Week 35 Matthew
In my bible there’s one unnumbered page between the end of the OT (page #1334) and the beginning of the NT (page #1).
I don’t have exact figures but I’m guessing quite a few people skip the first 1334 pages and start reading NT page #1 since the OT is old – which could mean a) old-fashioned b) irrelevant c) more-or-less useless and like that. So why bother?
On the one hand I tend to think there’s some OT content that’s not currently-applicable. On the other there’s OT material that seems pretty okay.
For example this winter I read Psalm 15. It’s a list of characteristics of people who are eligible to approach the Lord. They’re people who:
lead blameless lives
do what is right
speak the truth from sincere hearts
refuse to slander others
refuse to harm their neighbors
refuse to speak evil of their friends
despise persistent sinners
honor the faithful followers of the Lord
keep their promises even when it hurts
do not charge interest on the money they lend
do not accept bribes to testify against the innocent
I read through the list again today and it didn’t sound old-fashioned or irrelevant or more-or-less useless to me. They all seemed pretty okay.
Let’s say I had a multiple-choice question:
a) the OT & NT are totally different
b) the OT & NT have similarities-and-differences
c) the OT is no different from the NT…
I’d choose b).
Note: quotes from Psalm 15:2-5 (NLT)