BOOK SUMMARY: OLD MADE NEW - A GUIDE TO THE NEW TESTAMENT USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - CHAPTER 4 - THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE CHURCH

OT WITNESS TO THE CHURCH'S IDENTITY

The church is the people of God not the building.    What is the church? What does it do? The OT helps us to understand. 

The Hebrew word qahal is often used in the OT for the gathering of the Israelites to worship God (Deut. 9:10, Nehemiah 13:1).  Greek-speaking Jews used the word ekklesia. Jesus used this word (Matthew 16:18, 18:17). It was used by the apostles as well (Acts 20:28, James 5:15). In Acts 7:38 then in Acts 8:1 the same Greek word is used to describe the congregation of Israel then the Christians. The church is a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5). The gates of heaven bear the names of the 12 tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:12). Gentiles are grafted into the Jewish olive tree (Romans 11:24). The patriarchs are called our fathers (Romans 9:10). It's clear that language about OT Israel is applied to the church. That is not to say that OT Israel is the NT church or that the church replaces Israel, but that a similar language is applied to us so that we may know our identity. Just as the OT helps us to know sin and the gospel, it helps us to know the church and thus ourselves.

1.    Offspring of Abraham - Galatians 3:29 tells us that if we are Christ's then we are Abraham's offspring.

a.    The Promised Nations - The church is not just made up of Jewish believers. It includes Gentile believers (Galatians 3:8/Genesis 12:3, Romans 4:18/Genesis 15:5, Romans 4:17/Genesis 17:4). Paul sees Abraham as the father of all who believe (Romans 4:11). So a fresh reading of Genesis 15 sees how God's promise extends beyond Abraham to all nations. 

b.    The Children of Promise - In Galatians 4:22-31 Paul quotes Genesis 16-21 and speaks of Sarah and Hagar. Hagar helps us see present Jerusalem which is a reference to the Judaizers seek to impose some sort of law-adherence on Gentiles. Sarah helps us to see Jerusalem above and those who by true faith are the true church. Sarah is our mother.  We are free by faith in Christ not slaves to works.

c.    The True Circumcision - In Colossians 2:11 Paul speaks of baptism as a circumcision made without hands. In other words, the physical act of baptism signifies spiritual circumcision of the heart--or the new birth, regeneration. This should take us back to Genesis 17 where God requires the sign of circumcision for Abraham and his descendants. In Philippians 3:3 Pauls says that "we", the church, are the circumcision. We have been consecrated unto God.  Indeed, those who are born again are children of Abraham.

2.    Exodus Generation - The NT draws upon to Exodus to help us see our identity as the church.

a.    Passover - Paul alludes to Exodus 12:1-8 in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. We are recapitulating the story of Israel and have been delivered by Christ our Passover Lamb.

b.    Sinai - Israel and Moses feared the Lord at Mt. Sinai (Genesis 19:12-17/Hebrews 12:18-21) but the church has drawn near to a heavenly mountain (Hebrews 12:22-23). As Moses was transformed by the glory of God, so we, too are transformed into Christ-likeness by beholding Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18) and we too are ministers of the NC as Moses was of the OC. 

c.    Wilderness -  In 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 Paul warns Christians not to commit the same sins as Israel in the wilderness. Hebrews describes the church as longing to enter "rest" (Hebrews 4:1-10). 

3.    Spiritual Sacrifices

The sacrificial system was central to Israel's way of life. Christ brings it to an end as the ultimate priest and sacrifice. But this system shows us something about the church as well.  

a.    Sacrifices - Philippians 2:17 says that their faith was sacrificial offering. Philippians 4:18 speaks of their financial offerings as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice acceptable to God.   

b.    Temple - In 2 Corinthians 6:16 Paul cites Leviticus 26:12 to make his point that we are God's temple.

c.    Priesthood - Revelation 1:6 says that we were made "priests to...God."  1 Peter 2:5 says that the church offers "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.

4.    Exiles - The NT employs exilic language to help us understand the present state of the church.  1 Peter 1:1 says that we are elect exiles.  Peter and John use Babylon as a label for Rome (1 Peter 5:13 Revelation 14:8, 16:19).  

5.    Summary - Sometimes the NT expresses continuity and sometimes discontinuity. The church does not replace Israel but neither is it entirely separate from Israel. 

