圣经研究1——旧约的国度、圣约和正典 KOT

——第一课：为什么要学习旧约？

目录

一、介绍

二、离我们的久远性

原因

有机的默示

神的迁就

种类

神学的

文化的

个人的

三、与我们的相关性

耶稣的教导

负面的评论

正面的肯定

保罗的教导

负面的评论

正面的肯定

四、对我们的应用性

挑战

连接

同一位神

同样世界

同一类人

发展

时代

文化

个人

五、总结

一﹑介绍

我们若问那些没有传统的犹太教或基督教背景的人，为什么有人要研究旧约？」他们的回答基本上会有两个方向，比较积极的回答可能是这样：「旧约很古老，但我们还是要研究它，因为里面有一些东西我们今天仍能借鉴。」而比较消极的回答可能是，「实际上，旧约太古老，与我们毫不相干，一点儿都不值得读。」

然而，当虔诚的基督徒听到其他人对旧约发表这样的观点时，不由自主就沮丧退却。作为基督徒，我们相信旧约是神的话，是神所默示的《圣经》。因此我们不免怀疑：人们怎么会那样谈论《圣经》？但是，让我们同样吃惊的是，当我们问一些基督徒，「为什么有人要研究旧约？」很多人的回答竟然和非基督徒一样。充其量会说，「我们研究旧约是因为，旧约里有一点东西我们今天仍然有用。」最差的回答是，甚至有些基督徒也会说：「说实话，旧约太古老，与我们今天毫不相干，一点儿都不值得读。」

本课是整个旧约纵览系列课程的第一课。我们把这个系列定名为「旧约的国度、圣约和正典」。正像名字所显示的，这些课程将集中在旧约的三个主要方面。我们会看到，整个旧约围绕神的国度这一主题而联结在一起，而神的国度是透过历史中神与他子民的立约来运作的，同时透过旧约正典，这些圣约在特定的时间和地点应用在神子民的特殊需要上。

我们本课的标题是，「为什么要研究旧约？」在我们直接讲述旧约中的国度、圣约和正典之前，我们将在第一课着眼一个预备性问题，就是旧约的重要性和相关性。实际上，很多非常虔诚的基督徒也觉得，旧约根本不值得仔细地研究。

本课我们将讨论学习旧约重要性的三个原因。第一，我们将看到旧约的久远性把我们和旧约分开，使旧约的研究变得很困难。第二，我们将考究旧约和现今时代的相关性。第三，我们将探讨一些方法，把旧约应用到我们的当代生活。我们先来看旧约似乎常常离我们很遥远这一事实。

二﹑离我们的久远性

多年来，我发现很多学生在学习旧约时，经历一个基本相似、几乎可以预测的过程。孩童时期，或者我们刚信主的时候，人们就告诉我们旧约是神的话语，是默示的，是无误的。在此影响下，我们大多都断定旧约只是包含了一些基督徒人生容易应用的教导。现在，只要我们一谈论到范围较大的主题，例如神的圣洁、以色列的盼望，或者诫命，如「不可偷盗」或「不可杀人」，我们觉得轻车熟路，普普通通。但当我们更仔细研究旧约时，不同的情况就会发生。我们越深入的探讨，我们越会发现旧约所陈述的方方面面都至关重要，而不是普普通通。实际上，我们读得越深，就越没有轻车熟路的感觉，我们大都觉得像是在一个遥远陌生的地方。

‍当我们探讨为什么旧约似乎离我们如此遥远，集中在下面两点可以帮助我们的理解：第一，造成这种久远性的原因，是什么让旧约跟我们变得如此生疏；第二，我们经历到的久远性的种类，及其旧约中我们发现的陌生事物的类型。首先 ，让我们来看一看一些主要原因，为甚么我们常常感到和旧约之间存在巨大的差距。

原因

非基督徒有各种各样的原因来宣称旧约对当代人的陌生性，当然，他们的一些评价是合理的，有事实根据的，但是，他们大部分的观点仅仅是由于他们的不信。不信的人没有得救的信心，可以导致他们夸大旧约的陌生性。当你不相信神时，一本讨论神的书当然看起来就非常奇怪，当你不相信基督时，一本关于为神的子民预备基督的书也自然是很陌生的。所以，当听到非信徒说旧约和当代生活毫无关联，我们一点也不奇怪。

但是信徒怎么样呢？我们相信《圣经》中的神，我们也跟随基督，为什么我们也感到和旧约有距离感呢？至少旧约有两个特征使我们感到它的陌生性，一方面，透过一个有机的过程神把旧约默示给人们。另一方面，透过神的迁就过程使人明白，神利用旧约来完成他的旨意。这两个特征，有机的默示和神的迁就，导致了我们对旧约很多的陌生感。让我们首先思想有机的默示过程。

有机的默示

我们经常把历史上福音派基督徒关于《圣经》是神所默示的观点称作「有机的默示」。我们用这一术语表示圣灵藉着原作者的个性、经历、和意图来写《圣经》。也就是说，藉着圣灵特殊的引导，人类作者自己决定要写什么。《圣经》不是来自机械的默示，神只是把人类的作者当作被动的信息管道；《圣经》也不是浪漫的默示，好像神只是鼓动《圣经》的作者来赞扬宗教的东西。相反，神谨慎地掌控《圣经》的内容，为的是没有错误，可以正确地称为神的话。但是神这样做是透过一个过程，依赖和反映人类作者的个性和目的。

思想彼得在彼得后书第三章第十五节到第十六节提到保罗书信的方式：

这段经文，使徒彼得确认保罗的书信是照着神赐给他的智慧写的，换句话说，神的灵启示了保罗的书信，因此这些书信不仅仅是人类著述，也是神的著述。然而，彼得也肯定保罗的个性贯穿在这些书信中。注意彼得怎样说，「保罗照着所赐给他的智慧写了信。」这些经文仍然是保罗的书信。那么，我们可以看到，从彼得的观点，使徒保罗书信的形成包含了神和人类作者共同运作的过程。

旧约也是同样的情形，这就是为什么旧约的律法不但被称为神的律法，同时也称为摩西的律法。这些律法来自 上帝，但是是透过摩西。这也是为什么很多诗篇被称为是大卫的诗篇。虽然神是旧约的终极作者，但是他也藉着圣洁的人们来写这些书，同时，这些作者写的时候也反映他们自己的个性、意图和情形。

当你思想的时候，不难发现《圣经》的人类作者本身就使我们觉得旧约离我们很远。旧约的所有作者都是古代人，他们都生活在古老的近东地区，他们的思想和写作和当时的人们一样。同样的道理，因为他们的著述都在基督道成肉身之前，旧约的作者不可能像我们今天一样，有完全发展的基督神学，结果是，当你和我学习旧约的时候，我们很快就发现旧约的世界和我们当代的世界非常不一样。由于这个原因，旧约常常看起来陌生而且不熟悉。

除了《圣经》作者的有机默示所产生的困难之外，我们也应该认识到神的迁就也使我们和旧约有距离感。

神的迁就

「迁就」是神学家使用的一个术语来描述这样一个事实，每当神向人类启示他自己的时候，他以有限的人的方式来显现说话，因为终而言人对神是无法完全理解的，所以每逢他显现自己的时候，他就降卑为人，向我们说「儿语」。否则，我们不可能理解神所说的只言片语。你可以回忆以赛亚书第55章第8节-9节的话，

「耶和华说：「我的意念非同你们的意念，我的道路非同你们的道路。天怎样高过地，照样，我的道路高过你们的道路，我的意念高过你们的意念。」（以赛亚书第55章8-9节）

神超乎一切 他的无限超越我们的有限 他一切所有的启示都要迁就到人类可接纳的程度，这样，至少我们中的一些人可以理解、信从他的启示。

那么，很重要是要认识到旧约中，神并没有把他自己仅仅笼统的迁就给所有人类。他是用人类的语言，用有限的人类能明白的方式来说话。但是他把旧约设置在特定的历史环境下，即居住在古近东地区的犹太人的经历。他设计的经文首先能够被古时的以色列人明白。因为旧约原本的读者是古犹太人，所以神让人用古希伯来文和亚兰文来撰写《圣经》。神把十诫刻在石板上，因为这是当时各国书写重要文件的标准方式。另外，我们发现，旧约中故事题材、诗篇、智慧文字和律法书的文字手法，都随从古代近东地区的文字风格，这样可以使当时神的子民明白神要向他们说什么。由于这个原因，当我们学习旧约时，我们会不断遇到这样的现实，那就是旧约是写给和我们十分不同的人，是按照古代以色列人的能力和需要而写的。

因此，我们可以说，旧约《圣经》对于你我来说，常常看起来很像一个陌生领域，因为它既是有机的默示，同时也经过神的迁就来适应最初以色列人的读者。旧约的作者和读者生活在古代，跟我们现今不一样。从这个原因上说，我们经常感到我们自己和旧约之间有很大的差距。

我们既然已经明白了旧约遥远性的两个原因，现在让我们转到第二个方面：谈谈我们自己和旧约之间相差很远的种类或类型，有哪些我们遇到东西使我们觉得旧约很陌生？

种类

不用说，我们不可能一一列举所有旧约中看起来对我们陌生的地方，但是为了达到我们的目的，我们可以思想旧约和我们之间存在的三种基本的距离感。第一，神学距离 作为新约信徒，我们所信仰的和旧约中所展示的神学观念有所不同；第二、文化距离 我们当代文化和旧约《圣经》里特殊的古代近东文化环境的差异；第三、个人距离 作为个人，你我和旧约中相关人物的差异。

现在，我们都应该认识到神学、文化和个人这三个生活层面不能完全彼此分开，而是以各种方式深深地互相交织，彼此影响，我们现今时代是这样，旧约时代也是这样。因此，以三种不同形式的差距来探讨这些问题，会存在一定程度的肤浅性，然而，不论如何，这样依然会帮助我们来分别处理这些问题。那么首先让我们看看当我们研究旧约时，遇到的神学方面的差距。

神学的

学习旧约最明显的障碍之一就是我们所感受到的旧约神学和新约基督教神学之间的差异。当提到神学距离的时候，我们主要指的是旧约作者所领受的启示和基督徒所领受的较全备的启示之间的历史区别。我们心中有一个概念，就是旧约很多有关神以及我们同他的关系的教导，与我们从新约中领受的大大不同，至少乍看之下是如此。每个读旧约的基督徒都觉得，旧约所陈述的神学观点和新约的神学观点或多或少的显得相互不一致。

让我们想一想这些神学差异的例子。比如，神让亚伯拉罕献他的儿子， 但是如果今天有人告诉我们，神要他献上他儿子，我们会怎样想？我们甚至根本不会认真地思想这个神学主张。还有，在摩西的时代，神要信靠他的百姓从埃及长途跋涉到应许之地，寻求拯救。但是如果我们看到一群基督徒真的在旷野中跋涉去寻求救恩，我们肯定觉得这种行为不可思议。在旧约中，我们还看到有一些人通过发做拿细耳人的誓言，不剃自己的头发来奉献自己，服事神，我们肯定觉得很奇怪，神竟然很喜悦这种发誓。另外，旧约中，神规定圣殿是他的百姓唯一敬拜他的地方，违背者就要处死。但现在，我们却坚信人们可以在任何时间，任何地点正确地敬拜神。那时，神要求人们献上动物作为赎罪祭，今天，我们觉得这种宗教礼仪对动物太残忍，也羞辱耶稣基督的赎祭。旧约时代， 上帝下令毁灭迦南地的全城，包括妇女和小孩， 但我们很难想象， 在当代战争中， 上帝会允许这样的事情。

旧约让我们相信神做这样的事情，显然和新约差距很大，难道我们不都有一点困惑吗？这样神学差异的例子举不胜举。无论怎么样说，我们和旧约之间肯定存在神学上的差异。

文化的

除了我们看到得旧约和新约之间的神学距离，我们当代世界和古代近东地区的文化差异，也导致旧约看起来像一个很遥远陌生的地方。当提到我们和旧约的文化差异，我们想到旧约里面的人物、原作者和原读者的生活层次，都表明他们生活的那个时代的文化特点。每次我们读到或想象古代的生活，无论是在以色列、迦南、埃及、亚述、巴比伦、或者很多其它地方的古文化，我们都感受到我们和旧约之间的差距。我们所遇到的旧约中的人物，有数不清的文化理念、价值和习惯，就象我们今天一样。但是他们所生活的那个时代和地区导致了那些理念、风俗和习惯与我们的不同。

文化差距的产生是由于人类社会不断地变化，社会结构的更替，旧的习俗看起来有诸多不适。 你能想象回到200年前你自己的文化是什么样子吗？这种差异可能会使大部分人感觉不舒服，我们可能需要很长时间去适应。如果面对我们自己的文化，在这样短的时间里都会是这样，那么，我们难道不期望在我们和旧约之间应当找到更多的差异吗？古代近东地区和我们当代世界的差距如此巨大，难免在旧约中我们读到的很到东西显得极其陌生。

让我们来考量一下，在旧约的文化层面里使我们感觉生疏遥远的几个例子。从世俗的标准，旧约世界很大程度上是农耕社会，我们读到，农业和渔业贯穿整个旧约，但是，很多当代城市居民很难想象这种古代生活方式的基本形态；我们读到旧约中包办婚姻，很多当代人很惊讶，年轻的夫妇怎样能够忍受这样的风俗；我们也读到旧约中的人，实行一夫多妻，挑战我们现在完美的一夫一妻制；我们发现旧约中存在奴隶制度，我们对这种风俗感到困惑；我们也看到旧约时代的文化充斥着帝王制度的社会结构。能成为显赫帝国的一部分被认为是最理想的社会结构，这几乎是每一个古代近东的文化，也包括以色列，他们对我们当代社会的民主政治几乎一概不知。当我们看到旧约生活的这些和其它类似的特点，我们经常不知怎样处理这些困惑，《圣经》中深含了这么多跟我们差距如此大的文化环境，我们怎么办？当我们读旧约时，这些，还有其它很多文化差异会使我们感受到我们自己和旧约之间的巨大鸿沟。

