By Juice 107.3 Network Sunday 31 Mar 2024EasterReading Time: 2 minutes
Jesus divides the Bible.
Key points
- The Old Testament shows us that we need a Saviour.
- God’s commitment to his people before Jesus was demonstrated in many ways, such as the defining events of the Exodus.
- “The Old Testament helps us make sense of Jesus,” Jacqui said.
To put it simply, the Old Testament is “before Jesus” and the New Testament is “after Jesus”.
Easter is the commemoration and celebration of Jesus’ brutal death and triumphant resurrection.
Easter must be a New Testament thing, then.
Jacqui Grey does not think so.
Jacqui is Professor of Biblical Studies at Alphacrucis University College, Sydney.
Her book – Them, Us and Me: How the Old Testament Speaks To People Today – upholds the relevance of the “Before Jesus” part of the Bible.
Including how it relates to our understanding of Easter.
The Old Testament shows us that we need a Saviour.
“For Christian readers, the Old Testament functions almost like a preparation for the coming of Christ,” Jacqui said.
“It shows us that we need a Saviour.
“It shows us that there is so much sin in the world that we need someone to come into the world to bring healing and salvation for us.”
Jacqui pointed out that the Old Testament describes the “Old Covenant” (for more, see Galatians 3 or Hebrews 8).
God’s commitment to his people before Jesus was demonstrated in many ways, such as the defining events of the Exodus.
A covenant is a binding agreement.
God’s commitment to his people before Jesus was demonstrated in many ways, such as the defining events of the Exodus.
Jacqui said the links between Jesus and the Passover, for example, reveal clear threads between the old covenant and the new one brought in by Jesus (see Matthew 26:26-28).
“The Old Testament helps us make sense of Jesus,” Jacqui said.
The writers of Scripture in the New Testament “continually quote from the Old Testament because it is so essential and central to understanding who Christ is and what he did, particularly the cross”.
“The Old Testament helps us make sense of Jesus,” Jacqui said.
An Old Testament signpost to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is Isaiah chapter 53, according to Jacqui.
“Isaiah is a prophet speaking to the people, to encourage them in their relationship with God.”
“He talks about a servant figure.
“How [the servant] suffers on behalf of the people and gives his own life as a ransom, to benefit others.
“We see the New Testament understands the work of Jesus, and his death on the cross, through the lens of Isaiah 53.”
Listen to the full interview with Jacqui Grey in the player above.
Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro