I was struck by a thought recently: When someone asks me to explain Jesus to them, my first instinct is to open my New Testament. And why not? From Matthew 1 through Revelation 22, I can show them the birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, reign, and promised return of the King of Kings. But, on the other hand, if someone had asked a Christian in AD50 to explain Jesus to them, what would be that disciple’s first instinct? They wouldn’t have a New Testament to open, and even if a writing or two had been completed, it wouldn’t be handily accessible the way our pocket NTs are today. How did the early church make disciples?
They opened their Old Testaments.
Granted, they weren’t calling it the Old Testament (that name didn’t really become ubiquitous to describe the collection of books until the 7th or 8th centuries), but that’s what they would have used. A Christian would have known the words of Moses, of David, of the Prophets, and from them they could have painted a picture that led directly into the history of Jesus. How did Philip convert the Ethiopian? He read Isaiah 53. How did Stephen preach to the Jews before his stoning? He cited Scripture ranging from Genesis and Exodus and even 1 Kings.
Isaiah said that the Messiah would be a Man, God’s Son, God in the Flesh, onto whom would be given dominion and authority, and who would use His power to comfort and heal…
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful Counseller, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
You can find New Testament analogues for each of those phrases used to describe the Messiah, but nevertheless, there it is in the Hebrew text, written 700 years before Jesus was born. It’s a great benefit that we can open our New Testaments and go straight to the life and deeds of Jesus, but if we try to understand and teach Jesus without the foundation of the Old Testament—without the prophecies that first introduced Him to the world—it’s like trying to shine light from a lighthouse without first setting it on its firm foundation. The Old Testament is a marvelous testimony of the Lord. Use it!
~Matthew
PS: Don’t forget that, at the end of September, we will enjoy our Family Day weekend Gospel Meeting with Barry Grider. Be here on Friday evening, September 26th, at 7pm, as well as Saturday evening, September 27th, at 7pm to hear two excellent lessons from God’s Word, both in the lead-up to our big Family Day Sunday on September 28th.