个人的

除了存在于我们和旧约之间的神学距离和文化距离之外，还有第三种距离，就是个人距离。当我们提到个人距离或差异，是指这样一个事实，就是生活在旧约时代的人和我们当代的人， 在很多方面都不相同。我们和他们之间的鸿沟常常包括了人类本身的个人因素。

当然，旧约的人物也不是和我们完全不同，后面的课程我们会看到，我们和他们在很多重要的方面一模一样。但在其它一些方面，和我们在心智上有明显的不同。其实，这也不奇怪，毕竟，他们的观念出自他们所生存的神学和文化的世界。

一方面，要认识到旧约时代，许多人的属灵经历和我们今天的属灵经历大不一样，他们可以看到天上的异象，可以听到神的声音，他们可以直接与天使摔跤。现在，让我们暂时停下来，问自己这样的问题。如果你有这样的属灵经历，你会有怎样的不同？如果你看到从神而来的异象，听到从神而来的声音，能够和天使摔跤，你会是什么样的人？我想如果我们今天有这样的经历，那我们会完全地被改变。认识到这个现象可以帮助我们了解，旧约那些如此经历神的人们，和我们有很大的不同。

另一方面，要考虑到，由于文化的影响，我们是什么样的人。旧约人们的一些文化角色，对于我们来说，非常奇怪。他们有国王、皇后、农民、为奴的。旧约中的人忍受古代战争的残忍和饥荒瘟疫的威胁。我们读到在一场战斗中，一个年轻的男孩勇敢的面对一个巨人；一个年轻的女子带领军队前去打仗；我们听到在埃及为奴的人们绝望的哀求。今天，我们几乎没有人面临这样的情景；结果，我们就很难理解，当人们经历这些的时候，他们的思想情感是什么。

因此，当开始本课程学习的时候，我们应当有思想准备，承认旧约在很多方面和我们有差距。《圣经》的这一部分不是在我们当代世界里写成的，结果就是，我们会不断遇到旧约在神学方面、文化方面和个人方面与我们的差异。

既然我们已经看了旧约和我们存在差距的原因和种类，我们就转到第二个主题：旧约和我们的人生有什么相关？为什么我们应该期待这样一本久远的书，会向我们今天的人说出一些有价值的东西？其实，这个问题有很多答案，然而，毫无疑问，最重要的回答是我们之所以仍然期待旧约对我们的人生很重要，是因为新约这样教导我们。

三﹑与我们的相关性

不幸的是，如果我们今天对新约的任何教导有误解的话，就是出在这一点上。太多的基督徒，当他们读新约的时候好像新约教导我们旧约已经过时，好像新约已经除去我们对旧约的需求。但实际上，新约的教导正好相反，正如我们要看到的，新约告诉我们旧约对基督徒的生活是绝对重要的。除非我们从旧约中汲取引导，否则我们没有办法在基督里取得完全的生命。

新约透过各种方式教导我们，旧约和我们今天的生活相关，但是我们只着重谈两点：第一，我们看看耶稣的教导，第二，我们看看保罗的教导。首先，让我们思想耶稣是怎样教导有关旧约的相关性。

耶稣的教导

为了能够得到有关耶稣教导旧约对于今天重要性的一个平衡的观点，我们先简要看一下耶稣教导的两个特征：第一，他对旧约表面上看起来负面的评论，第二，他对旧约相关性的正面积极肯定。首先让我们看一看耶稣的一些教导，乍看起来好像是对旧约负面的评论。

负面的评论

很多基督徒相信耶稣否定了旧约和我们今天人生的相关性，他们会翻到马太福音5-7章登山宝训，作为支持他们观点的证据。一方面，在登山宝训中，耶稣涉及到一些伦理问题，他处理这些问题的方法给很多人一个印象，就是他实际上反对旧约的教导。听听下面熟悉的经节。马太福音第5章第21节-22讲到杀人时，这样说：

马太福音第5章第27节-28耶稣提到奸淫时，这样说：

马太福音第5章第31节-32讲到离婚时，这样说：

马太福音第5章第33节-34讲到起誓时，耶稣又用同样的模式：

马太福音第5章第38节-39论到复仇时，这样说，

最后，马太福音第5章第43节-44，基督讲到爱仇敌的问题，

现在，所有的基督徒都同意耶稣是神最高的启示，他的教导应该比旧约的教导更全备。他切入问题的实质，同时又延伸到旧约无法达到的最远的范畴。但遗憾的是，很多基督徒，粗浅的理解这些经文，认为耶稣这些有关杀人、奸淫、离婚、起誓、复仇和爱仇敌的观点，实际上和旧约的教导相抵触，他们通常是这样推理的：他们说，旧约教导实际的杀人是错的，而耶稣却关心的是心里充满的仇恨；旧约禁止实际上的奸淫，而耶稣的谈论进深到心里的奸淫，关于离婚，很多人相信旧约允许离婚的原因范围较广，而耶稣不同意旧约的教导，坚持淫乱是离婚的唯一理由。关于起誓，他们争论道，旧约说不要食言，但是耶稣教导他的跟随者什么誓都不可起。同样是这些人，他们常常相信旧约认可一种私人的复仇惯例，「以眼还眼，」但耶稣教导我们应该饶恕。他们认定旧约教导要爱你的邻舍，恨你的仇敌，而耶稣把这个命令扩展到也要爱你的仇敌。

如果这些对耶稣教导的流行看法从某个角度碰巧是正确的话，那么我们的想法是合情合理的，即耶稣来，是要把他的跟随者从旧约的伦理束缚中释放出来。但是当我们仔细推敲耶稣在马太福音第五章所讲的，发现这种观点和耶稣的本意南辕北辙。尽管耶稣的启示大于旧约的启示，但是他不会以任何方式和旧约的教导相抵触。相反，他的意图是透过反驳一些普遍对旧约教导的误解来肯定旧约。

为了正确理解耶稣的教导，我们需要明白耶稣在马太福音第五章所讲的和旧约本身没有任何冲突，相反，他是反对文士和法利塞人的解经方式。在耶稣时代，其实只有极少的人能够直接接触《圣经》。由于这个原因，以色列普通百姓对《圣经》的了解主要依赖宗教领袖的解释。我们会看到，耶稣在我们刚刚读到马太福音5章所作的对比，是把他的观点和文士与法利塞人对旧约解释的传统观点相对照，耶稣的观点和旧约是完全吻合的，许多细节都证明了这一点。

首先，我们应该注意到耶稣所涉及的是人所教导的和人所听到的事情，换句话说，他所针对的是来自人的口头传统，而不是旧约本身的教导。当耶稣和其它新约人物提到旧约的时候，他们是指「所记载」和「所读到」的，新约《圣经》中没有任何地方记载耶稣以这种方式反驳旧约。但是在登山宝训中，耶稣反对的是宗教领袖对人们「所说」的东西，他反对的是人们「所听」到的东西。简单的说，耶稣把文士与法利塞人所说的和他所说的作对照。耶稣不是在反对旧约所记载的，而是在反对以色列教师们所遗留下来的口头传统。这就是为什么他一直提到「有话说」，而不是提到「经上记载。」

按照这种想法，我们应更深入地看看到底耶稣对这些旧约的口头解释说了什么，让我们思想耶稣所做的比较。关于杀人的问题，虽然很多人相信耶稣把不可杀人的概念扩展到不可恨人，但是旧约不但处罚杀人犯，而且也处罚神子民中间惹事生非的人。诗篇133篇1节极好地表达了旧约中神的子民之间应有的完美和谐融洽的关系：

在耶稣那个时代，当时流行的传统是只要不导致身体的死亡，惹是生非的人可以免罪。与此相反，耶稣反对这些错误的教导，重申旧约准确的标准，他把禁止杀人和禁止仇恨结合起来。

关于奸淫问题，很多人认为耶稣把身体的淫乱扩展到心里的淫乱，但是同样，很容易发现耶稣没有反对或夸大旧约的要求。毕竟，旧约不仅要求人们禁止身体的淫乱，而且也禁止贪恋，即心里的淫乱。就象出埃及记第20章第17节说的，

第十条诫命很清楚地说明不可贪恋别人的妻子，因此，耶稣的教训不是否定旧约，而是重申旧约的律法。

关于离婚（休妻）问题，很多人再一次解释说耶稣不同意旧约的教导。但是，我们必须明白，在耶稣那个时代，以色列很多宗教领袖相信，旧约的律法赋予他们权利，只要有任何现实的原因，他们都可以休妻，只要写下休书就行，然而，我们都知道旧约很清楚地指出神并不喜悦这样的行为。正如玛拉基书第2章第16节说的，

在马太福音第19章第3节-9，耶稣更详尽地描述他对休妻的立场，他说的很清楚，他反对离婚是基于旧约本身，特别是基于有关亚当和夏娃的创造描述。

关于起誓的问题，很多人以为耶稣是反对旧约起誓的惯例，但是同样，耶稣不是在反对旧约的教导，而反对对旧约教导的曲解。很显然，耶稣那个时代，有一些人教导说，只要一个人没有发誓他一定会遵守他的诺言，说谎话是可以的。耶稣不同意这种教导，坚持旧约禁止任何形式的谎言，不仅仅是没有信守誓约的谎言。正如箴言第6章第16节-17说的，

这就是为什么耶稣在马太福音第5章第37节接着说，

耶稣没有不同意旧约，而是表明文士和法利赛人的口头传统没有达到旧约的标准。

关于复仇的问题，很多人相信旧约允许人们复仇，耶稣却不允许。但是，最初在出埃及记第21章第24节提到的「以眼还眼」的旧约律法，是用来指导以色列首领在正式法庭上的断案标准。简单地说，就是审判官应该按照犯罪事实，公正合理地给出他们的裁定和判罚。这个标准从来不是要应用于个人之间的事情。相反，在个人之间，旧约教导人们要有仁慈和怜悯。就如我们在利未记第19章第18节读到的，

在耶稣那个时代，「以眼还眼」已经被认为是神许可的个人之间的复仇方法，人们认为不论别人对你有什么伤害，你都有权给他同样的伤害。但是耶稣不同意这样对律法的曲解，而是肯定了旧约的教导，我们应该在个人关系上显示我们的爱心。

最后，关于爱仇敌的问题，很多人也错误地认为旧约教导恨你的仇敌是可以的。耶稣时代有一些教师，从利未记第19章第18节的诫命中 「爱你的邻舍」 做了明显推断，认为与之相反的「恨你的仇敌」应该是理所当然的同样适用。然而，旧约本身从来没有说过类似的话。实际上，出埃及记第23章第4节，我们读到怎么样对待敌人的教导，

所以，同样，耶稣没有把他的观点和旧约相比较，而是，他反对他那个时代错误的解释，重述旧约的正确教导。

如果我们设想耶稣的教导违背旧约本身，那我们真是大大地误解了耶稣的教训。我们将会明白，耶稣经常向人们展现旧约的方向所在，解释旧约所预示的信仰和惯例，从这个意义上讲，他的教导更高地超越了旧约，更多地揭示神的性情和他对百姓的旨意。但是耶稣从来没有反对旧约和旧约的教导，恰恰相反，他反对错误地解释旧约教导。

清楚了表面上耶稣对旧约负面的评论其实是对旧约的肯定之后，我们回头再看下面这些耶稣对旧约权威性和相关性持肯定态度的经文，就很容易明白。

正面的肯定

一般而言，从很多方面我们都可以了解基督对旧约经文持积极肯定的见解，例如，他经常提到旧约经文是他自己教导的基础；在登山变相，彰显他的荣耀时，他站在律法的颁布者摩西和先知之首以利亚之间。并且，在他的一生中，耶稣把他全人都委身于顺服旧约所有的教导。

但是有关耶稣对旧约持肯定态度的一些特殊例子，我们还是要看一看登山宝训。听听耶稣在马太福音第5章第17节-18所说的，

这里耶稣强有力的说明他来不是要废除律法和先知，他强调旧约的每个细节，小到一点一画都要有效地保留，直到世界的末了。

不幸的是，很多时候，基督徒理解耶稣在这里所说的和耶稣真正的意思正好相反，他们看到「我来不是要废除而是成全，」 就认为耶稣的意思是，「我来不是要废除（旧约），而是把它变得毫不相关。」但是，看耶稣接下来在马太福音第5章第19节所说的话，我们就知道这不是耶稣的意思，

注意耶稣这里所说的，如果有人未能遵守，或者怂恿别人忽视即使诫命中最小的一条，他们在天国要称为最小的。耶稣知道文士和法利赛人对旧约的处理是带有选择性的，所以，他坚持他的门徒要肯定和顺从旧约全部的教导，而不只是有所选择。基督期待他忠心的跟随者们服从旧约的每一个细节。

实际上，他对旧约的权威坚持不懈，宣称如果我们完全顺从旧约，我们就会比文士和法利赛人有更美好的结局。正如耶稣在马太福音第5章第20节说的，

那么我们都应该承认，耶稣这里所讲的话会产生各种各样实际的问题，顺从旧约的教导，对当代的社会意味着什么？今天的基督徒怎样遵守旧约，直至最小的诫命？这个系列课程将会阐述些重要的问题，但是，到此为止，我们仅仅持守耶稣明明白白所教导的基本原则就足够了。耶稣要他的门徒把旧约当成神的命令，他们不应否定它的相关性，而是应该学习并遵守它的方方面面。

