THE OLD TESTAMENT IS THE SHADOW OF THE NEW COVENANT -
(WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?)
Hebrews 10:1 NIV
THE LAW IS ONLY A SHADOW of the good things that are coming—NOT THE REALITIES THEMSELVES. For this reason it can NEVER, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
Hebrews 8:5-6
[5] They serve at a sanctuary that is A COPY and SHADOW of what is IN HEAVEN. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you MAKE EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN shown you on the mountain.”
[6] But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as SUPERIOR to theirs as THE COVENANT OF WHICH HE IS MEDIATOR IS SUPERIOR to the old one, since THE NEW COVENANT IS ESTABLISHED ON BETTER PROMISES. NIV
2 Corinthians 1:20
[20] For no matter how many promises God has MADE, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so THROUGH HIM the “Amen” is spoken by us to the Glory of God. NIV
So what do we know from the Passages above? Well, simply that: the Old Testament (OT) is the shadow of the New Testament (NT), and the NT is far better and superior to the OT, case closed.
Then what are we supposed to do with the OT Scriptures? Some have expressed the opinion that it's irrelevant and should be discarded. Others say, keep it around for the stories and history, but it is not relevant in forming doctrine; in other words, quoting from the OT in matters of doctrine is irrelevant, only the NT Scriptures can be used in that regard. And lastly, there are those who advocate that both the OT and NT Scriptures are relevant in matters of doctrine. Before we address this question, let's take a step back to further understand what the quoted Passages above mean.
We'll begin by trying to understand the saying that the OT is a SHADOW and a copy of the NT.
Imagine standing outside on a sunny day, with the sun casting a shadow of you. The shadow is basically a representation of you. It would show one head, two hands, two legs, a torso, and its proportions would be similar to yours. Of course, the shadow would not convey the details of your features like your eyes, nose, lips, smile, or the vibrant colors of your clothing. The shadow just shows a black representation letting us know the bounds of the person from which it was cast. Your shadow would not have three hands when you have two, I think you get the picture.
In like manner, the Old Covenant Law (OCL) is a SHADOW of the New Covenant (NC). It only reflects the form and template representing the NC; but of itself it doesn't portray the full vibrant glory and beauty of the NC.
Now a good question to ask is, why do we need the shadowy black representation when the full HD representation is available (Heb 10:1)? I mean, who wants to be watching a movie in black and white when you can have crisp 4K resolution? Ideally, we would choose the latter. But the fact, according to Scripture, is that the choice is not entirely up to us. Even though we've been shown a lot in the NT Scriptures, we have still not been given the full picture, I mean not until that final day when we behold Christ face to face (1 Cor 13:9-12). But God hasn't left us to grope in the dark, He has directed us to be able to glean wisdom from the OT, and He has given us His Spirit to provide the missing “color pigments” so that we're not pulled into the discouraging or depressing dark tones of the OT.
So to answer the initial question of what we are supposed to do with the OT Scriptures, I'm of the third opinion, which opines that both the Old and New Testament Scriptures are useful for defining sound Christian doctrine. And I believe the Scriptures below support this opinion:
Romans 15:4-6
[4] For EVERYTHING that was WRITTEN IN THE PAST WAS WRITTEN TO TEACH US, so that through the endurance TAUGHT in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have HOPE. [5] May the God Who gives endurance and encouragement give you the SAME attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, [6] so that with ONE MIND and ONE VOICE you may Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. NIV
Note: When Paul refers to Scripture in this Passage and the one below, he was referring to the OT Scriptures, because during his time the collection of books that we have today as the NT were not yet put together.
2 Timothy 3:15-17
[15] and how from infancy you have known THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, which are able to make you WISE for salvation THROUGH faith in Christ Jesus. [16] ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED and is USEFUL for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. NIV
Note: v15 shows that there is wisdom in the OT that can help build our faith in our Salvation through Jesus Christ. Later, we'd highlight how we can find this encouraging wisdom through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In the book, “The Biblical Festivals of God” there are many illustrations through the OT festivals that vividly show the significance of aspects of the festivals and how Jesus Christ FULFILLED them.
Now if you may be thinking that you don't need the wisdom found in the OT to frame your salvation and faith in Jesus Christ, being that you're ALREADY a Christian, i.e. a believer, please notice that Paul was addressing Timothy, a Christian, when he was writing this Passage. Timothy was probably a Christian from childhood, being guided by his mother and grandmother (2 Tim 1:5), and the above Passage says he was brought up in the knowledge of Scripture from infancy; yet Paul thought it necessary that he still ought to glean from the wisdom of the OT. I'd encourage you to read from v10 of the above Passage to possibly understand why Paul was giving this directive, and link it to the previous Passage above, Rom 15:4-6. It was to provide teaching and encouragement, even in the face of hardships and persecution, which we're all sure to encounter in the course of our Christian walk (2 Tim 3:12, John 15:20, 16:33).
Lastly, notice that v16&17 show that ALL SCRIPTURE, meaning both Old and New Testaments, is USEFUL for the shaping of doctrine. I believe this clearly confirms the opinion I stated earlier. Let me quote one more Passage to show part of the USEFULNESS of the OT.
1 Corinthians 10:6-12
[6] Now these things occurred as EXAMPLES to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. [7] Do NOT be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” [8] We should NOT commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. [9] We should NOT test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes
[please also read Num 21:6-9 & John 3:14].
[10] And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
[11] These things happened to them as EXAMPLES and were WRITTEN DOWN AS WARNINGS FOR US, on whom the CULMINATION of the ages has come. [12] So, if you think you are standing firm, BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON’T FALL! NIV
Take note of v9, that Paul was saying that in the events of the OT, it was CHRIST that they were testing. You'll find something similar in Hebrews 11 where it superimposes Christ in the midst of the OT, specifically the life of Moses (Heb 11:24-26, 1 Cor 10:1-4). And even Jesus Christ superimposed Himself in the OT when He claimed to be the Creator of mankind (Matt 13:37-38, John 1:1-3, Heb 1:2-3, Prov 30:4), and being present even in the time of Abraham (John 8:56-58). So clearly, the OT is relevant with regard to the NT, because it is a representation from which we can trace the realities of the NT.
However, here is the issue, if anyone reading all this, thus far, gets encouraged to crack open the OT, they may be disappointed or discouraged trying to make sense of everything. And the reason for this is because the OT is STILL a SHADOW in itself and NOT the full picture. The ONLY WAY it can become profitable for a believer in the NC is if it is read through the HELP of the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:14-18
[14] But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the Old Covenant is read. It has not been removed, because ONLY IN CHRIST IS IT TAKEN AWAY. [15] Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their HEARTS. [16] BUT WHENEVER ANYONE TURNS TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY. [17] Now THE LORD IS THE SPIRIT, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [18] And WE ALL, who with UNVEILED FACES contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being TRANSFORMED into His Image with ever-increasing glory, which COMES FROM the Lord, Who is the Spirit. NIV
Without the Holy Spirit, you could read ALL Scripture, and things would still be a mystery (John 5:39-40, 1 Cor 2:7-8, 13-14). And it should be noted that God's Word, and in fact the idea of the NC, is that He seeks to find residency for Himself and His Word in people's HEARTS, and not just their minds (Ps 119:10-11, Luke 8:11, 15, John 14:21, 23). If the Word only goes through your ears and ends in your mind, it would be meaningless and unproductive. It needs to find space to take root in the heart for it to be meaningful (Luke 6:45-49, James 1:22). It is for this reason that an unrepentant heart will be unable to comprehend or accept the Word of God (Luke 7:29-30, John 8:37). But a softened repentant heart, is a conducive space for the Holy Spirit, and He in turn will reveal ALL things, including that which pertains to Scripture (Ezekiel 36:26-27, John 14:26, 16:13).
Let's proceed in our study, but first let's highlight what we've discovered so far. So the OCL is a SHADOW of the NC. The OT is however not to be discarded, because NT Scripture still points us back to it. Nevertheless, the OT can only be useful with the HELP of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that transforms the shadowy OT to a vivid, Glorious portrait of Jesus Christ and the Will of God, the Father. So now let's explore how people in the New Testament, I mean people filled with the Holy Spirit, were able to paint and portray aspects of the OT in a New Light.
For obvious reasons, we have to begin with Jesus Christ. It is without debate that Jesus Christ was full of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35, John 3:34). Let's now explore what He had to say about the OCL and OT in general.
The first notable thing that Jesus Christ repeatedly said was that He came to fulfill the Law and Prophets (Matt 5:17), or simply that He came to fulfill Scripture (Matt 26:24, 31, 54, 56…). The cited Passages sufficiently address this point, but I'd like us to briefly explore what it means for us that Jesus Christ “FULFILLED” the Old Testament requirements. This is necessary because due to an inadequate understanding of this, some people have concluded that fulfillment of the OT means it is no longer relevant and as such should be discarded. But this view doesn't quite line up with NT Scripture as we've seen earlier, where Paul still pointed believers back to the OT (Rom 15:4-6, 2 Tim 3:15-17, 1 Cor 10:6-9).
The OCL was full of promises, but these promises came with several requirements along the lines of obedience and sacrifices. So it was like a ball and chain affair, i.e. the promises being anchored to weighty requirements. That's the summary of the OCL. As best as people tried, both in the past and present, no one could perfectly live up to the requirements so as to receive the fullness of the promises. I've intentionally added “present”, because till date no one trying to live by the Law can perfectly fulfill its requirements.
