Do We Need The OT & NT?
Study Of The Testaments
As we kick off the new year, many people and even churches are looking at how they can live better lives, start better habits, and leave behind some old practices that they never really found beneficial. And while these are good habits to introduce, sometimes we realize that the particular aspect of our lives that we cut out or let go of was never terrible for us, we just never knew how to use it properly. This is what I fear has struck the Church to some degree when we look at the Old Testament. It’s much easier for someone to read the Bible when we cut it in half and say, ‘Only the latter applies to me.’ But is this how we should view scripture? Sure we are all on the other side of history being beneficiaries of the cross of Christ, but does this mean that everything that took place in the OT has nothing left to teach us? Just because we are under a different covenant, does this mean that there is no longer any foundational value left in the OT for us today? This is what we will be taking this month to evaluate. We will be looking at how the Old Testament and New Testament differ, but we will also be looking at why both matter and why we need one in order to understand the other. Just like we can’t look at our upbringing and claim it has nothing to do with who we are today, we can’t remove the OT and claim that it would not affect the NT. A thorough study of the testaments will show us just how valuable each one is and reveal to us the foundation that was built back then, for the house that we have built on Christ now.
Old Testament Validity
As The Gospel Coalition says, “The OT was Jesus’s only Scripture and makes up three-fourths (75.55 percent) of our Bible. If space says anything, the OT matters to God, who gave us his Word in a book. In fact, it was his first special revelation, which set a foundation for the fulfillment we find in Jesus in the New Testament.” In short, I hope you can understand that the answer to this question is ‘yes’. We do in fact need both the OT and NT. Of course, we are under a new covenant on this side of the cross, but the foundation that we have now built would not be possible had it not been for the Word of God revealed to us in the OT. Furthermore, just because we aren’t under the same law, doesn’t mean that there is no truth to be found in the OT. Many people and churches make the mistake of devaluing the OT simply because the law and covenant that those people had to follow are no longer applicable today. However, if we throw out all of the OT simply because of its laws and covenants, we miss out on the fulfilled prophecies, wisdom literature, and a deeper understanding of theology. Look at what Jesus tells His disciples in Luke 24:44 “44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” The many things that we know about Jesus, we foreknew because of the prophets that God spoke through in the OT. Even Jesus Himself uses the OT to bring clarity and authority to what He is saying and doing. But it doesn’t end there. Jesus doesn’t just point at prophecies that are fulfilled from the OT, He also shows us how much He values the law. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5:17 “17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Our Lord makes it quite clear that the foundation that He has built His ministry on is the one that has been laid out in the OT by His Father.
OT Verifies NT
Now, on the other hand, the New Testament is the half that most people are willing to admit is of utmost importance. But when we look at the New Testament in its entirety, we can easily see that it wouldn’t exist without the Old. According to the Blue Letter Bible, the NT quotes from the OT about 855 times! This amount of referencing from the OT just goes to show how foundational it was for the NT. It is clear that without the old covenant and Mosaic law, we would have trouble understanding the new covenant and the fulfilled law that we are to walk in today. Even the very character of God is made more understandable through the OT & NT. Hebrews 13: 8 tells us “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Now I know this is a NT passage, but it tells us that our Lord is never changing. So if this is the case, we can assume that the God we read about in the OT is the same in the NT as well. This shows us that the study of God and His nature through theology is not just made complete by viewing the NT, but we must look at the OT as well.
As John MacArthur beautifully states, “The message of the New Testament is the culmination of revelation. It is that which embodies and engulfs all that was in the Old Testament. In a sense, the New Testament will summarize for you the content of the Old Testament, as well as lead you further into the fullness of revelation.” Just in case we need more biblical proof that both testaments are of vital importance, look at what Paul tells the church in Colasse. Colossians 1:25-26 “25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,” The goal of the OT is to lead us into a deeper understanding of the NT. Yes, as believers on this side of the cross, we should prioritize studying the New Testament, but we can’t do so with the idea that we will throw out the Old Testament because of it. Both Testaments of God’s Word are important and have great things to teach us. Throughout this month we will dive into more of what God has to teach us through these two halves, but for now, I believe we have built a solid enough foundation for understanding the importance of both Testaments.
Sources
[1] “Access Your Bible from Anywhere.” BibleGateway.Com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 150 Versions and 50 Languages., www.biblegateway.com/. Accessed 2023.
[2] DeRouchie, J. S. (2018, November 7). 10 reasons The Old Testament is important for Christians. The Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/old-testament-important/
[3] O.T. Quotations Found in the N.T. - Study Resources. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/pnt/pnt08.cfm
[4] How to read both sides of the Bible. (2014, October 29). Grace to You. https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B141029/how-to-read-both-sides-of-the-bible
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