OT WITNESS TO THE CHURCH'S MISSION

After opening their minds to understand Scripture, Jesus speaking in Luke 24:45-47 states the message of Scripture. That it was written to tell us that Christ should suffer and be raised on the third day.  He also says that the OT Scripture state the mission of the church: repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. The message and mission of the church go hand-in-hand with the OT Scriptures. Without citing any OT passage, this is Jesus' blanket statement regarding all the OT.  In Acts 13:46-47 Paul cites Isaiah 49:5-6 to show the church's mission. 

OT WITNESS TO THE CHURCH'S CONDUCT

1.    Two Great Laws - Romans 13:9, James 2:8, Galatians 5:14 all cite Leviticus 19:18 as the church's duty to love neighbor as yourself. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus says that all the law and prophets hang on the two commands to love God with your whole being and to love your neighbor as yourself (Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18). 

2.    Ten Commandments - The Decalogue (Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21) are key to Christian living as cited in many NT passages. The Sabbath is the exception. 

3.    Principles - The NT authors sometimes provide rules for Christian conduct based on OT passages. Sometimes these passages are principles. Sometimes they are analogical. 

a.    Genesis - Christian norms for marriage and sexuality are taught to us in 1 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 5:31, Romans 1:26-27 and these principles are taken from Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:22-23.

b.    Exodus - To encourage financial giving (2 Corinthians 8:15) Paul cites Exodus 16:18. Paul uses analogy to help us understand this principle for living and giving. 

c.    Leviticus, Isaiah, 2 Samuel - To explain the concept of being unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:16-18) Paul cites Leviticus 26:11, Isaiah 52:11, 2 Samuel 7:8, 14.

d.    Deuteronomy - Matthew 18:16 speaks of church discipline and the principle of 2 or 3 witness concept taking from Deuteronomy 19:15.  Other principles in the NT are taken from the OT as well.

e.    Psalms - In 1 Corinthians 10:25-26 Paul cites Psalm 24:1 to help us understand how to know whether Christians can eat food sacrificed to idols.

f.    OT Examples - Hebrews 11 points back to a host of OT people to show us how to believe God at His Word and conduct our lives in sync with trust in God's Word.  

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

A more thorough reading of the OT will help our ecclesiology. 

1.    Read the OT as early Church History

2.    Applying the Wisdom of an Unchanging God to Today's New Context

BOOK SUMMARY: OLD MADE NEW - A GUIDE TO THE NEW TESTAMENT USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - CHAPTER 3 - THE OLD TESTAMENT AND JESUS CHRIST

 

We should not understand the OT Scriptures as void of Christ. He is the summation of the OT Message.  

Without quoting a specific writer of the OT, Philipp and Andrew were convinced they found the Messiah based on their understanding of the OT (John 1:41, 1:45).  Jesus said that the Law and prophets were about Him (Luke 24:44-46). The Apostle Paul wrote that Christ's death and resurrection were according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).  

The gospel we hear of in the NT is grounded in the OT.  

OT WITNESS TO THE DIVINE SON

The Church did not create the notion that Jesus was divine. This doctrine is rooted in the OT and even Jesus' own words. 

1.    "Lord" and "Son of God" - Jesus' followers confess Him as Lord (Luke 2:11, John 20:28, Romans 10:9). Lord is kyrios in the Greek and is the word many Jews used for the Adonai which is Hebrew for Lord.  They are using a title reserved for Yahweh.  The title Son of God is an OT term as well (Psalm 2:7).  

2.    Preexistent One - The world was created through the Son (Genesis 1-2, Hebrews 1:2, Colossians 1:16).  The gospel of John chapter 1 also alludes back to Genesis 1-2 to disclose who the Word actually is--the eternal 2nd person of the Trinity. Jesus is said to have saved a people out of Egypt (Jude 5, Exodus 13-14). Jesus even uses the name of God to refer to Himself (John 8:58).  

You can use the 3 step processed previously outlined in "Tools of the Trade" summary to see how the apostle John uses the OT to help us see Christ (John 1/Genesis 1).

3.    God of Israel (as the Second Person of the Trinity)

a.    Recipient of Worship - In Philippians 2:10-11 Paul inserts Jesus into Isaiah 45:22-23 to make it known that Jesus is the only God to whom worship is due.

b.    The "Lord" of the Shema -  In 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 Paul reminds these Christians that idols do not exist and that there is one God, one Lord. This takes us back to the Shema (the Jewish confession of faith) in Deuteronomy 6:4. Paul is asserting the divinity of Jesus by using the OT.

c.    The Coming Lord -  Mark 1:2-3 affirms that Jesus is God incarnate by citing Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3.  Some manuscripts say "the prophets" and not "Isaiah" in Mark 1:2. 

d.    God to God - In Hebrews 1:8 we have the author referencing Psalm 45:6-7 and saying that the Father God says that His Son is God. 