But then Jesus Christ came on the scene, and He perfectly FULFILLED the requirements, and to Him was given ALL the promises. His FULFILLMENT of the requirements is what now gives us access to the promises God made (2 Cor 1:20).
When Scripture says that the NC is founded on better promises than the OC, I don't think it necessarily means DIFFERENT promises (Heb 8:6). I believe what distinguishes them is that the promises in the NC are founded on the EASY requirement of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ and His teachings (Matt 11:28-30, 28:19-20, John 6:28-29, Gal 3:14, **Rom 8:2-4**), which by far are NOT as burdensome as the requirements of the OT (1 John 5:3), which came with incessant sacrifices and rituals (Heb 10:3). In other words, it can be proven through Scripture that the promises from the OT are quite similar to the NT. I wouldn't extensively elaborate on that here, as part of a previous post covers this idea, but I'd highlight a few illustrations here. If there is a need for further elaboration, please let me know, and by God's Grace, we'd do that.
So for starters we know that one of the key promises in the OC was that God wanted to give Abraham and his descendants the LAND of Canaan, referred to as the Promised Land (Gen 15:18). That promise was a SHADOW of God's intention to establish us in His Eternal Kingdom (*Heb 11:8-10, 16, 39-40*, John 14:2-3, Col 1:12-14). In other words, the Land of Canaan with its capital in Jerusalem was a SHADOW of God's intention to bring us into the NEW JERUSALEM, which is His Eternal Kingdom (Rev 21:2-4, 7).
Another example was how in the OCL God expressed His intent to make the Israelites a Kingdom of priests if they would OBEY Him (Exo 19:5-6). But then in the NC, after Jesus Christ FULFILLED everything, He was inaugurated as High Priest (Heb 5:5-6, 7:21-26), and He as well made us priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9), thus fulfilling God's original intent of having a Kingdom of Priests (Rev 5:9-10).
Notice that in the OCL, with respect to the promise of priesthood, they had to meet the REQUIREMENT of OBEDIENCE to ALL the Law in order to enjoy the promise God made to have them as priests (Exo 19:5-6). But in the NC we have access to this same promise SIMPLY by believing in Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ OBEYED every requirement of God and He received the Priesthood (John 14:30-31, 15:9-10, *Heb 5:8-10*, **Rom 8:2-4**). So the OCL is a SHADOW of the NC, and the promises are quite similar. The difference is that in the NC these promises are much more accessible because of how Jesus Christ FULFILLED the OT requirements (**Rom 8:2-4**).
Some Christians don't even know that they are priests, or even the fact that Jesus Christ is referred to as the High Priest (Heb 6:20). And since they do not recognize or understand this aspect of their ordination, they do not take advantage of their priestly privileges, or carry out the responsibilities of their priesthood in the NC. I'd cite one privilege, and then I'd move on.
Did you know that according to Scripture it was only the priest who had the privilege to approach God in the intimacy of the Most Holy Place ([Lev 16:1-5, 32-33], Exo 30:10, Heb 9:7)? Well, Jesus Christ has assumed the role of High Priest, thus gaining access to the Father (Heb 9:11-14, 24). And through him we became priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9, Rev 5:10); So THROUGH Him, and by Him ALONE, we can also approach the Father, as only a priest can do (John 14:6, Eph 3:11-12, **Heb 10:19-22**).
So the lingo used in the NT to describe our freedom to confidently APPROACH God is what was used to describe the privilege of the priest in the OT (Eph 3:11-12, Num 3:10, Exo 19:22). But unlike the OT priest, who could only approach God ONCE a year after performing several cleansing and sacrificial rituals (Heb 9:7), we as NC priests can approach God as often as we please, because THROUGH Christ our cleansing has been FULFILLED (Heb 9:13-15), hence we can go right ahead to enjoy the promise of fellowship with God.
So you can see how the promises in the New Covenant are BETTER than those in the Old Covenant. It is not that they are so much so DIFFERENT from each other, but that Jesus Christ's FULFILLMENT of the Law has made the promises accessible by us, THROUGH Him (2 Cor 1:20).
So again the OCL has been proved to be a SHADOW of the NC, and Christ’s FULFILLMENT of the OCL was not to change the Promise given in the OT, but to reveal its glorious perfection and make it accessible to all through faith (Gal 3:14, 18, 22).
If the promises in the OCL bore no resemblance to the NC, then how could it be a SHADOW of the NC? I mean if you're about to turn a corner, and you notice the shadow of a man on the ground approaching from the other end of the corner, wouldn't it be strange if you see a chicken when you finally arrive at the corner? In other words, a chicken cannot cast the shadow of a man, because they bear no resemblance in stature or form. In like manner, it stands to reason that the promises of the OCL should bear some resemblance to the promises in the NC because it is a SHADOW of it.
The major difference is that Jesus Christ has FULFILLED the hard requirements of the Law, and THROUGH His Spirit He has given us access to FREELY enjoy the Promises (Gal 4:6-7). That, I believe, expresses the true meaning of Christ FULFILLING the OT as far as it concerns or relates to us.
Romans 8:1-4
[1] Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because THROUGH Christ Jesus THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT Who gives life has set you FREE from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law was powerless to do because it was WEAKENED by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in the flesh, [4] IN ORDER THAT THE RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULLY MET IN US, who do NOT live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. NIV
2 Corinthians 1:20-22
[20] For no matter how MANY PROMISES God has made, THEY ARE “YES” IN CHRIST. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. [21] Now it is God Who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. HE ANOINTED US, [22] set His seal of ownership on us, AND PUT HIS SPIRIT IN OUR HEARTS as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. NIV
So we've seen that Jesus Christ clearly said that He FULFILLED the Law and the Prophets (Matt 5:17), and I believe we now understand what that means, especially for us. Now what other noteworthy thing did Jesus Christ say about the OCL?
Interestingly, it would appear that Jesus Christ Himself commanded people to teach the Law and not discard it. I don't know if I'm saying it right, so please pardon me, and let me just quote what I'm referring to:
Matthew 5:18-19
[18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, NOT the smallest letter, NOT the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear FROM THE LAW until EVERYTHING is ACCOMPLISHED. [19] Therefore anyone who SETS ASIDE one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly 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. NIV
And Jesus Christ did not stop there. He called us to a higher standard than the Pharisees and teachers of the Law of His day:
Matthew 5:20
[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. NIV
If we used Paul's former way of life as a yardstick to assume the standards of the Pharisees, then with respect to the Law they might have been viewed as flawless (Phil 3:5-6). But in the Passage above, Jesus was stating that we had to surpass them. At first glance, it sounds impossible; and one might argue that didn't we just state that Jesus Christ fulfilled the requirements of the OCL and made things “EASIER” for us, but this doesn't sound “EASY”. In reality what Jesus Christ was saying was not only POSSIBLE, but also EASY because of the Holy Spirit, or I should say GRACE. Again, I better covered this in the previous post showing the connection between the Holy Spirit and GRACE, how this is a key distinguishing factor between the Old and New Covenants, and how GRACE was the NT legal system that replaced the OCL. I'd leave a link to that post at the end, so that you can better explore the subject.
Note that you can't surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees by trying to obey and keep the Law by your own ability. That would make you no different from them. But rather you'll surpass their righteousness when you walk by faith and obedience to the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 5:7, Gal 5:16, *22-25*). The Holy Spirit/Grace would teach you everything you need to do (John 16:13, Titus 2:11-12). And for all this to work you'll need to obey one of Jesus’s commands that is often overlooked, which is to deny yourself and to take up your cross and follow Him (Matt 16:24). In simple terms, He is asking that you die to self or crucify the flesh, thus denying its desires that war against the Holy Spirit in you (Gal 5:17, 1 Peter 2:11, Rom 6:11-14, 8:5-9).
Another VERY important key that distinguishes the OCL and the NC, is the matter of the HEART. God clearly expressed His intent in the OCL that He was after the hearts of the people (Deut 6:4-5, 11:1). God demanded to be LOVED WHOLEHEARTEDLY. But the people could not do this satisfactorily (Num 32:11-12, Deut 10:14-16, 30:1-3, 6, 10, 14-18); moreover they found ways of “fulfilling” the outward requirements of the Law, but their hearts were far from God ([1 Sam 15:22-23, Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:6-8], Isaiah 1:11-13, 29:13, Ezek 33:31). That's why the Pharisees could flawlessly obey the Law, but yet be called hypocrites by Jesus Christ, because their hearts were callous (Matt 23:23-28). Jesus Christ did not have a problem with them teaching the Law of Moses, but He told His disciples not to copy their actions because their hearts were not right (Matt 23:2-3).
In the NC however, Jesus Christ corrected the heart issue so that God's intent in the OCL to produce loving people would be finally FULFILLED or REALIZED. We Love because He first Loved us (1 John 4:19). And the Holy Spirit in us produces the fruit of LOVE, among other things:
Galatians 5:22-23
[22] But THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW. NIV
I believe it can be said that in short the Law of the New Covenant is LOVE, Love for God and fellow man (1 John 4:20-21). That's what Jesus Christ summarized the whole of the OT to be about (Matt 22:37-40), and that's the command He left for us to live by (John 13:34-35). If you live by TRUE LOVE in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you would surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees by miles, because LOVE fulfills the Law (Gal 5:14, Rom 13:9-10), and goes beyond it in demonstrating goodness and righteousness (Col 3:12-17, Eph 5:8-9).
