8/8/2019 New Testament Interpretation of the Old in New Covenant Theology

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/new-testament-interpretation-of-the-old-in-new-covenant-theology 1/5

Interpretation 1

The Biblical Theology Study Center

Chad Richard Bresson

8/8/2019 New Testament Interpretation of the Old in New Covenant Theology

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/new-testament-interpretation-of-the-old-in-new-covenant-theology 2/5

Principles of NT use of the OT The New Testament use of the Old Testament shows and/or explains fulfillment of the Old Testament

types, shadows, and promises in Christ. Typology is inherent to understanding NT use of the OT. Old Testament passages are interpreted by the NT authors (and Jesus) in light of Jesus, his life, death,

resurrection, and exaltation. The New Testament uses the Old Testament as interpretive support for its various conclusions. New Testament use of the Old Testament is contextual, making it important to read and even

understand the entire context of the Old Testament passage to get the full impact of its use. The Old Testament quote provides backdrop for the New Testament passage and moves along the

thesis/theme of the NT author’s book, even as the New Testament passage interprets the OldTestament passage from which the quote is taken.  While the whole canon is the Scriptures for the New Covenant community, the New Testament

provides definitive interpretation of the Old Testament quotations and the quotations’ context. The New Testament’s use of the Old Testament provides an interpretive pattern to follow in

understanding the Old Testament in light of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and exaltation (theChrist event).

Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament grounds Jesus’ story in the story of Old TestamentIsrael.

Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament provides continuity between the testaments intelling the one grand story of Jesus in the progress of redemptive history.

Use of the Old Testament in the NT draws similarities between Jesus and the Old Testament, andhighlights dissimilarities between Jesus and the OT.

Often the OT quotation is a memory-marker for the larger Old Testament unit. The NT authors portray Christ as both the Grand Interpreter and Grand Interpretation of the Old

Testament.

8/8/2019 New Testament Interpretation of the Old in New Covenant Theology

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/new-testament-interpretation-of-the-old-in-new-covenant-theology 3/5

Playing detective: Read Luke 3:4-6; compare with Isaiah 40:1-11, 52:10; also compare withLuke 2:30

Read Luke 3:16-17; compare with 2 Chronicles 3:1, Malachi 3:1-3, Malachi 4:1-3 Read Luke 3:21-22; compare with Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 2:7, Luke 3:38, Luke 4:3, Luke 9: 28-

36, Acts 2:1-4 Read Acts 2:1-4; compare with Genesis 1:2, Isaiah 59:19, Judges 14:6,19, 15:14, 1 Samuel

10:6,10, 11:6, 16:13, 2 Kings 2:11, Isaiah 66:15, Exodus 13:21-22, 19:18, 24:17, Job 33:4, Ezekiel

37:5-10, Genesis 11:5-9, Luke 3:15-17,21-22, 9:28-36, Proverbs 1:23, Isaiah 32:15, 44:3, Ezekiel39:29, Joel 2:23-29 Read Acts 2:16-24; compare with Joel 2:18-32, Ezekiel 36:25-28 Some questions to ask re: these NT passages:

o  What is being quoted or alluded to?o  What is similar between the OT and the NT passage? What is dissimilar?o How is the OT passage informing the NT passage? How is the NT passage interpreting the

OT passage?o To what or who is Jesus being compared in the NT passage by use of the Old Testament

passage?o How does using the Old Testament passage move along the storyline and purpose of the

NT book?o  What is the promise and fulfillment in the unfolding grand story of Jesus?

The Quotation/Allusion Tool (Beynon & Sach)Some exercises: putting the interpretive principles into

practice

8/8/2019 New Testament Interpretation of the Old in New Covenant Theology

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/new-testament-interpretation-of-the-old-in-new-covenant-theology 4/5

Playing detective: Read Hebrews 8:5-12; compare with Exodus 25:9,40, Jeremiah 31:31-34,Genesis 17:8, Exodus 6:7, Exodus 29:44-46, Ezekiel 36:26-28, 37:26-28, Lev. 20:24, Lev.26:12, Deut. 7;6, Deut. 14:2, Deut. 29:13, Ruth 1:16, 2 Sam. 7:23,24, 1 Kings 8:53, 1 Chron.17:21, 22, Ps. 33:12, Ps. 50:7, Ps. 95:7, Ps. 100:3, Jer. 7:23, Jer. 11:4, Jer. 24:7, Jer. 30:22, Rev.21:3, 2 Cor. 6:16, 1 Pet. 2:9, 10, Luke 1:68, Rom. 9:24, Jer. 32:38, Ez. 11:20, Ez. 14:11, Ez. 34:30,Hosea 1:10, Hosea 2:23, Joel 2:27, Zech. 8:8, Zech. 13:9, Matthew 28:20

Read Acts 1:9-11; compare with Genesis 28:10-22, also: Luke 2:8-20, John 1:43-51

Read John 3:8; compare with Ecclesiastes 11:5, Ezekiel 37:9, Genesis 1:2, 2:7, Acts 2:1-4 Read Luke 8:22-25; compare with Jonah 1:4-16, Luke 11:29-32 Read Hebrews 6:13-19; compare with Genesis 22:15-19, Genesis 15:12-21 Some questions to ask re: these NT passages:

o  What is being quoted or alluded to?o  What is similar between the OT original quotation and the NT’s use of the quotation?

 What is dissimilar?o

How is the OT passage informing the NT passage? How is the NT passage interpreting theOT passage?o To what or who is Jesus being compared in the NT passage by use of the Old Testament

passage?o How does using the Old Testament passage move along the storyline and purpose of the

NT book?o  What is the promise and fulfillment in the unfolding grand story of Jesus?

The Quotation/Allusion Tool (Beynon & Sach)Some exercises: putting the interpretive principles into

practice

8/8/2019 New Testament Interpretation of the Old in New Covenant Theology

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/new-testament-interpretation-of-the-old-in-new-covenant-theology 5/5

The Quotation/Allusion Tool (Beynon & Sach)Some exercises: putting the interpretive principles into

practice

Playing detective: Read Luke 1:7,13; compare with Genesis 18:11, Genesis 17:19,and Genesis 15:8

Read Luke 1:15-16; compare with Isaiah 49:1,5, Jeremiah 1:5, and Malachi 3:1, 4:6 Read Luke 1:31-33, Luke 2:4,11; compare with 2 Samuel 7:13,16, and Psalm 89:3-4 Read Luke 1:46-55; compare with 1 Samuel 2:1-10

Read Luke 2:29-32; compare with Isaiah 42:6, 49:8, 40:5, 60:1-2 Some questions to ask re: these NT passages:

o  What is being quoted or alluded to?o  What is similar between the OT and Luke? What is dissimilar?o How is the OT passage informing Luke? How is the Luke passage interpreting

the OT passage?o To what or who is the stories of John the Baptist/Jesus being compared in Luke

by use of the Old Testament passage?o How does using the Old Testament passage move along the storyline of Luke?o  What is the promise and fulfillment in the unfolding grand story of Jesus?