, rather than simply the New Testament. David Wenkel asks: Why did Jesus have to be beaten before his death on the cross? Christian theology has largely focused on Jesus’ death but has given relatively little attention to his sufferings. Wenkel’s answer contextualizes Jesus’ crucifixion sufferings as informed by the language of Proverbs. He explains that Jesus’ sufferings demonstrate the wisdom of God’s plan to provide a substitute for foolish sinners. Jesus was beaten as a fool – even though he was no fool, in order to fulfill God’s loving plan of salvation. This analysis is then placed within the larger storyline of the whole bible – from the Garden of Eden to the story of Israel and beyond.