The young rich man who came to Jesus Christ was faithful in obeying the Law when Jesus quizzed him, and Jesus Loved him for this. Yet when he was asked to give all his wealth to the poor and FOLLOW Jesus, the man couldn't bring himself to do that (Mark 10:19-22). It wasn't that he didn't LOVE God, but that he loved God AND his money (Luke 16:13). He wasn't WHOLEHEARTEDLY committed to God.
When Jesus Christ commands people to give, it's not because of a want for resources, but rather He seeks to gain their hearts. He knows that naturally our hearts are intertwined with our treasures (Luke 12:34). So willingness to sacrifice our treasures for His sake is a sign that we treasure Him above everything else, and as such He has our heart (Matt 13:44-46).
We as humans naturally tend to invest our treasures in whatever we deem to have intrinsic value. So we sacrifice our time and resources on leisure or things that bring a return in value. So when we consider the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ expects that our valuation of it will far outweigh whatever else we consider valuable (Matt 13:44-46). And in that way, it is evident that He has your heart. And for clarity’s sake, God does NOT need anything that you or I can ever give, because in the first place EVERYTHING comes from Him (Ps 24:1, 50:9-15, Rom 11:35-36). So it has to be absolutely clear that it is the HEART that God is after (1 Chron 29:14, 16-19).
And speaking of treasures, I'd highlight one last thing that Jesus Christ spoke concerning the OCL in connection to the NC. Jesus Christ referenced a teacher of the Law, meaning one instructed in the OCL, and that if this person becomes a disciple of the Kingdom, meaning the NC, they are like someone having treasures from both the New and Old. In other words, this shows that both the OT and NT possess valuable treasures as Jesus Christ acknowledges below:
Matthew 13:52
[52] He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has BECOME A DISCIPLE IN THE KINGDOM of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom NEW TREASURES AS WELL AS OLD.” NIV
We've explored three illustrations using Jesus’s Words to show that He still considered the OT useful for our development. He didn't mean the OCL in its raw state, but rather refined by the paradigm of the Holy Spirit, to produce the transformative HEART results that God originally intended. And Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, through the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt 5, 6 & 7), showed a snippet of how He came to refine the OCL.
Note that even though in the mainstream some people tend to use some aspects of the Sermon on the Mount for evangelical purposes to SHOW unbelievers their sinfulness in the sight of God, and their need for forgiveness, but that is not quite what the Sermon on the Mount was for. The OCL of itself has that precise assignment of SHOWING or PROVING people as being sinful before God (Rom 3:20, 7:7, 13, Lev 5:17).
The Sermon on the Mount on the other hand serves another purpose. The refinements that Jesus Christ brought in contrast to the OCL were matters that pertained to the HEART. Hence, Jesus Christ was showing through the Sermon on the Mount that God was now focused on evaluating each person's heart. So actions of piety were not going to give you a pass with God if your heart wasn't right with Him (1 Cor 13:1-3, Heb 4:12-13).
The OCL simply governed outward conduct, but Jesus Christ addressed the internal state of people's hearts (please read Matt 5:21-48). That's why in the NC you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart; and sin is now defined as simply knowing what ought to be done but refusing to do it (James 4:17); and this could apply to things where there isn't even a written command to enforce the restriction or decree to do something (Rom 14:22-23).
The NC is on another level. If you're simply living in the grey areas of what may or may not be permissible by Scripture, then in practice you're no different than the Pharisees. In the NC, even in the mere appearance of something being wrong we're expected to avoid that thing (1 Thess 5:22 KJV, 1 Tim 6:11, 2 Tim 2:22). It is not merely about what is written, but rather what the Holy Spirit is prompting in your heart.
But to be clear this does NOT give a grant to transgress or go beyond what is written in Scripture (1 Cor 4:6, Jude 1:4). The Holy Spirit will NOT go against the Word of God in His dealings; so if ever you hear something that clearly violates Scripture, then know for certain that it was not the Holy Spirit that spoke that. It might have been your inner desires, or the devil masquerading himself (James 1:13-15, 2 Cor 11:14, 1 Tim 4:1-2).
So the Holy Spirit might prompt you to do something, like for instance to talk to someone or give something; refusal to do such a thing according to the OCL would not be accounted as sin because there is no written mandate on such things. But in the NC you would have grieved the Holy Spirit, the One through Whom you've been sealed for redemption (Eph 4:30, Isaiah 63:10), and that would be a sin you'd have to repent of.
Annanias and Sapphira wanted to do an apparently “good” thing by giving. But they chose to mix a “little lie” into the “good” that they wanted to do, and this lie before the Holy Spirit cost them their lives (Acts 5:1-10). This goes to show that in the NC one is not just evaluated by their external actions, but their hearts are weighed as well. You might think that the Holy Spirit was too drastic against them, but based on their internal/heart evaluation, Peter charged them with having allowed satan into their very hearts, the same heart which ought to exclusively be the residence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3, [John 14:23, 1 John 3:23-24, Rom 5:5]). Elsewhere, Paul taught that greed is a form of idolatry (Eph 5:5). Annanias and Sapphira could have simply said that they were going to keep part of the money for themselves, and it wouldn't be a problem (Acts 5:4). But they chose to use a lie to mask their greed and that was the problem.
And an example on the other side is that the Holy Spirit might restrain you from doing something, and that thing may not be sin in itself if you had done it according to the OCL. For instance, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ were both filled with the Holy Spirit right from the womb (Luke 1:15, 35). However, John was led to maintain a lifestyle of a strict diet (Matt 3:4), while Jesus Christ was free from that restriction. Nevertheless, both of them were still righteous despite their different lifestyles (Matt 11:18-19).
So in certain areas where there aren't clear stipulations from Scripture regarding what may be forbidden or permissible, the NT believer is guided by the Holy Spirit and conscience, and violation of either would be considered sinning. And a NT believer by extension is also responsible to NOT push or violate the conscience of their fellow believer, even if what they advocate isn't sinful in itself (1 Cor 8:9-12, 10:23-32). This is a responsibility that is unique to the NT, where believers are expected to take responsibility for each other (Gal 6:1-2, James 5:19-20), and unlike Cain, we're to be our brother's keeper (Gen 4:9).
The Old Testament Law places no such burden on a person; it is primarily concerned with the individual. The fall or righteousness of one person would not be directly attributed to another (Ezekiel 18:20, 14:13-20). But in the New Testament we are mutually responsible for each other. The fall of one can affect others, and the rise of another can directly impact others (1 Corinthians 12:12-14, **26-27**, [1 Cor 5:1-2, *6*, 11-13, 2 Cor 11:28-29, 2:2-4], Rom 1:11-12).
We've explored what Jesus Christ had to say about the OT Law and Prophets; now, let's see what the Apostles had to say. I believe this is where there is a bit of confusion that needs clarification, with the major figure in this debate being Paul.
So what was Paul's general evaluation of the Law? He states that the Law is spiritual, but we are of flesh, and as such incapable of truly obeying the OCL (Rom 7:14, [7:25, 8:1-8]). And the heart of his case was to vigorously contend against attempting to keep the OCL by way of the flesh (Rom 8:7). This was something he was all too familiar with given his background as a Pharisee, thus explaining his contention against the flesh (Phil 3:3-9). But even as he made this contention, he was always careful NOT to discredit the Law (Rom 3:31, 7:7, 12, 14, 16, 22, 1 Tim 1:8-11).
Ideally, a believer ought NOT to live by their fleshly desires (Rom 6:1-2, 6-8, 11-12, 15-16, 7:1, 1 Peter 4:1-2); ideally, if a believer lived by the Spirit, AND crucified their flesh (Gal 5:16, 24-25), they would under no circumstance be found wanting by the Law (Gal 5:22-23). So in this regard, the regulations of the Law would have no effect over the believer, because they are living by a standard that surpasses the Law, i.e. living by the Spirit (1 Cor 2:10-11, 15-16).
But in the NOT so ideal case, when believers allowed their flesh to come back alive, Paul still had to give guidance to the people by using concepts from the OCL, like excerpts from the Ten Commandments, commands to avoid idolatry and sexual immorality etc., to show them what was expected of them (Rom 13:9-10, [Lev 18:8, 1 Cor 5:1-2, 2 Cor 2:5-10, 7:9-10], [Exo 20:3-6, Ps 106:36-38, 1 Cor 10:7, 14, 20-22], [1 Cor 10:8, 6:15-20]).
Dying to self is NOT a one-time thing, it is a daily process (Luke 9:23, Rom 12:1-2). By the Spirit, both Paul and Jesus Christ showed that the essence of the Ten Commandments was still applicable in the NT, and was to be FULFILLED THROUGH LOVE, NOT the flesh.
Galatians 5:13-14
[13] You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be FREE. BUT DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM TO INDULGE THE FLESH; rather, SERVE one another humbly in LOVE. [14] For THE ENTIRE LAW IS FULFILLED in keeping this ONE command: “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” NIV
Romans 13:8-10
[8] Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, for whoever LOVES others has FULFILLED the law. [9] The commandments, “You shall NOT commit adultery,” “You shall NOT murder,” “You shall NOT steal,” “You shall NOT covet,” AND WHATEVER OTHER COMMAND there may be, are SUMMED up in this ONE command: “LOVE your neighbor as yourself.” [10] LOVE does NO harm to a neighbor. Therefore LOVE is the FULFILLMENT of the Law. NIV
Ephesians 6:1-3
[1] Children, OBEY your parents in the Lord, for this is right. [2] “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first COMMANDMENT with a promise— [3] “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” NIV
[Exo 20:12]
Basically, Paul was contextualizing the OCL for the NT believer. He was showing that the OT was still relevant in shaping our doctrine and thought in the NT. In so many ways the OT Scriptures were used in the NT. So application-wise, we can say that the OT Scriptures are still relevant for us today.
When Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil, ALL His responses were grounded in Scriptures from the OCL (Matt 4:4, 7, 10, Deut 8:3, 6:16, 13 respectively). We as well in the NC can find comfort, guidance, and assurances from God's promises in the OT (Heb 13:5-6, Deut 31:6, Ps 118:6-7), because God is still the same Faithful One (Num 23:19, Mal 3:6 NKJV, Heb 13:8), and His promises are ALL yes in Christ (2 Cor 1:20).
So I'll keep emphasizing it, that the OT was a SHADOW of the NT, but that doesn't mean it is irrelevant; it still holds truths that are representative of Jesus Christ, Who Himself is the Truth according to the NT (John 14:6); and these truths can be revealed through the Holy Spirit, Who is Himself also Truth Personified (John 14:17, 16:13, 1 John 5:6). Jesus Christ clearly said that Scripture, even Moses spoke about Him (John 5:39, Luke 24:44-46). So I think that knowledge held in the OT is still profitable to help us, who haven't seen the Lord (John 20:29, [1 Peter 1:8-12, 2 Peter 1:16-21]); and this knowledge could help us to discern certain things about Him.
One may still argue that it is not necessary, and that we have sufficient information in the NT about Jesus Christ, so we don't need the OT. I wouldn't stress too much on that so as not to revisit what we've already discussed. But I'd like to ask a simple question: if we don't need the OT to reveal certain profound things about Jesus Christ, since He has FULFILLED them, how about regarding things to come wherein there are still prophecies in the OT yet to be FULFILLED?
The OT is still a reference point in that regard. Jesus Christ Himself, while prophesying about the end, pointed us to the prophecy of Daniel for context (Matt 24:15-16). And through Daniel's prophecy, we have a good idea of the signs to identify the antichrist, and the prudence to know when we have to take flight, in the words of Jesus Christ (Matt 24:16), or to endure the times according to the book of Revelation (Rev 14:9-13). I mean Daniel’s prophecy frames the 3¹/² years of the antichrist reign (Daniel 12:11-12), which is a recurring theme in NT prophecies; Daniel also spoke of the third Temple, which is a necessary sign revealing the antichrist, who would desecrate that Temple (Daniel 9:27, 11:31-32, 12:11-12, 2 Thess 2:3-4); and we know it is the third Temple because he spoke of the destruction of the second Temple in the preceding verse, which was the Temple of Jesus’s day that the Romans destroyed in 70AD (Daniel 9:26); moreso, his prophecies cover other useful details of the end times.
In the book “The Biblical Festivals of God” and the follow-up posts tagged “Biblical Ciphers and Codes - Part 1 & 2” we clearly showed the relevance of the OT even for NT believers, especially in contextualizing the times we live in. I mean who would have thought that the cashless society of today was long prophesied about; and also a lot of the things happening today in politics, culture, science, and tech, all seem to be vividly portrayed in both the New and Old Testament prophecies.
Some people may still stick to the idea that the OT is irrelevant in addressing contemporary issues, but certainly the Early Church did not think that way. The Early Church used the OT to navigate difficult situations with the help of the Holy Spirit. You can remember the circumcision scandal (Gal 2:11-16, Acts 15:1-2). It wasn't by popular vote, or eloquent debating skills to support an opinion that they arrived at a decision. They sought the OT Scriptures and received guidance from the Holy Spirit to deliver the final verdict. We have their approach as a blueprint to help us navigate contemporary issues. By the Holy Spirit and His inspiration of Scripture, there is nothing that we can't resolve.
Acts 15:13-21, 28
[13] When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. [14] Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for His Name from the Gentiles. [15] THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS, AS IT IS WRITTEN:
[16] “ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, [17] THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, EVEN ALL THE GENTILES WHO BEAR MY NAME, says the Lord, Who does these things’— [18] things known from long ago. (Amos 9:11-12)
[19] “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should NOT make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. [20] Instead we should write to them, telling them to ABSTAIN from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. [21] For the Law of Moses has been PREACHED in every city FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES and is read in the synagogues on EVERY Sabbath.”
…
[28] IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: NIV
Out of curiosity, when last did you hear a sermon quoting from Amos 9:11-12? Chances are quite slim. But here the Early Church used those two verses to solve a problem that threatened to split the Church. And I'm sure it was the Holy Spirit that helped, or brought to their remembrance that Passage of Scripture (John 14:26, 2 Peter 1:21).
And just to clarify on the subject of circumcision, God also demonstrated that His intent in the OCL was for the people to be circumcised in HEART, and not just in the flesh (Deut 10:16, 30:6, Jer 4:4, 9:25-26). Paul focused on the emphasis of God's intention instead of the physical act of circumcision itself. Hence, in the NT he emphasized that Gentiles need not be circumcised in the flesh, because THROUGH Jesus Christ they had received the circumcision of the HEART, which is by the Holy Spirit (Col 2:10-11, Rom 2:25-29, 1 Cor 7:19). This is the same heart transformation that God promised in the OT to enable people to obey His commands (Ezek 36:26-27).
So Paul wasn't against the act of circumcision, especially as it pertained to Jews, since it was part of their heritage (Gen 17:10-11); I believe that's why he circumcised Timothy, who was a half Jew (Acts 16:1-3), but he didn't subject Titus to circumcision, who was fully Greek (Gal 2:3); furthermore, he raised no objections to James’ demands regarding the Jews that had completed a vow (Acts 21:23-26). Nevertheless, in the context of SALVATION, which was the argument of that time (Acts 15:1-2), circumcision in accordance with the OCL was IRRELEVANT to SALVATION, since every believer in the NT receives the circumcision which is by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (Col 2:10-11, Rom 2:29).
So once again the OT is shown to SHADOW the NT in revealing the intent of God and subsequent fulfillment through Jesus Christ. We see that Christ FULFILLED our circumcision, and has made us heirs to the promise of the Kingdom (Eph 3:6, Rom 4:16-17, 23-24, Col 1:12-13), just as circumcision made Abraham's descendants heirs to the Promised Land (Gen 17:7-11). Better than anyone of his time Paul understood this subject of circumcision and he communicated it to the NT Church. There are a host of other subjects where we find people in the NT pulling lessons from the OT and situating them in the NT context.
Anyway, the point is that the Holy Spirit is still speaking through the OT which He authored ([2 Tim 3:16, Job 32:8], 2 Peter 1:20-21); but when we take a stance that the OT is not for us, we limit His vocabulary and tools of imagery to reach us (1 Thess 5:19-20). If we refuse Scripture, we refuse Him; and if we refuse Him, the One Who ought to be our teacher, how would we ever learn or truly know the Scriptures (1 John 2:27)? And if we're only comfortable with the elementary truths of the faith, how then would we ever mature? Our growth is primarily dependent on our WILLINGNESS: WILLINGNESS to absorb what is being poured into us (Luke 5:37-38, John 16:12-13, Matt 11:13-15, 13:9-17); and WILLINGNESS to allow ourselves to be pruned so that we can become more fruitful (John 15:1-2).
Hebrews 5:11-14
[11] We have MUCH to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you BECAUSE YOU NO LONGER TRY TO UNDERSTAND. [12] In fact, though by this time you OUGHT to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the ELEMENTARY truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! [13] Anyone who lives on milk, being STILL AN INFANT, is NOT acquainted with THE TEACHING ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS. [14] But SOLID FOOD is for the MATURE, who by CONSTANT USE have TRAINED themselves to DISTINGUISH good from evil. NIV
Note: what he was previously discussing was in connection to Jesus’s Priesthood and linking it to Melchizedek in reference to the Psalm of David (Ps 110:4). So he was making an exposition from the OT to bring a NT perspective, but his frustration was that his audience seemed uninterested in learning deeper things than what they already knew. His charge to them was to aim for maturity so that they could absorb “solid food” of this kind.
I believe that, among other things, this study, as well as the immediate previous one, has helped to adequately DISTINGUISH between the OCL and the NC; and also show that the righteousness which is by faith in the NC is a product of the Holy Spirit (Rom 1:17, 3:21-22, Gal 5:5-6). And this faith is not some dead esoteric thing (James 2:17, 22, 24, 26), but practical expressions from the heart (1 Thess 1:3), that far surpasses the righteousness of the flesh that was obtainable in the OCL.
Indeed, the surface context of the OT all too often does not apply to us in the NT. Nevertheless, there is a deeper content in God's Word, both OT and NT, through which the Holy Spirit communicates (John 6:63, 1 Cor 2:13-14).
I believe I've said this before, but I'll say it once again, the OCL is STILL a SHADOW of the NC. So I'm not advocating that we as believers just pop open the OCL and do what it says according to our interpretation or understanding (Prov 3:5). What I'm saying, and I believe it also agrees with what Paul had said, is that the OT should be read through the lens of the Holy Spirit, and then we do what the Spirit says (*2 Cor 3:13-18*, 1 Thess 5:19, Rom 8:14, *Rev 2:7*).
There is much more that I would have loved to include in this study, especially along the lines of elaborating on certain things to show their practicality in the NT, but I'm going to have to leave it at this. I hope this study has been insightful and a blessing to you.
