wfn.org | TCN: Old and New Testaments are two halves of a whole, says Bible scholar

["Lydia Ma" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>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 Testaments are like two  halves of a whole and each testament relies on the other to make it  complete. 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 the 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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