The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses

In this short book, Chris Bruno presents the grand story of the Bible by examining 16 verses, or passages of Scripture. Beginning in Genesis 1:31 and finishing in Revelation 21:1-4, Bruno has accomplished his writing purpose quite well. He has given to me clear connections from one Biblical signpost to another, and has furthered my growing understanding of Biblical Theology. I appreciate this book most for it's introductory level writing style. I could hand this book to anyone in my congregation and they would be able to grasp the content and immediately apply their new understanding to their personal Bible reading. There are few resources the both accurately present large theological / thematic concepts while at the same time remain accessible to all believers. This book does exactly that. Thank you, Chris Bruno for this clear presentation of Biblical Theology. You have helped me and served the church well.

I cannot add any more insightful comments, regarding the theological content, than have already been noted by other reviewers. I can only agree with them and appreciate the clear, concise, engaging way Chris Bruno was able to lay out the Bible as a single cohesive storyline, rather than as the cooperative but independent missives many of us were taught to view it. I can however, give high marks to anyone who is able to explain the Bible using both Barry Sanders and Star Wars as instructive aids!! Before finishing even the second chapter, I had already ordered multiple copies for fellow Believers --new and seasoned-- and for curious Not-Yet-Believers, as well. Since finishing the book, I've ordered and distributed even more copies to share....and will, no doubt, continue to rely on this book as a way to share and understand the Gospel.

This is a useful, solid overview of the one great story the Bible tells from beginning to end. Great for newer Christians or anyone interested in a quick bite of the Bible from 30,000 feet.

This book is great for the new believer and for those who have been believers all their lives. It is a beautiful look at how God conveyed the singular message of His Love for all people through the entire Bible as well as giving all of us a way to review scripture and understand it without spending hours of study. It point out the deep compassion and passion Jesus Christ felt for all people when he came to earth. A must read for believers, seekers, and those who just don't know what they believe.

When reading Scripture, it can be easy to get lost in the many details of the 66 books. However, every dot and tittle is inextricably woven and this book does an outstanding job of revealing this inner unity. What I especially appreciate is that he doesn't just pull concepts out of thin air, but anchors each chapter in one concise passage of Sacred Scripture and unpacks how it progresses the story. I finished this book with an overwhelming joy at the fact that Jesus is the fulfillment of every Old Testament promise, the suffering king who laid his life down for the rebels, and has ascended on high to prepare a place for his beloved bride; namely the New Heavens and New Earth. If that's the kind of thing that gets you excited, then pick up this book with no hesitation.

This is such a great book! It’s an easy read (only 127 pages) and it is written for everyday believers. The author says that this is the “adult” version of The Jesus Storybook Bible. Growing up I was always taught that the Bible fit together as one story that points to Jesus, but I was never taught how it actually all connected. In such simple terms this book explains it so clearly. This book has been such a blessing to me!!

Book Review: The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses Author: Chris Bruno Format: Paperback Topic: Theology (Biblical Theology) Scope: The grand narrative of the Bible Purpose: To equip readers with a simple yet functional knowledge of the story of the Bible so they can read and learn about God and his salvation better. Structure: The book is separated into two sections (The Time is Coming and The Time has Come) that represent the Old and New Testaments. Within these section are 16 chapters corresponding with the 16 verses Bruno believes will give an accurate accounting of the narrative of the Bible. These chapters are: 1. Creation (Gen 1:31), 2. Human Beings (Gen 1:27-28), 3. The Fall (Gen 3:6-7), 4. Redemption Promised (Gen 3:15), 5. Abraham (Gen 12:2-3), 6. Judah the King (Gen 49:10), 7. The Passover Lamb (Ex 12:23), 8. King David (2 Sam 7:12-13), 9. The Suffering Servant (Is 53:6), 10. Resurrection Promised (Ezk 37:3-5), 11. New Creation (Is 65:17), 12. Fulfillment! (Mk 1:14-15), 13. The Cross (Jn 19:30), 14. Resurrection (Rom 1:3-4), 15. Justification (Rom 3:21-26), and 16. Glory (Rev 21:1-4). In Addition, there is a preface and a very good section called "Where to Go Next" that explains some fantastic resources for going deeper in the realm of Biblical Theology. What it does well: As Bruno says, "This book is an attempt to see the forest by looking at the trees (verses or passages)" (11). This is what it does well. Those who do not know the grand narrative of the Bible will find this to be a helpful resource with some real nuggets of wisdom. Also, Bruno uses some passages (Ezk 37:3-5, Rom 1:3-4) that are often ignored in popular explanations of Biblical Theology and because of this there are some important contributions to the subject. The short, concise chapters are also clear and easy to wade through. What it lacks: The structure of 16 verses gets somewhat unwieldy. Where other books of this nature have 4 steps for the narrative or 8 important themes in the narrative, the use of 16 verses severely limits the ability of the reader to use the book in a practical way. It would take a lot more study to be able to master this material than the information in other books attempting similar things. Some quick highlights: "God looked at it all and saw that it was 'very good.' Notice that God was the One who pronounced the verdict. The entire universe came to be because he spoke, and he was the only one qualified to evaluate his creative work." - 18 God "was not only committing to keep the promises himself, but was also committing that if Abraham failed to remain loyal and keep the covenant, he-God!-would suffer the consequences of that failure. God was binding himself to both the promises of Genesis 12:2-3 and the obligations of taking the blessing to all the families of the earth."-46 "Even in the midst of all this dysfunction, God was working to preserve the promised line. And this teaches us that God's saving purposes ultimately do not hand on any mere man."-50 "God never intended his people to come from one family, one ethnicity, or one nation. Just as the fall of Adam and Eve plunged the entire human race into sin, God's solution to the fall also has universal effects. While many tragically join the line of the Serpent and miss out on the blessing, the Old Testament is clear that no one nation-not even Israel-has an exclusive claim on God's promises. National borders will not contain his mercy."- 90 "Let's not make the mistake of thinking that God is like us."- 118 Recommendation?: This is an easy to read primer on Biblical Theology. It is helpful, concise, and easy to understand. However, because of the format and unwieldy nature of the content for communicating the ideas to others I cannot recommend this book without reservation. In my opinion, God's Big Picture by Vaugnn Roberts is similarly easy to read and is much more available to be distilled for other audiences. I would pick up that first.

Chris presents the 16 verses that he uses to construct a map through the forest of theology and the foundations of the faith. What an amazing thing it was to arrive at the Cross and Resurrection and see how intricately woven the story of the Bible really is. Thank you for taking the time to walk through the woods and mark out these very important landmarks. I've been using this book and accompanying study guide with a new believer and they have enjoyed it as well and it has encouraged them to dig in even more.

Well, it's more than 16 verses (e.g. The final 'one' is Rev 21.1-4) and they are often vastly spread out through the Biblical narrative. It is not an easily accessible book for those with little Bible knowledge, and those with some will wonder where many of the familiar stories are. Some of the narrative here is only just related to the verses headlined, but nevertheless I did come across some helpful insights. I have led a teenage group through this and have had to fill in a lot of gaps. If you are are not confident in your own Bible knowledge this would not be an easy book to lead a group through. All in all, there are much better options for an introductory whole Bible overview.