The Scriptures that Speak of Christ. Jesus is the Only Way Salvation is found in no one else for there is not other name under heaven given to men by.

The Scriptures that Speak of Christ

Jesus is the Only WaySalvation is found in no one else for there is not other name under

heaven given to men by which we must be saved. - Acts 4:12

Christ’s all-sufficient work for all (devil has no accusation)You are not your own; you were bought at a price. – 1 Cor. 6:20

OT BelieversBelieve by faith Looking forwardRescue to come

(Prolepsis)

NT BelieversBelieve by faith

Looking backwardRescue that came

(Anamnesis)

The Scriptures that Speak of Christ“Judaism begins and ends with a story. If Christianity is to a great extent about doctrine and Islam about ritual, Judaism is about narrative. To be Jew is to tell and retell a story and to wrestle with its key symbols: the character of God, the people of Israel, and the vexed relationship between the two.” – Stephen Prothero, God is not One

•To be a Christian is not about doctrine•Tell and retell the story and wrestle with the character of God, the people of Israel, the role of the Gentiles, and their inter-relationship through Jesus of Nazareth


Israel’s StoryIsrael’s PromiseIsrael’s IdentityIsrael’s MissionIsrael’s Values

Jesus' StoryJesus' PromiseJesus' IdentityJesus' MissionJesus' Values

Jesus is the Subject of the BibleJohn 5:39: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me”

We understand Jesus properly if we see Him in the light of the OT story that He completes and brings to climax.

The Scriptures that Speak of ChristPurpose of the class•Christianity = identity that is rooted in God’s purposes: Participation in past, present, future work in Christ•Purposes woven into every sentence of OT•OT: Jesus’ Story, Promise, Identity, Mission, Values

We derive our personal relationship through our participation in this story, promise, identity, mission, values

The Scriptures that Speak of ChristContinuity of the Testaments•Consistent content (glorify God: threefold purpose)• Establish Israel over the nations• Bring justice to the earth• Gather in and bless the nations (Gentiles)

•Consistent pattern• God’s purpose is increasingly revealed• Progressive revelation: Abraham, David, Exile,

Christ

Abraham

David

Exile

Matthew 1:1-17

Jesus: Old Testament Story

14

1414

Christ

Jesus: Old Testament StoryForest

Whole

Promise

Collective Identity

Lens: PersonOf Jesus

Continuity

Trees

Parts

Predictions

Personal Application

Lens: Theologicalsystem

Pattern

• Bible is single story of God’s work in Christ • OT is the backstory (Act 1) for NT climax (Act 2)• Jesus is the end of the OT and beginning of NT

Jesus: Old Testament Promise• Promise (motor car); prediction (horse)• Jesus is OT Promise-Fulfiller (met predictions & more!)• Single promise (great river); streams flowing in (history,

wisdom literature, law, poetry, narrative, prophecy)

God made a living, growing promise that Jesus fulfilled

In which we participate today

Jesus: Old Testament Identity• Identity: helps us understand how we fit into world• God formed identity in Israel• Unique worldview (Gen. 1-11)• Communal festivals and feasts• The Law connected to God’s past saving acts• Worship as shared spirituality• Social laws for the sake of others• Spirituality as a response to God’s saving acts• OT people, pictures and patterns

• Strong, thick identity takes time• Identity allows for the nations to be grafted in

Jesus: Old Testament Mission1. Jewish expectation: 1 sweeping cataclysm/3 events• Restored Israel• Justice and oppression defeated• Nations gathered in through Israel

2. OT mission revealed in Jesus (as Israel)3. Cooperation key to Mission (Jesus’ obedience won

the day): Election+obedience=mission4. Ingathering of Gentiles tied to Jesus (as restored

Israel)5. OT formed Paul’s theology and mission

Jesus: Old Testament Mission6. Why so much mystery? (progressive revelation)• Accomplished God’s purposes in people• Combat strategy (Eph. 3; 1 Cor. 2)

7. Continuity in Israel, Jesus, the Church

Continuity: Jesus, Israel, Church

Israel: Come and SeeOne identityOne culture

Church: Go and TellOne identity

Many cultures

Individual Gentiles invited in

JESUS Personifies Israel

Nations into Israel through Son (Jesus)

Kingdom Present1.Devil defeated2.Jesus exalted3.Nations invited in

OT View1.Destroy enemies/restore justice2.Exalt Israel3.Bring in the nations

Kingdom Future1.Enemies judged2.Jesus exalted3.Nations brought in

Christ’s Return

Lessons•Mission = mystery•We must walk in step with the Holy Spirit (Acts)•When God calls (election), and we obey (discipleship), mission is accomplished•Our mission is to proclaim/demonstrate Good News of the Kingdom (worship, discipleship, outreach)

Jesus: Old Testament Mission

• Start with the Gospels to read Christocentrically• Read Hebrews next• Then read OT– Genesis-Esther; Isaiah-Malachi– In parallel read Wisdom literature for commentary (Job-

Song of Songs)

• Resist first urge toward personal application– Try to identify with Israel– What is the story, promise, identity, mission, values I

participate in?

