Old Testament

The Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures (also called the Hebrew Bible) constitutes the first major part of the Bible according to Christianity. It is usually divided into the categories of law, history, poetry (or wisdom books) and prophecy. All of these books were written before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth who is the subject of the subsequent Christian New Testament.

Christian use of the Old Testament

The relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament is not fully agreed upon among Christians. There is some debate among Protestant scholars over the issue of whether the New Testament applies to Jewish people, but there is very little debate over its applicability to Gentiles. Similarly, the degree to which the Old Testament and its laws applies to Christians is disputed. Very few Christians, for example, follow the dietary laws within the Old Testament, whereas almost all Christians believe that the Ten Commandments are applicable. The question of which Old Testament laws are applicable affects debates on a variety of issues, including homosexuality and the ordination of women to the priesthood. Most Christians agree, however, that understanding the Old Testament is essential to understanding the New Testament, and that the contents of both are inspired by God.

Related Topics:
New Testament - Jewish - Gentiles - Ten Commandments - Homosexuality - Priest

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Some historical groups such as Gnostics have gone so far as to assert that the God of the Old Testament is a different being from the God of the New Testament, often calling the Old Testament God the demiurge; of these, some like Marcion of Sinope went further to say that the Old Testament should not be retained as part of the Christian Bible. Most Christian groups believe that this view is heresy.

Related Topics:
Gnostic - Demiurge - Marcion of Sinope - Heresy

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Today, many scholars prefer Hebrew Bible as a term that covers the commonality of the Tanakh and the Old Testament while avoiding sectarian bias, although this commonality only includes the Protestant Old Testament.

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The New Testament contains many references to, and quotes from, the Old Testament, especially in relation to the fulfillment of prophecies (see Bible prophecy) concerning the promised messiah (Greek: Christ), whom Christians believe to be Jesus of Nazareth. In Christian theological views, this expectation, present fulfillment and eschatological fulfillment of the divine, eternal kingdom under the headship of Jesus of Nazareth are the thread running through both Testaments.

Related Topics:
Bible prophecy - Messiah

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Supersessionists adhere to a doctrine that claims the replacement of the nation of Israel with the Christian Church since Christ. This is based upon a number of New Testament verses, one of which is Galatians 3:28, which says And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, (and) heirs according to the promise (English Standard Version). In practice, this means that while the Old Testament ceremonial and dietary laws can be dispensed with, the ethical and moral laws remain. Moreover, those who believe in Supersessionism also hold to the belief that specific Old Testament prophecies about Israel are fulfilled in both the person of Jesus of Nazareth and the church as God's people. Proponents of Dispensationalism disagree with this thesis.

Related Topics:
Supersessionists - Dispensationalism

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Another take on the matter is proposed by Covenant Theologians, who believe that the various covenants of the Bible are supersessive, and culminate in the covenant made in the blood of Jesus of Nazareth, but who claim that Israel has always served as a type (or symbol) of the national church, and who assume a pattern of continuity between the covenants unless a discontinuity is specifically introduced by the covenant-maker (such as the discontinuity between dietary and social proscriptions).

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It is useful to note that Dispensationalists, Supersessionists and Covenant Theologians may all be considered to be Evangelical Christian views.

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In addition, Covenant Theology (or "Covenantalism") was the dominant Biblical understanding of scriptures since the foundations of the Christian Church, beginning with such theologians as Augustine of Hippo, up through the Protestant Reformation from the Catholic Church, with leaders such as Jonathan Edwards and John Calvin. Covenantalism is regarded as the mainstream, historic view of the Church throughout the centuries and millennia, and was the beliefs held by all the great Christian forefathers.

Related Topics:
Covenant Theology - Christian Church - Augustine of Hippo - Protestant Reformation - Catholic Church - Jonathan Edwards - John Calvin - Church - Christian

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Dispensationalism did not appear until the 19th century, and is a relatively new way to interpret Biblical scripture. It is considered by historical theologians and Biblical scholars as heresy, and distorts the message spelled out for Christians in the New Testament.

Related Topics:
Dispensationalism - 19th century - Heresy - New Testament

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