保罗的教导

既然我们已经明白耶稣如何教导我们，旧约和基督徒的人生息息相关，我们就转过头来，简单地看看保罗的见证。为了能够理解保罗对旧约的肯定，我们将用同样的方式，探讨保罗对旧约的评论。首先，我们要讲一讲保罗表面看起来对旧约律法的负面评论，接下来，我们要思考他对旧约相关性的正面肯定。让我们先来讲保罗表面看起来对旧约律法的负面评论。

负面的评论

不幸的是，今天很多基督徒相信保罗对旧约是真的持负面的态度，这些真诚的基督徒用很多保罗书信的经文来控诉保罗，但是为了便于讨论起见，我们只看一个例子。请看加拉太书第3章第1节-6：

现在我们应该很容易承认，保罗相信耶稣比旧约更多地启示父神和他的旨意，保罗相信新约信仰的启示更为全备。但是，常常一些出于良好愿望的基督徒读这些经文时，认为保罗相信旧约和我们毫不相关。但是，实际上，保罗没有否定旧约的相关性，他只是反对对旧约的误用。

特别是，在第2节，保罗问加拉太人他们接受圣灵是因律法或是因信心；第3节他问他们的依靠。他们既靠圣灵入门后，还要来靠肉身成全吗？在第5节，他问圣灵所行的异能，是因他们遵行律法还是因他们听信福音。每一种情况，保罗的要点在于，基督教信仰的祝福，不是因为遵行律法，而是因为信靠基督的福音。

保罗这些，还有其它类似的陈述，让很多人认为保罗否定旧约的权威性和相关性，并且用基督教信仰和圣灵来取而代之。实际上，这类辩论经常认定，一旦认为旧约和基督徒的日常生活有关，就是背离福音。

然而，当仔细察看这些经文的上下文关系，我们会发现，和耶稣一样，保罗不是反对旧约本身，他是在反对滥用旧约，保罗坚定不移地反对旧约被误用为律法主义的宗教工具，其宣称救恩是靠行为来成全的。在这段经文中，保罗反对一些教师的错误教导，把加拉太人置于律法的审判之下，说救恩是靠行律法而得。和这些错误的教导相反，保罗强调基督的福音和旧约的真正教导是相辅相成的。听听第3章后面，保罗讲到的情景，第10-13节，

这段话很清楚，保罗反对那些靠遵行律法得救的人，他反对那些靠律法称义的人，如果这是我们宗教惯例的话，我们肯定会被咒诅，因为我们永远不能完全守住律法。唯一逃过这个咒诅的方法就是透过对基督的信心，他已经为我们受了咒诅。

但保罗是在反对旧约本身吗？他真的认为旧约真正的教导和基督徒毫不相干吗？完全不是！实际上，保罗引用旧约来证明唯独因信称义的真理，加拉太书第3章第11节他引用哈巴谷书第2章第4节先知的话，

按照保罗的观点，基督教福音唯独因信称义实际上是符合旧约的教导。

我们既然已经了解了保罗表面看起来对旧约律法的负面评论，实际上是针对错误地把旧约看成是个靠行为称义的制度而言的负面评论，这点可以帮助我们看到使徒保罗强调旧约对基督徒的权威性和相关性。

正面的肯定

概括来讲，保罗无数次提到旧约来证明他自己的神学观点，直接引用旧约和间接提及旧约的情况出现在保罗的整个书信中。确切地讲，保罗也教训基督徒应该期望旧约和他们的人生息息相关。思想他在罗马书第15章第4节说的话，

根据这段经文，在发扬和保守我们基督徒的盼望中，旧约的作用至关重要，当我们读旧约的故事、诗篇、应许和审判的时候，我们在基督里的盼望就会增长。

当然毫无疑问，保罗最强烈，也最清楚地肯定旧约的相关性是在提摩太后书3:16：

大多数基督徒都熟悉这节经文，但我们常常把「《圣经》」这个词设想成新约，是的，毫无疑问这些话暗含了我们对新约的观点，但是在别处，当保罗写信给提摩太提到「《圣经》」的时候，他心里特别指的是旧约。因此，听听旧约能够给我们多么美妙的东西，旧约能教训、督责、使人归正、教导人学义，行各样的善事。一句话，保罗说旧约和我们如此息息相关，在基督徒人生中必不可少。

因此，当我们开始旧约的学习时候，我们不但必须认识到我们和旧约之间存在着差距，而且我们也必须明白新约要我们满怀期望，知道旧约和我们今天的生活息息相关。所以，学习旧约不是花时间在毫无相关的事情上，实际上，学习旧约能使我们从中获得得救的智慧。

现在，我们要转向我们本课的第三个主题：如何把旧约应用到我们今天的生活中。

四﹑对我们的应用性

从我们本课简单的讨论中，我们已经很显然的看到，理解和应用旧约的任务是十分巨大的。现在，令人欣慰的是圣灵在帮助基督徒学习并应用旧约，实际上，圣灵对我们的带领和教导，远远超过靠我们自己努力所能达到的。但是，肯定这个事实的同时，我们千万不能使我们自己自鸣得意，期望圣灵能替我们包办万事。相反，在神的面前，我们自己有责任，千方百计尽我们最大的可能，掌握并且接受来学习如何负责任地应用旧约的这一挑战。使徒保罗在提摩太后书第2章第15节向提摩太提到这种责任，

要探讨旧约对当代基督徒的应用，我们会简略谈到三个方面：首先，我们探讨我们应用旧约时所面临的挑战，第二，能够把这本古老的书应用到我们今天的一些连接点，第三，当我们应用旧约时，我们必须考虑的一些发展变化。

挑战

当我们试图理解并应用旧约到我们今天生活时，我们面临的挑战是什么？有很多种方法来表述这种挑战，但是我们只把注意力集中在一个中心环节：我们必须学习怎样弥补我们自己和旧约之间的差距，我们必须学习如何克服把我们和旧约分开的遥远性，以致我们能使它和我们今天连接起来。

让我们使这个问题尽量简单明了，正像我们看到的， 上帝把旧约赐给他生活在远古时代的百姓，使他们能够在他们的那个时代为神而活，但我们也了解到，他把旧约也赐给我们，使我们也靠它而活。但是我们生活在和旧约非常不同的时代，因此，由于这个因素，我们和旧约之间存在差距，存在鸿沟，使我们很难知道如何把旧约应用到我们的生活中。因此，如果以负责任的方式把旧约应用到我们的现今生活，我们必须处理三件事情：第一，我们必需了解旧约形成时的那个远古世界；第二，我们必需跨越我们和旧约之间的历史鸿沟，了解到我们当代世界和旧约世界的不同情形；第三，我们必需把我们从旧约中所学到的，跨越隔阂，应用到今天我们自身和其他人的生活中。

提到旧约对以色列人出埃及的叙述时，听听使徒保罗在哥林多前书第10章第11节是如何概括这种应用的挑战，保罗说，

请注意，保罗在这里所说的至少有三件事情对我们很重要，首先，他提到事件和记载，「遭遇这些事并且写在经上。」第二，保罗提到他自己和其它在哥林多的基督徒，他说，他们「写在经上，正是警戒我们。」第三，保罗提到了哥林多人和古代事件及记载之间的差距，他把基督徒描述为「末世的人。」这些话显示了保罗非常清楚，新约的信徒和旧约的信徒生活在完全不同的时代。我们处在末世，是历史完成的时间，从使徒的这些话，我们要明白，旧约应用的挑战是我们必需预备处理远古世界，处理我们之间的时间差异，处理我们现在世界。

第一点，把旧约恰当的应用到我们现在生活意味着要把我们当代的世界丢到脑后，我们首要的任务是按着旧约本身的观点解释旧约。当然，这一点，没有人可以做的完美，我们没有办法完全彻底地摆脱我们当代的观点，然而，我们都知道，假装一本古书是直接为我们写的，和真诚地试图在历史背景中读一本书，是不一样的。每一个认真学习旧约的学生必须扣紧历史事实，我们阅读和应用的这本书是为几千年前的人们特别而写的。从很重要的意义上讲，我们不是在听 上帝和受感的作者们直接向我们讲话，而我们是在旁听他们讲给其他人的话。

由于这个原因，我们必需经常要问，这些经文原本的意思是什么？旧约经文的原意确定了神最初的方向，即神想要他的百姓从旧约里学习的东西，他们的优先次序是什么？他们相信的是什么？他们的情形怎样？他们怎样理解旧约的经文？接下来的系列课程，我们要学习怎样通过回到原本作者和原始听众的世界来阅读旧约。

第二点，为了恰当地应用旧约，我们必须仔细的考察旧约和我们当代之间的这段时期，领会《圣经》信仰的发展和各样的联系。我们将会看到，旧约的教导随着时间而发展成熟。某件事神不是对他的百姓只说一次而已，以后永不涉及这一话题。正好相反，在旧约和我们当代这段历史期间，神启示了更多。这些增加的启示，其中一些出现在旧约，其中一些出现在新约。但是，所有的情况下，为了弥补差距，我们需要从神说过的一切话中来考虑。

第三点，旧约应用的挑战是我们也必须坚定地持守一个观念，就是旧约被写的时候也考虑到这些未来的人们。像保罗说的，旧约是「为我们而写」。 作为这个时代的信徒，这个事实要求我们关注，我们所应该有的责任。神今天子民的需要，在很多方面，和神过去子民的需要极为相似，同时，今天的需要也是新的和不同的。如果我们今天能够有效的应用旧约，我们就必须要了解我们自己和那些需要应用的人。

既然我们已经明白了，人们要把旧约应用到我们当代生活时所面临的挑战，我们就转到应用这个主题的第二个方面。什么连接线能使我们把旧约时代的教导，跨越历史的鸿沟，应用到我们当今世界来？什么样的共通性能使之成为可能？

连接

因为任何一本书和某个人的人生有关联，读者和书的内容之间必须有某种的连接。这本书能够应用，从某种程度上，书中所讲的和读者人生的经历必须有足够的共性。一般的书是这样的道理，旧约尤其是同样的道理。因此，在这点上，我们需要问：旧约的世界和我们的世界有哪些联系，使旧约可以应用到或者关系到我们今天的生活？

有很多种方法我们可以用来把这些联系归类，但是我发现，在三个方面思想我们和旧约原本听众持有的共同性，对我们会很有帮助。具体地说，就是我们有同一位神，我们生活在同样的世界，以及我们是同一类人。让我们逐一来讨论这三个连接线。

同一位神

首先，当我们一起学习旧约的时候，我们应当时时记得这个事实，就是新约时代基督徒的神和我们在旧约中读到的是同一位神。今天，忠心的基督徒敬拜和服事的神，与在耶稣出生前、那些古代忠心的以色列人就已经服事的，是同一位神。

我们服事的是同一位神，这个事实建立了很重要的连接线，因为《圣经》教导我们，神是不可改变的、神是永不改变的。他是昨日和今日都一样的神。这里，我们需要小心，《圣经》教导我们神是不改变的，但是这种不变性只在某些方面。不变性不是指神不做事，不是指他静止不动。相反，正如传统基督教神学讲的，神的不变性体现在三个方面：神的不改变是指神永恒的定旨、神的性情或属性，以及他圣约的应许不改变，让我们来探讨神在这些方面的不改变，使我们确定今天的神和旧约时代的神是同一位神。

首先，神永恒的定旨不改变，《圣经》清楚地教导我们，神已经做的以及正在做的每一件事，都是神永不改变、统一计划的一部分。正像先知以赛亚在以赛亚书第46章第10节说的，

在这系列课程中，我们将要详细地来探讨这永恒计划的目的和方向， 但是此时，我们只要意识到神永恒计划的不变性，就是在教导我们他在旧约的目的和新约的目的本是一致的就足够了。不管我们看到新约和旧约如何的不同，这两本约书不是代表两个不同的计划，也不是一个替代另一个，或者彼此互相矛盾。正好相反，旧约和新约是神整个统一计划的不同阶段或步骤，他们已经或者将要推动历史向着一个不变的目标前进。

第二点，神的性情或属性不改变。神在不同的时期显明他性情的不同方面，有时显明怜悯、有时表示义怒，但是他永远一致的性情或者说他永远的本性从不改变。听听希伯来书的作者在希伯来书第1章第10节-12提到基督永恒性是怎样说的，

还有雅各书第1章第17节说，

我们的神不改变，相反，他的性情始终如一。

不幸的是，我们这个时代，很多基督徒怀疑神性情的一致性，他们的反应好象说神在早期的《圣经》里面有一套属性，后来又有另外一套属性。我记得我还是个6岁小孩子的时候，我的主日学老师给我们讲约书亚攻打耶利哥的故事。当她讲完的时候，看着我们整个教室所有的孩子，说，「孩子们，旧约的神很坏，那个时候他甚至要杀死小孩子。但是 上帝现在改变了，在新约中， 上帝爱每一个人，你们是不是很高兴活在新约而不是活在旧约时代？」当然， 我们都会为此而高兴。我们没有人愿意象耶利哥的小孩子一样被杀掉。

其实，我的主日学老师的愿望很好，但是她犯了一个严重的错误。神的性情从旧约以来一直不改变。正相反，他在新约中的审判和旧约中的是全然的一致。他在新约中的爱和旧约中的是一惯的。神的性情过去是这样，现在是这样，将来也是这样，他是不改变的。

