Question #131

Do we need to read the first five books of the Old Testament?

I am a bible class teacher in the Church of Christ. A student asked me the following question: "You mentioned that the "Law of Moses" is not our rule to heaven, so does it mean that we do not have to read the first five books of the "Old Testament"? "Please explain further". Help me to give a comprehensive answer to the student.

The Answer:

This question is based upon the Biblical truth that today Christians are not under the Law of Moses. This is established, among other passages, by Ephesians 2:11-22 and Colossians 2:13-15. Since the Christian is no longer under the Law of Moses as a guide for faith and practice, then what use, if any, are we to make of it?

Romans 15:4 gives instruction in this regard: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Paul makes the same point in 1 Corinthians where, after listing Old Testament examples of unbelief, disobedience and murmuring, states 1 Corinthians 10:11, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Further insight is given in Galatians 3. Space is not taken here, but please read the entire chapter. Central are the truths that the law does not save (this does not mean that baptism is not essential to salvation, see, Gal. 3:26-27), that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, and that the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

The fact is that we cannot fully understand and appreciate the New Testament without a basic knowledge of the Old Testament. It was written for our learning to lead us to Christ. It is filled with “types” having “antitypes” in the New Testament. It is filled with examples of how God deals with those who do not obey His commands without subtraction or addition. A good example of that is Hebrews 8:5 where God’s admonition to Moses in the building of the tabernacle was repeated – he was to make all things according to the pattern that he was showed by God. The reason in the context is that the tabernacle and its furnishings were “shadows” of the reality that was to come. The entire book of Hebrews uses the Old Testament to demonstrate the “better” dispensation of Christ that was foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

Another example is the entire book of Revelation. There is no way to understand Revelation without an understanding of the Old Testament books of Daniel and Ezekiel. Both books are extensively quoted in Revelation. See the commentaries on Daniel and Revelation and the lessons on Ezekiel at this web site.

Remember Acts 8 and the conversion of the Ethiopian Nobleman. He was riding in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. Phillip began at the same place, i.e. in the prophecy of Isaiah, and preached unto him Jesus. There is no greater prophecy of the coming Messiah that Isaiah 53.

Remember Jesus on the road to Emmaus, Luke 24:25-27: “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” There was no better way to identify who He was and what He was than to begin in Moses and the Prophets and recount all that the scriptures said concerning Him.

That could have been a long walk and long talk. One writer states that he has conservatively identified 294 direct New Testament quotations of the Old Testament, 7 quotations that are added to the 294 by “and,” 19 paraphrases of Old Testament passages, 45 passages that are so similar to Old Testament passages that there can be little doubt that the writer had the Old Testament passages in mind. This adds to a total of 295 Old Testament passages occupying 352 New Testament verses. This means that 4.4 percent of the New Testament directly or indirectly references the Old Testament, which is 1 out of every 22.5 New Testament verses.

It all begins no later than Genesis 3:15, which is the first Old Testament Messianic prophecy: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The entire Bible is a record of the working of God to bring this great event to pass in the fullness of time. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:4-6. Hear also Ephesians 1:3-14: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: {places: or, things} 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: {heaven: Gr. the heavens} 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. {trusted: or, hoped} 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Paul us telling us that God’s scheme of redemption is the gospel story – the mystery of His will that has now been revealed and that all things in heaven and on earth have been gathered together in Christ.

There is no more wonderful story. It is indeed the greatest story every told. In fact, the words of the Queen of Sheba concerning the wisdom of Solomon are more apropos to the story of man’s redemption. They are paraphrased in an old gospel hymn: “The half has never yet been told.” 2 Chronicles 9:5-6.

Man’s sin in the Garden of Eden, then as now and forever, separated him from God. Isaiah 59:2. Man was removed from the Garden of God. Gen. 3:24. The entire remainder of scripture tells of God’s working to bring man back to His garden and His fellowship. Praise God, He has done it, Revelation 22, through Jesus Christ. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. But man must always remember that to be saved through Christ he must do the will of God. Matthew 7:21 -27.