OT WITNESS TO THE HUMAN SAVIOR

After His resurrection, Jesus snuck up on a couple of disciples (not those of the 12) and they were talking about the recent events that transpired. They are discouraged and Jesus calls them foolish for not believing what the prophets wrote about Christ (His sufferings and being glorified).  He then began with the writing of Moses and then went through the Prophets to explain how all the Scriptures were about Him. 

1.    Incarnate One - Jesus was born in the likeness of human flesh (Philippians 2:6-7, John 1:14).  

a.    Matthew 1 and Isaiah 7 - In Matthew 1:23, he quotes Isaiah 7:14 to show that the virgin birth was a sign of God's plan to save and redeem. 

b.    Hebrews 2 and Psalm 8 - Hebrews 2:9 cites Psalm 8:4-5 to show that it was God who took on flesh and was made lower than the angels in the act of the incarnation. 

c.    Hebrews 9-10 and Psalm 40 - Christ is the one who said the words of the Psalm and gives His body as the supreme sacrifice. 

d.    Revelation 12 and Genesis 3 - The boy born of a woman in Revelation 12 is Jesus who fights the dragon. This is an allusion to Genesis 3:15 where the serpent bruises the heel of the Seed of the woman while He crushes the head of the serpent. The physical birth of a Savior was always part of God's eternal plan.

2.    Prophet - Jesus used parables in a lot of His teaching. This was how the prophets often taught and applied the Law of God. Jesus cites Psalm 78:1:2 to show how He is a prophet and teaching as a mouthpiece not just "for God" but "as God." Matthew 5 shows Jesus dispensing the law on a mountain as Moses received the law of God on a mountain and gave it to Israel. The points to the prophetic ministry of Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of Deuteronomy 18:15. Jesus is the consummation of the prophets (Hebrews 1:1-2). 

3.    Messiah/King - Messiah means anointed one--Mashiach in Hebrew, Christos in Greek, Christ in English.  Sometimes priests were anointed as were kings (Exodus 30:30, 1 Samuel 2:10). Jesus is the anointed king of Israel.

a.    Heir of David - David was anointed King (1 Samuel 10:1). God makes a covenant with David to give him an heir and "to establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:13). The Davidic dynastic appeared to come to a halt because of the Babylonian exile.   In Isaiah 9:6-7 we see the prediction of a son who will rule on David's throne.  Matthew goes through great length to connect Jesus to David.  The angels declare that Isaiah 9:6-7 applies to Jesus, hence the title Son of David. The magi in Matthew 2:5-6 cite Micah 5:2-4 to show that it's not just the place of Jesus' birth that is predicted (Bethlehem) but that a David Ruler has arrived according to God's plan.

b.    Star/Scepter of Israel - Revelation 22:16 speaks of the bright and morning star. This is an allusion the prophecy of the pagan prophet Balaam. In Numbers 24:7 he spoke of a star rising from Jacob and a scepter coming out of Israel. These are synonymous ways of saying the same thing. The magi report that it was the rising star of the king of Israel that led them to come and worship. 

c.    Lion of Judah - The scepter that Balaam alludes to is first mentioned in Genesis 49:10.  It was from Judah that a scepter was predicted.  Judah is described as a lion (Genesis 49:9). Revelation says that Jesus is the Lion of Judah (5:5).  

4.    Priest and Sacrifice - Jesus is the Great High Priest (Hebrews 2:17).  Yet Jesus is from Judah, not Levi. How do the NT authors establish His priesthood. Hebrews tells us Jesus is from a different order of priests. He's after the order of Melchizedek not Levi (Hebrews 5:10).  This mysterious figure was King of Salem and a Priest of God. In Psalm 110:1,4 there is a ruler enthroned at God's right hand who is after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5-7 pulls from Genesis 14 and Psalm 10 to show that this Great High Priest is Jesus.  

Jesus is not just priest but the sacrifice as well. Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1:29), our Passover (1 Corinthians 5;7) and the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 5:12). Hebrews 9-10 makes it clear that Jesus fulfills these sacrificial rituals. Paul alludes to Leviticus 16:2 and Leviticus 5:6-7 in Romans 3:25 and Romans 8:3. 