神不改变的属性使我们有理由相信，旧约和我们今天的生活息息相关，不管从表面上看来，旧约中神的作为和新约中神的作为有多么的不同，我们必须肯定《圣经》的教导，神的性情永不改变。神在旧约中一切的作为都体现他的性情，因为他的性情一点也不改变。我们可以确信神在新约中的行为也和他的永恒属性一致。如果旧约的信徒和新约的信徒拥有的是有相同属性的同一位神，我们应该期望看到神在旧约对待信徒的方式和神在新约中对待信徒的方式极为类似。因此，这种类似使旧约和我们的人生息息相关。

现在我们来看第三点，贯穿整个《圣经》，神圣约的应许也不改变，神要成就他与他的百姓所立的约，从不落空。这里，我们也要很小心。《圣经》里，很多次神对百姓的威吓和对百姓的许诺却没有实现 但是威吓和许诺不是神圣约的应许。圣约的应许是指神发誓要做的事情，这种圣约的誓言是信实可靠的。像希伯来书第6章第17节说的，

照样，神愿意为那承受应许的人格外显明他的旨意是不更改的，就起誓为证。（希伯来书第6章17节）

神的圣约不改变。 上帝在创世记第9章第16节曾应许，任何时候看见天空的彩虹，他会记起与诺亚所立的永约，永远不再用洪水毁灭世界。在创世记17章， 上帝三次应许他与亚伯拉罕所立的约是永远的约；而在历代志上第16章第15节-18，大卫回想神与先祖所立永恒的约，赐给以色列应许之地。撒母耳记下第23章第5节，大卫提到神与他所立永远的约，使他的后裔坐在以色列的王位上，虽然以色列人失信背约，犹大和大卫的家被掳，但是神依然持守他与他们所立的约。以西结书16:59-60，这样说，

我们必须承认在新约中， 上帝似乎有时地忘记了或者搁置了他的一些应许。但是实际情况是：当我们正确理解《圣经》时，请记住 上帝没有改变，我们会发现每一个圣约的应许都已实现或将要实现。由于这个原因，我们有理由相信，旧约对新约时代的基督徒的益处更为丰富。 上帝曾给旧约的信徒很多的应许，从而我们可以确信，在新约中神会一直持守他的应许。

既然我们已经了解到，新约和旧约之间被同一位神这个事实连接起来，那么我们应该转到旧约信仰和今天基督徒信仰之间的第二种连接：我们都生活在同一个世界。

同样世界

一句话，旧约来自并且描述的是你我今天居住的同一个世界，旧约信徒的信仰不是来自另外一个宇宙。它是在这个地球上发展来的，因此我们在这个世界上拥有共同的历史，共同的环境，这些事实应该使我们看到新约信仰和旧约信仰之间至少有两种联系。第一，旧约为解释我们现今的经历提供背景知识，第二，旧约描述的情景可以和我们今天很多的经历相呼应。让我们来探讨一下，当我们说旧约为我们的信仰经历提供历史背景，我们指的是什么？

旧约中一个很明显但也很重要的特点，就是它记载了无数的事件和教导。这些就形成了新约期间的事件和教导的背景，旧约事件的发生不是孤立无援，也不是胡编乱造，他们是实实在在所发生的历史事实，而且很多事件在世界上留下了不可磨灭的痕迹。

例如，出埃及记中，为以色列人所颁布的十条诫命为新约的道德教导提供了至关重要的背景。同样，神拣选大卫作为神的子民永远国度的君王，为耶稣是大卫的子孙提供了历史背景。以色列被掳到外邦这个历史事实，为耶稣宣称他来要使被掳的得释放提供了背景。利用这些以及其它无数的方式，使得旧约和我们新约的生活有关，因为旧约提供了这些历史背景。

现在来看第二点，旧约和我们有关联是因为旧约的事件和我们基督徒信仰相呼应。我们都知道这个谚语，「历史往往会重演」，因而我们明白过去发生的很多事件都有惊人的相似之处。

和旧约的信徒一样，我们生活在一个神创造的世界，但是这个世界已经犯罪堕落。旧约中的信徒面对来自世人和魔鬼权势的对抗，今天我们也面对同样的对抗。他们依靠神的帮助来胜过，我们也需要神的帮助来胜过。新旧约的相呼应是广泛的，一旦我们超越表面的差异就会发现在很多方面，我们生活的环境与旧约的作者和听众所生存的环境都非常地相似。

第三点，旧约和我们现今之间的另一个连接线，来自我们所涉及、所面对的是同一种人的这个事实。

同一类人

虽然在古代旧约的人和我们当代人之间表面上有很多不同，但是也有很多基本的连贯性，这种连贯性把我们和生活在旧约时代的人们联合起来。至少在三个方面我们是同一类人：所有的人都是神的形象，我们都堕落犯罪，人被区分为在与神有关系的圣约中的人和不在圣约中的人。

首先，所有的人类，不管什么时候的人，或者什么地方的人，都是神的形象，从旧约到新约都清楚地教导了这一点。创世记1:27 这样说，

此外，在创世记9:6，我们看到即使在犯罪堕落之后，人仍然是神的形象，经文这样说，

除了这些，新约也确定所有的人都是神的形象，雅各书3:9说，

还有象保罗在哥林多前书第11章第7节说的，

在接下来的系列课程里，我们会讲到很多关于什么是神的形象的问题，然而在此我们说，即使不是完全地对全人类而言，从某种程度上讲，人类持有很多共同的特点。过去，教会的注意力大多集中在一些事实上，即人类都是理性的；我们都有特殊的语言能力；而且我们是具有道德性和宗教性的被造物。

从《圣经》的观点，我们可以看到，我们要小心，千万不能夸大旧约的人物和当代人的差距，从深层次看，生活在当代的人和那些古时候的人没有太大的差别。虽然，我们和他们不完全一样，但是我们可以断定，支配我们人生的理性、语言能力、道德性也同样存在他们的人生中，由于这些原因，我们有充分的信心相信旧约适用于我们今天的生活。原初写旧约的人、原初看旧约的人和我们一样，都是神的形象。

第二点，我们和旧约的人们相似是因为，所有的人都犯罪堕落。我们都很熟悉保罗在罗马书第3章第12节很有名的话：

使徒保罗很清楚地说明所有的人都犯了罪，亏缺了神的荣耀。 不但新约这样教导，所罗门在列王记上第8章第46节奉献圣殿时，也基本上说相同的话，

因为我们和旧约的人共同拥有堕落后神的形象，所以我们很容易就能理会旧约人们离开神去犯罪的倾向，我们也很容易了解为什么旧约的作者们把焦点放在罪和堕落上面。我们和旧约在这个层面上相连结，因为我们知道，我们和原初读旧约的人一样，都是罪人。旧约的中心集中在罪人的救赎上面，这和新约是完全一致。神在旧约中向犯罪的人们所说的话，和生活在今天的罪人一样有关。

第三点，由于人类犯罪堕落，按照各人与神的不同关系，人类总是可以被分成为不同的群体。你可以回想在西奈山上，出埃及记第19章第6节，神提到他与以色列民特殊的圣约关系：

同时，在彼得前书第2章第9节，使徒彼得引用这节经文，应用到新约的教会，

旧约的人们和新约的人们尽管存在着差异，但是仍然有一个长久的连接线。人类根据与神的关系而区分开来。有很多种方式可以来表述人类的这种区分，其中一个很有帮助的方法是，纵观《圣经》神把人类区分为三个群体。第一是那些失丧的人，因为他们在神的圣约之外；第二是那些在神的圣约中，但依然失丧，没有从罪中得到拯救；第三是那些在神的圣约中，因信称义，永远得救的人。这三种人存在于旧约中，也存在于现今新约时代中。由于这些平行的类似性，我们期待旧约和我们有相关性是恰当的，人类被区分开来，旧约的时候是这样，今天也是这样。结果，神对以色列所说的话，也是对我们所说的话。

所以当试图把旧约应用到今天，我们应该记得在我们和旧约之间至少存在三个连接线，我们服事的是同一位神，生活在同样的一个世界，我们是同样的一类人。

既然我们已经了解到了同样的一位神，同样的一个世界，同样的一类人，是怎样把我们与旧约连接起来，我们现在就把我们的注意力转到旧约与新约之间的发展上来。

发展

我们可以用许多种方法来探讨这个主题，但是我们只是简单遵循上面我们谈到的三个连接线所形成的模式。我们需要了解时代的发展、文化的发展和个人的发展。

时代

首先，尽管我们知道我们面对是旧约和新约中都不改变的神，但我们必须认识到 上帝在不同的时代和时期分别不同地启示他自己。《圣经》历史是长期记载神向他的子民一点一点，逐渐启示自己的方式，正像救恩历史是一步步迈向神所命定的终点。简单来讲，亚伯拉罕比挪亚更认识神、摩西又比亚伯拉罕更多认识神、大卫又比摩西多、神向新约信徒对自己的启示比以往任何时候的启示都多。希伯来的作者在希伯来书第1章第1节-2特别强调这一点，

不幸的是，在我们生活的今天，在时代性的考量上有太多的混乱，而这种考量又是我们把旧约应用到我们今天所必需要的。很多基督徒相信旧约适用于我们是正确的，但是他们用不同的方式把旧约的信息应用到我们今天，在这问题上，尽管有很多变化，我们只考虑三种主要的倾向。

在这些倾向的一端是几种偏激的立场，这些立场主张只发扬《圣经》信仰的断片观点。这些基督徒强调《圣经》不同时代的差别。实际上，他们太注重我们现在和旧约时代的差别，所以他们倾向于只把在旧约中不断重复出现在新约的东西才应用给当代信徒。只要新约没有提到的旧约教导或者惯例，这些基督徒就认为已经对今天不适用了。

在这些倾向的另一端，是另外几种偏激的立场，他们呆板地把《圣经》信仰的看成不变的。这些基督徒着重强调在《圣经》的各个时期都保持不变的事情，实际上，他们认为旧约和新约如此的统一，只要新约没有提到的旧约的教导或者惯例，这些基督徒都认为我们应该尽量随从旧约。

在这些课程中，我们将会避开这两个极端，采用另外一个方法来处理《圣经》的时代，即把《圣经》历史看成既是统一的又是发展的，我们的观点试图平等地看待整个《圣经》历史中保持不变的事情和已经发展的事情，我们认为所有的旧约内容与我们都有关系，但是旧约的各个阶段也已经变化。我们不会视旧约的哪一部分与我们今天无关，也不会不假思索神在新约给我们的启示，而全盘应用旧约的一切教导。相反，旧约的一切教导要透过新约的过滤，必须经历时代的调整变化。一句话，发展的模式认为整个旧约对我们都是有关联的，具有权威性的，但是整个旧约也要根据新约来应用。

这种发展的模式遵循的是使徒保罗应用救恩历史的模式。在加拉太书第3章第24节，他提到《圣经》历史的阶段，就像小孩子成长的阶段：

旧约的信仰象给小孩子的教导，新约教导像是给大人的教导。

现在，让我们思想保罗用来描述《圣经》信仰发展的类比。通常，我们会给小孩子们一些适当的规则，「不要在马路上玩，不要碰炉子。」但是，当小孩子长大后，我们不再要求他们不要在马路上玩，或远离炉子，毕竟，他们是大人了，但是给小孩子定规则的目的，我们确实要让成年人记得这些道理。我们希望成年人记得马路和炉子是危险的，通过、触摸的时候要小心。把一个大人限制在一个2岁小孩子的规则中是愚蠢的，同样，如果忘了一个2岁小孩规则中的道理，也是愚蠢的。

接下来的课程中，我们会看到关于《圣经》信仰同样的道理。在很多方面，旧约就像给小孩子的规则，原意是要适当地给出旧约时代以色列民的属灵光景。现在，作为新约的信徒，我们可能进入两个愚蠢的方向，第一，我们可能设法回到旧约时代，模仿旧约时代的信仰，好像我们自己生活在那个时代。但是，这样会否定基督和他伟大的救恩工作。第二，我们可能试图想说旧约和我们毫无关系，我们现在是新约的信徒。但是这也是错的。旧约教导我们很多关于基督教信仰的问题。《圣经》信仰发展的模式，教我们要重视和顺从旧约的权柄，同时意识到我们是那些末世已经来到了的承受者 。

文化

第二点，为了今天能全面理解旧约，我们必须要考虑文化的发展，如果我们要把我们的生活和旧约的经文相联接起来，我们需要考虑旧约所代表的文化和我们当代文化之间的变化。

要认识文化的发展，一方面，我们要留意我们自己和旧约之间的文化相似点。我们面对什么样的文化模式和亚伯拉罕的经历相类似？我们的文化怎样和大卫的文化相像？另外一方面，我们要考量存在的文化差异，从旧约的古代社会以来，人类文化发生了怎样深刻的变化？哪一些风俗习惯不同？我们必需回答这些问题，而且当我们把旧约应用到我们当代生活的时，对旧约的经文，在文化方面要进行适当地调整。

个人

第三点，把旧约应用到我们今天，我们要进行个人方面的调整，我们要考虑分别对待旧约时代的人和我们当代的人。旧约的人们和生活在当代的人们有相当多的相似点。 但是我们也应该认识到当代人和古代人有很多不同点，如果我们希望能够适当地应用旧约的古老经文，我们就需要考虑这些个人的变化。

例如，我们都需要问这样的问题，我们个人的生活怎样和我们看到的旧约中人的生活相比较？我们的社会角色是什么？我们的属灵状况是什么？和旧约不同的人物相比较，我们怎样服事神？和我们看到的旧约中的人相比较，我们的思想、行为和感情怎样？透过比较古代旧约的人们和当代人的变化，我们能够更好地理解如何把旧约应用到我们今天。

当我们继续学习这些课程的时候，我们将会不断地了解到，在准备好从旧约穿越到我们今天时，我们需要考虑到旧约中特定主题的时代、文化、以及个人的发展。如果我们不太在意这些问题，我们不可能按照神的心意来处理好旧约。

五﹑总结

本节课中，我们探讨了为什么基督徒学习旧约很重要。我们意识到我们和这本远古的书卷之间存在距离，但是我们也看到新约特别强调旧约和我们息息相关。它仍然具有权柄指导我们基督徒的生活。而且最后，我们也了解到把旧约应用到我们今天生活的过程步骤，我们必须要时刻考量旧约主题随着时间发展变化的方式，以及在当代社会中如何应用。

这节课，我们只涉及了一点点初步的、但却十分重要的东西。当我们继续下面《旧约的国度、圣约和正典》的纵览课程时，我们必需把这些思想牢记在心。这样，我们会发现旧约是一个丰富属灵力量来源的佳美之地，是神在每个时代里赐给他子民的厚礼。

Kingdom, Covenants, and Canon of the Old Testament: Why Study the Old Testament?

