MY FRIEND: Why is the bible divided into two? Old Testament and New Testament? My friend even told me to forget about the old testament, that new testament is what is important. I kinda agree with him. After all, the bible says Old things have passed! What do you think?
ME: First of all, when the bible says Old things have passed it’s not referring to the Old Testament text.
MY FRIEND: Ok, OK, go on…
ME: Secondly, recall what Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.…”
MY FRIEND: Yeah, i remember. What has that got to do with my question?
ME: Because my friend, at the time of the writing of that scripture there was no such thing as the New Testament, meaning Paul’s encouragement to Timothy was in the light of the Old Testament.
MY FRIEND: Errrrm. Wait! Wait!! Wait!!! That contradicts the notion that the New Testament is all I need then? But that aside, what is the difference between the two.
ME: You remember ‘Uncle Dele’?
MY FRIEND: My Uncle Dele? Of course, what kind of a person forgets his uncle? What has my uncle got to do with the New Testament and the Old Testament?
ME: I was just thinking about that time when his family was in Canada and he was alone in Nigeria because of work.
MY FRIEND: Omo, that thing wasn’t funny o. My uncle go just they hold pictures up and down in the house. He was really looking forward to meeting his family but the best he could do was hold onto their pictures.
ME: Hmmm! Thank God he has finally gone to be with them now? Do you think he will still be holding those pictures up and down the house in Canada?
MY FRIEND: For Where? When he is not mad! The actual people are right before him now, why will he be holding onto pictures? Doesn’t make sense.
ME: But do you think he will tear those pictures?
MY FRIEND: Haba! That’s disrespectful na. He needs them for reference na. Why are we talking about Uncle Dele sef, aren’t we supposed to be discussing the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?
ME: Yes, about that! You see, The Old Testament is like the shadow of the revelation of God. Think of it like the pictures uncle Dele was holding. They were the closest to reality about his family that he had at that time. In the same way that the Old Testament was the closest reality of the personality of God until God himself came in the person of Jesus Christ under the New Testament.
In the Old Testament, many prophets have attempted to show us what God looks like but in the New Testament, God is finally revealing himself by himself.
MY FRIEND: Wao! Is that why the writer of Hebrew made that statement in Hebrews 1:1-2 that “In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”
ME: Correct! So the old Testament is like God revealed in pictures while the New Testament is like God revealed in person. Like you said however, you don’t tear the pictures because you’ve seen the person. The pictures are always a good reference point.
In the same, we will never be able to fully understand the New Testament by reading just the New Testament but by the references that the Old Testament provides. We will also never be able to fully comprehend the Old Testament without the reality that the New Testament provides.
MY FRIEND: This is well understood, thank you.