Jesus lifts his hands to bless his disciples before His ascension (Luke 24:50). This evokes the image of the priestly benediction of Numbers 6:22-26. Then He entered the true heavenly tabernacle (Hebrews 9:24). 

5.    Covenant Mediator - Hebrews 9:15 says Christ is the mediator of the new covenant which is discussed in Hebrews 8:8-13, Hebrews 10:15-18.  Jesus words at Passover (1 Corinthians 11:25) remind us of His shed blood that ratifies the New Covenant--an allusion to Exodus 24:8.  As Passover in Exodus led to the Covenant God made at Mt. Sinai, so Jesus' shed blood leads to the Covenant He makes with us.  At the climax of the covenant ceremony in Exodus, Moses serves as mediator by splashing blood on the people to bond them to the Lord.  The leaders ate and drank in the presence of the Lord. The Lord's supper recapitulates this event. In summary, in the OT we see Passover meal-->Exodus-->OC in blood-->Fellowship Meal.  The NT correlation then is Christ's death-->Our Salvation-->New Covenant-->Lord's Supper.

6.    Son of Man - Jesus uses this title of Himself to show his current authority on earth (Mark 2:28), his impending suffering (Mark 9:31) and his glorious return (Mark 8:38).  Jesus allusion to this title from Daniel 7:8-14 helps to veil his identity while revealing it to those who are attuned to the Word. Revelation 1;14 takes the attributes of the Ancient of Days described in Daniel 7:9 and applies them to the Son of Man mentioned in Daniel 7:13.  This lets us know that the Son of Man is more than Jesus human. He is also Divine.    

7.    Vindicated Sufferer - Jesus connects His identity as the Son of Man to the coming sufferings He'll undergo. But Daniel 7 does not speak of any suffering of the Son of Man. So where does this notion come from?

a.    Mistreated Prophets - Elijah suffered (1 Kings 19). Micaiah was imprisoned (1 Kings 22:26-27). Elisha was mocked (2 Kings 2:23-25). Jeremiah was beaten and imprisoned (Jeremiah 20:2). The list goes on. Jesus identifies Himself with prophetic suffering (Luke 13;33-34). 

b.    Isaiah's Servant - Isaiah 52:13-53:12 speaks of a suffering servant. This servant song is found in the gospels, Acts, Romans, Hebrews and 1 Peter. 

c.    Psalmist of Sorrows - In Luke 23:46 Jesus alludes to Psalm 31:5. In Matthew 26:38 Jesus alludes to Psalm 42:5-6.  There are other passages as well in the NT that show Jesus' connection to the suffering in the Psalms.

SUMMARY & CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

In each of the cases where the NT uses the OT, we need to see whether a text is being cited, quoted or alluded to. Then a word comparison must be done, followed by observations about the broader OT passage.  Then we can do a re-mix of the NT passage and see whether the NT authors are showing a prediction, pattern or prescription.  These all converge in Christ. What sort of human can accomplish all the ways the NT shows the OT speaking of Christ? Only a divine one!  Jesus is the thread of the OT and NT Scriptures. He brings newness to the OT Scripture and is the key to fully understanding them. 

BOOK SUMMARY: OLD MADE NEW - A GUIDE TO THE NEW TESTAMENT USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - CHAPTER 2 - THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE GOSPEL

 

Many are convinced that the OT is law and the NT is grace. The writers of the NT disagree completely. We first learn of the gospel from the OT and gain a fuller sense of it in the NT.  See Galatians 3:8, Romans 1:1-2, Romans 16:25-26.  The prophetic writings or the Scriptures referred to are the OT and that is where the gospel was promised.  

OT WITNESS TO SALVATION: ACCOMPLISHED IN HISTORY

Without historical facts there is no gospel to believe. The gospel is grounded in human history. The gospel - the redeeming work of the Triune God summarized in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. We can trace the story of the gospel in the OT as the NT points to particular passages that help us know Christ.

1.    Where Have We Been   

a.    Creation And Fall - 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 modifies Genesis 1:3-5 to help us see that God intended creation to help us understand salvation that would be necessary after the fall.

b.    Israel's Unfinished Story - Matthew 's genealogy helps us to see that the story of the OT is unfished and is continuing in Christ. The division of the genealogies ties us to Abraham to David to Babylon to Jesus. It's Israel's prior story that is unfinished. The Kingdom has not been fully restored as God promised in the OT. The NT authors don't see kiddie stories in the OT. They see the redemptive work of God.

