The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Household Baptisms

Joe is certainly capable of speaking for himself and answering your question. But being one who knows Joe better than most here, I can assure you that Joe is NOT saying that the Old Testament is the final authority in interpreting the New Testament. He would hold just as clearly to the Augustinian ditty as most others. BTW.. the way I learned it was, "The New is in the Old contained. The Old is in the New explained."

I think that Joe is saying that the foundation for understanding the New Testament is found in the Old Testament. In short, you simply cannot come to a right and/or full understanding of the N.T. without first understanding of the O.T. In fact the N.T. consists of over 80% quotes or allusions to the O.T. This truth is, of course, totally ignored or rejected by most modern "Christians" for either theological or other reasons. This is why you see so many people handing out little "N.T. Bibles" rather than the whole inspired Book.

Anyway..... for example, a right understanding of the doctrine of justification by faith is rooted in the writings of the O.T. upon which Paul builds and explains it in the New. And that is what the New Testament does in the main; explain the truth found in the Old, not necessarily introduce everything as "new" in total contradistinction to the Old, as if the O.T. can be dispensed with now that the N.T. has come. This, I believe, is what Joe was expressing, albeit not in language you were able to discern. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/shrug.gif" alt="" /> What he is saying is that our understanding of "Covenant" is found in the O.T. not in the N.T. What we read of "Covenant" in the N.T. is founded upon the teaching and examples of which are found only in and throughout the O.T. writings. So, if you want to rightly understand what a "covenant" is according to the Scriptures, you don't look to the New Testament but to the Old Testament. Is this so hard to comprehend or perhaps accept? It's nothing new, Tom (and all who are wrestling with this hermeneutical issue). Our understanding of God is mainly found in the Old Testament, not the New Testament. The doctrine of the atonement is mainly found in the Old Testament, not the New Testament. The Bible's eschatology is mainly found in the Old Testament, not as most assume, in the New Testament. (e.g., you simply cannot understand "Revelation" aright until you have grasped the teachings of the Old Testament) . . . etc.

I hope this sets the record straight as far as what Joe holds true hermeneutically..... admittedly an assumption on my part, but one which I believe is an accurate one and which I am very sure Joe will correct if I have misrepresented him. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

In His Grace,