How to Study the OT

Eternity FutureTriune Community

Eternity PastTriune Community

River:God’s work in Christ-Throne (Exalt Son)-Conquest (Put down enemy)-Bride (Rescue people)

Boat:Response of God’s People (OT/NT)-Worship (being)-Discipleship (obeying)-Outreach (doing)Me on the boat:

-Corporate worship-Personal disciplines-Spiritual gifts to bless others

Eternity Future

Boat:Church as a resource

for my cruise

Me on the boat:-My personal relationship- Me and God and my Bible- How the OT relates to me

1. Recapitulation: Obedient where others failed • Adam, father of new humanity• David, the king• Aaron the priest• Joshua the conqueror• Moses the teacher and revealer• Isaiah, the servant-prophet

Jesus: Old Testament Values

1. Recapitulation: Obedient where others failed • Jesus took on the moral responsibility of Israel• Obligations and commitments to all God’s

covenants– Covenants had obligations of obedience– Israel had not kept their part of the covenant, so

Jesus would have to– Obey where they rebelled

1. Jesus life was lived in total orientation to God: values, priorities, convictions, teaching, actions, relationships


2. Temptation: Exemplified what obedience looks like•Temptation gives a snapshot of what obedience looks like, exemplified in the rest of Jesus’ life•Jesus responded to Satan out of Israel’s OT identity, not proof texting– Satan cherry-picked Scriptures to get Jesus to

deviate from His identity (“if you are the Son of God…”)

– Jesus knew the OT story, promise, identity, mission, values that shaped Israel


2. Temptation: Exemplified what obedience looks like•Jesus understood the forest and the trees– Responses weren’t in context, but in context of

Israel’s overall OT relationship with God– Knowing the broad scope of OT scriptures• He knew when Satan’s scripture quoting was

counterfeit• Out of sync with the OT story/promise/identity

mission/values– Drew from OT, e.g. Deut. 8:2-5


2. Temptation: Exemplified what obedience looks likeRemember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.

•Not doctrine, but Story; principle within relationship of Israel and God


2. Temptation: Exemplified what obedience looks like•Jesus demonstrates God’s desire for obedience in orientation, not just keeping rules•Conformance to God’s ways from the heart: Israel’s personal relationships, and as a society (Dt. 4-11)•Jesus represents continuation to what has been given in the OT (not His own new teaching)•Jesus embodies Israel


3. The Law: God’s care for the people•One purpose of the Law was to form society in that time/place– Generations of slavery under Egyptian society– God’s purpose to call them out as a unique (holy)

nation– Different from other surrounding nations– Imagine the difficulty of suddenly building a

society of hundreds of thousands of former slaves


3. The Law: God’s care for the people•Imagine landing on island and forming society– Who is in charge– What are the rules– How to organize for needs and sanitation– What is the punishment for bad behavior– How will disagreements be settled

•The Law was a gift of grace to those who otherwise be subject to anarchy or conquest


3. The Law: God’s care for the people•Hard to imagine as Americans (founded on breaking free from monarchy)– We view laws as oppression rather than as

protection– Can’t overlay American values on OT

understanding of blessing to receive God’s Law•There’s nothing worse than anarchy– Leaderless project– Choosing an activity “What do you want to do?”


3. The Law: God’s care for the people•Law was given in response to grace and redemption– Grace and promise for Abraham– Rescue and protection at the Exodus• Not because of large numbers• Not because of power or money• Not because of moral superiority

– God made Israel His people, then came the Law (grace first, instruction second)

– Not: if you obey, I will save you


3. The Law: God’s care for the people•The Law was never intended as a means of salvation– Guidance within an existing relationship– Law given as simple way to relate to God by grace

•When children asked about the Law, Jews instructed to tell the story of salvation (e.g. Deut. 6:20-25)•Reminder of God’s special relationship and promise to care for His people•Even down to details of healthcare


3. The Law: God’s care for the people•OT saints: grace within the law (e.g. Ps. 19, 119)– Didn’t pit law vs. grace– Didn’t view Law as oppressive– Delight in the Law to stay in right relationship– How to please the God they already knew

•Obedience to the Law the best way to a life that “worked” in ancient middle east


4. OT Values: God sets the priorities•God comes first– Order of the 10 Commandments: God, society,

family, individuals, sex, property– West has reversed them: property, sex,

individuals, family, society, God– Idolatry is anything that puts God out of first place


4. OT Values: God sets the priorities•God comes first– Don’t imitate foreign gods (demons)• Idolatry and injustice went together–Baal: god stratification (winners/losers)–Personal power and oppression of the poor