2.    Where We Are Now

a.    The Last Days - Acts 2:1-13 records the outpouring of the Spirit of God on the Day of Pentecost. Peter explains that this is a fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32.  Joel uses the word "afterward." Peter modifies it to "in the last days."  He's letting us know that the restoration that God promised in the OT is coming to fruition.  The last days, according to Peter, are not far off but were upon them. They and we are in the next stage of God's redemption plan. The pouring out of the Spirit marks these days.

b.    The Time of Gentile Inclusion - Peter's sermon in Acts shows us that the gospel was being extended to "all who are far off" (Acts 2:39).  Peter emphasizes that the OT always emphasized a new era where non-Jews would be included in the people of God. This goes back to Genesis 3:15, Genesis 12:3 and many other passages in the OT. 

c.    The Day of Salvation - 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 speaks of how the old has passed away and the new has come.  This happens in Christ. This is an allusion to Isaiah 43:18-19 where it's said that the old age of Israel and their wandering from God will lead to a new age of restoration. Then immediately Paul cites Isaiah 49:8 in 2 Corinthians 6.  What do we learn?

Step 1 - Identify the Passage 

Paul has mentioned the newness that is to be found in Christ as the old has passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17). He then urges the listeners to cling to Christ for salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) by citing Isaiah 49:8.

Step 2 - Double-Click on the OT

As we observe Isaiah 49 in a broader context we see that it is an end-time prophecy.  The servant of God will bring Jacob back to God. Salvation will spread to the nations of the earth through as God works through Jacob/Israel. God will rule over the rulers of this world (Isaiah 49:7).  God's covenant will include Gentile nations per the day of salvation (Isaiah 49:8). There'll be a time of renewal (Isaiah 49:9-10). All creation will rejoice as the work of God (Isaiah 49:13). This is what Isaiah calls the "day of salvation."  

Step 3 - Listen to the Remix

Paul quotes Isaiah to help the listener to focus on Isaiah's message so that everyone will see that the Jesus is the Servant and the day of salvation for the nations is now. This is a joyous moment worthy of praising God. We are currently in that same era.

3.    Where We Are Headed

The story of redemption is not finished. We await a future resurrection, a future judgment and a renewed creation. Revelation shows us this and uses the OT (Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah) extensively to drive home this point. 

OT WITNESS TO SALVATION: APPLIED TO BELIEVERS

1.    General Concepts And Vocabulary

Grace and faith are not invented in the NT. They are words that find their meaning in the OT. This has implications for us.  The NT rarely defines these huge theological words that we throw around. The NT presupposes some knowledge of these concepts based on OT usage. We need the OT to help us know the concept of righteousness, sacrifice, atonement, etc. These are things we have to learn. As a side note, let's make sure when we share the gospel with people who don't know these words, that we use common language and terminology.

Concerning the following words, I'll only make mention of the NT passage that reference or point back to the OT passages or concepts.

(a).    Election - Romans 9-11/Genesis 21:12, Genesis 18:10-14, Genesis 25:23, Malachi 1:2-3, Exodus 33:19, Exodus 9:16, Isaiah 29:16

(b).    Personal Sin - Romans 3:10-18/Psalm 14:1-3, 5:9, 140:3, 10:7, Isaiah 59:7-8, Psalm 36:1

(c).    Calling - Romans 10:14-18/Isaiah 52:7, 53:1, Psalm 19:4 

(d).    Regeneration - Romans 2:29/Deuteronomy 10:16, 30:6, Jeremiah 4:4

(e).    Conversion - Acts 10:43/Isaiah 28:16, Joel 2:32, Habakkuk 2:4.

