Evil Empire?
In Evil Empire?, Christopher S. Chen presents government officials as proponents of the gospel in Luke-Acts and beyond. With excellent research and well-crafted arguments, Chen presents a strong case that government officials can serve the purposes of the gospel. Human rulers are ultimately governed by our King, and they can help advance his kingdom.
Chen begins by examining the Old Testament. He studies the stories of Daniel and Naaman, who become sympathizers with God’s people while also serving within pagan empires. I was persuaded by Chen’s argument that the friend of God, the “most excellent Theophilus,” was a high-ranking Roman official who was considering the claims of Christianity.
Centurion Faith
I found chapter 4 to be the most fascinating. Chen examines the centurions in Luke-Acts, showing that they play a critical role in Luke’s narrative and represent an entryway for the gospel to reach the Gentiles. Specifically, they facilitate the spread of the gospel across ethnic and geographic boundaries. Looking back at my own personal Bible study, I knew there was something significant about the centurions, but I was never quite able to put my finger on it. Chen does an excellent job bringing this motif to light, along with its significance and implications. He opened my eyes to the world of military forces in the New Testament period, including legionnaires, auxiliaries, royal forces, and the Praetorian Guard.
Roman government officials and authorities are critical to the context of Luke-Acts. The Roman Empire casts a shadow over the New Testament, yet the light of Christ shines forth. In chapter 5, Chen argues that Luke wrote to a dual audience, presenting Jesus as the Savior for all types of people, including Roman administrators and soldiers.
Chinese History
Chen goes on to show how Roman officials served as proponents of the gospel in early church history, but I was surprised to see him also highlight government officials as proponents of the gospel in Chinese history. He turns to China because it provides a complementary cultural and historical context to Rome, because of its significance in world affairs throughout history, and because it is commonly viewed as a country hostile to Christianity. Yet Chen presents another side of the story by focusing on government officials who became surprising supporters of the gospel throughout Chinese history.
This academic book is exciting, missiological, and fascinating. It shows how the gospel spreads on a personal level and how a compelling case for Christianity can be made even to those whose careers are devoted to the affairs of the world. It provides fresh motivation to pray for those in authority, even those who persecute Christians. It also shows how faithful servants can courageously remain embedded within difficult regimes under the providence of God.
Rule and Reign
This outstanding book calls every believer to faithfulness as we live in tension, awaiting Christ’s return to rule and reign in righteousness.
I received a media copy of Evil Empire? (Amazon) and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.