Thanks for the privilege of your time. God bless and Shalom!
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(WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?)
Hebrews 10:1 NIV
THE LAW IS ONLY A SHADOW of the good things that are coming—NOT THE REALITIES THEMSELVES. For this reason it can NEVER, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
Hebrews 8:5-6
[5] They serve at a sanctuary that is A COPY and SHADOW of what is IN HEAVEN. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you MAKE EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN shown you on the mountain.”
[6] But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as SUPERIOR to theirs as THE COVENANT OF WHICH HE IS MEDIATOR IS SUPERIOR to the old one, since THE NEW COVENANT IS ESTABLISHED ON BETTER PROMISES. NIV
2 Corinthians 1:20
[20] For no matter how many promises God has MADE, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so THROUGH HIM the “Amen” is spoken by us to the Glory of God. NIV
So what do we know from the Passages above? Well, simply that: the Old Testament (OT) is the shadow of the New Testament (NT), and the NT is far better and superior to the OT, case closed.
Then what are we supposed to do with the OT Scriptures? Some have expressed the opinion that it's irrelevant and should be discarded. Others say, keep it around for the stories and history, but it is not relevant in forming doctrine; in other words, quoting from the OT in matters of doctrine is irrelevant, only the NT Scriptures can be used in that regard. And lastly, there are those who advocate that both the OT and NT Scriptures are relevant in matters of doctrine. Before we address this question, let's take a step back to further understand what the quoted Passages above mean.
We'll begin by trying to understand the saying that the OT is a SHADOW and a copy of the NT.
Imagine standing outside on a sunny day, with the sun casting a shadow of you. The shadow is basically a representation of you. It would show one head, two hands, two legs, a torso, and its proportions would be similar to yours. Of course, the shadow would not convey the details of your features like your eyes, nose, lips, smile, or the vibrant colors of your clothing. The shadow just shows a black representation letting us know the bounds of the person from which it was cast. Your shadow would not have three hands when you have two, I think you get the picture.
In like manner, the Old Covenant Law (OCL) is a SHADOW of the New Covenant (NC). It only reflects the form and template representing the NC; but of itself it doesn't portray the full vibrant glory and beauty of the NC.
Now a good question to ask is, why do we need the shadowy black representation when the full HD representation is available (Heb 10:1)? I mean, who wants to be watching a movie in black and white when you can have crisp 4K resolution? Ideally, we would choose the latter. But the fact, according to Scripture, is that the choice is not entirely up to us. Even though we've been shown a lot in the NT Scriptures, we have still not been given the full picture, I mean not until that final day when we behold Christ face to face (1 Cor 13:9-12). But God hasn't left us to grope in the dark, He has directed us to be able to glean wisdom from the OT, and He has given us His Spirit to provide the missing “color pigments” so that we're not pulled into the discouraging or depressing dark tones of the OT.
So to answer the initial question of what we are supposed to do with the OT Scriptures, I'm of the third opinion, which opines that both the Old and New Testament Scriptures are useful for defining sound Christian doctrine. And I believe the Scriptures below support this opinion:
Romans 15:4-6
[4] For EVERYTHING that was WRITTEN IN THE PAST WAS WRITTEN TO TEACH US, so that through the endurance TAUGHT in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have HOPE. [5] May the God Who gives endurance and encouragement give you the SAME attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, [6] so that with ONE MIND and ONE VOICE you may Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. NIV
Note: When Paul refers to Scripture in this Passage and the one below, he was referring to the OT Scriptures, because during his time the collection of books that we have today as the NT were not yet put together.
2 Timothy 3:15-17
[15] and how from infancy you have known THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, which are able to make you WISE for salvation THROUGH faith in Christ Jesus. [16] ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED and is USEFUL for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. NIV
Note: v15 shows that there is wisdom in the OT that can help build our faith in our Salvation through Jesus Christ. Later, we'd highlight how we can find this encouraging wisdom through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In the book, “The Biblical Festivals of God” there are many illustrations through the OT festivals that vividly show the significance of aspects of the festivals and how Jesus Christ FULFILLED them.
Now if you may be thinking that you don't need the wisdom found in the OT to frame your salvation and faith in Jesus Christ, being that you're ALREADY a Christian, i.e. a believer, please notice that Paul was addressing Timothy, a Christian, when he was writing this Passage. Timothy was probably a Christian from childhood, being guided by his mother and grandmother (2 Tim 1:5), and the above Passage says he was brought up in the knowledge of Scripture from infancy; yet Paul thought it necessary that he still ought to glean from the wisdom of the OT. I'd encourage you to read from v10 of the above Passage to possibly understand why Paul was giving this directive, and link it to the previous Passage above, Rom 15:4-6. It was to provide teaching and encouragement, even in the face of hardships and persecution, which we're all sure to encounter in the course of our Christian walk (2 Tim 3:12, John 15:20, 16:33).
Lastly, notice that v16&17 show that ALL SCRIPTURE, meaning both Old and New Testaments, is USEFUL for the shaping of doctrine. I believe this clearly confirms the opinion I stated earlier. Let me quote one more Passage to show part of the USEFULNESS of the OT.
1 Corinthians 10:6-12
[6] Now these things occurred as EXAMPLES to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. [7] Do NOT be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” [8] We should NOT commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. [9] We should NOT test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes
[please also read Num 21:6-9 & John 3:14].
[10] And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
[11] These things happened to them as EXAMPLES and were WRITTEN DOWN AS WARNINGS FOR US, on whom the CULMINATION of the ages has come. [12] So, if you think you are standing firm, BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON’T FALL! NIV
Take note of v9, that Paul was saying that in the events of the OT, it was CHRIST that they were testing. You'll find something similar in Hebrews 11 where it superimposes Christ in the midst of the OT, specifically the life of Moses (Heb 11:24-26, 1 Cor 10:1-4). And even Jesus Christ superimposed Himself in the OT when He claimed to be the Creator of mankind (Matt 13:37-38, John 1:1-3, Heb 1:2-3, Prov 30:4), and being present even in the time of Abraham (John 8:56-58). So clearly, the OT is relevant with regard to the NT, because it is a representation from which we can trace the realities of the NT.
However, here is the issue, if anyone reading all this, thus far, gets encouraged to crack open the OT, they may be disappointed or discouraged trying to make sense of everything. And the reason for this is because the OT is STILL a SHADOW in itself and NOT the full picture. The ONLY WAY it can become profitable for a believer in the NC is if it is read through the HELP of the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:14-18
[14] But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the Old Covenant is read. It has not been removed, because ONLY IN CHRIST IS IT TAKEN AWAY. [15] Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their HEARTS. [16] BUT WHENEVER ANYONE TURNS TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY. [17] Now THE LORD IS THE SPIRIT, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [18] And WE ALL, who with UNVEILED FACES contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being TRANSFORMED into His Image with ever-increasing glory, which COMES FROM the Lord, Who is the Spirit. NIV
Without the Holy Spirit, you could read ALL Scripture, and things would still be a mystery (John 5:39-40, 1 Cor 2:7-8, 13-14). And it should be noted that God's Word, and in fact the idea of the NC, is that He seeks to find residency for Himself and His Word in people's HEARTS, and not just their minds (Ps 119:10-11, Luke 8:11, 15, John 14:21, 23). If the Word only goes through your ears and ends in your mind, it would be meaningless and unproductive. It needs to find space to take root in the heart for it to be meaningful (Luke 6:45-49, James 1:22). It is for this reason that an unrepentant heart will be unable to comprehend or accept the Word of God (Luke 7:29-30, John 8:37). But a softened repentant heart, is a conducive space for the Holy Spirit, and He in turn will reveal ALL things, including that which pertains to Scripture (Ezekiel 36:26-27, John 14:26, 16:13).
Let's proceed in our study, but first let's highlight what we've discovered so far. So the OCL is a SHADOW of the NC. The OT is however not to be discarded, because NT Scripture still points us back to it. Nevertheless, the OT can only be useful with the HELP of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that transforms the shadowy OT to a vivid, Glorious portrait of Jesus Christ and the Will of God, the Father. So now let's explore how people in the New Testament, I mean people filled with the Holy Spirit, were able to paint and portray aspects of the OT in a New Light.
For obvious reasons, we have to begin with Jesus Christ. It is without debate that Jesus Christ was full of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35, John 3:34). Let's now explore what He had to say about the OCL and OT in general.
The first notable thing that Jesus Christ repeatedly said was that He came to fulfill the Law and Prophets (Matt 5:17), or simply that He came to fulfill Scripture (Matt 26:24, 31, 54, 56…). The cited Passages sufficiently address this point, but I'd like us to briefly explore what it means for us that Jesus Christ “FULFILLED” the Old Testament requirements. This is necessary because due to an inadequate understanding of this, some people have concluded that fulfillment of the OT means it is no longer relevant and as such should be discarded. But this view doesn't quite line up with NT Scripture as we've seen earlier, where Paul still pointed believers back to the OT (Rom 15:4-6, 2 Tim 3:15-17, 1 Cor 10:6-9).
The OCL was full of promises, but these promises came with several requirements along the lines of obedience and sacrifices. So it was like a ball and chain affair, i.e. the promises being anchored to weighty requirements. That's the summary of the OCL. As best as people tried, both in the past and present, no one could perfectly live up to the requirements so as to receive the fullness of the promises. I've intentionally added “present”, because till date no one trying to live by the Law can perfectly fulfill its requirements.