(f).    Justification - Romans 4:3/Genesis 15:6

(g).    Adoption - Romans 9:4/Exodus 4:22, Jeremiah 31:9, Hosea 11:1

(h).   Sanctification - 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:11/Leviticus 11:44

(i).    Glorification - 1 Corinthians 15/Isaiah 25:8, Hosea 13:14

2.    Summary

The NT authors use the OT to explain these truths. The good news has come to us just as it came to them. Understanding all this helps us to do away with the myth that the OT was only law and the NT is only grace. It also helps us to see that the OT is useful for us even now in helping us understand salvation. Even while we don't adhere to the Mosaic Law in practice, we can understand how it was meant to serve as a guardian to lead us to Christ. We must continue to grow in our understanding of how the NT authors used the OT so that we can:

(a).    Preserve the Apostalic gospel

(b).    Present an intelligible gospel to newcomers

(c).    Show that the gospel is not just about you

BOOK SUMMARY: OLD MADE NEW - A GUIDE TO THE NEW TESTAMENT USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - CHAPTER 1 - TOOLS OF THE TRADE

A THREE-STEP PROCESS

Step 1: Identify the Passage

You must identify which OT passage is being used in the NT. Quotations in the English text reveal that something is being cited. Most Bibles will list cross-references to help you find the cited passage. There are a couple reasons why cross-references are used.  Sometimes they point to the actual passage being quoted. Other times they point to themes mentioned in the NT verse.  It won't always be the case that the cross-references only point to the OT passage being cited.  

Once you've identified the OT passage being used you need to figure out how the NT author is using it. Is he citing, quoted or alluding to it?  

(1).    Citations generally follow the "it is written" formula.  In essence it is saying, "pay attention." Citations can be general and not mention the OT author (John 6:21). Or they can be specific and share the OT author (Matthew 2:17).  

(2).    Quotations are generally verbatim statements from the OT but the NT author doesn't necessarily tell us that he's quoting from a particular author.  There is no introductory "it is written" statement.  Some English Bibles will have quotation marks around such passages. The author of the book contends that quotations and citations are different. He claims citations are meant to prove a point while quotations are meant to help us understand a current NT situation while using a previous OT situation to help us understand what the NT author means in his current point (Romans 9:7). It'd be like saying, "We're not in Kansas anymore" to help others understand that you're out of your element or comfort zone. 

(3).    Allusions, like quotations, do not cite a source, but rather than being verbatim they are less precise. John 1:51 alludes to Jacob's ladder in Genesis 28:12.  Allusions are harder to nail down. There is much debate in this area on how these OT passages are used. Allusions require us to dig into our mental Scriptural knowledge database to have an "aha moment." There are 4 tests you can use to see whether an allusion is valid.

(a).    Volume - How much word-for-word parallelism to the OT text is found in the allusion.

(b).    Recurrence - Does the NT author(s) use that OT passage/book elsewhere?

(c).    Coherence - Does the OT passage fit with the argument in the NT?

(d).    Plausibility - Could the original NT audience have detected this allusion too?

Knowing whether a OT is cited, quoted or alluded to helps us to see the NT intended use of the passage.

    

Step 2: Double-Click on the OT

Once you've identified the OT and whether or not it's cited, quoted or alluded to, you then need to spend time understanding the OT passage.

(1).   Wording Comparisons - Studying the wording helps us to see if the NT author is being careful to cite word-for-word or if he's being more loose in the use of the OT like an allusion. In examining the wording we may see a variation from the original text. They could be quoting from memory, local scrolls or from early collections of OT excerpts. The differences could be also be accounted for by the use of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT Hebrew Bible). Matthew 12:17-21 cites Isaiah 42:1-4 but the ending is different. Matthew ends with "in his name the Gentiles will hope" while in Hebrew Isaiah 42:4 reads, "The coastlands away his laws."  Why the difference? Matthew is using the Greek translation. Or Matthew is tweaking the wording to make sense of it in his current context. Quotations by today's standards are supposed to be verbatim. In the 1st century, quotations were meant to speak the essence of the original author's point.  There are several kinds of "revisionary" quotes from the OT.

(a).    Updating Grammar - Mark 4:12 modifies the tense and mood of Isaiah 6:9-10).

(b).    Rearrangin Clauses - Romans 13:9 reorders some of the 10 commandments.

(c).    Skipping Portions - Luke 4:18-19 skips some of Isaiah 61:1

(d).    Substituting Words - John 12:15 changed "mounted" in Zechariah 9:9 to "sitting."

(e).    Paraphrasing - 2 Corinthians 4:6 summarizing Genesis 1:3.

(f).    Contextualizing - Acts 4:11 adapted the "stone" passage of Psalm 118:22 to Peter's audience.

(2).    Observations About the Broader OT Passage - The snippets that the NT authors use are meant to make a point, but they invited us to understand the bigger context of the account that passage was drawn out of.  Look at the pollen, but zoom out and see the flower. This is close context vs broader context understanding.  Makes some key observations about the broader OT passage.

