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Triund · May 17, 2009, 03:26 PM

I was talking to a gentleman today. He says that New Testament is for Christians and Old Testament is not for us. I do not buy that because Jesus quoted scriptures from OT.

Why would he say this even though NT has its roots in OT? I am curious to know what do you say about relevance of OT for Christians? Secondly, do Catholics read a different Bible from the Protestants?

Fr_Chuck · May 17, 2009, 04:53 PM

You are not clear what the gentleman said, there are some Christians that will tell you that we are no longer under the law, which is part of the Old Testment, but of course most of the Old testement is first the history of the Hebrew nation and the foretelling of the coming of Christ. So is it for us, of course, are we under all of the laws, that is a denominational issue

The approved Catholic Bible has a few additional books in it, and has a section between the Old and New Testement. But nothing that changes the meanngs of it.

Triund · May 17, 2009, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

You are not clear what the gentleman said, there are some Christians that will tell you that we are no longer under the law, which is part of the Old Testment, but of course most of the Old testement is first the history of the Hebrew nation and the foretelling of the comming of Christ. So is it for us, of course, are we under all of the laws, that is a denominational issue.

He said that we Christians follow NT and OT is for Jews, we follow four gospels, laws in OT finished with Jesus and no longer binding on us.

Which are the extra books in Catholic Bible and why are those not adopted by the protestants?

JoeCanada76 · May 17, 2009, 07:40 PM

(New American Catholic Bible) contained seven extra books named as follows: Tobit, Judith, Maccabees1, Maccabees2, Book of Wisdom, Book of Sirach, and the Book of Baruch.

Edit: The Apocryphal books

If the old testament and new testament. If one of them was not needed then why is it that all the bibles have both old and new. There is meaning for both.

Joe

adam7gur · May 18, 2009, 03:53 AM

The NT is the OT as explained by Jesus.

homesell · May 18, 2009, 05:32 AM

Much of the NT is found in the OT. Both are useful. Genesis is our beginnings, Psalms are prayers, praise, and worship. Proverbs are wise guidelines to live by, the History of the Jews, the instuctional, true stories(Jonah, David, Abraham, Jacob, Noah, etc.) all have spiritual lessons in there. As Genesis was the beginnings of time (and sin) as we know it, Revelation is the end of time (and sin) as we know it.

Five Rings · May 18, 2009, 10:01 AM

Well, not exactly.
The first 5 books of the Bible comprise what the Jewish faith calls the Torah. It comprises the history, but most importantly, the law that governs Jewish life (principally Leviticus and Deuteronomy). The Talmud is the commentary that Jewish scholars have made on the Torah for thousands of years.

In like manner Paul had his commentaries and interpretations on the teachings of Jesus although he never heard or saw Jesus; moreover, he wasn't much of a Jew as Jesus was completely. Much of Paul's commentary comprises the New Testament and is quoted left, righ,t and center as if it were the word of God instead of Paul's interpretation of the word of God. Interesting, no?

Jesus was addressed many times as "Rabbi" and frequently taught in the temple. What was he teaching if not the Torah?

To say that the OT is for Jews and the NT is for Christians is really to reject the commentary that Jesus must have made on ancient scripture. It would have been interesting to hear.

DMRH · May 23, 2009, 06:47 PM

A practical interpretation on this subject may be this...

One would argue that most 1st century Christians didn't have a NT or Greek testament and used the OT or hebrew text as their scripture. Reason was obvious, the NT simply wasn't written or completed then.

Ones argument with your "Gentleman" would be asking him why 1st century Christians relied on the OT & if Gods message is for all mankind through the ages, what makes him different from a 1st century Christian.

Another perspective is to divide the OT & NT into two distinct messages that inter-relate with each other. The old & new, from the Father then the Son. Both versions are seen as rocks to stand upon. Take one away & you will lose your balance & stumble.

God bless