INTRODUCTION

If we were to ask people who have no traditional Jewish or Christian backgrounds, "Why should someone study the Old Testament?" their answers would probably go in two basic directions. The more positive responses might be something like, "The Old Testament is an old book, but we should study it because there are still some things that are good for us today." And the more negative responses would be something like, "Actually, the Old Testament is so old and irrelevant that it isn't worth reading at all."

Well, when faithful Christians hear others express these kinds of outlooks on the Old Testament, we instinctively shrink back in dismay. As followers of Christ, we believe that the Old Testament is the Word of God; it is sacred Scripture that God inspired. So we easily wonder, how can people talk that way about the Bible? But as surprising as it may sound at first, even when we ask Christians, "Why should a person study the Old Testament?" many of us sound just like unbelievers. At best we say, "We should study the Old Testament today because there are a few things in it that are still good for us today," and at worst, even some Christians will say, "Well, to be honest the Old Testament is so old and irrelevant that it isn't worth reading at all."

This lesson is the first in a series of lessons that will survey the entire Old Testament. We have entitled this series, Kingdom, Covenants and Canon of the Old Testament. As this series title suggests, in these lessons we will focus on three crucial dimensions of the Old Testament: we will see that the Old Testament is a book unified around the central theme of God's kingdom; that this kingdom was administered historically through covenants God made with his people; and that through the Old Testament canon these covenants were applied to the specific needs of God's people at particular times and places.

We have entitled this lesson, "Why Study the Old Testament?" Before we address the kingdom, covenants and canons of the Old Testament directly, we will spend this first lesson focusing on a preliminary issue — the importance and relevance of the Old Testament. The fact is that many well-meaning Christians simply do not believe that the Old Testament deserves careful study.

In this lesson we will look at three reasons why it is important to learn about the Old Testament. First, we will see that the distance dividing the Old Testament from us makes the Old Testament difficult to study; second, we will investigate the relevance we should expect the Old Testament to have for our day; and third, we will explore some ways we can learn to apply the Old Testament to our own lives in the modern world. Let's begin with a look at the fact that the Old Testament often seems so distant to us.

DISTANCE FROM US

Through the years I have found that many students go through a similar, almost predictable process, as they study the Old Testament. In childhood, or when we first become believers, we are told that the Old Testament is the infallibly inspired word of God, and in light of this, many of us conclude that the Old Testament only contains teachings that are easily applied to the Christian life. Now, so long as we only talk about broad topics like the holiness of God, the hopes of Israel, or the commandments like, "You shall not steal" or "You shall not murder," we feel as if we are in familiar territory. But something happens when we begin to study the Old Testament more seriously. When we delve into it more deeply, we find that many parts of the Old Testament present matters that are not familiar at all. In fact, the more we read it, the more it becomes difficult to feel at home in the Old Testament; for many of us it feels much more like a strange and distant land.

As we explore why the Old Testament often seems so distant, it will help to focus on two topics: first, the causes of this distance, what makes the Old Testament seem so foreign; and second, the kinds of distance we encounter, the types of foreign things we find in the Old Testament.

Let's look first at some of the main reasons why we often sense great distance between ourselves and the Old Testament.

Causes

Unbelievers have all kinds of reasons for claiming that the Old Testament is foreign to modern people. Some of their assessments are legitimate, supported by the facts, but many of their views result simply from their disbelief. Unbelievers lack saving faith, and this causes them to exaggerate how strange the Old Testament is. When you don't believe in God, a book that talks a lot about God will certainly seem very strange. And when you don't believe in Christ, a book that prepared God's people for Christ will also seem quite foreign. So, it should not surprise us at all to hear unbelievers say that the Old Testament seems very distant from modern life.

But what about believers? We believe in the God of Scripture; we follow Christ. Why do we sense distance between ourselves and the Old Testament? At least two features of the Old Testament often cause us to view it as foreign land. On the one hand, God gave the Old Testament to humanity through a process known as organic inspiration. And on the other hand, God designed the Old Testament to fulfill its purpose through a process known as divine accommodation. These two features, organic inspiration and divine accommodation, cause much of the distance we feel. Let's think first about the process of organic inspiration.

Organic Inspiration

We often call the historic evangelical Christian view of divine inspiration of Scripture "organic inspiration." We use this terminology to indicate that the Holy Spirit employed the personalities, experiences and intentions of the original human writers in composing the Bible. That is to say, under the special guidance of the Holy Spirit, the human authors themselves determined what to write. The Bible did not result from mechanical inspiration where God used human writers as passive conduits of information; nor was the Bible romantically inspired as if God merely motivated the biblical writers to say lofty religious things. Instead, God meticulously controlled the content of Scripture so that it is without error and may rightly be called the Word of God. But he did so through a process that relied upon and reflected the individual personalities and purposes of the human writers.

Consider the way Peter spoke of Paul's letters in 2 Peter 3:15-16. There we read these words:

Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:15-16).

In these verses, the apostle Peter confirmed that the letters of Paul were written with the wisdom that God had given to Paul. In other words, God's Spirit inspired Paul's letters so that they were not mere human writings, but writings from God. Yet, Peter also affirmed that Paul's personality came through these epistles. Notice how he put it: "Paul wrote with the wisdom God gave him." These Scriptures were still Paul's letters. We can see, then, that from Peter's point of view the apostle Paul's letters resulted from a process involving both God and the human writer.

This same outlook is true of the Old Testament as well. This is why the Old Testament law is not only called the law of God, but also the law of Moses. It came from God, but through Moses. This is also why many Psalms are called Psalms of David. Although God was the ultimate author of the Old Testament, he employed holy men to write these books, and they did so in ways that reflected their personalities, intentions, and situations.

When you think about it, it isn't hard to see that the Bible's human authorship distances us from the Old Testament. All the writers of the Old Testament were ancient people. They all lived in the world of the Ancient Near East, and they thought and wrote like people in those days. In much the same way, because they wrote before the coming of Christ, Old Testament writers did not have fully developed Christian theology, as we do today. And as a result, when you and I study the Old Testament, we soon begin to see that the world of the Old Testament is very different from the modern world. And for this reason the Old Testament often seems foreign and unfamiliar.

In addition to the difficulties created by the organic inspiration of biblical writers, we should recognize that divine accommodation also distances us from the Old Testament.

Divine Accommodation

"Accommodation" is a term that theologians use to describe the fact that every time God reveals himself to humanity he appears and speaks to us in finite human terms. Because God is ultimately incomprehensible, whenever he reveals himself he condescends and speaks "baby-talk" to us. Otherwise, we would not be able to understand anything God said. You will recall that in Isaiah 55:8-9 we read these words:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

God is so transcendent — he so infinitely exceeds our limitations — that every revelation he has ever made has been accommodated to human capacities so that at least some of us could understand and follow what he revealed.

Now, it is important to realize that in the Old Testament God did not accommodate himself simply to humanity in general. He spoke human language in ways that finite human beings could understand. But he also designed the Old Testament for specific historical situations that the Jewish people living in the Ancient Near East encountered. He designed the Scriptures to be understood, in the first place, by ancient Israelites. Because the primary audience of the Old Testament was ancient Jews, God had the Old Testament written in ancient Hebrew and Aramaic. God gave the Ten Commandments on stones because this was an international standard for the way important documents were written. And, the literary styles of narrative, poetry, wisdom literature, and law that we find in the Old Testament followed those of the Ancient Near East so that God's people back then could understand what he said to them. For this reason, as you and I study the Old Testament, we constantly encounter the reality that it was written for people who were very different from us. It was specifically written to accord with the abilities and needs of the ancient people of Israel.

So, we may say that the Old Testament Scriptures often seem like foreign territory to you and me because they were both organically inspired and accommodated to the original Israelite recipients. Old Testament writers and audiences lived in ancient times that were very different from our day. For this reason, we often sense great distance between ourselves and the Old Testament.

Now that we have seen two reasons for the Old Testament's distance, we should turn to our second subject: the kinds or types of distance we find between ourselves and the Old Testament. What kinds of things do we encounter in the Old Testament that seem strange to us?

Kinds

Needless to say, we cannot count all the ways the Old Testament seems foreign to us, but it will serve our purposes to think in terms of three basic kinds of distance between us and the Old Testament: first, theological distance, the differences between what we believe as New Testament Christians and the theological perspectives set forth in the Old Testament; second, cultural distance, the differences between our modern cultures and the distinctively Ancient Near Eastern cultural outlooks that we find in the Old Testament; and third, personal distance, the differences between you and me as people and the people associated with the Old Testament.

Now, we should all realize that theological, cultural and personal dimensions of life cannot be utterly separated from each other; they are deeply entwined and influence each other in countless ways. This was true in the days of the Old Testament, just as it is true in our own day. So, approaching these matters in terms of three distinct types of distance will be somewhat artificial. Nevertheless, it will still help us to work through each of these matters independently. Let's look first, then, at the theological distance we encounter when we study the Old Testament.

Theological

One of the most obvious obstacles to studying the Old Testament is the gap we feel between the theology of the Old Testament and our New Testament Christian theology. When we speak of theological distance, we are thinking primarily of the historical difference between the revelation that the writers of the Old Testament possessed and the fuller revelation that Christians possess. We have in mind the fact that the Old Testament teaches many things about God and our relationship with him that appear, well at least at first glance, to be very different from what we learn from the New Testament. Every Christian who reads the Old Testament realizes at some point or another that the Old Testament presents theological viewpoints that do not appear to correspond with the New Testament.

Think about some examples of these theological differences. For example, God called Abraham to sacrifice his son. But what would we think about someone today who told us that God had called him to sacrifice his son? We wouldn't even begin to take such a theological claim seriously. And in the days of Moses, God expected his faithful people to seek their salvation by marching from Egypt to a Promised Land. But we would certainly think it strange if we found a group of Christians literally marching through the wilderness to gain salvation. In the Old Testament we also read of men devoting themselves to God's service by making Nazirite vows not to cut their hair; but it certainly seems strange to us that God was so pleased with such vows. Or consider the fact that in the Old Testament, God ordained the temple as the only place where his people were to worship, under pain of death. But today we believe strongly that people can rightly worship God anywhere and at any time. Back then, God required his people to sacrifice animals as atonement for sins. Today we consider such rituals to be acts of animal cruelty, and insulting to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, God commanded the wholesale destruction of Canaanite cities, including women and children. But we cannot imagine such things being approved by God in modern war.

Aren't we all a bit puzzled that the Old Testament calls us to believe that God did such things when it appears so different from the New Testament? The list of such theological differences goes on and on. Whatever else we may say, there is certainly great theological distance between us and the Old Testament.

Cultural

In addition to the theological distance we see between the Old Testament and New Testament, the Old Testament also appears to be like a distant land because of the cultural differences between the Ancient Near East and our modern world. When we speak of the cultural differences between us and the Old Testament, we have in mind dimensions of life for the characters, original writers and recipients of the Old Testament that were characteristic of the cultures in which they lived. We feel cultural distance between ourselves and the Old Testament every time we read about or imagine life in the ancient world, whether in Israel, Canaan, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, or the many other cultures of the past. The people we encounter in the Old Testament had countless cultural assumptions, values and practices, just like we do today. But those expectations, customs and practices were different from our own because of the times and places in which they lived.

Cultural distance occurs because human society is constantly changing. Social structures shift; older customs seem odd in many ways. Can you imagine visiting your own culture just two hundred years ago? For many of us, the differences would make us feel very uncomfortable. We'd have to spend a lot of time adjusting. Now, if this is true of such a short passing of time in our own nations, how much more should we expect to find cultural differences between ourselves and the world of the Old Testament? So many differences exist between the Ancient Near East and our modern world that many things we read in the Old Testament are strikingly unfamiliar.

Consider just a few examples of the cultural dimensions of the Old Testament that make us feel distant from it. On a mundane level, the Old Testament world was largely an agrarian world. We read about farming and fishing throughout the Old Testament, but many modern urban people hardly understand the basic processes that went into this ancient lifestyle. We read about arranged marriages in the Old Testament, and many modern people wonder how young couples tolerated such customs. We learn that biblical figures practiced polygamy and we find our ideals of monogamy challenged. We find slavery in the Old Testament and we're perplexed by this custom. We also find in the pages of the Old Testament that their culture was dominated by a social structure known as imperialism. To be a part of a prominent empire was considered to be the ideal social structure of nearly every Ancient Near Eastern culture, including Israel. They knew practically nothing of our modern democratic ideals. When we see these and similar features of Old Testament life, we are often left wondering how to handle them. What are we to do with a Bible that is so deeply embedded in a cultural milieu so different from our own? When we read the Old Testament, these and many other cultural differences also cause us to sense an enormous gap between ourselves and the Old Testament.

