Question & Answer

 
Janet from Adelaide, Australia writes:

Question:

Are there parts of the Old Testament that are said to be relevant today and why?

Answer: By Rev. Roger Wolsey

Dear Janet,

I think a case could be made that all of the Hebrew Scriptures are relevant today. One really can’t truly understand all of the many nuances, or perceive the many allusions, contained in the books of the New Testament without being familiar with the Hebrew scriptures that they expand upon. A very high percentage of the words attributed to Jesus in the Gospels are either direct quotes from verses in the Hebrew texts, or are obvious riffs upon and variations on them. Moreover, if we seek to follow Jesus, we’d do well to be familiar with the texts that informed and inspired him. Based upon the topics he spoke most about, and which verses he tended to quote or allude to the most, it seems clear that Prophets and the Psalms were the books that Jesus spent the most time with, followed by the books of the Torah. So, one might say that the Prophets and the Psalms were Jesus’ “canon within the canon.” And he clearly employed a hermeneutic (interpretive lense) of love as he grappled with those texts that were written long before he was born and sought to make them relevant for his time. I think we’d do well to do the same.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement frequently employed motifs from the Hebrew texts – especially Exodus; as well as Micah, and the other prophets. That was just four decades ago. And, tragically, that Movement still has work to do.

On a related note, I’ve encountered not a few liberal and progressive Christians who say, “I don’t believe in the God of the Old Testament. I only read the New Testament.” Not only is this problematic for the reasons mentioned above, it’s actually committing the “heresy” known as Marcionism. I don’t normally use that word, but in this case I’m okay with it. Marcion felt that “the God of the Old Testament” was cruel and monstrous and that the “God of the New Testament” is markedly different and more loving. While there clearly are a few passages in the Hebrew texts that are most unfortunate and unhelpful and many of us might wish they weren’t there at all, it is unfair and intellectually dishonest to assert that there is only “one God” or “one theology about God” in the Hebrew texts. There are far more books in the Hebrew scriptures than in the New Testament (39–46 depending on who is counting) and they contain as many, and in fact more theologies about God. The books therein are in conversation with each other – and in the case of Isaiah for instance, within themselves. They are a midrash of assertions, discussions, and dissenting voices. This messy project is ongoing and very much relevant today.

Finally, here is a link to a resource that I wrote that many have found helpful: “16 Ways Progressive Christians Interpret the Bible.” I hope this helps.

~ Rev. Roger Wolsey

This Q&A was originally published on Progressing Spirit – As a member of this online community, you’ll receive insightful weekly essays, access to all of the essay archives (including all of Bishop John Shelby Spong), and answers to your questions in our free weekly Q&A. Click here to see free sample essays.

About the Author

Rev. Roger Wolsey is an ordained United Methodist pastor who directs the Wesley Foundation at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and is author of Kissing Fish: christianity for people who don’t like christianity; The Kissing Fish Facebook page; Roger’s Blog on Patheos “The Holy Kiss”