The New Testament
reading the Old
If we
take the reformation cry of sola Scriptura at all seriously we
must allow the Bible to interpret the Bible. Historical-grammatical
hermeneutics, archaeology, even the most careful exegesis conducted by
the best scholarship must all bow to God’s own word. He determines His meaning. He is the only fit witness to Himself.
Yet,
in contemporary Biblical studies it is commonly said of New Testament
writers that they re-interpret the meaning of Old Testament
Scripture. Thus, it is asserted
that an Old Testament passage can be shown conclusively to mean one thing
via a thorough application of historical-grammatical hermeneutics, and then
when Jesus or an Apostle quote from it they invest it with a new Christological
meaning. Diligent exegesis yields
one reading, the New Testament gives another. Yet rather than bow to the Apostles and re-think their
methods of exegesis, these Bible students assert without any New
Testament support that these two meanings co-exist in the text. Thus it is routinely suggested that
Jesus and the Apostles did not faithfully exegete the Hebrew Scriptures
(defined by contemporary models) but rather, with special license from
the Holy Spirit, made Christological assertions that are not derived from
exegesis itself. Their treatment
of the Old Testament is therefore not to be emulated. What we primarily learn from their
handling is the audacious apostolic authority invested in them. I have often heard the charge (even
from theological educators) that Paul was not abiding by the rules of
correct Biblical interpretation.
I have heard of one teacher who asserted that if Paul took his
hermeneutics class he’d have failed.
Yet,
if the Apostles can’t show us how to read the Old Testament, who
can? The implicit assumption in
all this is that our new hermeneutical systems can yield correct exegesis
quite apart from Scripture’s own teaching on the matter. This incredible arrogance is
compounded when it is further suggested that we find the Old Testament
author’s intent not in the word of God itself but by our own scholarly
schemes. To this we simply must
ask – if current Biblical hermeneutics disagrees with the findings of
Jesus and His Apostles, who has it wrong?
We
must return to the plain teaching of the Scriptures. The New Testament constantly bears
witness to the prima facie Christo-centricity of the
Scriptures. If current Biblical
studies does not read the Old Testament in this way it must repent and
return to a Scriptural hermeneutic.
The
New Testament does not model a two-level exegesis of the
kind: ‘David said ‘X’, but now we can re-read this through Christian eyes
as ‘Y’’. Although this is the
foundational teaching of much so-called evangelical theology Jesus and
His Apostles simply do not teach this.
In
countless churches every Sunday, Old Testament texts are expounded in the
fashion ‘Moses said and meant this, but now we know that this
means something quite beyond Moses’ intention.’ Yet this is not how the New Testament handles the Old. The New Testament simply says Abraham
met Christ (John 8:56). It states
boldly that Isaiah saw Jesus (John 12:41). It asserts that David looked ahead to the resurrection and
spoke explicitly of Christ (Acts 2:31).
It declares that Christ saved the people out of Egypt and
accompanied them in the wilderness (1 Cor 10:4,9; Heb 11:26; Jude
5). The New Testament does not
say ‘Abraham had an experience which we can now re-interpret as
‘meeting Christ’’. It does not
say ‘Isaiah saw a vision which Christian eyes know to be Jesus’. It does not say, ‘David
looked to types of Christ later fulfilled in His Person’. It does not
say, ‘retrospectively we can see signs and types of Jesus of which the
Israelites were unaware but which manifested a Christ-like presence in
their midst.’ Yet in pulpit after
pulpit, this is the way the Old Testament is expounded. Our handling of the Hebrew Scriptures
is very far from the Apostolic handling.
This is extremely sad.
Below
I have just listed a number of New Testament texts which handle the Old
Testament. I urge you to take seriously the way New Testament
writers read the Old. Only the
Bible can teach us to handle the Bible.
If we do not read the Old Testament the way these men did – we are
wrong. We must change. Let these examples challenge your own
reading of the Scriptures.
18
No one has ever seen God, but God
the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made Him known
Ø Was
there ever a time when God the Father has been seen?
Ø Who
then did Adam, Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Isaiah
etc etc etc SEE?
Ø How is
God made known? (also see John 6:46; John 14:8,9)
Ø Did
Abraham know God?
Ø How?
39
[Jesus said] "You
diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you
possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,
40
yet you refuse to come to me
to have life.
41
I do not accept praise from
men,
42
but I know you. I know that
you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
43
I have come in my Father's
name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own
name, you will accept him.
44
How can you believe if you
accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise
that comes from the only God?