Personal

In addition to the theological and cultural distances that exist between ourselves and the Old Testament, there is a third kind of distance: personal distance. When we speak of personal distance or differences, we are referring to the fact that people who lived in the days of the Old Testament were different from modern people in many ways, and the gaps between us and them often involve very personal, human considerations.

Of course, the people of the Old Testament were not entirely different from us. As we will see later in this lesson, we can identify with them in a number of important ways. But in many other ways, they had a strikingly different mentality from our own. And this should not be surprising. After all, their dispositions grew out of the theological and cultural world in which they lived.

Consider, on the one hand, that many people in the Old Testament had remarkable spiritual experiences unlike any that we experience today. They had visions of heaven, and heard the audible voice of God. They physically wrestled with heavenly beings. Now stop for a moment and ask yourself this question. How would you be different if you had such spiritual experiences? What kind of person would you be if you had divinely inspired visions, auditions, and wrestling matches with heavenly beings? I think we realize that we would be utterly transformed if we had such experiences today. Realizing this should help us see that we are very different from the people of the Old Testament who had such experiences of God.

On the other hand, consider what kinds of people we are because of cultural influences on us. In the Old Testament people filled some cultural roles that are very strange to us. They were kings, queens, peasants, slaves. Old Testament people endured the horrors of ancient warfare, and the threats of famines and plagues. We read about a young boy standing boldly in battle before a giant; a young woman who led an army into battle. We hear the desperate cries of slaves in Egypt. Very few of us today face these kinds of situations, and as a result we have a hard time understanding how people think and feel when they undergo experiences like these.

So, as we begin this study we should be ready to admit that the Old Testament will seem very distant from us in many different ways. This part of the Bible was not written in our modern world, and as a result, time and again we will encounter many theological, cultural and personal differences between ourselves and the Old Testament.

Now that we have seen the causes and types of distance we feel between ourselves and the Old Testament, we should turn to a second topic: what relevance does the Old Testament have for our lives? Why should we expect such a distant book to have anything worthwhile to say to us today? Well, there are many answers to this question, but without a doubt, the most important response is that we must still expect the Old Testament to be important for our lives because the New Testament teaches us that it is.

RELEVANCE FOR US

Sadly, if ever a teaching of the New Testament has been misunderstood in our day, it is this one. Far too many Christians read the New Testament as if it teaches that the Old Testament is passé, as if the New Testament has done away with our need for the Old Testament. But in reality the New Testament says just the opposite; as we will see it tells us that the Old Testament is absolutely essential for Christian living. Full life in Christ simply cannot be accomplished unless we draw guidance from the Old Testament.

There are many ways in which the New Testament teaches us that the Old Testament is relevant for our lives today, but we will focus on just two: first, we will look at the teachings of Jesus; and second, we will consider the teachings of the apostle Paul. Let's think first about what Jesus had to say about the relevance of the Old Testament.

Teachings of Jesus

To gain a balanced view of what Jesus taught about the importance of the Old Testament for us today, we will look briefly into two aspects of Jesus' teaching: first, his apparently negative comments about the Old Testament and second, his positive affirmations of the Old Testament's relevance. Let's look first at some of the teachings of Jesus that appear at first glance to present a negative view of the Old Testament.

Negative Comments

Many Christians who believe that Jesus brought an end to the relevance of the Old Testament turn to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7 as evidence for their views. At one point in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus touched on several ethical issues, and his approach to these matters leaves many with the impression that he actually opposed the teachings of the Old Testament. Listen to the following familiar passages. In Matthew 5:21-22 we read these words about murder:

You have heard that it was said to people long ago, "Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment." But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment (Matthew 5:21-22).

In Matthew 5:27-28 Jesus referred to adultery in this way:

You have heard that it was said, "Do not commit adultery." But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28).

In Matthew 5:31-32 he spoke of divorce:

It has been said, "Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce." But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery (Matthew 5:31-32).

In Matthew 5:33-34 we see the pattern again as Jesus addressed oaths:

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, "Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord." But I tell you, Do not swear at all (Matthew 5:33-34).

Jesus also spoke of revenge in Matthew 5:38-39:

You have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth." But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also (Matthew 5:38-39).

And finally, Christ addressed the issue of love for enemies in this way in Matthew 5:43-44:

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43-44).

Now, all followers of Christ should agree that Jesus is God's supreme revelation and that his teachings were much fuller than the teachings of the Old Testament. He penetrated to the heart and expanded to the farthest horizons in ways that the Old Testament never reached. But unfortunately, many Christians have understood these verses to teach that Jesus' views on murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, revenge and love for enemies actually contradicted the teachings of the Old Testament. Their reasoning usually goes something like this: they say that the Old Testament taught that physical murder is wrong, but that Jesus turned attention to the heart full of hatred. The Old Testament forbade physical adultery, but Jesus went further to talk about adultery of the heart. Regarding divorce, many believe that the Old Testament permitted divorce for a broad range of reasons, whereas Jesus disagreed with this Old Testament teaching and insisted on sexual immorality as the only grounds for divorce. Regarding oaths, they argue that the Old Testament said not to break an oath, but that Jesus instructed his followers never to take oaths. These same interpreters often believe that the Old Testament endorsed a practice of personal revenge — "an eye for an eye" — but that Jesus taught that we should forgive. They assume that the Old Testament taught love for neighbors and hatred for enemies, but Jesus expanded the command to love enemies as well.

Now if these popular understandings of Jesus' teachings are anywhere near the truth, then we have good reason for thinking that Jesus came to free his followers from the ethical authority of the Old Testament. But when we reflect more closely on what Jesus actually said in Matthew 5 we soon discover that this outlook is far from adequate. Although Jesus' revelation is greater than that of the Old Testament, he did not in any way contradict the teachings of the Old Testament. Rather, his intention was to affirm the Old Testament by refuting some common misunderstandings of its teachings.

To understand Jesus properly, we need to see that in Matthew 5 Jesus was not disagreeing with the Old Testament itself. Instead, he objected to the ways that the scribes and Pharisees interpreted the Old Testament. In the days of Jesus, few people actually had direct access to the Bible, and for this reason, ordinary people in Israel relied heavily on the teachings of their religious leaders. As we will see, when Jesus set up the contrasts in Matthew 5 that we have just read, he contrasted his own views, which were in harmony with the Old Testament, with the traditions that the scribes and Pharisees had added to the Old Testament. A number of details prove that this was the case.

First, we should notice that Jesus dealt with things that had been said and heard. In other words, he was concerned with oral traditions rather than with the Old Testament itself. When Jesus and other New Testament figures referred to the Old Testament, they spoke of what was "written" or "read." And nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus refute anything introduced in that manner. But in the Sermon on the Mount, he objected to what had been "said" to the people, he objected to what they had "heard." To put it simply, Jesus contrasted what the scribes and Pharisees were saying with what he was saying. Jesus was not disagreeing with what was written in the Old Testament, but with the oral traditions perpetuated by other teachers in Israel. That is why he kept referring to what was said rather than to what was written.

In this light, we should look more closely at what Jesus actually said about these oral interpretations of the Old Testament. Let's think again about the contrasts that Jesus drew. With respect to the issue of murder, although many people believe that Jesus expanded the prohibition of murder to include hatred, it is important to realize that the Old Testament not only condemned murder, but also condemned discord among the people of God. The Old Testament ideal of harmony and peace among God's people is expressed well in Psalm 133:1:

How good and pleasant it is when brothers [dwell] together in unity! (Psalm 133:1).

Popular traditions in Jesus' day excused discord so long as it did not lead to physical murder. In contrast, Jesus refuted this false teaching by reasserting the actual standards of the Old Testament. And he did so by associating the prohibition against murder with the prohibition against hatred.

Regarding adultery, many people believe that Jesus expanded the prohibition against adultery to include adultery of the heart. But once again, it is easy to see that Jesus did not disagree with or expand the Old Testament requirements. After all, the Old Testament did not just require God's people to refrain from physical adultery; it also forbade coveting, or adultery of the heart. As we read in Exodus 20:17:

You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor (Exodus 20:17).

The tenth commandment explicitly prohibited coveting someone's wife. So, we see that Jesus' argument was not a denial of Old Testament law, but a reassertion of Old Testament law.

Regarding divorce, many interpreters believe that Jesus disagreed with the Old Testament once again. But we must understand that in Jesus' day many religious leaders in Israel believed that Old Testament legislation gave them the right to divorce their wives for practically any cause, so long as they issued proper legal papers. But we all know that the Old Testament indicates clearly that God does not approve of such behavior. As Malachi 2:16 says:

"I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel (Malachi 2:16).

In Matthew 19:3-9 Jesus described his position on divorce in more detail, and there he made it clear that his opposition to divorce was based on the Old Testament itself, particularly on the creation narrative involving Adam and Eve.

Regarding oaths, many people think that Jesus objected to the Old Testament practice of taking oaths. But once again, Jesus was not opposing the Old Testament's teachings, but perversions of its teachings. Apparently, in Jesus' day some people taught that lying was permitted so long as one did not swear to keep his word. Jesus disagreed with this teaching and insisted that the Old Testament prohibited all lying, not just lies that violate oaths. As we read in Proverbs 6:16-17:

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue… (Proverbs 6:16-17).

This is why Jesus went on to say in Matthew 5:37:

Simply let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No" (Matthew 5:37).

Jesus did not disagree with the Old Testament, but showed that the oral traditions of the scribes and Pharisees fell short of Old Testament standards.

Regarding revenge, many people believe that the Old Testament approved revenge and that Jesus disapproved of it. But originally the Old Testament legislation about "an eye for an eye" in Exodus 21:24 was designed to guide judges in the official courts of Israel. In a word, judges were to render their verdicts and punishments fairly and proportionally to the crimes committed. This standard was never intended to apply to interpersonal affairs. Instead, the Old Testament taught that kindness and mercy were to guide behavior in those settings. As we read in Leviticus 19:18:

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people… I am the Lord (Leviticus 19:18).

In Jesus' day "an eye for an eye" had been taken as God's approval of personal revenge. It was believed that every time anyone did anything to you, you had a right to do something equally harmful back to him. But Jesus disagreed with this perversion of the law and affirmed the Old Testament teaching that we are to show kindness in interpersonal relationships.

Finally, regarding love for enemies, many people wrongly believe that the Old Testament taught it was acceptable to hate enemies. Some teachers in Jesus' day apparently inferred from the commandment of Leviticus 19:18 to "love your neighbor" that it was equally appropriate to "hate your enemies." But, of course, the Old Testament itself never says anything of the sort. In fact, in Exodus 23:4 we read these instructions about how to treat enemies:

If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him (Exodus 23:4).

So, once again, Jesus did not contrast his own views with those of the Old Testament. Instead, he opposed the false interpretations of his day and reasserted the true teachings of the Old Testament.

We seriously misunderstand Jesus' teaching if we imagine that he taught anything against the Old Testament itself. Now, as we will see, Jesus often revealed where the Old Testament had been heading, and he explained the beliefs and practices it had anticipated, and in this sense his teachings went well beyond the teaching of the Old Testament revealing more of the character of God and his will to his people. But Jesus never opposed the Old Testament or its teachings. On the contrary, he opposed false interpretations of the Old Testament.

Having seen that Jesus' apparently negative comments about the Old Testament were actually affirmations of it, we should turn to those passages in which Jesus' affirmation of the Old Testament's authority and relevance for his followers are relatively easy to see.

Positive Affirmations

In general terms, there are many ways we can see Christ's positive outlook on the Old Testament Scriptures. For instance, he constantly referred to them as the basis of his own teachings; he displayed his glory on the Mount of Transfiguration standing between Moses, the lawgiver, and Elijah the head of the prophets; and throughout his life, Jesus committed his entire heart to obeying all the teachings of the Old Testament.

But for specific examples of Jesus' positive attitude toward the Old Testament, we will look once again at the Sermon on the Mount. Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18:

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished (Matthew 5:17-18, NASB).

Here Jesus stated quite forcefully that he did not come to do away with the Law or the Prophets. He insisted that every detail of the Old Testament, down to the smallest letter or stroke, will remain in force until the end of all things.

Unfortunately, many times Christians think that Jesus meant just the opposite of what he actually said. They read, "I did not come to abolish but to fulfill," and they think that Jesus meant something like, "I did not come to abolish [the Old Testament] but to render it irrelevant." But by looking at the words Jesus spoke next in Matthew 5:19 we know that this is not what Jesus meant. There we read:

Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19).

Notice what Jesus said here. If people fail to keep, or if they encourage others to ignore, even the least of the commandments, they will be least in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus knew that the scribes and Pharisees were very selective in their approach to the Old Testament. So, he insisted that his disciples affirm and follow every detail of the entire Old Testament, not just selected parts of it. Christ expected his faithful followers to submit to every detail of Old Testament Scriptures.

In fact, he was so insistent about the authority of the Old Testament that he asserted that we can hope for a destiny better than that of the scribes and Pharisees only if we submit to the entire Old Testament. As Jesus put it in Matthew 5:20:

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).

