Reading the Old Testament

It's interesting how we Americans read the Old Testament and are critical of it... Yet when it comes to justice, mercy, obedience, and sacrifice, the OT (and the rest of the Bible) has more grounds to read our lives and be critical of us.

There is a way of reading that is hesitant, protective, resistant, skeptical, closed... This way of reading often yields judgment and condescension (e.g. this book is stupid, bad, wrong). This way of reading the OT shuts us down.

There is another way of reading that is fundamentally curious, intrigued, open, wanting to understand how could make sense to people in a different time or culture... Even if we disagree, this way of reading often yields learning and appreciation (e.g. for other times, other cultures). This way of reading the OT opens us up.

It's interesting that no one is living out of just the OT...

• the Jews have the Talmud (written version of the oral law, rabbinic discussions about it, etc)
• the Christians have the New Testament (and Jesus)

The OT is not sufficient (in terms of what is written) to be lived by – you can't help but need more. There are places where there are gaps, holes, it's not explicit enough, it doesn't speak to practical details, it raises questions...

Nevertheless, the OT clearly sees itself as the Word of God and intends to be authoritative.

The real question is how Jesus, and the NT, read the OT... To understand that, you're going to have to understand the NT, but you're also going to have to understand the topography of the OT too...