Taiwan Church News

2978 Edition

March 23~29, 2009

 

Old and New Testaments are two halves of a whole, says Bible scholar

 

Reported by Chen Yi-shuan

Written by Lydia Ma

 

What is the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament? This was the main theme of a seminar held on March 17~18 at Tainan Theological College and Seminary when church leaders gathered to hear Rev. Jou Hong-Yi speak on the subject. Jou currently leads a church in the United States and is a Bible scholar.

 

According to Jou, the Old Testament and the New Testament are like two halves of a whole and each testament relies on the other to make it whole. However, because most Bible scholars in the past 200 years have focused on studying either one or the other, a sense of disconnect between the two testaments developed in due time for many believers. Fortunately, the discovery of Dead Sea Scrolls and increased interaction among Christian and Jewish scholars in recent years have created a bridge allowing us to understand more clearly the relationship and connection between the two testaments.

 

Speaking on the continuity that exists throughout the Bible, Jou pointed out that the Apostle Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:3 that what he was preaching had also been taught by others. Paul also referenced the Old Testament a few times in his writings, but we often overlook these references. However, quoting Old Testament verses should be one of the key aspects of sharing the gospel, said Jou.

 

Jou emphasized on the importance of constantly researching and interpreting Bible verses so that God’s word remains relevant and fresh in contemporary society. He also advised pastors to listen patiently to their church members’ personal interpretation of God’s word instead of being quick to judge and correct, because these personal interpretations are oftentimes very helpful in solving life’s problems.

 

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