(a).    Where does this passage fall into the history of Israel?

(b).    What genre of writing is this?

(c).    What keywords or themes stand out that caught the NT author's attention?

(d).    What is the basic sense of this OT passage in its original context How does its theme relate to the bigger storyline of the OT?

We need to constantly brush up on the storyline of the OT so we can have better instincts about how a NT author is using the OT.  Firstly, study the NT summaries of the OT (Acts 7:1-53, Acts 13:16-25).  Secondly, read the OT with the big picture in mind.  Thirdly, read up on Biblical Theology.

Step 3: Listen to the Remix

There is continuity between the OT and the NT and at first glance we don't always see how and why the NT authors use the OT to help us know God.  But as we learn the way the NT authors use the OT we can see the OT in a clearer fashion and we can import a fuller understanding of it into the NT.  Thus, what we have is not a "new meaning" but a "fuller sense" of God's Word.  At the same time, there is a sense of discontinuity between the OT and the NT. The authors of the NT see the OT as being "fulfilled" in Christ. The OT Scriptures find their telos or destination in Christ.  As such we do not see NT authors using Scripture as lectures or scholarly dissertations on what it meant long ago. Rather we see them showing the "aliveness" of Scripture in connecting it to Christ.  The prophets lived prior to Christ entering this world in humanity. Whether or not they knew the fulness of their Spirit-inspired writings is beside the point.  Christ is the key that finishes the song of the OT and they use a continuity and discontinuity hermeneutic.  The author suggests 3 ways that the NT authors see "fulfillment."

(1).    Prediction - The OT author prophesied an event and the NT other sees it as coming to pass (Acts 2:31/Psalm 16:8-11). Bear in mind that some prophecies have multiple fulfillments--prophetic perspective.  These are near term and long term prophecies bundled into one prediction.

(2).    Pattern - History repeating itself. Acts 7:51 reminds the Jewish leaders that they are committing the same sins as their forefathers.  But other sorts of patterns are called types.  Adam is a type of Christ--Christ being the anti-type or the fulfillment of the type.  The Passover lamb is a type of Christ.  The bronzer serpent is a type of Christ.  Earthly Jerusalem and the Temple are types.

(3).    Prescription - The NT authors often use the OT for moral instruction.  God's moral character transcends time thus we should see some use of morality carried across both testaments. The moral truth will still apply (continuity) while the application might look different (discontinuity). Example; tithing in OT vs giving to care for elders.

We cannot flatten out all uses of the OT in the NT and say that they were all Messianic predictions.  There are various sorts of use of the OT in the NT. But we ought to be nuanced in the way we say that the NT is using the OT. 

BOOK SUMMARY: OLD MADE NEW - A GUIDE TO THE NEW TESTAMENT USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - INTRODUCTION

Exodus 13:2, Job 5:13 and Amos 5:25-27 are little known passages that the NT authors quote in Luke 2:23, 1 Corinthians 3:9 and Act 7:43.  What is their purpose in quoting them? This is the point of this book.

This topic matters because the OT was written for us. Romans 15:4 reminds us not to forget former instruction. The things that happened to Israel were for our instruction (1 Corinthians 10:11). 

The NT authors regularly cite and use the OT.  For example, each of the 4 gospels started off with pointing us back to the OT. You can't understand Hebrews without an OT understanding on many fronts. There are anywhere from 300-400 quotes or allusions to the OT in the NT. 

Teachers of the word of God must model a proper understanding of the OT. If we model the "only scholars get this stuff" approach then it will rub off on people and they will be discouraged. If we model the "this is for us and this is exciting" approach then it will rub off as well.

 

SERMON: MALACHI SUMMARY, GOD'S LOVE FOR HIS SON - A MESSAGE FOR YOU

 

SERMON: God's Love For His Son - A Message For You

SERMONAUDIO: Audio

YOUTUBE: Video

TEXT: Malachi

SERIES: Malachi

ORDO SALUTIS - REGENERATION

When you were young you likely had that one relative that pretended to pull off his thumb only to regenerate it by some magical power.  Well, what does Scripture mean when it speaks of regeneration? Let's explore this idea together as it relates to the Ordo Salutis (Order of Salvation).

