Since we know that the Bible is important, and that the Bible is life giving, why do we not spend enough time in trying to know more about it?
It is not enough that we just read the Bible and allow the words to float off the pages to us, but we have to be curious. Curious about what the Bible is trying to tell us. We also have to read the Bible in its full entirety not just the New Testament.
New Testament V.S. Old Testament.
New Testament seems to be easier, more relevant, God is more merciful and full of grace. It is about church life, it is about Jesus.
Old Testament appears to be harder to read, because it contains lineage, rules, laws, visions, and poems. A bunch of things that seems obsolete. Things that no longer concerns us, and God always seems so angry all the time.
But the truth is that God does not change after turning a page from Old Testament to New Testament. God is consistent in telling us of His mercy and salvation from the start to the end.
Old Testament is NOT a prequel to New Testament.
How should we read Old Testament?
We need to read Old Testament and look at it through the perspective of Jesus. That would give us a greater appreciation of what Jesus is doing and saying in the New Testament.
Old Testament is sacred text to the Pharisees and Sadducees, but why did they not see Jesus for who He is even though they read the Old Testament and knows it well?
That is because they are missing something.
They did not acknowledge Jesus as they did not agree that the Old Testament text was referring to Jesus. They missed out on Jesus because they did not understand in light of who Jesus is.
Jesus is the Key
Jesus tells us that when we understand the Scripture in light of who He is, it would help us to understand God better. God would be revealed to us when we read the Scripture in light of who Jesus is. That is due to the fact that Jesus was at the beginning, and Jesus who was with God since the beginning came to the world to save and reveal God to us in flesh.
Be Curious
Therefore, when we read the scriptures, we have to be curious. We have to ask questions.
With Matthew 21:8-17 as an example, let us ask questions and be curious.
When we understand the Scripture in light of who Jesus is, we understand the actions and words that Jesus is saying and claiming.
Let us be curious together, and seek to know more about our God.
