Why should we study the Old Testament?
The Old Testament, or Tanakh, is foundational for understanding Elohim's character, His covenant faithfulness, and the prophetic blueprint for Mashiach Yeshua. Far from being obsolete, it remains God-breathed and essential for a complete faith.
Quick Answer
Why Should We Study the Old Testament? A Hebraic-Messianic Perspective Quick Answer Quick Answer: We should study the Old Testament, or Tanakh, because it is the inspired Word of Elohim, foundational for understanding Yeshua the Mashiach, the covenants, and the fullness of God's redemptive plan. It is the very Scripture Yeshua and His apostles taught…
Why Should We Study the Old Testament? A Hebraic-Messianic Perspective
Quick Answer
Quick Answer: We should study the Old Testament, or Tanakh, because it is the inspired Word of Elohim, foundational for understanding Yeshua the Mashiach, the covenants, and the fullness of God's redemptive plan. It is the very Scripture Yeshua and His apostles taught from, revealing His identity and purpose.
The Scholarly Case
The question, "Why should we study the Old Testament?" is often posed by those who have been misled into believing its relevance has diminished. However, from a Hebraic-Messianic perspective, the Tanakh (the Hebrew Scriptures, often called the Old Testament) is not merely a historical document but the living, God-breathed foundation upon which all subsequent revelation builds. To neglect it is to misunderstand Yeshua, the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant), and the very nature of Elohim. First, the Tanakh is the primary source for understanding Elohim's character and His covenant faithfulness. It reveals His holiness, justice, mercy, and unwavering commitment to His people, Israel. Deuteronomy 6:4 proclaims, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One." This declaration, the Shema, is not merely a statement of monotheism but of compound unity, reflecting the multifaceted nature of Elohim, as seen in Genesis 1:26, "Let us make man in our image." These foundational truths are established within the Tanakh. To claim one can know YHWH without studying His self-revelation in the Torah, Prophets, and Writings is a profound error (as highlighted in some modern counter-apologetics, e.g., "Necessity of Old Testament Understanding for Salvation/Knowing Yah"). The Brit Chadashah explicitly states that "On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets" (Hebrews 1:1, BSB), underscoring the divine origin and authority of the Tanakh. Second, the Tanakh is the prophetic blueprint for Yeshua the Mashiach. Yeshua Himself affirmed this, declaring, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17, BSB). He further explained to His disciples, "These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms" (Luke 24:44, BSB). The entire narrative of Yeshua's life, death, and resurrection is inextricably linked to the prophecies and patterns found within the Tanakh. Without understanding the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, the Davidic King, or the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah, the identity and mission of Yeshua become unintelligible. The Brit Chadashah writers constantly appealed to the Tanakh to prove Yeshua's Messiahship, demonstrating its indispensable role in discerning truth. Third, the Tanakh provides the essential context for understanding the Brit Chadashah. The Brit Chadashah does not replace the Tanakh but fulfills and illuminates it. Concepts like atonement, sacrifice, priesthood, covenant, and kingdom are all introduced and developed in the Tanakh. Without this foundational understanding, the nuanced arguments of Paul, the imagery of Revelation (as noted by Doug Batchelor in "The Supremacy of Old Testament Knowledge for Revelation"), or the contrasts drawn in the book of Hebrews (as observed by "Truth unedited" in "Importance of Old Testament understanding for New Testament") are severely diminished or even misinterpreted. The apostles, including Paul, consistently taught from the Tanakh, considering it the authoritative Word of God. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, BSB). This "All Scripture" refers primarily to the Tanakh, which was the only written Scripture available to the early believers. Fourth, the Tanakh is crucial for grasping the enduring nature of Elohim's covenants and His plan for Israel. While some traditions mistakenly view the "Old Testament" as "outdated scripture" (a misinterpretation criticized by some Messianic teachers regarding 2 Corinthians 3:14 and Hebrews 8:13), the Hebraic understanding is one of continuity and fulfillment. The New Covenant does not abrogate the promises made to Israel but provides the means for their ultimate realization through Mashiach Yeshua. Understanding the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants from the Tanakh is vital for comprehending the future restoration of Israel and the ultimate establishment of God's kingdom on earth. Attempts to separate the "Old Testament" from the "New Testament" create a theological chasm that Yeshua Himself never intended. Finally, studying the Tanakh allows us to engage with the rabbinic tradition from a position of informed understanding. Pre-Rashi rabbinic sources, such as the Targumim, Mishnah, and early Talmud, often contain Messianic interpretations that align with Yeshua's claims, a fact frequently obscured by later counter-missionary polemics. For example, Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 52:13–53:12 explicitly identifies the Suffering Servant as the Mashiach. Tractate Sanhedrin 98b in the Babylonian Talmud discusses the Mashiach's suffering, and Pesikta Rabbati 36-37 describes the death of Mashiach ben Yosef. These early rabbinic insights demonstrate a vibrant Messianic expectation rooted in the Tanakh, which was later suppressed or reinterpreted. Therefore, studying the Tanakh equips us to critically evaluate modern rabbinic claims against their own historical tradition. In conclusion, the Tanakh is not an optional addendum but the very bedrock of our faith. It is the inspired Word of Elohim, the prophetic revelation of Mashiach Yeshua, the interpretive key to the Brit Chadashah, and the enduring testament to Elohim's covenant faithfulness. To truly know Elohim and His Mashiach, one must immerse oneself in the "Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms."Adversary Teardown: Aish.com
Modern rabbinic organizations such as Aish.com and Chabad.org frequently engage in counter-missionary efforts that subtly, or overtly, diminish the prophetic and Messianic significance of the Tanakh, particularly when viewed through the lens of Yeshua. Their approach often redefines the purpose of the Tanakh in a way that directly contradicts its historical and theological function, especially concerning Mashiach. A common line of argument, exemplified by Rabbi Tovia Singer and promoted through platforms like Aish.com, is to assert that the Tanakh's primary purpose is solely "to tell us how to live our lives" (Rabbi Tovia Singer, "Purpose of Tanakh (Jewish Scriptures)"). This perspective reduces the rich tapestry of history, prophecy, and theological discourse within the Tanakh to a mere "instruction manual" (Rabbi Tovia Singer, "Tanakh as an Instruction Manual Only"), often implying that anything not directly related to legal instruction or ethical conduct, such as the detailed Messianic prophecies, is secondary or even irrelevant. This narrow view systematically strips the Tanakh of its profound redemptive narrative and its forward-looking prophetic trajectory towards Mashiach. This tradition-driven reading represents a significant deviation from earlier rabbinic thought, which was far more open to explicit Messianic interpretations of texts like Isaiah 53. For instance, the Aramaic paraphrase of the Tanakh, known as Targum Jonathan, on Isaiah 52:13–53:12, explicitly identifies the Suffering Servant as the Mashiach. Furthermore, discussions in the Babylonian Talmud, specifically b.Sanhedrin 98b, explore the Mashiach's suffering, and the Midrashic compilation Pesikta Rabbati 36-37 even describes the death of Mashiach ben Yosef. These pre-12th-century rabbinic sources demonstrate a clear recognition of a suffering and atoning Mashiach within the Tanakh, a recognition that directly supports Yeshua's claims. However, the 12th-century commentary of Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as Rashi, marked a pivotal shift. Rashi, in his influential commentary on Isaiah 53, reinterpreted the Suffering Servant as the nation of Israel, rather than an individual Mashiach. This reinterpretation, driven by the need to counter rising Christian claims about Yeshua, effectively cemented a counter-missionary stance that has largely dominated mainstream rabbinic thought since then. Organizations like Aish.com and Chabad.org continue to propagate this Rashi-driven interpretation, thereby obscuring the Tanakh's internal testimony to Yeshua. They insist that "proper interpretation requires reading the entire Tanakh in Hebrew" (Rabbi Tovia Singer, "Old Testament (Tanakh) as the sole, independent revelation of God's nature for Jewish people"), while simultaneously promoting interpretations that contradict older, more Messianic readings within their own tradition. By doing so, they create a false dichotomy, implying that the Tanakh is either an instruction manual for Jewish life or a flawed Christian text, rather than the divinely inspired revelation of Yeshua the Mashiach.Counter-Arguments Anticipated
Objection 1: The Old Testament is obsolete because we are under the New Covenant.
This objection fundamentally misunderstands the nature of covenants and fulfillment. The Brit Chadashah does not abolish the Tanakh but brings it to its intended completion in Yeshua the Mashiach. As Hebrews 8:13 states, "By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear." This refers to the *covenant* as a system, not the *Scripture* itself. The Law of Moses is fulfilled in Yeshua, meaning its purposes are met, and its shadows give way to the reality. Yeshua Himself affirmed, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17, BSB). The Tanakh remains God-breathed and useful for instruction (2 Timothy 3:16-17), providing the very foundation for understanding the New Covenant.
Objection 2: Reading the Old Testament is too difficult and confusing, especially with all the laws and prophecies.
While the Tanakh contains complex legal codes and intricate prophecies, its perceived difficulty is often a result of neglecting the guidance of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and the interpretive key provided by Yeshua. Yeshua opened the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures, showing them "Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms" (Luke 24:44, BSB). The Brit Chadashah provides the lens through which the Tanakh's complexities are revealed as a coherent narrative pointing to Mashiach. Furthermore, the claim that the Tanakh is only an "instruction manual" (Rabbi Tovia Singer, "Tanakh as an Instruction Manual Only") is a reductionist view that ignores its historical, poetic, and prophetic dimensions, which are crucial for a complete understanding.
Objection 3: The Old Testament is primarily for the Jewish people, and the New Testament is for everyone else.
This objection creates an artificial division that Yeshua and His apostles never taught. The Brit Chadashah is the fulfillment of the promises made to Israel, extending salvation to all nations through the Jewish Mashiach. The Tanakh is the story of YHWH's redemptive plan, which begins with Israel but has always had a global scope. The Brit Chadashah writers, all Jewish, constantly quoted the Tanakh to Gentiles to demonstrate Yeshua's Messiahship. The Tanakh is the foundation for understanding the "one new humanity" (Ephesians 2:15) created in Mashiach. To separate the Tanakh from all believers is to sever the root from the branch, leading to a diminished and historically inaccurate understanding of faith.