OT through the lens of the NT

[hume]

8/18/06:

"The New Testament has a normative role in Christian theology and ethics that is different from the Old Testament's role. We do not have a simple, undifferentiated canon running from Genesis to Revelation. The claim that Jesus' death and resurrection is *the* central decisive act of God for the salvation of humankind means that the cross becomes the hermeneutical center for the canon as a whole. Thus, within the canon the New Testament has a priveleged hermeneutical [i.e. interpretive] function ...

Christian theology reads the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament. Given the confession of a new and definitive disclosure of God through Jesus Christ, it could hardly be otherwise ...

The story that the New Testament tells makes sense only as the continuation and climax of the story of Israel. Thus, the Old Testament is taken up dialectically and dialogically by the New Testament writers, who struggle to affirm the fundamental continuity of the gospel with Scripture and, at the same time, the newness of the gospel that requires a hermeneutical reappropriation of Scripture."


- Richard Hays, _The Moral Vision of the New Testament_ pp. 308-9

[codybateman]

Actually, I believe the author is in error on more than one point:

1. He makes an assumption that Christian theology and ethics differs between the "Old and New" testaments. This is the first error, in part, because there should be NO separation between the promises made to ancient Israel and the remnant to be saved of Israel at the end of the age remains an ongoing story! Thus, the death and resurrection of our Lord is the focal point of all the "testament of our Lord and His Gospel!"

2. As a gentile believer, I have always studied just the opposite the author's point in paragraph two. I study the post resurrection promises of God to His church and Israel through the lens of the pre-resurrection promises of God declarations and eternal covenants declared to true Israel and those who love their God - we gentiles.

3. The Gospel of Jesus Christ and His coming Kingdom rule makes total sense in the light of His covenants made to true Israel long ago. It is also a wrong assumption to proclaim the "new testament" writers "struggle to affirm the fundamental continuity of the Gospel with Scripture."

In fact, the greater struggle was the constant rejection of the simplicity and fulfillment of prophecy that Jesus Christ presented at His resurrection and ascension. The religious Judiazers of that day (including Judiazers today who attempt to keep men under the law) could not stand the thought that Christ fulfilled the Law perfectly and thus, freed men from the very law that condemned them!

[yeshuafreak]

it should be that the NT is interpreted through the OT. however, the NT is a collection of brit chadashic (new cov't ) rabbis who show how they interpret the OT. so in that way, the NT is to interpret the OT. but in all reality, the point of the NT is to interpret the OT. that is the only scripture shaul and kefa and yaakov had. they found Yesuha in the OT. now, we forget the OT, and we dont find Yeshua in the OT as they were. tmaybe if we relied a little more on the OT, more jews would come to Yeshua.

shalom- john

[Josh]

maybe if we relied a little more on the OT, more jews would come to Yeshua

Much agreed!