But then Jesus Christ came on the scene, and He perfectly FULFILLED the requirements, and to Him was given ALL the promises. His FULFILLMENT of the requirements is what now gives us access to the promises God made (2 Cor 1:20).
When Scripture says that the NC is founded on better promises than the OC, I don't think it necessarily means DIFFERENT promises (Heb 8:6). I believe what distinguishes them is that the promises in the NC are founded on the EASY requirement of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ and His teachings (Matt 11:28-30, 28:19-20, John 6:28-29, Gal 3:14, **Rom 8:2-4**), which by far are NOT as burdensome as the requirements of the OT (1 John 5:3), which came with incessant sacrifices and rituals (Heb 10:3). In other words, it can be proven through Scripture that the promises from the OT are quite similar to the NT. I wouldn't extensively elaborate on that here, as part of a previous post covers this idea, but I'd highlight a few illustrations here. If there is a need for further elaboration, please let me know, and by God's Grace, we'd do that.
So for starters we know that one of the key promises in the OC was that God wanted to give Abraham and his descendants the LAND of Canaan, referred to as the Promised Land (Gen 15:18). That promise was a SHADOW of God's intention to establish us in His Eternal Kingdom (*Heb 11:8-10, 16, 39-40*, John 14:2-3, Col 1:12-14). In other words, the Land of Canaan with its capital in Jerusalem was a SHADOW of God's intention to bring us into the NEW JERUSALEM, which is His Eternal Kingdom (Rev 21:2-4, 7).
Another example was how in the OCL God expressed His intent to make the Israelites a Kingdom of priests if they would OBEY Him (Exo 19:5-6). But then in the NC, after Jesus Christ FULFILLED everything, He was inaugurated as High Priest (Heb 5:5-6, 7:21-26), and He as well made us priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9), thus fulfilling God's original intent of having a Kingdom of Priests (Rev 5:9-10).
Notice that in the OCL, with respect to the promise of priesthood, they had to meet the REQUIREMENT of OBEDIENCE to ALL the Law in order to enjoy the promise God made to have them as priests (Exo 19:5-6). But in the NC we have access to this same promise SIMPLY by believing in Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ OBEYED every requirement of God and He received the Priesthood (John 14:30-31, 15:9-10, *Heb 5:8-10*, **Rom 8:2-4**). So the OCL is a SHADOW of the NC, and the promises are quite similar. The difference is that in the NC these promises are much more accessible because of how Jesus Christ FULFILLED the OT requirements (**Rom 8:2-4**).
Some Christians don't even know that they are priests, or even the fact that Jesus Christ is referred to as the High Priest (Heb 6:20). And since they do not recognize or understand this aspect of their ordination, they do not take advantage of their priestly privileges, or carry out the responsibilities of their priesthood in the NC. I'd cite one privilege, and then I'd move on.
Did you know that according to Scripture it was only the priest who had the privilege to approach God in the intimacy of the Most Holy Place ([Lev 16:1-5, 32-33], Exo 30:10, Heb 9:7)? Well, Jesus Christ has assumed the role of High Priest, thus gaining access to the Father (Heb 9:11-14, 24). And through him we became priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9, Rev 5:10); So THROUGH Him, and by Him ALONE, we can also approach the Father, as only a priest can do (John 14:6, Eph 3:11-12, **Heb 10:19-22**).
So the lingo used in the NT to describe our freedom to confidently APPROACH God is what was used to describe the privilege of the priest in the OT (Eph 3:11-12, Num 3:10, Exo 19:22). But unlike the OT priest, who could only approach God ONCE a year after performing several cleansing and sacrificial rituals (Heb 9:7), we as NC priests can approach God as often as we please, because THROUGH Christ our cleansing has been FULFILLED (Heb 9:13-15), hence we can go right ahead to enjoy the promise of fellowship with God.
So you can see how the promises in the New Covenant are BETTER than those in the Old Covenant. It is not that they are so much so DIFFERENT from each other, but that Jesus Christ's FULFILLMENT of the Law has made the promises accessible by us, THROUGH Him (2 Cor 1:20).
So again the OCL has been proved to be a SHADOW of the NC, and Christ’s FULFILLMENT of the OCL was not to change the Promise given in the OT, but to reveal its glorious perfection and make it accessible to all through faith (Gal 3:14, 18, 22).
If the promises in the OCL bore no resemblance to the NC, then how could it be a SHADOW of the NC? I mean if you're about to turn a corner, and you notice the shadow of a man on the ground approaching from the other end of the corner, wouldn't it be strange if you see a chicken when you finally arrive at the corner? In other words, a chicken cannot cast the shadow of a man, because they bear no resemblance in stature or form. In like manner, it stands to reason that the promises of the OCL should bear some resemblance to the promises in the NC because it is a SHADOW of it.
The major difference is that Jesus Christ has FULFILLED the hard requirements of the Law, and THROUGH His Spirit He has given us access to FREELY enjoy the Promises (Gal 4:6-7). That, I believe, expresses the true meaning of Christ FULFILLING the OT as far as it concerns or relates to us.
Romans 8:1-4
[1] Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because THROUGH Christ Jesus THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT Who gives life has set you FREE from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law was powerless to do because it was WEAKENED by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in the flesh, [4] IN ORDER THAT THE RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULLY MET IN US, who do NOT live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. NIV
2 Corinthians 1:20-22
[20] For no matter how MANY PROMISES God has made, THEY ARE “YES” IN CHRIST. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. [21] Now it is God Who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. HE ANOINTED US, [22] set His seal of ownership on us, AND PUT HIS SPIRIT IN OUR HEARTS as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. NIV
So we've seen that Jesus Christ clearly said that He FULFILLED the Law and the Prophets (Matt 5:17), and I believe we now understand what that means, especially for us. Now what other noteworthy thing did Jesus Christ say about the OCL?
Interestingly, it would appear that Jesus Christ Himself commanded people to teach the Law and not discard it. I don't know if I'm saying it right, so please pardon me, and let me just quote what I'm referring to:
Matthew 5:18-19
[18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, NOT the smallest letter, NOT the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear FROM THE LAW until EVERYTHING is ACCOMPLISHED. [19] Therefore anyone who SETS ASIDE one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly 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. NIV
And Jesus Christ did not stop there. He called us to a higher standard than the Pharisees and teachers of the Law of His day:
Matthew 5:20
[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. NIV
If we used Paul's former way of life as a yardstick to assume the standards of the Pharisees, then with respect to the Law they might have been viewed as flawless (Phil 3:5-6). But in the Passage above, Jesus was stating that we had to surpass them. At first glance, it sounds impossible; and one might argue that didn't we just state that Jesus Christ fulfilled the requirements of the OCL and made things “EASIER” for us, but this doesn't sound “EASY”. In reality what Jesus Christ was saying was not only POSSIBLE, but also EASY because of the Holy Spirit, or I should say GRACE. Again, I better covered this in the previous post showing the connection between the Holy Spirit and GRACE, how this is a key distinguishing factor between the Old and New Covenants, and how GRACE was the NT legal system that replaced the OCL. I'd leave a link to that post at the end, so that you can better explore the subject.
Note that you can't surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees by trying to obey and keep the Law by your own ability. That would make you no different from them. But rather you'll surpass their righteousness when you walk by faith and obedience to the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 5:7, Gal 5:16, *22-25*). The Holy Spirit/Grace would teach you everything you need to do (John 16:13, Titus 2:11-12). And for all this to work you'll need to obey one of Jesus’s commands that is often overlooked, which is to deny yourself and to take up your cross and follow Him (Matt 16:24). In simple terms, He is asking that you die to self or crucify the flesh, thus denying its desires that war against the Holy Spirit in you (Gal 5:17, 1 Peter 2:11, Rom 6:11-14, 8:5-9).
Another VERY important key that distinguishes the OCL and the NC, is the matter of the HEART. God clearly expressed His intent in the OCL that He was after the hearts of the people (Deut 6:4-5, 11:1). God demanded to be LOVED WHOLEHEARTEDLY. But the people could not do this satisfactorily (Num 32:11-12, Deut 10:14-16, 30:1-3, 6, 10, 14-18); moreover they found ways of “fulfilling” the outward requirements of the Law, but their hearts were far from God ([1 Sam 15:22-23, Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:6-8], Isaiah 1:11-13, 29:13, Ezek 33:31). That's why the Pharisees could flawlessly obey the Law, but yet be called hypocrites by Jesus Christ, because their hearts were callous (Matt 23:23-28). Jesus Christ did not have a problem with them teaching the Law of Moses, but He told His disciples not to copy their actions because their hearts were not right (Matt 23:2-3).
In the NC however, Jesus Christ corrected the heart issue so that God's intent in the OCL to produce loving people would be finally FULFILLED or REALIZED. We Love because He first Loved us (1 John 4:19). And the Holy Spirit in us produces the fruit of LOVE, among other things:
Galatians 5:22-23
[22] But THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW. NIV
I believe it can be said that in short the Law of the New Covenant is LOVE, Love for God and fellow man (1 John 4:20-21). That's what Jesus Christ summarized the whole of the OT to be about (Matt 22:37-40), and that's the command He left for us to live by (John 13:34-35). If you live by TRUE LOVE in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you would surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees by miles, because LOVE fulfills the Law (Gal 5:14, Rom 13:9-10), and goes beyond it in demonstrating goodness and righteousness (Col 3:12-17, Eph 5:8-9).
