Why Study The Old Testament?

By Ben F. Vick

Since we are a New Testament people, why should we study the Old Testament? Did not Jesus by his death on the cross make it null and void? (see Col. 2:14; Eph. 2:13-17). The question is valid. So, I want to give some reasons for studying it. I have known very few people who have the false notion that we should not study the Old Testament, but they are a rare breed. Most Christians see the profit which comes from a study of the Old Covenant.

First, we should study the Old Testament in order to understand the New. Just imagine not knowing anything about the Old Bible, as some used to call the Old Testament. If one had no knowledge of the Old Testament, when we would come across Old Testament characters mentioned in the New Testament, he would have no clue about them. What would the names of Adam, Abel, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Melchizedek, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, and a host of others mean, if one did not have an inkling about them? What would you know about the creation, the flood, or how the Israelites ended up in Egypt, or how they left Egypt, or even who the Israelites were, if you had no knowledge of the Old Testament.

Second, one of the greatest proofs of the inspiration of the Bible is prophecy and fulfillment. The types and shadows in the Old Testament point to Christ and the church. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New is the Old Testament revealed. Our faith is strengthened by a study of a prophecy mentioned in the Old Testament connected with the fulfillment in the New Testament. Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:17-18). One of the greatest proofs of the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is his having fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. The Ethiopian eunuch asked Phillip, "And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man" (Acts 8:34). How would a Jew today come to the knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah? The Old Testament prophesied that that the Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10). If one did not know the Old Testament, he would not know how to identify the Messiah.

Third, the Old Testament was written for our benefit. Get this, if you do not get anything else. Paul wrote of the Old Testament examples, and he said of them: "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Corinthians 10:6-11). Why did you mention these Old Testament examples, Paul? Do you know that we are not under the Old Testament? Watch what Paul said. He said these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things. But why did you mention them Paul? "They are written for our [that includes you and me] admonition." The word admonition means "a mild rebuke or warning" (Strong's Dictionary). Paul quoted and/or alluded to the Old Testament in his teaching. We are to follow Paul (1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 4:9). Therefore, we can follow Paul and quote and/or allude to the Old Testament in our teaching.

Fourth, Paul said that the Old Testament is profitable. To the young preacher Timothy he wrote: "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

Notice that Timothy was encouraged to continue in the things which he had learned, and that from a child he had known the holy scriptures (2 Timothy 3:14-15). The New Testament had not been written when Timothy was a child, yet Paul said "the holy scriptures... are able [notice the present tense]" to make Timothy "wise unto salvation..." So, there was value in Timothy's continual study in the Old Testament. Further, the apostle Paul said, "All scripture [this would include the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament] is given by inspiration of God, and [watch now] is profitable [is what? "profitable"] for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Fifth, imagine one's trying to understand the book of Hebrews with no knowledge of the Old Testament priesthood, altar system, the tabernacle, etc? It is blatant ignorance to argue that we should not study the Old Testament. I have found that those who know the Old Testament are better students of the New Testaments.

Sixth, what would one know of the creation of the world and all things therein, the beginning of man, of sin's having entered into the world, of the consequences of sin in the world? On and on, we could go. Paul said, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4). What did Paul say? He said "the things written aforetime," (that, is the Old Testament) "were written for our learning," not for our ignoring. So, we are going to study the Bible which includes the Old Testament.