Now, we should all admit that Jesus' words here raise all kinds of practical questions. What does it mean in the modern world to submit to the teachings of the Old Testament? How are Christians to observe the commandments of the Old Testament, even the least of them, today? These are important questions that we will be addressing in this series of lessons, but at this point it must suffice for us simply to insist on the basic principle that Jesus taught so plainly. Jesus called his followers to receive the Old Testament as God's authoritative word. They were not to reject it as irrelevant; rather they were to learn and obey every dimension of it.

Teachings of Paul

Now that we have seen how Jesus taught us to expect the Old Testament to be relevant for Christian living, we should turn briefly to the witness of the apostle Paul. To understand his endorsement of the Old Testament, we'll explore his comments on the Old Testament in the same way that we investigated Jesus' words. First, we will address Paul's apparently negative comments about Old Testament law, and second, we will reflect on his positive affirmations of the relevance of the Old Testament. Let's consider first some of Paul's apparently negative assessments of the Old Testament.

Negative Comments

Sadly, many Christians today believe that Paul was actually very negative about the Old Testament. These sincere believers appeal to many passages in the apostle's letters, but for the sake of our discussion we will take just one example. Listen to these words from Galatians 3:1-5:

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing — if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you have heard? (Galatians 3:1-5).

Now we should readily admit that Paul believed that Christ had revealed more of God and his will than the Old Testament had. He believed that New Testament faith was fuller revelation. But often, well-meaning Christians read passages like this one and think that Paul believed the Old Testament was irrelevant. But in reality, Paul did not deny the relevance of the Old Testament; he simply objected to the misuse of the Old Testament.

Specifically, in verse 2, Paul asked if the Galatians had received the Holy Spirit by Old Testament law or by faith. In verse 3 he asked about their reliance. Would they begin to rely on human effort after having begun with the Spirit? And in verse 5 he asked if the Spirit's miracles came because they observed the law or because they believed the gospel. In each case, Paul's point was that the blessings of the Christian faith come not through observing the law but through faith in the gospel of Christ.

These and similar statements in Paul's writings lead many to think that Paul rejected the relevance and authority of the Old Testament and replaced it with Christian faith and the Holy Spirit. In fact, the argument often goes, to see the Old Testament as relevant for daily Christian living is to turn from the gospel.

Yet, when we look more carefully at the context of these verses, we find that just like Jesus, Paul was not opposed to the Old Testament itself. He was opposed to its abuse. Paul stood firmly against the misuse of the Old Testament as a source of legalistic religion, religion that said salvation was merited by good works. In this passage, Paul opposed teachers who brought the Galatians under the law's judgment through the false teaching that salvation was earned by keeping the law. And in contrast to this false teaching, Paul affirmed that the gospel of Christ is harmonious with the true teaching of the Old Testament. Listen to the way Paul addressed the situation later in Galatians 3. In verses 10-13 we read these words:

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree" (Galatians 3:10-13).

As this passage makes clear, Paul opposed those who relied on obedience to the law for their salvation. He opposed those who wanted to be justified by the law. When this is our religious practice, we are cursed because we will never obey perfectly. The only way to escape this curse is through faith in Christ who took our curse upon himself.

But did Paul oppose the Old Testament itself? Did he consider the true teaching of the Old Testament to be irrelevant for Christians? Absolutely not. In fact, Paul used the Old Testament to prove that salvation is by faith alone. In Galatians 3:11 he quoted Habakkuk 2:4 where the prophet declared:

The righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4).

According to Paul, the Christian gospel of salvation by faith alone was actually true to the teaching of the Old Testament.

Now that we have seen that Paul's apparently negative comments about the Old Testament were actually negative comments about the misuse of the Old Testament as a system of works righteousness, it will help us to see that the apostle strongly affirmed the authority and relevance of the Old Testament for the followers of Christ.

Positive Affirmations

In general terms, Paul actually referred to the Old Testament countless times to justify his own theology. Quotations and allusions to the Old Testament appear all over his writings. But more explicitly, Paul also taught that Christians should expect the Old Testament to be very relevant for their lives. Consider his words in Romans 15:4:

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Romans 15:4).

According to this passage, the Old Testament is essential to developing and maintaining our Christian hope. As we read stories, psalms, the promises and judgments of the Old Testament, our hope in Christ will grow.

But without a doubt, Paul's strongest and clearest affirmation of the relevance of the Old Testament is found in 2 Timothy 3:16 and 17:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Most Christians are familiar with this verse, but we often imagine that the words "all Scripture" refer to the New Testament. Well, there is no doubt that these words have implications for our outlooks on the New Testament, but when Paul wrote to Timothy elsewhere about "Scripture," he had in mind especially the Old Testament. So, listen to the wonderful things that the Old Testament is able to give us. The Old Testament is able to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness, for every good work. In a word, Paul said the Old Testament was so relevant that it is nearly indispensable to Christian living.

So, as we begin our study of the Old Testament, we must not only acknowledge the distance that is between us and the Old Testament. We must also see that the New Testament calls us to have high expectations of the Old Testament's relevance for us today. To study the Old Testament is not to spend time on something irrelevant; to study the Old Testament is to study the book that is able to make us wise for salvation.

At this point in our lesson, we will turn to our third main topic: how to apply the Old Testament to our day.

APPLICATION TO US

Just from our brief discussion in this lesson, it should be evident that the task of understanding and applying the Old Testament is enormous. Now, it's a wonderful relief to know that the Holy Spirit helps followers of Christ study and apply the Old Testament. In fact, he leads and teaches us in ways that go far beyond what we could accomplish in our own strength. But as reassuring as this is, we must not allow ourselves to become complacent, expecting the Holy Spirit to do all the work. Instead, it is our responsibility before God to grasp and accept the challenge of learning how to apply the Old Testament in responsible ways, doing the very best we can. The apostle Paul spoke of this responsibility to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

To explore the application of the Old Testament to modern Christians we will touch on three topics: we will explore, first, the challenge we face as we try to apply the Old Testament; second, the connections that make it possible to apply such an old book to our day; and third, the developments that we must take into account as we apply the Old Testament.

Challenge

What is the challenge that we face as we try to understand and apply the Old Testament to our lives today? There are many ways to describe this challenge, but we will focus our attention on one central concern: we must learn how to bridge the gap between ourselves and the Old Testament. We must learn how to overcome the distance that separates us from the Old Testament so that we may make use of its relevance for us today.

Let's put this matter as plainly as possible. As we have seen, God gave the Old Testament to his people who lived long ago so that they could live for him in their times. But as we have also seen, he gave the Old Testament to us so that we could live by it as well. But we live in a world that is very different from the Old Testament. So, for this reason, there is a gap, a large chasm between us and the Old Testament, making it difficult for us to know how to apply the Old Testament to our lives. So, if we are to apply the Old Testament to our day in a responsible manner, we must deal with three things. First, we must understand the ancient world to which the Old Testament originally came. Second, we must cross over the historical distance between us and the Old Testament, paying attention to the ways our world differs from the world of the Old Testament. And third, we must bring what we learn in the Old Testament across the gap and apply it to ourselves and others living today.

Listen to the way the apostle Paul summarized the challenge of application in 1 Corinthians 10:11. Speaking of Old Testament narratives of Israel's exodus from Egypt, Paul said:

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Now notice that Paul said at least three things here that are important to us. First, he spoke of the events and writings, "these things happened… and were written down." Second, Paul spoke of himself and his fellow Christians at Corinth when he said, they "were written down as warnings for us." And third, Paul referred to a gap between the Corinthians and the ancient events and writings when he described Christians as those "on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come." These words indicate that Paul clearly understood that New Testament believers live in a different time than that of Old Testament believers. We stand at the end, in the times of the fulfillment of history. From these words of the apostle, we see the challenge of application is that we must be ready to deal with that ancient world, with the gap of time between us, and with our modern world.

In the first place, proper application of the Old Testament to today involves leaving our own world behind. One of our principal tasks is to interpret the Old Testament in its own terms. Now, of course no one can do this perfectly. We cannot get out of our modern perspectives completely. Yet, we all know the difference between pretending that an ancient book was written directly for us and sincerely trying to read a book within its own historical context. Every serious student of the Old Testament must grapple with the fact that we are reading and applying a book that was specifically tailored to people who lived thousands of years ago. In a very important sense, we are not hearing God and his inspired writers speaking directly to us; we are overhearing them speaking to others.

For this reason, at some point we must always ask what these Scriptures meant originally. The original meaning of Old Testament passages established the initial direction of what God wanted his people to learn from the Old Testament. What were their priorities? What did they believe? What were their situations? How did they understand the Old Testament passages in view? In the lessons that follow in this series we are going to learn how to read the Old Testament by going back to the world of its original writers and audiences.

In the second place, to apply the Old Testament properly we must look carefully at the times between the Old Testament and our day to see the kinds of connections and developments that took place in biblical faith. As we will see, the teachings of the Old Testament developed and grew over time. It was not as if God said something to his people once and never said anything related to that topic again. On the contrary, during the historical chasm between the Old Testament and our day, God revealed much more. Some of this increased revelation appears in the Old Testament itself and some of it appears in the New Testament. But in all cases, to bridge the gap we have to take into consideration everything that God has said.

In the third place, the challenge of application is that we must also be firmly committed to the idea that the Old Testament was written with future generations in mind. As Paul put it, the Old Testament was "written for us." This fact requires us to give attention to the responsibilities we have as believers in the modern world. The needs of God's people today are similar in many ways to those of people in the past, but they are also new and different. If we are going to apply the Old Testament today effectively, we must be aware of ourselves and of those to whom we seek to apply it.

Now that we have seen the challenge that faces anyone who wants to apply the Old Testament to our day, we should turn to our second concern in the subject of application: what are the lines of connection that make it possible for us to take teaching from the world of the Old Testament across the historical gap and into our contemporary world? What commonalities make this possible?

Connections

For any book to have relevance for someone's life there needs to be some kind of connection between the reader and the content of the book. Somehow there must be enough in common between what the book says and what its readers experience in their own lives for the book to be applicable. This is true of books in general and it is also true of the Old Testament in particular. So, at this point we need to ask, what connections exist between the Old Testament world and our world that make it applicable or relevant for our lives today?

There are many ways we could catalogue these connections, but I have found it helpful to think in terms of three things we have in common with the original audiences of the Old Testament. Specifically, we have the same God, we live in the same world, and we are the same kind of people. Let's unpack these three lines of connection.

Same God

First, as we study the Old Testament together we should always be mindful of the fact that the God of New Testament Christians is the same God we read about in the Old Testament. Faithful Christians today worship and serve the same God that faithful ancient Israelites served even before Jesus was born.

The fact that we serve the same God establishes very important connections because the Scriptures teach that God is immutable or unchangeable. He is the same today as he was back in ancient times. Now, we have to be careful here. The Bible teaches that God is immutable, but only in certain ways. Immutability does not mean that God does nothing; it does not mean that he is immobile. Instead, as traditional Christian theology teaches, there are three main ways in which God is immutable. He does not change in his eternal counsel, in his character or attributes, or in his covenant promises. Let's unpack these ways in which God's immutability ensures that he is the same now as he was in the days of the Old Testament.

First, God's eternal counsel is unchanging. Now, the Bible clearly teaches that everything God has done and everything that God is doing is part of an unchanging, unified design. As the prophet Isaiah put it in Isaiah 46:10:

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, I will do all that I please (Isaiah 46:10).

In these lessons we will explore the goal and direction of this eternal plan in some detail, but at this point it will suffice to say that the immutability of God's eternal plan teaches us that his purposes in the Old Testament align with his purposes in the New Testament. No matter what differences we see, the two testaments do not represent two different plans, one replacing or contradicting the other. On the contrary, the Old Testament and New Testament are phases or steps of one unified plan that has and always will move history toward one unchanging goal.

In the second place, God is also immutable in his character or attributes. God shows different aspects of his character at different times, sometimes expressing mercy, sometimes expressing wrath, but his ever-consistent character — or his eternal nature — never changes. Listen to the way the writer of Hebrews spoke of Christ's eternal nature in Hebrews 1:10-12:

In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end (Hebrews 1:10-12).

And as James 1:17 says:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).

Our God does not change; on the contrary, his character always remains the same.

Unfortunately, we live in a day when many Christians have doubted the consistency of God's character. They act as if he has one set of attributes early in the Bible and then another at a later time. I can remember as a 6-year-old child hearing my Sunday school teacher teach us about Joshua's battle at Jericho. When she had finished telling us the story, she looked at us all around the room and said, "Boys and girls, God was very mean in the Old Testament. He even wanted children to die back then. But God has changed now. In the New Testament he loves everybody. Aren't you glad you live in the New Testament rather than in the Old Testament?" And, of course, we were all very glad for this. None of us wanted to be killed like the children of Jericho.

Now, as well-meaning as my Sunday school teacher was, she had made a serious mistake. God's character has not changed since the Old Testament. On the contrary, he is just as full of judgment in the New Testament as in the Old Testament. And he is just as loving in the Old Testament as in the New Testament. God's character has always been and always will be precisely as it is right now. He is unchanging.

The immutability of God's attributes also gives us reason to believe that the Old Testament is relevant for our lives today. Despite the fact that on the surface many of God's outward actions in the Old Testament look very different from his actions in the New Testament, we must affirm with the teaching of Scripture that God's character has never changed. Every action he took in the Old Testament reflected his character, and because his character has not changed a bit, we can be confident that his actions in the New Testament period are also harmonious with his eternal nature. If Old Testament believers and New Testament believers have the same God with the same attributes, we should expect to see similarities between the ways God related to Old Testament believers and the way he relates to New Testament believers. And these similarities make the Old Testament relevant for our lives.