(Jezebel and stolen land, 1 Kings 21)• Sexual immorality and demon worship


4. OT Values: God sets the priorities•God comes first– Imitate God’s character: righteousness, mercy,

justice; preference for poor, oppressed, vulnerable

– Be a different kind of people (I am a different kind of God (holy)

– Shine a light on complex and oppressive lives of the surrounding nations

– “You will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”


4. OT Values: God sets the priorities•People over things: Death penalty only for offenses against God and pollution of society (never over property)•Needs over rights– Restrain the strong in preference for the weak– God delivered you from oppression, so don’t

oppress others – Runaway slave, female captive, debtors, gleanings

Priorities: God; people>things; needs>rights


5. OT Values: Simple, not complicated•Israel saved by grace at God’s initiation (Exodus)•God asked for simple obedience in return

• Pagan demon worship complicated labyrinth• Responding to Yahweh uncomplicated by

comparison• Micah 6:8: do justice, love mercy, walk humbly

with God


5. OT Values: Simple, not complicated•Jewish leaders had made it too complicated– Confusing list of additional rules– Separated from story of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,

Exodus, it had become a system of doctrine•Jesus came to make it simple again– Summarized the law: Love God, love others– Not an oppressive list to follow; basic orientation

of life based on simple principles– Common people responded with relief


5. OT Values: Simple, not complicated•Jesus was enraged at how leaders had turned the blessing of the law into an oppressive burden– Tithing was for the poor but now turned into

something denying justice– Sabbath meant to give the oppressed workers a

day off• Protecting them from the rich and powerful• A day of blessing and healing• But now turned into case against healing


5. OT Values: Simple, not complicated•Jesus describes a life centered on the OT God•Sermon on the Mount is commentary on OT Law– Love your enemies and neighbor as yourself– Don’t trust in money– Don’t do things to draw attention to yourself– Seek to help the lowest in society– Restrict the powerful from oppressing the weak

•Not hard to understand, but challenging to live out


6. OT values revealed after baptism/temptation•Repent: Orient your life around God’s ways•Follow Christ: the Kingdom is found in person of Jesus•Fishers of men: OT values are oriented to people and their well-being•Teaching and healing: meeting the needs of people longing for freedom, wholeness, justice•Good news to the poor: in Kingdom, social justice would take place for lowest, weakest, vulnerable


Jesus: Old Testament Values6. OT values revealed after baptism/temptationFrom that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matt. 4:17-23

Jesus: Old Testament Values6. OT values revealed after baptism/temptationHe stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:16-20

7. Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it•Jesus; teaching completely consistent with the Law•Jesus’ life and values exemplified an obedience to the Law of grace•Jesus clarified the Law, extended through Prophets and wisdom literature•Not revealing of something hidden•Apostles reinforced/expanded Jesus’ OT teaching (e.g. Gal. 6:2 “Law of Christ”)•Same priorities, same direction


7. Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it•Joe Dvoracek: Which OT laws to obey?– Wrong question: What are the principles of the

Law that are universal, unchanging?– Answer: All the principles of the Law embodied in

Jesus life and teaching•In Jesus’ the baton was passed from Law to Jesus– The same priorities and underlying purposes– In the past, wise person followed the Law; now

wise person follows words of Jesus (Mt. 7:24-27)


Summary•OT starts as Story that Jesus completes•OT declares a promise that Jesus fulfills•OT provides pictures and models that the apostles recognized in Jesus•OT forms an identity for the people of God•OT outlines a mission begun in Israel, carried forward in Jesus and passed on to the apostles•OT provides God’s values for the world to follow, which Jesus clarified and carried forward.


Summary•OT provided a hunger and anticipation for God’s work in Christ to restore all things:– Vindicate Israel (Exalt the Son – Throne)– Gather in the Gentiles (Rescue the people – Bride)– Judge the oppressors (Defeat enemy – Conquest)

•All this was accomplished in Jesus of Nazareth


The Scriptures that Speak of ChristPurpose of the class•Christianity = identity that is rooted in God’s purposes: Participation in past, present, future work in Christ•Purposes woven into every sentence of OT•OT: Jesus’ Story, Promise, Identity, Mission, Values

We derive our personal relationship through our participation in this story, promise, identity, mission, values

Summary“In the Old Testament God forms a family in Abraham, a tribe in Jacob, a nation in Israel, a kingdom in David. The history of the Jewish people is the story of how God prepared the world to receive the Messiah, who would fulfill all the images and prophecies of the Old Testament. Jesus completes the Israelite story so the rest of the world can participate in the Hebrew’s heritage.”

- Jesus Cropped from the Picture


The Scriptures that Speak of Christ. Jesus is the Only Way Salvation is found in no one else for there is not other name under heaven given to men by.

Documents

jesus of nazareth slide

christ slide

ot story

christ ot

nt slide

ot promisefulfiller

anamnesis slide

single story of gods