Christian Interpretation of the 'Old Testament'

**The_Bear** · 29th March 2010 08:05 AM

I have heard quite a few times that the covenant in the old testament had to do with ritual, whereas the covenant in the new testament had to do with inner correction.

Why do people, as far as I have found mainly christians, hold this view?

**Djinn** · 29th March 2010 08:16 AM

[quote name='The_Bear' date='29 March 2010 - 10:05 AM' timestamp='1269871508' post='134178']

I have heard quite a few times that the covenant in the old testament had to do with ritual, whereas the covenant in the new testament had to do with inner correction.

Why do people, as far as I have found mainly christians, hold this view?

[/quote]

Baffles me. Jesus made it abundantly clear that he came neither do destroy nor change the law. Yet most Christians believe that certain old testament laws were voided , and other old testament laws still apply.

**Heel31ok** · 29th March 2010 08:24 AM

[quote name='Djinn' date='29 March 2010 - 09:16 AM' timestamp='1269872199' post='134180']

Baffles me. Jesus made it abundantly clear that he came neither do destroy nor change the law. Yet most Christians believe that certain old testament laws were voided , and other old testament laws still apply.

[/quote]

the Law isn't voided it is fulfilled in Christ. If one is not in Christ then they are responsible and accountable to the Law and judged by the Law according to what they do. One transgression of the Law is the breaking of the whole law. In Christ one is not judged by the Law according to what they have done but what Christ has done.

**kmiller1610** · 29th March 2010 08:38 AM

[quote name='Djinn' date='29 March 2010 - 10:16 AM' timestamp='1269872199' post='134180']

Baffles me. Jesus made it abundantly clear that he came neither do destroy nor change the law. Yet most Christians believe that certain old testament laws were voided , and other old testament laws still apply.[/quote]

So why didn't he pick up a stone and throw it at the woman caught in adultery? That is clearly what the Old Testament Law calls for. Jesus fulfilled the law through his own sacrifice.

Old Testament:

If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

Leviticus 20:9-11

New Testament:

John 8:

They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

**kmiller1610** · 29th March 2010 08:43 AM

[quote name='The_Bear' date='29 March 2010 - 10:05 AM' timestamp='1269871508' post='134178']

I have heard quite a few times that the covenant in the old testament had to do with ritual, whereas the covenant in the new testament had to do with inner correction.

Why do people, as far as I have found mainly christians, hold this view?

[/quote]

The Bible is divided into the Old and New testaments.

**The_Bear** · 29th March 2010 08:45 AM

[quote name='kmiller1610' date='29 March 2010 - 10:38 AM' timestamp='1269873528' post='134198']

So why didn't he pick up a stone and throw it at the woman caught in adultery? That is clearly what the Old Testament Law calls for.

[/quote]

What you are talking about is a failure of people to understand the Torah, not a failure of the Torah itself.

The better questions are - what is Moses? What is a wife? What is a friend? What is death? What is a stone? What is 'casting a stone'? What is adultery? What is a sin?

**The_Bear** · 29th March 2010 08:55 AM

[quote name='kmiller1610' date='29 March 2010 - 10:43 AM' timestamp='1269873783' post='134200']

The Bible is divided into the Old and New testaments.

[/quote]

So why does the Gospel of (Mark I believe) start off with the lineage of Jacob if there is a neat division?

There is no division, for there is nothing but God - the only divisions are the ones that people have made themselves.

**The_Bear** · 29th March 2010 09:34 AM

Also, remember this: Jesus doesn't say not to stone the woman. Jesus says that the only person who should be allowed to stone the woman is the one who is 'without sin'.

After all the people leave, if I remember the story correctly, he says to the woman 'you sinned, but I forgive'.

The ultimate point is that the people who wanted to stone the woman were the sinners, and they were sinners because they did not understand the true meaning of what was written there (because they were not righteous); instead, they said 'the Torah says to stone to death therefore we stone to death'.

**kmiller1610** · 29th March 2010 09:35 AM

[quote name='The_Bear' date='29 March 2010 - 10:45 AM' timestamp='1269873912' post='134201']

What you are talking about is a failure of people to understand the Torah, not a failure of the Torah itself.[/quote]

Personally, I view the Old testament as an object lesson. All the wrath, miracles, structure, rules, rewards, rituals and animal sacrifices could not change the heart of man...

So God sent his son, who made the ultimate sacrifice to change the hearts of men.

Now the key theological question is whether that sacrifice has to be recognized and you have to join a religion to have any advantage from it. My personal feeling is that the sacrifice of Christ has effected the whole world, even those who do not think that they believe in him.

Compassion itself is abroad in the world. Evil still exists and it desires to put out the light. But that light is strong.

**kmiller1610** · 29th March 2010 09:37 AM

[quote name='The_Bear' date='29 March 2010 - 11:34 AM' timestamp='1269876884' post='134217']

Also, remember this: Jesus doesn't say not to stone the woman. Jesus says that the only person who should be allowed to stone the woman is the one who is 'without sin'.

After all the people leave, if I remember the story correctly, he says to the woman 'you sinned, but I forgive'.

The ultimate point is that the people who wanted to stone the woman were the sinners, and they were sinners because they did not understand the true meaning of what was written there (because they were not righteous); instead, they said 'the Torah says to stone to death therefore we stone to death'.

[/quote]

So since Jesus was without sin, why didn't he stone her? Because the new covenant of grace was being ushered in.