In previous articles we’ve examined foreknowledge, predestination or election, the atonement and calling. Now we discuss the doctrine of regeneration.  The word regeneration comes from combining two words--again and birth. It could also be stated as a renewed genesis. Thus regeneration. The word regeneration is only used twice in the New Testament although the concept appears in other words. It’s used in Matthew 19:28 where Jesus speaks of the new world or the regeneration. And Titus 3:5 speaks of regeneration in regards to our salvation.

the Lord saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration, and renewal of the Holy Spirit.  

So based on Titus, salvation is by the mercy of God, not because of our good works…and part of that mercy is regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. There’s a 2nd birth or a being born again, another genesis, a renewal from God’s Spirit that is brought to us in God’s mercy.  And mercy is having pity on someone in their poor or terrible condition. 

But Scripture also uses another phrase to convey the idea of regeneration--born again. When you begin to examine the idea of being born again, it presupposes a death in us.  If I am made alive or born again, then there must have been a death prior to this new life or living again. That’s exactly what Scripture shows us.  We have this horrible condition of death that manifests itself in many ways and we need God to make us alive again. We need to be born again, we need a new birth, a regeneration. This is something God does to us as we’ll see in a bit.

Now prior to the new birth, Scripture says that we are dead in our sins.  

Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he love us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. 

As I stated earlier, being made alive, being born again, being regenerated presupposes death in us.  And if you read a few verses prior to Ephesians 2:4-5 you’ll see that the Apostle Paul describes what spiritual deadness looks like. 

Ephesians 2:1-3. And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Do you see how bad it is to be spiritually dead? Do you see why we need the mercy of God to come to us in the new birth? Everyone, according to Paul, is born physically alive but also spiritually dead. That deadness manifests itself in wicked deeds done in our body that were thought out in our mind. We followed Satan and because of that we were under the wrath of God.  That’s what deadness looks like-- following Satan, living out our evil desires and thoughts like everyone else. And dead people cannot change their condition.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that the natural person, that is, the person born physically alive and spiritually dead, cannot accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Did you catch that? The way we are born into this world, dead in our sins, it means we have no ability to understand God’s truth in a way that leads to acceptance and belief of it. We deem them foolish while in this natural state, which includes spiritual deadness. In this dead condition we have no ability, much less a desire, to come to God in repentance and faith in the gospel. It’s foolish to us. In order to believe and accept these things they have to be spiritually understood. But since we are spiritually dead then we can’t. It’s not possible. That means God must be merciful to us and grant us a new birth. If we are made alive again, if we are born again, if we are regenerated, spiritually brought to life, then the things that God has been telling us in His Word, concerning Christ, will suddenly make sense and we’ll receive them.

That’s why the outer call of the gospel often falls on deaf ears. It’s because people are dead in their sin. They need God to make them alive so that when He calls them inwardly to salvation, they are instantly brought to spiritual life and thus they believe. These things all happen instantly in time, but logically they flow in the order I just mentioned. God calls people inwardly. Then He grants new life and then that person believes and puts their faith in Christ and is saved. In fact, 1 John 5:1 actually teaches us this.

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.”

The language is very clear and is used exactly the same way in other parts of the letter of 1^st John. In 1^st John, the Apostle John states that the new birth that comes from God brings about certain results. It brings about righteous deeds (1 John 2:29).  We already saw that spiritual deadness brings about wicked deeds.  1 John 3:9 tells us that the new birth leads to a refraining of habitual sin.  1 John 4:7 tells us that the new birth brings about love for other Christians. 1 John 5:4 tells us that the new birth grants us victory over the world. In none of these cases do the results bring about the new birth. Rather, the new birth brings about the changes and desired results in a person. And in 1 John 5:1, the result of the new birth is belief or faith in Christ’s saving work. The new birth happens first, then faith in Christ as Savior happens. It has to happen this way because in our natural and spiritually dead state, Christ being our Savior is foolish. We need to be made spiritually alive in order to believe and accept this. And that can only happen by the mercy of God. He sees us in our dead state. He sees that we’ll never believe. And He has pity on those whom He’s predestined to be conformed to Jesus’ likeness--those who He loved before the foundation of the world. It's these people that He makes alive so they can call upon the crucified, buried and risen Savior so that they can be saved

Additionally, 1 Peter 1:23 tells us that the new birth is brought about by the Word of God. It's what the Spirit of God uses to breathe merciful fresh life into us. This is why the Word of God must be shared with others who are dead in their sins. It’s the means of how brings about the new birth at a timing He chooses for His elect.

That, my friends, is the crux of the matter when it comes to regeneration.

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