Unveiling Christ's Ancient Footprints: A Rigorous and Innovative Exploration of Jesus's Old Testament Role

Carl Dodrill brings significant academic and theological expertise to this work. With a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University (1970) and a distinguished career spanning over three decades at the University of Washington as a Professor Emeritus, Dodrill combines his academic rigor with more than 40 years of teaching Bible studies, particularly focusing on Old Testament studies. This unique combination of psychological insight and theological expertise provides him with a distinctive perspective on this complex theological topic.

Jesus Is There presents an innovative approach to a longstanding theological question: What was Jesus's role during Old Testament times? The book challenges the conventional notion that Christ's involvement with humanity began solely at his incarnation in Bethlehem. Through meticulous research and analysis, Dodrill develops an empirically based methodology to identify Christ's presence and activity throughout Old Testament history.

The book's strength lies in its systematic approach to identifying Christ in the Old Testament, primarily through three key markers that distinguish Christ from God the Father. This methodology is particularly noteworthy for its use of the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, which significantly influenced early Christian theology and biblical interpretation.

The Septuagint's role is crucial here, as up to 90% of New Testament quotations from the Old Testament are derived from this translation. This connection provides a solid foundation for Dodrill's analysis, as the Septuagint's translation choices, particularly the rendering of "mashiach" as "christos," create important linguistic and theological bridges between the testaments.

"Jesus Is There" represents a significant contribution to biblical scholarship, offering a methodologically sound approach to identifying Christ's presence in the Old Testament. The book successfully bridges academic rigor with practical theological application, making it valuable for both scholars and serious students of the Bible. Its empirical approach, combined with careful consideration of historical and linguistic evidence, provides a fresh perspective on this important theological question.

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