45
"But do not think I will
accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes
are set.
46
If you believed Moses, you
would believe me, for he wrote about me.
47
But since you do not believe
what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
Ø Is diligently
studying the Scriptures enough to get their true meaning? (v39)
Ø What
is the testimony of the (Old Testament) Scriptures (v39)
Ø What
did Jesus expect to be the outcome of studying the Old Testament? (v40)
Ø Can
Moses accuse the Jews of not believing in Christ if he didn’t?? (v45)
Ø What
did Moses write about? (v46)
Ø Given
Jesus' attitude to these Jews, did He think that they had an excuse for
not believing because the OT was unclear?
Luke 16:27-31 The
Rich Man and Lazarus
27
"He answered, `Then I beg
you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,
28
for I have five brothers. Let
him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29
"Abraham replied, `They
have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30
"`No, father Abraham,' he
said, `but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31
"He said to him, `If they
do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even
if someone rises from the dead.'"
Ø Did Jesus
think that unbelievers had an excuse for not believing in Him? If not, why not? What exactly is it that Jesus
considers sufficient warning for an unbelieving world?
Ø What
is more able to give someone faith in Christ- to have witnessed the
resurrection or to read the Old Testament?
Ø If you
had the choice of giving an enquirer "Who Moved the Stone?" or
the Old Testament which would you choose? Which do you think Jesus would choose?"
25
He said to them, "How foolish
you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken!
26
Did not the Christ have to
suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
27
And beginning with Moses and
all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the
Scriptures concerning himself.
AND
Luke 24:44-47
44
He said to them, "This is
what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled
that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the
Psalms."
45
Then he opened their minds so
they could understand the Scriptures.
46
He told them, "This is
what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the
third day,
47
and repentance and forgiveness
of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem.
Ø Did
Jesus sympathise with people who didn't read the OT Christologically?
(v25)
Ø Given
this, is Jesus claiming to re-interpret these Scriptures or to be plainly
expounding them?
Ø What
had the prophets spoken?
Ø Given that
the risen Christ was standing right there with this couple- what is
surprising about how Jesus reveals Himself to them?
Ø How
does this relate to Jesus' conclusion to Luke 16?
Ø Would
verses 46 and 47 provide a fair outline of an evangelistic talk? What is the source for this gospel
outline?
14
But as for you, continue in
what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know
those from whom you learned it,
15
and how from infancy you have
known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
16
All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness,
17
so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work.
Ø What
are the (Old Testament) Scriptures able to do? (v15)
Ø Does
this help explain why Jesus rebuked those who read the Old Testament but
didn't trust in Him? (e.g. John 5, Luke 16, Luke 24)
You know the message God sent
to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus
Christ, who is Lord of all.
43
All the prophets testify about
him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins
through his name."
Ø What
was the message God sent to the people of Israel? (v36)
Ø What
did the prophets testify about? (v43)
Ø What
is the prophets' understanding of the proper object of
saving faith? (v43)
22
But I have had God's help to
this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike.
I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would
happen--
23
that the Christ would suffer
and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own
people and to the Gentiles."
Ø Does Paul's
theology ever go beyond what the OT said would happen? (cf 1 Cor 4:6)
Ø What is it that
both Moses and the prophets were on about?
Ø On Paul's logic,
could Moses have given a similar sermon to King Agrippa if he'd been tele-ported
there?
4
Christ
is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who
believes.
5
Moses
describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man
who does these things will live by them."
6
But
the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart,
`Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down)
7
"or
`Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from
the dead).
8
But
what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in
your heart,"
that
is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
9
That
if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10
For
it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with
your mouth that you confess and are saved.
11
As
the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to
shame."
12
For
there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of
all and richly blesses all who call on him,
13
for,
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
14
How,
then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they
believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear
without someone preaching to them?
15
And
how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How
beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
16
But
not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says,
"Lord, who has believed our message?"
17
Consequently,
faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through
the word of Christ.
18
But
I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone
out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
19
Again
I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, "I will make
you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a
nation that has no understanding."
20
And
Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I
revealed myself to those who did not ask for me."
21
But
concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to
a disobedient and obstinate people."
Ø What is the “end” or “purpose” (telos)
of the law? (v4)
Ø Is Paul's word of faith different
to Moses'? (v8)
Ø In verse 16 what was it that was
being preached to the people in OT times? (cf Acts 10:36)
Ø What does Psalm 19 declare?
