The book’s title derives from Peter’s first letter to believers in a region that today forms part of Turkey. Speaking of what God has revealed, he says that “Even angels long to look into these things” (1 Peter 1:12) Just as being able to read the scriptures was a heavenly privilege for those isolated and vulnerable believers in the 1st Century AD, so is it for us. Angels would love to do this but cannot.
The book aims to bring the New Testament to life. It works through each of its four core literary genres in turn:
Narratives
the four gospels and Book of Acts
Parables
looking in depth at the stories Jesus himself told
Letters
the letters of Paul and the General epistles
Apocalyptic
the Book of Revelation
For each genre, it gives plenty of worked examples and personal exercises to draw out its unique characteristics, followed by suggestions for how to communicate them better to others. Each section then includes a sample sermon.
The book is designed to be the companion volume to Christopher Wright’s SWEETER THAN HONEY: Preaching the Old Testament
What others have said about the book:
“I read a lot of books on preaching – some geared for rookies, some for veterans. Once in while a book is written that speaks to both, to rookies and veterans alike. And Mark Meynell has done this with much skill. I especially appreciate that Mark does not move to the ‘how to’ stage of preaching the different genres of the New Testament until he takes us through the ‘what are they?’ investigation, which he does in engagingly fresh ways. His sample sermons are amazing: exposition that immediately connects with culture. What a joy to be called to proclaim with Mark what angels long to know!”
“After reading Mark Meynell’s book, one truly understands “what angels long to read” as he, in a pedagogical, passionate and pastoral way, helps preachers to see God as the master story-teller whose central figure, the incomparable Jesus, is unveiled for all through literary treasures crafted by the Holy Spirit. Mark makes these figures accessible so that we and the world are captivated by the Father´s story.”
“Mark Meynell offers contemporary preachers a wonderfully readable guide for sermons on the New Testament that does justice to a biblical book, its genre, the geographical and historical context, as well as the individual angle of each writer. He has succeeded in bringing years of academic scholarship on the Scriptures into a condensed, connected and relevant whole for the benefit of sermon preparation. This is an essential manual for every preacher’s library.”
“I have known the Rev Mark Meynell as a man who loves God and is devoted to the preaching of the gospel. Memories of him as a deep theologian and biblical preacher are still fresh in my mind and in the minds of many who studied under him at Kampala Evangelical School of Theology (KEST) in Uganda, and those who heard him preach during the years he was a missionary in Uganda.
This book is an interesting, mind captivating, and spirit-inspiring piece of work. The book helps readers to appreciate the entire Bible and to see a beautiful and relevant coherence between the two Testaments – the Old and the New. Meynell emphasizes that in all of our preaching, Jesus must remain the central and only point of reference because he is the basis of our testimony as Christians. This is a relevant book that is a must-read by all serious thinkers and preachers. I highly commend it to all who base their preaching on the Word of God.”
“Mark Meynell does a favour for preachers at every level by making simple the macroscopic view of the Bible without sacrificing the microscopic details. The book serves to make simple many complex theological, hermeneutical and textual questions the conscientious preacher encounters. Its lack of academic jargon doesn’t negate its intellectual credibility. Every preacher can learn something from reading this useful book.”
