Christ in Context
Since the New Testament is generously dotted with quotations and allusions to the Old Testament, it is safe to say that the second part of the Bible depends on understanding the first. While we might expect frequent appeal to the Old Testament in heavily Jewish flavored books such as Matthew or Hebrews, we might be surprised that mostly Gentile audiences were also expected to know the same Scriptures (Romans and 1 Peter, for example, are lined with Old Testament quotes.)
Given this emphasis of Scripture, it is alarming that New Covenant ministers today can at times, inadvertently or explicitly, steer their people away from a thorough understanding of OT books, preferring rather to emphasize the New Covenant. Remember, the New Covenant is an Old Testament doctrine (and not only in Je 31:31) that culminates in Christ!
The New Testament apostles and prophets insisted that their readers, Jew and Gentile, be more than generally familiar with OT stories. For them, essential doctrines of Christianity were forged upon precise Old Testament foundations. This demanded more than a casual acquaintance with the Hebrew Scriptures and certainly much more than a tacit dismissal of them! For example, Hebrews carefully exposits Old Testament texts, as intended in their original context, to prove that monumental shifts such as a new priesthood and a new covenant—not to mention the obsolescence of the temple and sacrificial system—were to be expected from the OT itself. The importance to the Jews of each of these elements of worship and national identity cannot be overstated. As such, Hebrews’ argument needed to be ironclad. Only precise exposition of the text could convince them. Loved ones, think of the weight of argument needed to convince a Jew that sacrificing animals was no longer necessary, the temple was no longer important, the feast days did not need to be observed, the priesthood of Levi was abrogated forever, the Old Covenant had been completely replaced by a new one and so on! Hebrews takes on all these topics and more in one 13 chapter sermon to steer its readers to the supremacy of Christ!
The existence of a better, heavenly tent is made certain because Moses was to fabricate the temple according to "the pattern" shown him in heaven (Ex 25:9, 40; Nu 8:4). No fewer than three times Moses tells us there was a heavenly (and therefore greater) tent that he patterned the physical tabernacle after. Yet without careful and faithful exposition of the Law, we would miss what we can plainly read for ourselves. Hebrews points out the significance of that word "pattern," not with fanciful imagination but with careful exegesis, rooting the argument in the plain, historical, and intended meaning of the text.
“They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, ‘See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain’" (He 8:5).
The same precision works to establish doctrine after doctrine in the New Testament. Psalm 95 teaches us that there is still a "rest" to pursue. "For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on” (He 4:8). The entire argument rests on the chronology of revelation. Psalm 95, written much later than the conquest of the land, proves that the "rest" God spoke of has yet to be fulfilled and can be pursued as long as there is a "today." Joshua applies to us today. Let me be clear. The "rest" was not just for Joshua but for us who believe in Jesus Christ. To better understand the Bible's meaning, we have to understand Joshua in relation to Christ. We cannot leave off Christ (obviously) but we cannot leave off Joshua either!
At least twice, Paul defends a cardinal doctrine (Catholic pun?)—justification by faith alone—with chronological arguments from Genesis. "How then was it [righteousness] counted to him [Abraham]? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised (Ro 4:10)." Not only was Abraham circumcised after he was justified, the Law itself came 430 years after Abraham lived (Ga 3:17). Abraham certainly did not perform the works of Moses to get saved! These arguments are ironclad! And we can see them clearly in their original context. The more we understand the historical timeline of Scripture as it unfolds, the more we will understand the beauty, simplicity, and power of these arguments!
The Bible authors are neither proof-texting nor cherry-picking. For them, all of Christianity stands on a proper understanding of what now makes up 3/4 of our Bible. If the Old Testament did not genuinely teach these doctrines concerning Christ and the promises of the New Covenant, their arguments would fall to the ground; the New Testament could be easily rejected.
In other examples, the language and imagery of the OT is applied to NT believers. How can the church of Christ, made up of Jews and Gentiles, appropriately be called "a spiritual house . . . a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Pe 2:5-9), all of which originally referred to Israel as a nation? Peter rightly understands that the OT predicted the coming of Messiah and that those who put their faith in him will "not be put to shame" but will receive "honor" instead. Jesus Christ is the perfect Israelite (also see his discussion of Jesus as Isaiah's Suffering Servant later in the chapter), the "cornerstone" of a New Jerusalem, and all those who are built on the foundation of Jesus inherit the promises of the New Covenant. Those promises are for "whoever" believes, Jew and Gentile alike. And those promises endure "For it stands in Scripture."
For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." So the honor is for you who believe" (1 Pe 2:6-7a).
Ok, Peter synthesizes and adapts Old Testament concepts to New Testament believers because of their union with Christ. So what? My point is that you will have no idea what Peter is talking about unless you know what the OT is talking about. Peter does not want you to merely identify that he is citing the OT. He does not want you to simply write the chapter and verse down in the margin of your Bible. He wants you to know your Bible, your whole Bible, and to be absorbing all that it teaches us about what God has done for us in Christ. You cannot understand the New without the Old!
I am in no way suggesting that we are under the Old Covenant. Hebrews itself teaches otherwise, as does Jesus' fulfillment of the Law in our place (Mt 5:19-20; Ro 8:1-4) and Paul's conclusion that OT realities were only a "shadow;" the true "substance belongs to Christ" (Col 2:16-17). I am not even suggesting that we spend 3/4 of our preaching in the Old Testament (though you will spend that proportion when reading through the Bible!). I am saying that we must be conversant with all of our Book, cover to cover, and how it centers upon the glorious person and work of our Lord Jesus. The gospel is not relegated to the NT only. "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed'“ (Ga 3:8).
We must understand and teach the Old Testament, not as unbelieving Jews, but as ministers of the New Covenant who have seen the development of Scripture in light of the advent of Jesus Christ who, through his life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and session at God's right hand has fulfilled OT types and shadows and how many of the predictions of the prophets have yet to be fully realized: our King is coming back again, all enemies are being subdued under his feet, Satan will not roam free forever, the final enemy of death will die once for all, the dead shall live, creation will be liberated and made new. But don't take my word for it. For now, Christ Jesus has been received into heaven "until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. ... And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days (Acts 3:21, 24)."