Now, in the third place, throughout the Bible God is also unchanging in his covenant promises. Without fail God will fulfill everything he covenanted to be and to do for his people. Now we need to be careful here as well. Many times in Scripture God threatens and offers things to people which he does not bring about — but threats and offers are not covenant promises. Covenant promises are those things God has sworn to do, and these covenant oaths are unfailing. As Hebrews 6:17 reads:

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath (Hebrews 6:17).

God is immutable in his covenants. In Genesis 9:16 God promised that whenever he saw the bow in the sky he would remember his everlasting covenant with Noah and never again destroy the world with a flood. Three times in Genesis 17 God promised that his covenant with Abraham would be an everlasting covenant, and in 1 Chronicles 16:15-18 David called to mind God's unending covenant to the patriarchs to give Israel the Promised Land. In 2 Samuel 23:5 David mentioned that God had made an everlasting covenant with him regarding his line's claim to Israel's throne. And although the failures of Israel, Judah and the house of David led to the exile, God always kept his covenant with them. In Ezekiel 16:59-60, we read these words:

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you (Ezekiel 16:59-60).

We have to admit that from time to time it appears that in the New Testament God has forgotten or set aside some of his promises. But the reality is this — when we understand Scripture properly, remembering that God does not change, we will find that every covenant promise is or will be fulfilled. For this reason, we have good reason to believe that the Old Testament can be applied in profitable ways to us as followers of Christ in the New Testament age. God made many promises to Old Testament believers, and we can be sure that in the New Testament he is keeping those promises.

Now that we have seen that the Old Testament and New Testament are connected by the fact that both testaments have the same immutable God, we should turn to the second type of connection between the faith of the Old Testament and our Christian faith today — the fact that we live in the same world.

Same World

In a word, the Old Testament comes from and describes the same world in which you and I live today. The faith of Old Testament believers did not grow in another universe. It developed here on this planet, so that we share with it a common history and a common set of circumstances. And these facts should lead us to see at least two kinds of connections between our New Testament faith and the faith of the Old Testament. First, the Old Testament provides backgrounds that explain many of our current experiences. And second, the Old Testament describes situations that parallel many of our current experiences. Let's explore what we mean when we say that the Old Testament provides historical backgrounds to our experiences of faith.

One of the most obvious yet remarkable features of the Old Testament is that it reports countless events and teachings that form backgrounds to events and teachings in the New Testament period. Old Testament events did not take place in a vacuum, they were not fictitious; they happened in real history and many of them left indelible marks on the world for all time.

For example, the Ten Commandments given to Israel in the book of Exodus provided essential background for the moral teaching of the New Testament. In a similar way, God's choice of David as the head of a permanent dynasty for God's people provides the historical background for Jesus' ancestry as the great son of David. The historical fact of Israel's exile to foreign lands gives the background for Jesus' proclamation that he came to set the captives free. In these and countless other ways, the Old Testament is relevant for living in the New Testament age because of the historical background it provides.

Now, in the second place, the Old Testament is also relevant because events in the Old Testament parallel those of our Christian faith. We all know the adage that "history repeats itself," and we understand that many events often look very much like other events that have taken place in the past.

Like Old Testament believers, we live in a world created by God, but fallen into sin. The faithful in the Old Testament faced opposition from other people and from demonic powers, and we face the same opposition today. They depended on God's help to overcome; we depend on his help as well. The parallels between the Old Testament world and our world are extensive. Once we look beyond the superficial dissimilarities, we can see that we live in circumstances that are very similar in many ways to those of Old Testament writers and their audiences.

In the third place, we may also find a line of connection between the Old Testament and our day in the fact that we are dealing with the same kind of people.

Same Kind of People

Although there are many superficial differences between the ancient peoples of the Old Testament and modern people, there are also fundamental continuities that connect us with the people who lived during the days of the Old Testament. There are at least three ways in which we are the same kind of people: all human beings are the image of God; we are all fallen into sin; and human beings are divided between those that are and those that are not in covenant relationship with God.

First, all human beings, no matter when or where they live, are the image of God. This is a clear teaching throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament. In Genesis 1:27 we read these words:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

Moreover, in Genesis 9:6 we find that even after sin corrupted humanity, human beings are still the image of God. There we read:

Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man (Genesis 9:6).

And beyond this, the New Testament also affirms that all people are the image or likeness of God. In James 3:9 we read these words:

With our tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness (James 3:9).

And as Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 11:7:

Man… is the image and glory of God (1 Corinthians 11:7).

Though we will have much more to say about what it means to be the image of God in a later lesson, it will suffice at this point to say that we have a number of characteristics that, to one degree or another, are common, if not universal, for all human beings. In the past, the church has focused attention on the fact that human beings are rational, that we have special linguistic abilities, and that we are moral or religious creatures.

From this biblical perspective, we can see that we must be careful not to overstate the differences between people of the Old Testament and modern people. Beneath the surface, we who live today are not very different from those ancient people. Although we are not exactly like them, we can assume that the rational, linguistic and moral qualities that dominate our lives were also present in theirs. And for these reasons, we can have much confidence that the Old Testament can be successfully applied to our day. The people who wrote it and to whom it was written were the image of God just like we are.

In the second place, we are also like the people of the Old Testament because all human beings are fallen into sin. We are all familiar with those well-known words of Paul in Romans 3:12:

All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one (Romans 3:12).

The apostle made it clear that all people have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And this is not just a New Testament teaching — Solomon said essentially the same thing at the dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8:46:

There is no one who does not sin (1 Kings 8:46).

Because we and Old Testament people share the common quality of being fallen images of God, it is not difficult for us to grasp the propensity of Old Testament people to turn from God to sin. It is not difficult for us to understand why Old Testament writers focused so much on sin and its corruption. We connect with the Old Testament on this level because we know that we are sinners much like the original recipients of the Old Testament. And the Old Testament focuses on the redemption of sinners much like the New Testament does as well. What God said to the sinful people of Old Testament times is quite relevant for sinners living today.

In the third place, since the fall of humanity into sin, it has always been the case that human beings have been divided into groups according to their relationship with God. You will recall that at Mount Sinai, God spoke of his special covenant relationship with Israel in this way in Exodus 19:6:

You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6).

And in 1 Peter 2:9 the apostle Peter quoted this passage but applied it to the New Testament church. As he put it:

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God (1 Peter 2:9).

Although there are differences between God's people in the Old Testament and New Testament, there is still an abiding line of connection. Humanity is still divided in terms of relationship with God. There are many ways to describe the divisions of humanity. One very helpful way is to notice that throughout the Bible God distinguishes three groups: first, those who are lost because they are outside of covenant with God; second, those in covenant with God who are still lost, not saved from their sins; and third, those in covenant with God who are justified by faith and eternally saved. These three groups of people existed in the Old Testament and they also exist in the New Testament period today. Because of these parallels, we are right to expect the Old Testament to be relevant for us. The human race is divided in our day as it was in the days of the Old Testament. And as a result, God's word to Israel is his word for us.

So it is that as we approach applying the Old Testament to our day, we should remember that at least three major lines of connection exist between us and the Old Testament — we serve the same God, in the same world and as the same kind of people.

Now that we have seen how the same God, the same world and the same kind of people connect us to the Old Testament, we should also turn our attention to the developments that have taken place between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Developments

We could approach this topic in a number of ways, but we will simply follow the pattern established by the three lines of connection. We will see how there have been epochal developments, cultural developments and personal developments.

Epochal

In the first place, although we know that we are dealing with the same immutable God in the Old Testament and New Testament, we must realize that God revealed himself in epochs or ages. Biblical history is a lengthy account of the way God disclosed himself to his people progressively, bit by bit, as the history of salvation moved toward its divinely ordained end. Put simply, Abraham knew more about God than Noah did. Moses knew more than Abraham; David knew more than Moses; and God has revealed more to New Testament believers than ever before. The writer of Hebrews stressed this point in Hebrews 1:1-2:

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Unfortunately, we live in a day when there is much confusion about the kinds of epochal considerations that must be made as we apply the Old Testament to our lives today. Many Christians rightly believe that the Old Testament applies to us, but they have different ways of applying the message of the Old Testament to our age. Although there are many variations on these matters, it helps to think of three main tendencies.

On one end of the spectrum are several extreme positions that promote a segmented view of biblical faith. These Christians stress the differences between the various epochs or ages of Scripture. In fact, they focus so much on the differences between the Old Testament era and our own day that they tend to apply to modern believers only those things in the Old Testament that are repeated in the New Testament. So long as the New Testament does not comment on an Old Testament teaching or practice, these Christians assume that the Old Testament does not apply.

On the other end of the spectrum are several extreme positions that promote a flattened view of biblical faith. These Christians focus on things that have remained the same between the various ages of Scripture. In fact, they consider the Old Testament and New Testament to be so unified that so long as the New Testament does not comment on an Old Testament teaching or practice, these Christians assume that the Old Testament should be followed as closely as possible.

In these lessons, we will avoid both of these extremes by following an approach to the ages of Scripture that looks at biblical history as both unified and developing. Our outlook tries to give equal attention to the ways things have stayed the same and have changed throughout the Bible's history. We will assume that all of the Old Testament is relevant for us, but also that every dimension of the Old Testament has developed. We will not treat any of the Old Testament as inapplicable or irrelevant to our day, but neither will we apply any Old Testament teaching without taking into consideration what God has revealed in the New Testament. Instead, all the teachings of the Old Testament must undergo epochal adjustments by passing through the filter of the New Testament. In a word, the developmental model teaches that the whole Old Testament is relevant and authoritative for us, but also that the whole Old Testament must be applied in the light of the New Testament.

This developmental model follows an analogy that the apostle Paul applied to the history of salvation. In Galatians 3:24 he spoke of the stages of biblical history as stages in the growth of a child:

The law was our disciplinarian until Christ (Galatians 3:24, NRSV).

Old Testament faith was like the instructions given to a child; New Testament faith is like the instructions given to an adult heir.

Now, think about this analogy that Paul used to describe the development of biblical faith. Normally, we give an appropriate set of rules to young children: "Don't go in the street. Don't touch the stove." But when children become adults, we don't expect them to stay out of the street or to stay away from stoves anymore. After all, they are adults. But we do expect adults to remember the wisdom that childhood rules were designed to teach. We expect adults to remember that roads and stoves are dangerous and to be approached with care. For an adult to be bound by the same rules in the same way as a two-year-old is foolish. But it is just as foolish to forget the wisdom of the two-year-old's rules.

As we will see in these lessons, much the same is true for biblical faith. In many ways, the Old Testament resembles rules given to a young child. It is designed appropriately for the spiritual condition of the people of Israel in the Old Testament days. Now, as New Testament believers we may go in two foolish directions. First, we may try to go back to the days of the Old Testament and to imitate Old Testament faith as if we lived in the Old Testament days ourselves. But this would be to deny Christ and his great work of salvation. And second, we may be tempted to say that the Old Testament has nothing for us anymore, now that we are New Testament believers. But this is also wrong. The Old Testament has much to teach us about our Christian faith. The developmental model of biblical faith teaches us to appreciate and to submit to the authority of the Old Testament, but to do so as those upon whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Cultural

In the second place, to comprehend the Old Testament in our day, we must consider cultural developments. If we hope to connect our lives with the text of the Old Testament Scriptures, we must take into account the variations between the cultures represented in the Old Testament and those of our own world.

To acknowledge cultural developments, we must be concerned, on the one hand, to see cultural similarities between ourselves and the Old Testament. What cultural patterns do we face that closely parallel Abraham's experience? How is our culture like David's? And on the other hand, we must be concerned to see the cultural differences that exist. How has human culture significantly changed from the ancient societies of the Old Testament? What customs and practices are different? We must answer these questions, and make appropriate cultural adjustments to the Old Testament's message, as we apply the Old Testament to modern life.

Personal

In the third place, to apply the Old Testament in our day, we must make personal adjustments. We must consider people in the Old Testament and people in our day. There are considerable similarities between the people of the Old Testament and people living in our contemporary world, but we must also recognize that many dissimilarities exist between modern people and ancient people. If we hope to apply the ancient texts of the Old Testament properly, we must take into account these personal variations.

For example, we all need to ask questions like these. How do our personal lives compare with those that we see in the Old Testament? What roles do we have in society? What is our spiritual condition? How are we serving the Lord compared to this Old Testament character or that Old Testament character? How do our thoughts, actions and feelings compare to those that we see in the Old Testament? By taking account of the variations between ancient Old Testament people and modern people, we can better understand how to apply the Old Testament in our day.

As we continue in these lessons, we will see time and again that we must be ready to go from the Old Testament to our day by taking into account the epochal, cultural and personal developments of particular themes in the Old Testament. If we do not pay special attention to these matters, we will fail to handle the Old Testament as God would have us handle it.

CONCLUSION

In this lesson, we have explored why it is important for Christians to study the Old Testament. We have acknowledged the distance between ourselves and this ancient book, but we have also seen that the New Testament strongly affirms that the Old Testament is relevant for us. It still holds authority to guide our Christian living. And finally we noted the processes that go into applying the Old Testament to our day. We must always be sure to account for the ways themes of the Old Testament have developed over time and how they are to be used in the modern world.

We have touched on only a few preliminary but extremely important issues in this lesson. As we continue with this survey of Kingdom, Covenants and Canon of the Old Testament, we must always keep these thoughts in mind. As we do, we will find that the Old Testament is a wonderfully rich source of spiritual strength that God has provided for his people in every age.