(v17-18)
Ø Was the gospel too unclear or
shadowy in OT times? (vv19,20)
Ø Trace through the passage the
reasons why God, in verse 21, holds Israel accountable for their lack of
faith in this 'good news.' (vv14-21)
40
"He
has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see
with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would
heal them."[
41
Isaiah
said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.
John
quotes from Isaiah 6 where the prophet sees the LORD in the temple.
Ø Who is the seen LORD?
Ø Who did Isaiah
write about?
Ø As Isaiah later
writes about the Servant of the LORD in great detail, does Isaiah know of
whom he writes?
Ø What Biblical reason would there be for saying that
Isaiah didn't know of whom He spoke?
1
For
I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our
forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the
sea.
2
They
were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3
They
all ate the same spiritual food
4
and
drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock
that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
5
Nevertheless,
God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over
the desert.
6
Now
these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on
evil things as they did.
7
Do
not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people
sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."
8
We
should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day
twenty-three thousand of them died.
9
We
should not test the Lord, as some of them did--and were killed by snakes.
10
And
do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by the destroying
angel.
Ø Note the repeated
use of "Don't ______ as they
did." (vv 6-10) Why is Paul
using OT believers as an example/warning for the Corinthians?
Ø In verses 1-4,
were the Israelite's spiritual experiences any different from ours?
Ø Was their
spiritual nourishment from a different source than ours?
Ø What was their
object of faith? (v4)
Ø Who accompanied
them in the desert?
26
[Moses]
regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the
treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
So
Moses seems to have made a little cost-benefit analysis about leaving
Egypt.
Ø For what reason did Moses choose
disgrace?
Ø Can Moses have not known Christ
and yet been motivated to act for His sake? Can something which is unknown to us motivate us?
Ø Given that he did not enter the
promised land- what was the reward which kept Moses going?
Ø Was it the same as Abraham's (cf
Hebrews 11:8-10), who, the Bible tells us was "looking forward to
the city with foundations whose architect and builder is God"?
Ø Were these two models of Christian
faith trusting in the shadows or the reality according to Hebrews?
6
Consider
Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness."[
7
Understand,
then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.
8
The
Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and
announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be
blessed through you."
9
So
those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
CROSS
REFERENCE WITH
4
Then
the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir,
but a son coming from your own body will be your heir."
5
He
took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the
stars--if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So
shall your offspring be."
6
Abram
believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Ø According to Galatians 3:8, what
was announced to Abraham?
Ø According to Paul's argument, do
NT believers define the sort of faith Abraham had or is he the
model of our faith?(vv 7 and 9).
Ø Was his faith then of a different
nature or placed in something other than what Paul hoped the Galatians
would trust in?
Ø In the Genesis account, who is
this character of the OT who is both the word of the LORD and the
LORD? The word is of the
LORD and the word IS the LORD.
Who is this character who can take Abraham outside? Who is this person in whom Abraham
trusts and is thereby justified- an act which is constantly held up as
being the model of faith for all believers, Old and New Testament alike?
Ø Sometimes people talk of Abraham's faith as being in promises
rather than in the person of Christ- given these passages, how would you
respond to those claims? (cf Heb 11:11)
4
For
certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly
slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our
God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only
Sovereign and Lord.
5
Though
you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord[1] delivered his
people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.
1. [5] Some
early manuscripts Jesus
Ø Who delivered his
people out of Egypt?
Ø How is
"Lord" to be understood given verse 4?
56
Your
father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and
was glad."
57
"You
are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you
have seen Abraham!"
58
"I
tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born,
I am!"
59
At
this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping
away from the temple grounds.
Ø What did Abraham see? (v56)
Ø How do the Jews understand this
‘seeing’? (v57)
Ø Given Jesus’ response in v58, are
they on the right track when they understand that Jesus is talking about
physically meeting Abraham?
Ø Who does Jesus claim to be in
v58? What is the significance of
the name "I AM"? Where
does it come from and who is this Angel of the LORD (who is also the God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) who claims the name "I AM" for
Himself (Exodus 3)?
The
New Testament asserts unequivocally that Christ is the hero of the Old
Testament. He has always been the
conscious object of faith – the Seen LORD and deliverer of the people of
God. The New Testament never
hints that this is a re-reading of the text or a second-layer of meaning
hidden to the original audience.
If we do not read the Hebrew Scriptures with the same prima
facie Christ-centredness then we have not read them in the way
modelled by Jesus and the Apostles.
Let’s have the humility to cast aside our pre-formed hermeneutical
schemes and begin again with Christ – the Rock, the Beginning, the Truth.
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