The young rich man who came to Jesus Christ was faithful in obeying the Law when Jesus quizzed him, and Jesus Loved him for this. Yet when he was asked to give all his wealth to the poor and FOLLOW Jesus, the man couldn't bring himself to do that (Mark 10:19-22). It wasn't that he didn't LOVE God, but that he loved God AND his money (Luke 16:13). He wasn't WHOLEHEARTEDLY committed to God.
When Jesus Christ commands people to give, it's not because of a want for resources, but rather He seeks to gain their hearts. He knows that naturally our hearts are intertwined with our treasures (Luke 12:34). So willingness to sacrifice our treasures for His sake is a sign that we treasure Him above everything else, and as such He has our heart (Matt 13:44-46).
We as humans naturally tend to invest our treasures in whatever we deem to have intrinsic value. So we sacrifice our time and resources on leisure or things that bring a return in value. So when we consider the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ expects that our valuation of it will far outweigh whatever else we consider valuable (Matt 13:44-46). And in that way, it is evident that He has your heart. And for clarity’s sake, God does NOT need anything that you or I can ever give, because in the first place EVERYTHING comes from Him (Ps 24:1, 50:9-15, Rom 11:35-36). So it has to be absolutely clear that it is the HEART that God is after (1 Chron 29:14, 16-19).
And speaking of treasures, I'd highlight one last thing that Jesus Christ spoke concerning the OCL in connection to the NC. Jesus Christ referenced a teacher of the Law, meaning one instructed in the OCL, and that if this person becomes a disciple of the Kingdom, meaning the NC, they are like someone having treasures from both the New and Old. In other words, this shows that both the OT and NT possess valuable treasures as Jesus Christ acknowledges below:
Matthew 13:52
[52] He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has BECOME A DISCIPLE IN THE KINGDOM of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom NEW TREASURES AS WELL AS OLD.” NIV
We've explored three illustrations using Jesus’s Words to show that He still considered the OT useful for our development. He didn't mean the OCL in its raw state, but rather refined by the paradigm of the Holy Spirit, to produce the transformative HEART results that God originally intended. And Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, through the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt 5, 6 & 7), showed a snippet of how He came to refine the OCL.
Note that even though in the mainstream some people tend to use some aspects of the Sermon on the Mount for evangelical purposes to SHOW unbelievers their sinfulness in the sight of God, and their need for forgiveness, but that is not quite what the Sermon on the Mount was for. The OCL of itself has that precise assignment of SHOWING or PROVING people as being sinful before God (Rom 3:20, 7:7, 13, Lev 5:17).
The Sermon on the Mount on the other hand serves another purpose. The refinements that Jesus Christ brought in contrast to the OCL were matters that pertained to the HEART. Hence, Jesus Christ was showing through the Sermon on the Mount that God was now focused on evaluating each person's heart. So actions of piety were not going to give you a pass with God if your heart wasn't right with Him (1 Cor 13:1-3, Heb 4:12-13).
The OCL simply governed outward conduct, but Jesus Christ addressed the internal state of people's hearts (please read Matt 5:21-48). That's why in the NC you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart; and sin is now defined as simply knowing what ought to be done but refusing to do it (James 4:17); and this could apply to things where there isn't even a written command to enforce the restriction or decree to do something (Rom 14:22-23).
The NC is on another level. If you're simply living in the grey areas of what may or may not be permissible by Scripture, then in practice you're no different than the Pharisees. In the NC, even in the mere appearance of something being wrong we're expected to avoid that thing (1 Thess 5:22 KJV, 1 Tim 6:11, 2 Tim 2:22). It is not merely about what is written, but rather what the Holy Spirit is prompting in your heart.
But to be clear this does NOT give a grant to transgress or go beyond what is written in Scripture (1 Cor 4:6, Jude 1:4). The Holy Spirit will NOT go against the Word of God in His dealings; so if ever you hear something that clearly violates Scripture, then know for certain that it was not the Holy Spirit that spoke that. It might have been your inner desires, or the devil masquerading himself (James 1:13-15, 2 Cor 11:14, 1 Tim 4:1-2).
So the Holy Spirit might prompt you to do something, like for instance to talk to someone or give something; refusal to do such a thing according to the OCL would not be accounted as sin because there is no written mandate on such things. But in the NC you would have grieved the Holy Spirit, the One through Whom you've been sealed for redemption (Eph 4:30, Isaiah 63:10), and that would be a sin you'd have to repent of.
Annanias and Sapphira wanted to do an apparently “good” thing by giving. But they chose to mix a “little lie” into the “good” that they wanted to do, and this lie before the Holy Spirit cost them their lives (Acts 5:1-10). This goes to show that in the NC one is not just evaluated by their external actions, but their hearts are weighed as well. You might think that the Holy Spirit was too drastic against them, but based on their internal/heart evaluation, Peter charged them with having allowed satan into their very hearts, the same heart which ought to exclusively be the residence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3, [John 14:23, 1 John 3:23-24, Rom 5:5]). Elsewhere, Paul taught that greed is a form of idolatry (Eph 5:5). Annanias and Sapphira could have simply said that they were going to keep part of the money for themselves, and it wouldn't be a problem (Acts 5:4). But they chose to use a lie to mask their greed and that was the problem.
And an example on the other side is that the Holy Spirit might restrain you from doing something, and that thing may not be sin in itself if you had done it according to the OCL. For instance, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ were both filled with the Holy Spirit right from the womb (Luke 1:15, 35). However, John was led to maintain a lifestyle of a strict diet (Matt 3:4), while Jesus Christ was free from that restriction. Nevertheless, both of them were still righteous despite their different lifestyles (Matt 11:18-19).
So in certain areas where there aren't clear stipulations from Scripture regarding what may be forbidden or permissible, the NT believer is guided by the Holy Spirit and conscience, and violation of either would be considered sinning. And a NT believer by extension is also responsible to NOT push or violate the conscience of their fellow believer, even if what they advocate isn't sinful in itself (1 Cor 8:9-12, 10:23-32). This is a responsibility that is unique to the NT, where believers are expected to take responsibility for each other (Gal 6:1-2, James 5:19-20), and unlike Cain, we're to be our brother's keeper (Gen 4:9).
The Old Testament Law places no such burden on a person; it is primarily concerned with the individual. The fall or righteousness of one person would not be directly attributed to another (Ezekiel 18:20, 14:13-20). But in the New Testament we are mutually responsible for each other. The fall of one can affect others, and the rise of another can directly impact others (1 Corinthians 12:12-14, **26-27**, [1 Cor 5:1-2, *6*, 11-13, 2 Cor 11:28-29, 2:2-4], Rom 1:11-12).
We've explored what Jesus Christ had to say about the OT Law and Prophets; now, let's see what the Apostles had to say. I believe this is where there is a bit of confusion that needs clarification, with the major figure in this debate being Paul.
So what was Paul's general evaluation of the Law? He states that the Law is spiritual, but we are of flesh, and as such incapable of truly obeying the OCL (Rom 7:14, [7:25, 8:1-8]). And the heart of his case was to vigorously contend against attempting to keep the OCL by way of the flesh (Rom 8:7). This was something he was all too familiar with given his background as a Pharisee, thus explaining his contention against the flesh (Phil 3:3-9). But even as he made this contention, he was always careful NOT to discredit the Law (Rom 3:31, 7:7, 12, 14, 16, 22, 1 Tim 1:8-11).
Ideally, a believer ought NOT to live by their fleshly desires (Rom 6:1-2, 6-8, 11-12, 15-16, 7:1, 1 Peter 4:1-2); ideally, if a believer lived by the Spirit, AND crucified their flesh (Gal 5:16, 24-25), they would under no circumstance be found wanting by the Law (Gal 5:22-23). So in this regard, the regulations of the Law would have no effect over the believer, because they are living by a standard that surpasses the Law, i.e. living by the Spirit (1 Cor 2:10-11, 15-16).
But in the NOT so ideal case, when believers allowed their flesh to come back alive, Paul still had to give guidance to the people by using concepts from the OCL, like excerpts from the Ten Commandments, commands to avoid idolatry and sexual immorality etc., to show them what was expected of them (Rom 13:9-10, [Lev 18:8, 1 Cor 5:1-2, 2 Cor 2:5-10, 7:9-10], [Exo 20:3-6, Ps 106:36-38, 1 Cor 10:7, 14, 20-22], [1 Cor 10:8, 6:15-20]).
Dying to self is NOT a one-time thing, it is a daily process (Luke 9:23, Rom 12:1-2). By the Spirit, both Paul and Jesus Christ showed that the essence of the Ten Commandments was still applicable in the NT, and was to be FULFILLED THROUGH LOVE, NOT the flesh.
Galatians 5:13-14
[13] You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be FREE. BUT DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM TO INDULGE THE FLESH; rather, SERVE one another humbly in LOVE. [14] For THE ENTIRE LAW IS FULFILLED in keeping this ONE command: “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” NIV
Romans 13:8-10
[8] Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, for whoever LOVES others has FULFILLED the law. [9] The commandments, “You shall NOT commit adultery,” “You shall NOT murder,” “You shall NOT steal,” “You shall NOT covet,” AND WHATEVER OTHER COMMAND there may be, are SUMMED up in this ONE command: “LOVE your neighbor as yourself.” [10] LOVE does NO harm to a neighbor. Therefore LOVE is the FULFILLMENT of the Law. NIV
Ephesians 6:1-3
[1] Children, OBEY your parents in the Lord, for this is right. [2] “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first COMMANDMENT with a promise— [3] “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” NIV
[Exo 20:12]
Basically, Paul was contextualizing the OCL for the NT believer. He was showing that the OT was still relevant in shaping our doctrine and thought in the NT. In so many ways the OT Scriptures were used in the NT. So application-wise, we can say that the OT Scriptures are still relevant for us today.
When Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil, ALL His responses were grounded in Scriptures from the OCL (Matt 4:4, 7, 10, Deut 8:3, 6:16, 13 respectively). We as well in the NC can find comfort, guidance, and assurances from God's promises in the OT (Heb 13:5-6, Deut 31:6, Ps 118:6-7), because God is still the same Faithful One (Num 23:19, Mal 3:6 NKJV, Heb 13:8), and His promises are ALL yes in Christ (2 Cor 1:20).
So I'll keep emphasizing it, that the OT was a SHADOW of the NT, but that doesn't mean it is irrelevant; it still holds truths that are representative of Jesus Christ, Who Himself is the Truth according to the NT (John 14:6); and these truths can be revealed through the Holy Spirit, Who is Himself also Truth Personified (John 14:17, 16:13, 1 John 5:6). Jesus Christ clearly said that Scripture, even Moses spoke about Him (John 5:39, Luke 24:44-46). So I think that knowledge held in the OT is still profitable to help us, who haven't seen the Lord (John 20:29, [1 Peter 1:8-12, 2 Peter 1:16-21]); and this knowledge could help us to discern certain things about Him.
One may still argue that it is not necessary, and that we have sufficient information in the NT about Jesus Christ, so we don't need the OT. I wouldn't stress too much on that so as not to revisit what we've already discussed. But I'd like to ask a simple question: if we don't need the OT to reveal certain profound things about Jesus Christ, since He has FULFILLED them, how about regarding things to come wherein there are still prophecies in the OT yet to be FULFILLED?
The OT is still a reference point in that regard. Jesus Christ Himself, while prophesying about the end, pointed us to the prophecy of Daniel for context (Matt 24:15-16). And through Daniel's prophecy, we have a good idea of the signs to identify the antichrist, and the prudence to know when we have to take flight, in the words of Jesus Christ (Matt 24:16), or to endure the times according to the book of Revelation (Rev 14:9-13). I mean Daniel’s prophecy frames the 3¹/² years of the antichrist reign (Daniel 12:11-12), which is a recurring theme in NT prophecies; Daniel also spoke of the third Temple, which is a necessary sign revealing the antichrist, who would desecrate that Temple (Daniel 9:27, 11:31-32, 12:11-12, 2 Thess 2:3-4); and we know it is the third Temple because he spoke of the destruction of the second Temple in the preceding verse, which was the Temple of Jesus’s day that the Romans destroyed in 70AD (Daniel 9:26); moreso, his prophecies cover other useful details of the end times.
In the book “The Biblical Festivals of God” and the follow-up posts tagged “Biblical Ciphers and Codes - Part 1 & 2” we clearly showed the relevance of the OT even for NT believers, especially in contextualizing the times we live in. I mean who would have thought that the cashless society of today was long prophesied about; and also a lot of the things happening today in politics, culture, science, and tech, all seem to be vividly portrayed in both the New and Old Testament prophecies.
Some people may still stick to the idea that the OT is irrelevant in addressing contemporary issues, but certainly the Early Church did not think that way. The Early Church used the OT to navigate difficult situations with the help of the Holy Spirit. You can remember the circumcision scandal (Gal 2:11-16, Acts 15:1-2). It wasn't by popular vote, or eloquent debating skills to support an opinion that they arrived at a decision. They sought the OT Scriptures and received guidance from the Holy Spirit to deliver the final verdict. We have their approach as a blueprint to help us navigate contemporary issues. By the Holy Spirit and His inspiration of Scripture, there is nothing that we can't resolve.
Acts 15:13-21, 28
[13] When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. [14] Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for His Name from the Gentiles. [15] THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS, AS IT IS WRITTEN:
[16] “ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, [17] THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, EVEN ALL THE GENTILES WHO BEAR MY NAME, says the Lord, Who does these things’— [18] things known from long ago. (Amos 9:11-12)
[19] “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should NOT make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. [20] Instead we should write to them, telling them to ABSTAIN from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. [21] For the Law of Moses has been PREACHED in every city FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES and is read in the synagogues on EVERY Sabbath.”
…
[28] IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: NIV
Out of curiosity, when last did you hear a sermon quoting from Amos 9:11-12? Chances are quite slim. But here the Early Church used those two verses to solve a problem that threatened to split the Church. And I'm sure it was the Holy Spirit that helped, or brought to their remembrance that Passage of Scripture (John 14:26, 2 Peter 1:21).
And just to clarify on the subject of circumcision, God also demonstrated that His intent in the OCL was for the people to be circumcised in HEART, and not just in the flesh (Deut 10:16, 30:6, Jer 4:4, 9:25-26). Paul focused on the emphasis of God's intention instead of the physical act of circumcision itself. Hence, in the NT he emphasized that Gentiles need not be circumcised in the flesh, because THROUGH Jesus Christ they had received the circumcision of the HEART, which is by the Holy Spirit (Col 2:10-11, Rom 2:25-29, 1 Cor 7:19). This is the same heart transformation that God promised in the OT to enable people to obey His commands (Ezek 36:26-27).
So Paul wasn't against the act of circumcision, especially as it pertained to Jews, since it was part of their heritage (Gen 17:10-11); I believe that's why he circumcised Timothy, who was a half Jew (Acts 16:1-3), but he didn't subject Titus to circumcision, who was fully Greek (Gal 2:3); furthermore, he raised no objections to James’ demands regarding the Jews that had completed a vow (Acts 21:23-26). Nevertheless, in the context of SALVATION, which was the argument of that time (Acts 15:1-2), circumcision in accordance with the OCL was IRRELEVANT to SALVATION, since every believer in the NT receives the circumcision which is by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (Col 2:10-11, Rom 2:29).
So once again the OT is shown to SHADOW the NT in revealing the intent of God and subsequent fulfillment through Jesus Christ. We see that Christ FULFILLED our circumcision, and has made us heirs to the promise of the Kingdom (Eph 3:6, Rom 4:16-17, 23-24, Col 1:12-13), just as circumcision made Abraham's descendants heirs to the Promised Land (Gen 17:7-11). Better than anyone of his time Paul understood this subject of circumcision and he communicated it to the NT Church. There are a host of other subjects where we find people in the NT pulling lessons from the OT and situating them in the NT context.
Anyway, the point is that the Holy Spirit is still speaking through the OT which He authored ([2 Tim 3:16, Job 32:8], 2 Peter 1:20-21); but when we take a stance that the OT is not for us, we limit His vocabulary and tools of imagery to reach us (1 Thess 5:19-20). If we refuse Scripture, we refuse Him; and if we refuse Him, the One Who ought to be our teacher, how would we ever learn or truly know the Scriptures (1 John 2:27)? And if we're only comfortable with the elementary truths of the faith, how then would we ever mature? Our growth is primarily dependent on our WILLINGNESS: WILLINGNESS to absorb what is being poured into us (Luke 5:37-38, John 16:12-13, Matt 11:13-15, 13:9-17); and WILLINGNESS to allow ourselves to be pruned so that we can become more fruitful (John 15:1-2).
Hebrews 5:11-14
[11] We have MUCH to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you BECAUSE YOU NO LONGER TRY TO UNDERSTAND. [12] In fact, though by this time you OUGHT to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the ELEMENTARY truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! [13] Anyone who lives on milk, being STILL AN INFANT, is NOT acquainted with THE TEACHING ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS. [14] But SOLID FOOD is for the MATURE, who by CONSTANT USE have TRAINED themselves to DISTINGUISH good from evil. NIV
Note: what he was previously discussing was in connection to Jesus’s Priesthood and linking it to Melchizedek in reference to the Psalm of David (Ps 110:4). So he was making an exposition from the OT to bring a NT perspective, but his frustration was that his audience seemed uninterested in learning deeper things than what they already knew. His charge to them was to aim for maturity so that they could absorb “solid food” of this kind.
I believe that, among other things, this study, as well as the immediate previous one, has helped to adequately DISTINGUISH between the OCL and the NC; and also show that the righteousness which is by faith in the NC is a product of the Holy Spirit (Rom 1:17, 3:21-22, Gal 5:5-6). And this faith is not some dead esoteric thing (James 2:17, 22, 24, 26), but practical expressions from the heart (1 Thess 1:3), that far surpasses the righteousness of the flesh that was obtainable in the OCL.
Indeed, the surface context of the OT all too often does not apply to us in the NT. Nevertheless, there is a deeper content in God's Word, both OT and NT, through which the Holy Spirit communicates (John 6:63, 1 Cor 2:13-14).
I believe I've said this before, but I'll say it once again, the OCL is STILL a SHADOW of the NC. So I'm not advocating that we as believers just pop open the OCL and do what it says according to our interpretation or understanding (Prov 3:5). What I'm saying, and I believe it also agrees with what Paul had said, is that the OT should be read through the lens of the Holy Spirit, and then we do what the Spirit says (*2 Cor 3:13-18*, 1 Thess 5:19, Rom 8:14, *Rev 2:7*).
There is much more that I would have loved to include in this study, especially along the lines of elaborating on certain things to show their practicality in the NT, but I'm going to have to leave it at this. I hope this study has been insightful and a blessing to you.
Thanks for the privilege of your time. God bless and Shalom!
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