Why do we still follow some Old Testament laws and not others? Is the Old Testament still relevant today?
Rev Charlie (November 2021)
The Bible is divided into two main sections, the Old Testament (everything before Jesus) and the New Testament (everything from Jesus onwards). The word ‘Testament’ is synonymous with the word ‘Covenant’, which means an agreement or contract. So, the Bible contains God’s old agreement with his people (The Old Testament) and God’s new agreement with his people (The New Testament).
The New Testament itself claims to have superseded the Old Testament, for example, Hebrews 8: 13 ‘By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete.’ In light of this, some have asked why we still bother to read the Old Testament at all.
The author of 2 Timothy asserts that ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.’ This statement includes both the Old Testament and the New (‘All scripture’), we therefore take the whole of the Bible seriously, recognising that it contains that which God wants us to know.
The Old Testament is primarily the story of God’s dealings with humanity and it points forward to Jesus. However, most questions about the utility of the Old Testament relate to the law. Some question why we still follow some Old Testament laws but not others. For example, we don’t obey Leviticus 19:19 which says, ‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material’, but we do obey Exodus 20: 14, ‘ You shall not commit adultery.’ How do we select the laws that still apply? To answer this we need to consider the overarching narrative of the Old Testament.
The story of the Old Testament includes a recurring theme relating to God’s law. Namely, every time God gave his people laws, they rebelled against them. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that Israel is incapable of living in accordance with God’s law because their hearts are hard and lifeless.
The Old Testament prophets looked forward to a time when a Messiah figure would come to lead God’s people in obedience to the law. They spoke of God replacing their hearts of stone with hearts of flesh and of the law being written on their hearts. For example, Ezekiel 36:33:
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
Jesus is the fulfilment of these prophesies and the fulfilment of the law. That is to say, Jesus’ followers are not bound by Old Testament law and are instead subject to the law of Christ (1 Cor. 9: 20-21; Gal. 6: 2).
An expert in the law tested Jesus by asking “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” In response Jesus summed up the law of Christ that would now be written on the hearts of his followers, saying:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The law of Christ is a law of love and it supersedes the Old Testament law. The question is therefore not, ‘Why do we follow some Old Testament laws and not others?’ but rather, ‘Why do we still follow any Old Testament laws at all?’
Well, as we might expect, many Old Testament laws have to do with loving God and loving neighbour. These laws are affirmed in the life of Christ and in the writings of the New Testament. In other words, some of the Old Testament commands carry over because they are, implicitly or explicitly, part of the law of Christ.
The Old Testament is part of God’s story and whilst it is not our primary source of moral guidance, there is much to be gained from reading it. Not least, a revelation of God’s nature, his character and his plan for the whole of creation. We also gain an understanding of the world we inhabit and why things are the way they are.
As we read the Old Testament we witness God’s wonderful plan of redemption unfolding, starting with one man, Abraham, and culminating in the nation of Israel, out of which the Messiah would emerge. Without the Old Testament we cannot fully comprehend what God is doing in the world.
God speaks today through his word, the Bible. We must read it prayerfully and diligently and with each new passage ask ourselves, ‘Is there a lesson to learn, a command to obey, an example to follow, or a promise to lay hold of? We must read the Old Testament along with the New and allow it to shape our understanding of God and humanity.
